all u ever wanted to know about MSP,its benefits and eligibility

Microsoft Student Partners
If you are passionate about technology and looking for a unique opportunity to share that talent, and if you are a good communicator, we are looking for you. Motivated non-final-year undergraduate and post graduate students from across India are invited to apply for the Microsoft Student Partner Program. In exchange for sharing your knowledge and participating in fun activities on your campus, you will get a whole host of benefits, the chance to connect to like-minded people and gain real-world experience to add to your resume. The program allows selected students to work along with professionals from Microsoft and to be a student representative for Microsoft on their college campus. It gives them access to the latest technology and an opportunity to explore and discover a whole new range of technologies. Plus, the best Student Partners also get the opportunity to apply for jobs at Microsoft.

Collaborate ... Innovate ... Celebrate - If this is what you want to do, then nominate yourself to apply for becoming a Microsoft Student Partner. For the nomination-form, eligibilty criteria, and other relevant information, please click the "Application Information" link at the bottom of this Web-page.

Overview of the Microsoft Student Partner (MSP) Program
Eligibility To consider applying for the MSP Program, you must be: · Over 18 years of age · A non-final-year graduate or post-graduate student at an MHRD-/AICTE-approved University/College · Studying a full-time course at the University/College (a referral from a faculty-member could add value)
Competencies A good MSP is one who has the following basic qualities: · Technical competencies o Passionate about software o Quick learner o Respected by peers · Community-building competencies o Enthusiastic about technology o High level of social activity, both online & offline o Can organize college and city-level events · Fundamental competencies o Passionate about Microsoft o Confident & outgoing o Good rapport with faculty o Willing to share knowledge & eager to uplift self and peers
Responsibilities Your short term goals will include: · Complete at least 1 MCP Certification within 3 months · Conduct at least 1 session per month in your College campus Clubs. · Participate and drive at least 50 entries in Imagine Cup 2009 · Promote Microsoft academic projects in campus · Maintain a blog Your long term goals will include: · Promote and build your city-level Microsoft Student User Group · Organize city-level events like Academic Developers’ Conference (DevCon) · Deploy &/or maintain Live@Edu · Sign up an eligible department for MSDN AA · Mentor other MSPs
Benefits As an MSP, a host of benefits are available: · Welcome kit (including invitation letter & visiting cards) · Exclusive MSP Boot-camps conducted by Microsoft · MSDN subscription · Rewards & Recognition for top performers · Networking opportunities · Technical training & resources · Microsoft events · Interactions with MVPs & Microsoft Employees · Internship opportunities at MS and partners · Recruitment opportunities at MS and partners
Selection Process The new MSP selection process which will
FAQs What/Who is a Microsoft Student Partner? A Microsoft Student Partner is an undergraduate student, usually from the school of Engineering, who has a passion for technology and who actively, participates in sharing knowledge among the academic community. Do I get paid to be a Microsoft Student Partner? Is this an internship at Microsoft? No. Though Microsoft Student Partners are as close as a student can get with Microsoft, this is NOT an internship NOR a program that is paid for by Microsoft. The program is a completely voluntary one, with only the shared interest and passion for the latest and the best technology keeps us going. What then, are my advantages in being a Microsoft Student Partner? As a Microsoft Student Partner, you get access to all Microsoft developer resources, first-hand information about our future product features (and yes, deadlines), training and of course, fame. More importantly, it is the ability to now do what you wanted to do for your academic community in your country or city, supported to whatever extent possible by Microsoft. So, you get to do what you want to and get support for it. You said something about an academic community. Is there a special forum run by Microsoft? No. Microsoft strictly does not "run" any user group or forum in cities across the country. Microsoft supports Microsoft technology related user groups in many cities in your country. This is the main workplace for a Microsoft Student Partner. As a Microsoft Student Partner, you run the user group in your city. Microsoft supports this user group with resources, speakers, and such for your group events. So, in my user group, I cannot discuss about GNU/Linux and other open source stuff? Of course you can. Microsoft does not restrict purposeful discussions on the latest in technology. Of course, though, we do not expect you to preach against our products and services. We sincerely want to enrich the large number of young scholars in your country who have the potential but have not realized it. Hmm, what do I do then, as a Microsoft Student Partner? It's simple, really. First up, do what you feel is good and most relevant and beneficial to your student community. We want you to show them the best practices followed in the software development industry, the Visual Studio suite of products, Windows Vista's secrets - beneath the glossy interface, Microsoft Office development, Windows Live API based development, gadgets, Microsoft Expression suite of software for designers, and more! How am I rewarded for my performances? If your performance has been excellent in the academic community, firstly you would be promoted to a Microsoft Student Partner Lead. This Microsoft Student Partner Lead is the integrating force for the rest of the Student Partners and has some special benefits. Most student partners get internships and awards, if not directly recruited into Microsoft. Does a Student Partner get to work with Microsoft in any activity? You bet. As a Microsoft Student Partner, any activity conducted and sponsored by Microsoft would have your inputs in it.

THIS BLOG POST is d answer 2 all ur questions.READ IT!!!

