Tech-led innovations open a gamut of skill development opportunities in Karnataka

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January 16, 2023

The Government of Karnatka is giving impetus to various skill development programmes to drive its vision of ‘Kaushalya Karnataka’. The state envisages an industry-driven skilling ecosystem that ensures demand-driven training. The evolving landscape of skill development and entrepreneurship with rapid advancement in technology demands continuous reskilling and upskilling, shares Dr S Selvakumar, Principal Secretary to the Government, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood (SDEL) Department, Government of Karnataka with Krishna Mishra of Elets News Network. Edited excerpts:

The Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Department was created to bring all skill development programmes under one roof. How has this convergence been achieved?

The SDEL Department was formed in 2016 for the convergence and streamlining of all the skill development initiatives and programmes in the state to better the outcomes in terms of employment and livelihood opportunities.

Each of the institutions under the department is fulfilling its mandate through targeted interventions for different beneficiary groups. The Commissionerate of Industrial Training and Employment oversees the management of vocational education through the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). The Livelihood Missions implement programmes for financial inclusion, urban and rural poverty alleviation, and resource mobilisation for boosting livelihoods and entrepreneurship. The five Karnataka German Technical Training Institutes (KGTTI) across Karnataka have so far provided world-class multidisciplinary training to more than 36,000 youth in industrial automation, electrical, construction, automotive, welding, manufacturing, and information technologies.

Government Tool room and Training Centre (GTTC) has established centres of excellence with Siemens, Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC), and Dassault Systems for skilling youth in Robotics, IoT, CNC, renewable energy, reverse engineering, and automation, among others. The Centre for Development of Entrepreneurship of Karnataka (CEDOK) has been building the ecosystem from the ground up through its entrepreneurship awareness and development programmes, especially for rural, micro and women entrepreneurs. Lastly, the Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC) is the nodal implementation agency for the state’s flagship scheme for skill development – the Chief Minister’s Kaushalya Karnataka Yojane (CMKKY) which is modelled after the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY). These initiatives and institutions collectively drive the vision of ‘Kaushalya Karnataka’.

Karnataka is coming up with a policy for Skill Development. What are its key focus areas?

The policy envisages the empowerment of 100 lakh youth by equipping them with marketable skills by 2030. We are giving impetus to an industry-driven skilling ecosystem that ensures demand-driven training. The policy also outlines a framework for upskilling and reskilling the workforce in the face of increasing transition to Industry 4.0, along with fostering a culture of lifelong learning.

Aligning with the Union Government’s vision for decentralisation, we are building the capacities of our network of district skill development offices to plan, implement and monitor region-specific skill development and livelihood programmes. Such initiatives are aimed at ironing out regional imbalances. The policy lays emphasis on orienting the youth towards entrepreneurship through awareness, skill development, and institutional support.

The policy also promotes the spirit of inclusion through special interventions for women, artisan communities, and marginalised groups such as persons with disability and sexual minorities. In fact, our partnership with Aequs is ongoing for the development of the toy cluster in Koppal for skilling over 25,000 youth. We have also introduced the One District One Skill programme for upskilling artisans of each district through design interventions and market linkages. We are also training inmates of all 8 central prisons to engage them in income generating activities within the prisons to encourage their financial independence and to assist in their rehabilitation after release.

You have always stressed the importance of an industry-driven skilling ecosystem. How is your department fostering the same?

We have created a dedicated Industry Linkage Cell – ILC to consult with industries on their requirements for skilled workforce, map their demand, and introduce market-oriented skilling programmes. The Karnataka Skill Development Corporation, through ILC, has established a green channel to fast-track the empanelment of companies, corporate bodies, and industrial associations as accredited training partners. We want industries to actively contribute to the entire value chain, right from curriculum design to training and placements. This ensures quality training and captive employment for the candidates.

We have always welcomed collaborative partnerships with the industry. We joined hands with Tata Technologies to revamp 150 government ITIs into technology hubs to skill the youth in Industry 4.0 technologies

The project you initiated for the upgradation of ITIs is being replicated in other states as a successful PPP model. Tell us more about it.

