Useful Articles – Page 56

Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) is the basic certification required for non USA Nursing professionals to practice in USA. This is different from the NCLEX-RN, which is mandatory licensing examination for the native USA professionals. Following are the details of CGFNS, which is most crucial certification for non USA Nursing students to enter into United States in search of a bright career in Nursing. Those who have not pursued their Nursing education in USA must get this certification in order to practice the profession.

Education and training for the nursing career in the US starts at the undergraduate level. The professional level ‘registered nurse’ (R.N.) has a bachelor’s degree in nursing. It must assure state licensure requirements to practice. Each state in USA has its own criteria and set of laws for licensure. But all states use the similar licensing examination that is NCLEX-RN. U.S. States also require CGFNS certification for nurses educated outside the USA before they take up the NCLEX-RN. CGFNS is also required to apply for temporary non-immigrant visa (H-1A) or a permanent visa.

Eligibility for the Registration of CGFNS:

1. You should be currently registered as a first-level general nurse in your native country.
2. Must have completed an upper secondary school education, separate from nursing education.
3. Should have graduated in general nursing program of at least two years.
4. Must have gone through theory and clinical practice in medical, surgical, obstetric, pediatric, and psychiatric nursing.

The CGFNS Exam basically tests nursing knowledge of the candidates. It is conducted three times in a year. Candidates should also have English language proficiency as assessed by Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

For more information about CGFNS certification program, you can contact your nearest U.S. educational information or advising centre OR CGFNS, 3600 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19104- 2651, USA; Telephone: 215-349-8767.

Website: www.cgnfs.org.

Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), Mumbai is conducting CST- Competence in Software Technology Test since 1994 and the exam has been useful in many ways. Biggest advantage of the CST Examination is the use of CST score by software and IT companies to shortlist the candidates for recruitment. C-DAC, Mumbai and Electronics City, Bengaluru have started this examination. CST Exam has been described as Multipurpose exam that offers various options like education, training, employment etc. CDAC conducts CST at three levels. These are I, D, and G. G – level candidates are in great demand at the time of recruitment than other graders. Following are the some advantages of the CST of CDAC:

1. Eligible for Admission to FPGDST and FPGDIS courses conducted by CDAC.
2. Eligible for admission in reputed institutions / university courses. The list of CST accepting institutes is given below.
3. CST score will be considered at the time of Job opportunities at C-DAC centres
4. You can always improve your scores through regularly writing the exam. The candidate has to take the total examination and the best score in individual papers will be considered while providing score report.
5. CST qualified candidates are eligible for Dissertation Project fellowships at C-DAC
6. CST also helps to obtain standardised scores which can be used while applying for employment in the IT industry. You will be considered for roles such as Staff Scientists/ Member Technical Staff (MTS), Assistant Managers, Project Engineers, Visiting System/ Software Engineers and Software Trainees.
7. CST can also be used as standard score for admission to post-graduate courses of other educational institutions.

Following institutes use CST Scores for admission to various PG courses:

1. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s – BCIDS, Mumbai: PPM
2. Goa University: MCA
3. International School of Management Excellence, Bengaluru and Navi Mumbai: PGPM-IT
4. MPSTME, NMIMS, Mumbai: MCA
5. Smt. Parvatibai Chowgule College, Goa University: M.Sc. (IT)

Details of the test such as eligibility, test pattern, scoring method, application procedure and syllabus are available on cst.cdacmumbai.in

CGNFS Certification for Nursing in USA

Uses of CDAC-Competence in Software Technology (CST) Examination