Microsoft Student Partner
Hello there! Welcome to THE blog..the latest buzz in JNCT, bhopal.Starting off,what IS this huge MSP thing which has caught our college off the hooks?
To begin with, MSP stands for MICROSOFT Student Partner. And yes, I am one.
The one question every ones’s been asking me is:How On Earth Did You Become an MSP?Well I chose to write it down once and for all (my throat has begun paining with all the answering repeatedly).Here it is:

Microsoft organized a competition inviting technical students ( passing out in the year 2010 or later), who are passionate about technology, to apply for the Microsoft Student Partner (in short, MSP) examination.By sheer luck,or shall i call it destiny, a generous friend informed me about it.I applied for the exam,got shortlisted,went off to Indore to appear for the next level which was a written test comprising analytical ability,verbal ability,c programming and computer science concepts. Having cleared the writtten test, I submitted my resume and went on for the GD round which lasted for 30 min.The results were declared on the 1st of nov ‘08. And voila! I was chosen as an MSP.

For people who wish to become an MSP,there is always a next exam,to be held next year.For those who dont have the time or inclination to wait for the next year,there is also a wild card entry (it requires a little hard work) wherin you have to participate and drive atleast 10 entries in the IT Challenge Cup.For more details visit http://www.imaginecup.com/ and http://www.student-partners.com/
( Again a Microsoft endeavour, the Imaginecup ’09 finals are going to be held in Egypt. More about it in d next post. Meanwhile it will be beneficial for u to visit the above website.)Having thus become an MSP, my main job would be to organize and conduct seminars in my(yours too, if u please) college ,with microsoft lending its full support obviously.

!!!!ATTENTION FOLKS!!!!
Please Register for any of the competitions on http://www.imaginecup.com/ straightaway. you will be required to fill in a REFERRAL CODE which is as under:
jayachoubey
its easier if u follow the link below:
https://imaginecup.com/Registration/Default.aspx?ReferralCode=jayachoubey
Good Luck!!!!!


But the first and foremost task ahead of us is to build a technical student commmunity in our university. And THIS is where you guys come in.I have spoken to our Head of Department,faculty members etc etc and they is more than willing to lend us support. All we have to do is1. Come together. Irrespective of our streams,sections and grades/years and personal backgrounds.
2. And register! I’ll soon be circulating a list wherein u will have to fill in your basic personal details i.e. name,contact nos. etc(only for the genuinely interested people.no mischief makers allowed here)
3. Donot ask whether our college will give u a certificate for this!! It might , if you insist.AND if we are active members of our communtiy. but one thing is for sure,it will definitely look good on our resume!!! But please, it is high time we stop attaching so much importance to a piece of paper. Instead , look at the other things /incentives it has to offer - ranging from free software downloads to informative seminars to providing our college with an MSDN AA and what not!! (wait n watch!)
4. Contribute in our own little ways- It might be as simple as pinning up posters on the notice board to more complex ones like handling the technical aspects of the seminar arrangements.
5. Inform our friends and colleagues by word of mouth /mail about the new community which we have begun building.
6. Think of a good name for our new technical community. Yes,your opinions count and they are welcome!
Lastly, I’d like to bring to our notice that this is a very low time as far as the IT industry is concerned. We need to rise above our everyday mundane tasks and do something fruitful that benefits us in the long run. The wise dont need to be told twice
Signing off
Jaya Choubey
Microsoft Student Partner
India

DreamSpark has been launched in India!!

On 5th November 2008, Microsoft unveiled DreamSpark - a software giveaway for an estimated 10 million eligible students in India. DreamSpark will provide students access to the latest Microsoft developer and designer tools at no charge.

Microsoft DreamSpark will be available to all students whose studies touch on technology, design, math, science and engineering. The software available to students will include:

Microsoft developer tools
Visual Studio 2005 Express
Visual Studio 2005 Professional
Visual Studio 2008 Professional
Visual Basic 2008 Express
Visual C++ 2008 Express
Visual C# 2008 Express
Visual Web Developer 2008 Express
XNA Game Studio 2.0
12-month free Academic membership in the XNA Creators Club

Microsoft designer tools
Expression Studio 2, including
o Expression Web
o Expression Blend
o Expression Design
o Expression Media

Microsoft platform resources
SQL Server 2008 Developer
SQL Server 2008 Express
Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition
Virtual PC 2007

Training Resources
IT Academy Student Pass

This broad range of professional-level software will be available both online via www.dreamsparkindia.com; and in offline format via DVDs distributed by program partners NIIT, Aptech and Hughes Net Fusion Centers. A student merely needs to offer a proof of identity at a branch of these institutes to avail of a DreamSpark DVD. There are 125 NIIT, 175 Aptech, and 200 Hughes Net Fusion Centers participating across the country.

These program partners will also provide technology training on the DreamSpark software tools at a nominal cost; as well as have the option of soft skills training in languages like English and Hindi. Microsoft India is also working with academic institutions, government bodies and student organizations across the country to ensure that all students get a chance to benefit from DreamSpark.

The DreamSpark program in India is tailor-made to join the dots between software access and employability - which means making training and enablement complement simple access to technology.

DreamSpark will also facilitate student participation in Microsoft’s annual marquee contest, Imagine Cup, through various contest categories such as software design, short films, photography etc. Students from India that qualify for the Imagine Cup 2009 World Finals will get to travel to Egypt. Selected teams will also get the opportunity to get mentored by the Centre for Innovation, Incubation & Entrepreneurship (CIIE) at IIM, Ahmedabad.

Addressing students and academicians at IIT Delhi – where the DreamSpark program was unveiled - Bill Gates, Chairman, Microsoft Corp, said, “We want to do everything we can to equip a new generation of technology leaders with the knowledge and tools they need to harness the magic of software to improve lives, solve problems and catalyze economic growth. Microsoft DreamSpark provides professional-level tools that we hope will inspire students like you to explore the power of software and encourage you to forge the next wave of software-driven breakthroughs.”