In partnership with Tata Technologies and an industry consortium of 20+ partners, we have upgraded 150 government ITIs across Karnataka at the cost of Rs. 4,636 crores under the pioneering programme of Udyoga. A first-of-its-kind initiative in India, Udyoga is assisting industries in the adopting Industry 4.0 by equipping the youth with the requisite skillset in emerging technologies such as IoT, advanced plumbing, advanced manufacturing, robotics, automotive manufacturing, electric vehicles and industrial automation. Udyoga aims to create 20,000 highly skilled individuals every year through long-term courses and train 1,00,000 professionals annually through short-term courses. The project envisions a pool of highly trained workforce with specialised skills for employment and entrepreneurship. Udyoga has emerged as one of the successful industry-government collaborations for achieving shared goals.

What is your perspective on integrating tech led innovations in skill development and entrepreneurship?

In Karnataka, we have been continuously exploring innovations in technology for skill development, entrepreneurship, and employment. In fact, Dr Ashwathnarayan C N, the Hon’ble Minister of Higher Education, SDEL and ITBT Departments recently launched the Karnataka Skill Connect Portal. It is an integrated one-of-its-kind platform that offers a gamut of hiring functionalities for recruiters to source candidates for internships, freelance projects, and employment. The platform also provides skilling courses for job aspirants to skill, upskill and reskill themselves in their fields of interest, and apply to thousands of job openings in multiple sectors. The AI-powered portal has unique features such as video resume for candidates to showcase their communication skills, and direct campus hiring options for employers.

Additionally, we have set up state-of-the-art language labs in multiple towns and cities for improving the communication skills of youth to widen their employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. We are employing the LokOS app at the community level to create profiles of lakhs of self-help group (SHG) members in every district of Karnataka and to digitally record their transactions. To illustrate another example, we have incorporated AR / VR -based learning in the upgraded ITIs for a few courses as an innovation in pedagogy. These interventions have set a precedent for incorporating tech based interventions in education and skilling as envisioned in the National Education Policy 2020.

Madhya Pradesh to impart medical, engineering education in Hindi: CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan

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January 16, 2023

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, applauded his government’s choice to provide medical and engineering education, claiming that language had no relation to intelligence. He said that the move would make it easier for youngsters from low-income families who don’t speak English to pursue careers as doctors or engineers.

Chouhan said while addressing the gathering, “English has nothing to do with intelligence. As a result, I made the decision that all medical and engineering education in the State shall be provided in Hindi, allowing intelligent but underprivileged children of farmers and labourers to pursue careers in medicine and engineering.

Madhya Pradesh was the first state in the nation to begin the MBBS programme in Hindi earlier in October of last year. Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry were the first three topics to be chosen for study in Hindi. The MBBS Hindi course book was introduced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah at Bhopal’s Lal Parade Ground.

An official release said that a group of 97 professionals were preparing books at Gandhi Medical College in Bhopal. The book is currently being translated from English to Hindi.

Vishwas Sarang, the minister of Madhya Pradesh’s medical education department, predicted that the decision will significantly improve Hindi-language education.

Chief Minister Chouhan added that the investments being made in the state will give young people job chances. He promised to start a medical college. “We have set up the teaching of engineering and medical courses in Hindi in Madhya Pradesh. Now, the child of the poor will likewise grow, he said.

ETS focusing on developing portfolio of assessments to benefit institutions, faculties and students: Alberto Acereda, Global Higher Education, ETS

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January 16, 2023

GRE has recently formed an India Business School Advisory Council to enhance its work in the management education space. Alberto Acereda, Associate Vice President, Global Higher Education, ETS, had an interaction with Garima Pant of Elets News Network to delineate more about the GRE Tests. Edited excerpts:

Tell us about your achievements regarding ‘Innovation in Education’ during the year 2022.

The interesting thing is that we are observing a diversity in institutions who are starting to scale up because GRE itself is a diverse tool that can be used by students who may be interested in different disciplines. You have this in engineering & business schools, and we are seeing that traction moving forward in India.

What has brought about the increasing acceptance of GRE scores beyond the off-accepted streams?

If a student wants to do a graduate programme, but is unsure whether to lean more towards a business school or an engineering school, he/she can be evaluated by taking the GRE and admitted to one of these distinct schools accordingly.

I believe that in the 21st century, with institutions seeking a more varied cohort of students, the GRE accomplishes just that. It can bring different abilities, diversity, and backgrounds to education programmes.

What are the enhanced security features that are being implemented to prevent instances of cheating?

ETS has been working aggressively on cheating prevention. It has taken a very decisive approach by investing millions of dollars in test security, and establishing an entirely new team of individuals who are constantly taking care of this.

It’s not just an issue for the GRE, it happens throughout the industry. It’s unfortunate, but there are still people who do not obey the rules.

We aim to ensure that individuals who take the test honestly and legally are not cheated by those who use other means. We have made improvements on biometrics to names and ID checking by creating multiple processes.

We were also working on scanning of test environments so that the cheating issue can be effectively dealt with.

GRE has grown 68 per cent compared to equivalent 2021 volumes in India. What has prompted this growth?

In recent years, ETS is focusing more on India as it is now the global priority for ETS. We’ve created offices in India, expanded our teams, and have started to communicate with stakeholders, students, institutions, and the government to see how we can make our contribution. We are not only thinking about the GRE, but also about how to improve the GRE and establish a portfolio of assessment and tools that can help institutions, faculties and students.

How do you see India as an investment destination? What are your future plans for investment and expansion in the country?

Over the last two years, we have been investing millions of dollars on infrastructure in India.

We are also having more interactions with higher education players in India, we want to be a part of the higher education ecosystem. It’s fantastic to see young and smart people in the vibrant city of Delhi and it’s quite exciting for us.

In 2025, there are going to be millions of students who will take post secondary education and India is going to be one of those places not just because of the large population, but because of the excitement happening in the higher education space.

What do you look for in an institute for fostering future partnerships?

When we talk with institutes and universities about our solutions, we want them to understand that ETS is more than just a vendor who provides an assessment or sends the score; we want them to see ETS as an educational partner who provides solutions according to their needs.

In all cases, such as public/private universities, segments such as business schools or law, ETS from the United States to India, and globally, are attempting to provide solutions with its portfolio that are actually actionable and customisable for the institutions and, at the end of the day, it places the student at the centre of the discussion.

So, rather than a vendor-type approach, we are looking forward to the partnership approach. We believe that a student’s life cycle does not have to be linear, but circular. As a result, we must assist students from the moment they express an interest in higher education until they get their first job and then find different options for success in the future.

Technology will help in mending the quality of education: Dr Kavita K Roy, Oxford World School

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January 16, 2023

Online assessments and examination, blended learning models in education are a journey and not a destination achieved during the year 2022, says Dr Kavita K Roy, Principal, Oxford World School in an interview with Nidhi Shail Kujur of Elets News Network (ENN). Edited excerpts:

Tell us about your achievements in terms of ‘Innovation in Education’ during the year 2022.

The year 2022 put more emphasis on the NEP, which gives additional impetus to vocational education by introducing vocational subjects, skill enhancement and training at school levels. The two years of the pandemic have paved the way towards newer possibilities and innovative dimensions of learning. The education industry stood up with the help of technology and catered to the needs of the children. To make them future-ready, we need to focus on making education more employable. We first need to reach every nook and corner of the country with better infrastructure and technological integration. Alongside also make the youth self-reliant through skill-based education as envisioned in the National Education Policy 2020. At present, the ‘Skill India’ mission is blowing at full steam. Metaverse or ‘mirror world’, or the ‘special internet’, or even the ‘AR cloud’, a virtual learning experience with enhanced physical reality, is the future of education in the coming years. Online learning will be more real with the help of the metaverse, which involves the concept of Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR & VR). It’s time to recognize the importance of leveraging the advantages of technology and optimizing digital platforms to meet the current and future challenges of providing quality education for all. The need is to invest in the creation of open, interoperable, evolvable digital infrastructure, e platform such as SWAYAM, DIKSHA & SWAYAMPRABHA provide teachers with a structured and user-friendly rich set of assertive tools for monitoring the progress of learners, content creation, digital repository, learning games and simulations, fun based student – appropriate tools like apps, gamification of Indian art and culture, in multiple languages should be effectively used by the learners. Online assessments and examination, blended learning models in education are a journey and not a destination achieved during the year 2022.

How futuristic technologies are going to transform education in the year 2023?

Technology plays a very important role in helping everyone survive in this 21st century. Without it, one cannot imagine this world. It has grappled its way into our day-to-day lives, making its grasp tighter in every aspect. Ever since Covid-19 happened, technology has proved to be a boon for the educational sector. Educators realized the role of digitization a while ago but this pandemic gave it a sudden thrust and boost.

Technology will help in mending the quality of education, the educational system, and communication, and providing enriched resources. It will make learning effective for learners and help educators perform their duties efficiently. Artificial intelligence such as Professor Einstein (a robot) is already making waves in the educational sector. The robot helps science students by lecturing and helping them to understand science subjects. A few more to add on are viz., Learning Management System (LMS) is a rostrum that is being developed to constitute and track online learning activities and initiatives. It assists in developing and delivering content, lectures, and pedagogical aids, and alleviates and nurtures communications. Through LMS, parents can have an eye on their ward’s roster, marks, and assessment dates, creating a chance for parents to be engrossed in their child’s learning. Gamification is a new quirk in technology where educational games are being simulated to engage your visuals for learning with the help of coding. Augmented reality and virtual reality can help the classroom become more interactive and immersive while engaging pupils’ senses. Technology makes it easier for students to find information quickly and accurately.

What are the innovations that accelerated the transformation of growth in the education landscape in the year 2022?

The outbreak of COVID-19 was the catalyst for a digital revolution in education. Lockdowns forced schools and universities to embrace new ways of learning, including remote classes and innovative learning platforms. The walls of the classrooms are no longer a barrier as technology enables new ways of learning, communicating, and working collaboratively. Technology has also begun to change the roles of educators and learners. “COVID forced us to speed up the adoption of digital learning tools that we’d be considering for a long time. They’ve completely changed the way we teach. We can reach students more efficiently and effectively, and they find it easier to communicate with us. Digitization and remote technologies are going to be a huge part of the future of learning, here’s a look at some of the biggest education trends of 2022.

Remote learning (Hybrid learning), Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality, and Extended Reality (ER) create virtual models of real-world places. ER Platforms like Google expedition mean teachers can take their classes on a virtual tour, Robot teachers, AI & Machine learning, Chatbots, QR Codes, and Nanotechnology etc., 2022 is on course to be an exciting year for digital education. New technologies will continue to create exciting and interactive learning environments for the education sector.

What is your mission and vision to impact the paradigm shift of the education arena in the year 2023?

A 21st-century education is about giving students the skills they need to succeed in this new world and helping them grow the confidence to practice those skills. With so much information readily available to them, these skills focus more on making sense of that information, sharing and using it in smart ways. The ability to think critically and creatively, collaborate with others, and communicate sets students up for success in their careers, but also empower them to lead happier healthier lives. Education needs to be all about empowering students with transferable skills that will hold up to a rapidly changing world, not prescribed content that has been chosen for its past relevance.

Technology must be used strategically to benefit students. Students are increasingly advanced users of technology even as they enter school for the first time, so this can often mean being open to the possibilities presented rather than attempting to teach and prescribe the use of certain programs. Many a classroom ‘technology class’ has baffled children by attempting to teach them about programs, websites and hardware that are no longer relevant or that they understand far better than the teacher does.

21st-century teachers need to serve as a guide or mentors or facilitators for their students, not as the all-knowing sage providing them with all the information. With so much access to resources of all kinds, children are invariably going to know more than teachers on different topics and be a step ahead of the technology in use. Teachers need to be empowered as facilitators and motivators for learning so that they can empower their students in turn.

This shift is great news for teachers. Instead of struggling to give kids all the information they need to succeed in areas the teacher knows little about, they can support students as they make their steps into different fields. It’s about preparing kids to go beyond their parents and teachers, making sure they have the skills to do it, and then helping along the way as they build the confidence to achieve.

This means teachers need to be forward-thinking, curious and flexible. Teachers must be learners, adopting new ways of teaching, and learning alongside their students. Simply asking questions like “what will my students need twenty or fifty years from now? How can I help give them those skills?” can change your mindset, make you a leader, and help you bring about change in your classroom, school and community.

The International Baccalaureate – providing an education for life

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January 13, 2023

The world is changing and changing fast. Today’s students must prepare to enter a dynamic and challenging world that requires transferable and adaptable skills. If they are to compete, today’s nations must build an entrepreneurial generation of disruptors, equipped to reinvent, reimagine and redefine not just the nature of work but entire industries. To do this, students need education for life. Not for one career, but for many. Not for one culture, but for all. And, most importantly, for a world where a qualification is not the end state. It is the beginning.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) creates resilient, well-rounded young people who have the knowledge, skills, and sense of purpose they need to thrive throughout their lives and contribute to make the world a better place. Our curriculum is deliberately flexible, empowering students, teachers and schools to tailor an education that is appropriate to their culture, context, needs, interests, and learning ability. This learning methodology moves past knowledge transfer to knowledge use, analysis and innovation. With this solid academic foundation, the International Baccalaureate produces students with transferable, future-ready skills and an internationally recognised qualification.

Learn more about what our schools say about our programmes

“The PYP’s transdisciplinary themes are so important for allowing students to understand a perspective from different angles and encourage them to come up with their own views and actions as a result. While we all developed core skills during our childhood, we never turned it into action like PYP students do!” – Vandana Lulla, Head of School, Podar International School.

“The MYP is much more established in India now than in previous years and recognition has improved by universities as well as our parents. As such, we have seen an upward general trend in recent years of students staying in India for university—this has increased from 10% to 35%.” – Shalini Advani, Former Head of School, Pathways School Noida.

“Through studying the DP, students become effective communicators, independent thinkers and are open to reasoning. We try to foster these skills in all of our students, no matter what curriculum they follow because we can see first- hand the very real benefits that IB students gain from studying the DP.” – Seema Sapru, Head of School, The Heritage School.

“In the 21st century, when you enter into a workplace you have to have a sound understanding of the work that you are undertaking as well as an awareness of your own capabilities too. Strong communication skills, technical skills and presentation skills are also a requirement, but these skills should be accompanied with care and compassion. The CP equips our students with these different competencies and more.” Meenakshi Ganeriwala, CP Coordinator, Mahatma Gandhi International School.

For more information, visit: http://bit.ly/3Xh5uaC

Building teacher’s capabilities in VUCA world: Dr. Mona Khanna, Vandya International School

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January 13, 2023

Critical thinking, inquiry-based, analysis-based, and discussion-based learning are the modes of teaching and learning that have evolved swiftly in the education arena. No doubt making such a humongous paradigm shift at the very core of the education system will not come without challenges. In an exclusive conversation, Dr. Mona Khanna, Principal, Vandya International School, Guwahati, Assam expressed various challenges, opportunities, and development in the education sector with Sheeba Chauhan of Elets News Network. Edited excerpts:

What are your plans to implement NEP at your school? What can be the possible challenges you will face in the path?

The overall aim of the school is to attain optimal outcomes in the domains of physical and motor development, cognitive development, socio-emotional-ethical development, cultural/ artistic development, and the development of communication. The structure of the school has been divided as per the NEP into the preparatory stage, middle stage, and secondary stage which are called respectively Ahaan-Ankuran, Bodh, Srijan and Ojal. Ahaan-Ankuran is a combination of two stages where one step leads to the other. This is the learning and development space for children from Nursery-Grade 2. Bodh stands for the learners’ rousing spirit of self-ability and awareness and is for the students of Grade 3-5.

There would be an overall reformation of the curriculum and pedagogy for all levels to make sure that students undergo cognitive development and also are inculcated with all the relevant skills. NCERT will specify this particular set of skills and accordingly will include the mechanisms for early childhood and school education.

Instead of imposing loads of content, each subject will only include core essentials, this will give more opportunity for critical thinking, inquiry-based, analysis-based, and discussion based learning. Hence the key areas would be concepts, applications, and problem-solving; teaching and learning on the other hand would be carried out in an interactive manner.

As a step towards a cross-curricular pedagogical approach arts and sports both need to be included in the teaching process. This will help to develop collaborative skills, self discipline, teamwork, and discipline.

How do you cater to emotional development in students at your school and how do you channelise the same in the growth of the students in academics?

A healthy learning atmosphere for a child can only exist when the child is in an emotionally sound condition. At Vandya, we have a dedicated Behavioural counselling cell that focuses on every student’s emotional well-being. Students attend regular sessions, both individual & group, with the counsellor. The department is in regular connect with the parents as well. Additionally, to help students express and acknowledge their emotions and respect others emotions, regular reflection sessions and circle time in place. Yoga & meditation also helps in achieving age-appropriate mindfulness. Such measures help students get the right balance and concentrate well on the task at hand. Not just academics with this kind of guidance students will excel to the best of their potential in all areas.

You have a different teaching-learning pedagogy at your school. Please elaborate on the same. Teaching and learning methods have evolved massively in the last few years. Do you think, a leaner-centric approach is the way forward for school education?

Our teaching-learning systems at school are all-round. The theme-based experiential learning systems ensure that students find the right application of the concepts taught and are able to relate it to the real world ahead. This helps them learn the right skills and attach purpose to what they learn and want to learn ahead.

The teaching-learning does not stop at students. Each member of the Vandya community, the teachers, the parents, mentors, everyone goes through regular learning opportunities in terms of trainings conferences, workshops and over peer learning. For the entire community, the State-of-the-art infrastructure and the modern facilities play an important part in the process. Right from having an Interactive Flat Panel in every class classroom, the biodiversity park, the Science park, the Composite Science lab to ensuring the right use of building as a learning aid, every nook and corner of the school is a learning space. All of this automatically contributes to creating active learning opportunities for the students inside and out of the classroom, thus creating multiple avenues for children to learn from.

What are your thoughts on teacher training programs adapting to the evolving curriculum?

Today’s world is volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous and we need to build the teacher capabilities accordingly. As I mentioned the term VUCA in teaching-learning, I want to emphasize on the importance of building the right soft skills in combination with the subject-based knowledge. In my previous response, I very particularly wanted to lay importance on the fact that the teaching-learning phenomenon go hand-in-hand. Whatever be the curriculum, a teacher cannot stay relevant in-time if the teacher is not learning actively. At Vandya, we ardently follow a rigorous professional development program that includes workshops, training sessions, conferences and conclaves with the larger community and internal best practise sharing- and peer learning sessions with the internal community. These capacity-building sessions ensure that the teaching community at Vandya is ready to prepare the children to be responsible and empathetic global citizens.

What is unique about the philosophy at Vandya?

Vandya is one of the 108 names of the Goddess of Knowledge, Maa Saraswati. In the simplest of the ideas, we aim to equip children with skills and spirit, to contribute for better to the world and the people in it. Vandya International School is a progressive school deeply rooted in Indian ethos. We aim to equip the future generation of learners with a repertoire of skills and a sensitized perspective to motivate them towards the cultivation of excellence and to prepare them to meet the challenges of a dynamic environment and society. We strive to bring up individuals who are empowered to apply their acquired abilities and knowledge and use their personal attributes to lead productive lives and become ethical citizens of the global community. The school looks at a curriculum integrated with skill development and vocational components.

The program is designed to be

• Student-Centric
• Enquiry-Based
• Beyond the confines of a classroom
• Inculcating the love for learning
• Orienting the learner towards service

To foster a community built on positive relationships among all the stakeholders of the larger society a Vandya embodies the following core values:

Empathy: To enable awareness and acknowledgement of one’s own and other’s beliefs
Equity: To inculcate fair and justified distribution and service-mindedness
Enterprise: To promote innovative thinking, enquiry, discussion and creative problem-solving
Integrity: To instill the right understanding of righteousness and justice.
Nurturing Relationships: To value human connection and cultivate synergy
Inclusivity: To be a global citizen and respect global practices

A combination of the above fosters balance, responsibility, commitment and respect to build up a Vandya: One who is worthy of Respect.

Hybrid learning is the new normal: Sahil Chalana, Collegedunia

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January 13, 2023

The advent of homeschooling startups and augmented & extended reality is one of the most significant innovations in the education landscape. The adoption of these technologies is still in the preliminary to the intermediate stage, shared Sahil Chalana, Founder, Collegedunia with Sheeba Chauhan of Elets News Network (ENN). Edited excerpts:

Tell us about your achievements in terms of ‘Innovation in Education’ in 2022.

For Collegedunia, innovation in education is about giving its user the best answers in the least time. It is transitioning from a college classified portal into a user-first intelligent admission assistant. Collegedunia retained its top position for best user experience with almost 22 per cent better bounce rate and average engagement than its nearest competitor. This has been achieved by tailoring the page experience per user behavior, recorded via click streams. Our position as India’s most prominent college review portal strengthened, and we added around one lac reviews in 2022. Sentiment analysis of the college reviews has given excellent summaries of pros and cons, saving users from reading multiple reviews.

How will futuristic technologies transform education in the year 2023?

Education in the year 2023 will be majorly impacted by virtual content. Students can select the best mode of education for themselves, and the institutions will build their capabilities around it. A student studying at an average college in a city can be trained with a case study being taught at Harvard. Augmented and Virtual reality can sustainably prepare students for real-world scenarios and hybrid learning is going to be the norm now. Collegedunia has detected an increasing trend in the sessions for short-term courses as online learning keywords have increased by 31 per cent since 2020.

What innovations accelerated growth in the education landscape in 2022?

The advent of homeschooling startups and augmented & extended reality is one of the most significant innovations in the education landscape. The adoption of these technologies is still in the preliminary to the intermediate stage. Yet, the kind of experience such tools offers has set the path for more immersive learning for students. As an admission help platform, Collegedunia has tested many models to provide the best chat experience for user queries. This feature will likely go live by the mid of 2023.

What is your mission and vision to impact the paradigm shift of the education arena in the year 2023?

Our mission is to be more user-centric and transform Collegedunia into a collaborative self-help portal for all educational needs. We are pivoting towards building student communities where users can provide and receive help from peers, alums, and subject matter experts. We also aspire to be the fastest portal to send admission notifications.

The education arena in the year 2023 will shift towards experiential learning and will try to research its newly found mode of content delivery. Institutions will have to offer more electives as a greater number of students will start to look away from the traditional approach of a fixed curriculum. Already, institutions like IIMs have started offering up to 100 electives in their flagship two-year degree programs. Collegedunia will play an increasingly prominent role in helping the students make the right decisions.

Top 20 percentile students of each board eligible for admission to IITs and NITs

Higher Education

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January 12, 2023

According to the Ministry of Education, the top 20 percentile of students from each educational board will now be able to apply for admission to IITs and NITs and take the JEE Advanced exam even if they did not receive 75% of the marks in class 12.

The decision was made in the midst of ongoing calls for the JEE (Advanced) eligibility requirements, which call for at least 75% overall marks in the class 12 examination administered by the relevant education boards, to be relaxed.

National Testing Agency released a statement that “As per the Information Bulletin of Joint Entrance Examination (Main)-2023, the candidates who qualify for admission to NITs/IITs and CFTIs and for admissions based on JEE (Main) rank, should have secured at least 75% marks in the Class 12 examination conducted by the respective Boards.”

The National Testing Agency has received numerous requests from relevant stakeholders to modify the requirement of 75% on the Class 12 exam.

Given the foregoing and in the best interests of the students, it has been decided that the following criteria will be used to determine who is eligible for admission to NITS, HIITS, and CFTI through the Central Seat Allocation Board (CSA):

Candidates must have at least 75% in their Class 12 exams or be in the top 20% of their class in order to be considered for admission to the NITs, IIITs, and other CFTIs whose admissions are dependent on JEE (Main) rankings. The required grade in the Class 12 test for SC/ST candidates is 65%.

The deadline for online registration for the first JEE Main will be January 12. The exam will take place between January 24 and Jan 31, 2023.

Education systems are undergoing a great paradigm shift: Sanjay Datta, Maharana Mewar Public School

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January 12, 2023

Technology aids in improving communication as well as educational quality in the education system. Modern technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Learning Management Systems are being implemented in every school today, shared Sanjay Datta, CEO, Maharana Mewar Public School, Udaipur, Rajasthan had an interaction with Kaanchi Chawla of Elets News Network (ENN). Edited excerpts:

Tell us about your achievements in terms of ‘Innovation in Education’ during the year 2022.

Maharana Mewar Vidya Mandir paid emphasis on the National Education Policy, with an additional impetus to vocational education, in the year 2022. The school has introduced various vocational clubs such as Agro club, Fitness, and Nutrition club, Career guidance clubs, YUVA tourism club, Sigma science club, INTACH, TED-Ed, Eco club, Environmental sensitivity club, Happiness club, Energy conservation clubs, and many more to equip students with practical knowledge and hands-on experiential learning.

To enhance and inspire students about vocational learning and skill development the school has made special provisions for SEED (Skill, Enhancement, Empowerment, and Development) lectures in its daily routine.

We feel elated to share that the school has innovated and implemented BASE model pedagogy as a part of its “Happiness Classroom Initiative”. As a result of this, to quote a few, one of our students, Pari Sahu represented the state of Rajasthan at the National Level in a BEE painting competition organised under the aegis of NTPC, National Campaign Energy Conservation, 2022. Likewise, Niramay Upadhyay, a young wildlife enthusiast, received first prize in World Wildlife Federation (WWF) quiz, in association with Udaipur Forest Department, during the Wildlife Week Celebration.

How futuristic technologies are going to transform education in the year 2023?

Technology helps in mending the quality of education, the educational system, and communication by providing enriched resources. Since technology in education systems is seeing increased implementation every year, we would not need to linger much longer to see the outcomes. Modern tools and technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Learning Management Systems (LMS) through ERP, Gamification, and 3D animation pedagogy-based learning is being practiced in MMVM. As an endeavor towards futuristic technologies, in 2018 MMVM Udaipur, has successfully implemented RFID attendance and GPS tracking technology. We strive to follow augmented & virtual reality and blockchain in the coming years. The growing influence of technology in education is, thus, providing us with a quick look into a step-by-step evolving realm of unrestricted learning.

What is the innovation that accelerated the transformation of growth in the education landscape in the year 2022?

One of the most important emerging trends in education in 2022 is a stark shift from subject-oriented rote learning to a more skill-based learning method. The key skills needed in today’s competitive business environment are cognitive thinking, problem-solving, and management. Thus, with the inclusion of skills training in the curriculum by the Department of Skill Education, CBSE has introduced 18 skill subjects in secondary and 38 skill subjects at the senior secondary level. Skill hubs, art-integrated learning, the hub of learning, and SAFAL (Structured Assessment for Analysing Learning) are some of the initiatives taken by the board and Government of India to upgrade the proficiency of the young generation and provide them with an awareness to explore various career opportunities.

What is your mission and vision to impact the paradigm shift of the education arena in the year 2023?

Education systems are undergoing a great paradigm shift.

Teaching and learning are also evolving to cope with the changes. There is a massive teaching and learning pedagogical revolution, which needs to be understood

And why not? While everything around us is changing, then why not education? Change seems to be constant in education. When a paradigm shift takes place, we see things from a different perspective as we focus on different aspects of the phenomena in our lives. Based on the same philosophy, our mission is to provide future leaders with a skill-based, seamless learning opportunity through a curriculum that is in sync with international standards.

Our vision is to create a learning environment that ensures the development of a logical yet creative mindset, excellent interpersonal skills, and a balanced emotional intelligence. Last but not the least, it also ensures the integration of the rich culture of our country in the learning process so that the learners develop commitment, integrity, compassion, and respect for all.

Nation’s agricultural education set to revamp: ICAR

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digitalLEARNING Network

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January 11, 2023

Dr. Seema Jaggi, Additional Director General (HRD), the Indian Council of Agricultural Education (ICAR), stated that the country’s agricultural education will be modernised in accordance with the National Education Policy by placing a strong emphasis on skill development.

Jaggi was addressing at the official opening of 21-day Winter School, a training programme for academics and researchers at the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute(CMFRI).

She continued by saying that the course curriculum would be changed to help create a variety of chances in the agriculture industry.

“With this, education and research in agriculture and allied areas will have greater opportunities in the country in the future,” she said, adding that the establishment of programmes like incubation centres would significantly benefit rural development.

She emphasised the value of analytical methods in social science research and claimed that without accurate data analysis, research would be lacking.

She further added, “It is essential to have a solid understanding of modern statistical, econometric and time series methods to make proper inferences in social sciences research.”

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