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Online PhD programme by edtech will not get recognition: UGC

University Grants Commission

Edtech companies have developed online PhD programmes in collaboration with foreign universities. The University Grants Commission (UGC) released a notice to warn the students that it would not recognise online Phd programmes.

As per the notice, “Such online PhD programmes are not recognised by the UGC. Aspiring students and the public at large, are requested to verify the authenticity of PhD programmes as per UGC Regulation 2016 before taking admission.”

Earlier in October also, The UGC notice released by AICTE reaffirmed the UGC laws their revisions and said universities need to comply with the same when conferring doctoral degrees on their students.

As per UGC regulations
UGC regulations have already warned that all higher education institutions (HEIs) in India must provide doctoral degrees to students as per adherence to the guidelines.
The UGC notice noted that the commission had announced the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of MPhil, PhD degrees) Regulation 2016 to regulate and standards for PhD degrees.

UGC revised the PhD rules in March 2022. As per the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of MPhil, PhD degrees) 2022, students who have cleared UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) or Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) should get 60% of the PhD slots in universities. The remaining slots of 40% will be covered by the university entrance exams for admitting doctoral students.

National Education Day – A journey from changing courses to transforming education

National Education Day

Education is the gear that can push society forward and upwards. Indian democracy is seven decades old, and now is the ultimate time to evaluate our standing in the education space. The lever was pulled way back by our first education minister, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad; we have to just keep it rowing in the same direction. Today, the nation is celebrating ‘National Education Day’ to commemorate our first education minister on the day of his birth anniversary.

“Education imparted by heart can bring revolution in society” a very acclaimed saying of Maulana Azad still echoes in every educator’s ear as they begin their journey as educators or preachers. Maulana Azad laid the foundation stone of many eminent academic institutions including University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Secondary Education Commission and others. Reputed institutions like IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Kharagpur, Jamia Milia Islamia were also established during his tenure.

Educators today are walking on the pathways shown by Azad in the initial years of post-independence. He was very sure in imparting his vision of education for all. He even ensured that every child should receive a free education before the age of 14. His special focus was education for girl child, adult literacy, universal primary education, and a standarised secondary education for all.

To celebrate his immense achievements and to remember his thoughts on the education landscape, India started to celebrate 11 November as ‘National Education Day’ from 2008. The first National Education Day was inaugurated by then President Pratibha Patil on 11 November 2008 at Vigyan Bhawan, Delhi. The nation is energised with the new enthusiasm posed by our New Education Policy and we can only go towards an upward curve with this new enrichment in the education sector.

We owe our utmost regard to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and his endless life achievements!

Computerised home school & mechanical teachers – Future of education

sanjeev

In 1951, Isaac Asimov wrote a science fiction story, set in 2157, in which the teaching-learning process happened oneon-one between a student and a mechanical teacher at home. Computerised homeschooling seemed a far-fetched fantasy half a century ago but during the pandemic, it became a reality and the new norm.

In the story, Asimov incorporated the modern concepts of the flipped classroom and personalised learning. However, the story itself was titled ‘The Fun They Had’ because the author seemed to feel that although the traditional education system had its drawbacks, the brick-and-mortar school, and the real student teacher interaction were so much more interesting and enjoyable.

The future of any discipline including education cannot be predicted but can only be speculated. In the past, many specialists have philosophised the importance of individuality and originality and how the system of education can impair both. Currently, research in the field of psychology and neuroscience has thrown insights into the process of learning and how it differs from person to person. Moreover, the values of modern society have moved individuality to the forefront.

Taking into consideration the philosophical, scientific, and social aspects of education in vogue today one can surmise that the following five concepts and ideas may dominate the education system in the future:

1. Personalised learning: Individual differences in learning will soon become a matter of high priority. An Individual Learning Plan (ILP) will have to be created for each student; so that education matches the needs, interests, and skills of the student.

2. Technological integration: With the advent of portable computers and the internet, technology has become an ineliminable part of life. Technology will no longer be an aid to education but will become an integral part of education.

3. Changing roles: The role of the teacher as a facilitator and mentor rather than an instructor will be put into practice. The students will be given an active role in choosing and forming not only their curricula but also assessment.

4. Hands-on approach: Hands-on learning is currently practiced only in higher education, especially with regard to professional courses. However, in the future hands-on learning will start right from the initial years of schooling. Field experience and project-based learning will replace rote-learning methods.

5. Flexible time and place: Currently, education is limited to the four walls of the institution. Modern concepts such as flipped learning have challenged this idea. In the future, the time and place where the teaching and learning happens will be flexible, especially with the help of eLearning tools which will take pedagogy beyond the classroom.

The overall growth of the student has been the goal of education for a long time. Unfortunately, this has always remained a theoretical ideology rather than a practical reality. Schools have always prioritised academics and undervalued arts and sports. In future, a holistic model of education will replace the academic one.

Views expressed by Sanjeev Sinha, Principal, Jain International Residential School, Bangalore, Karnataka.

Disentangling the knots – School education framework and the pathway ahead

haseeb

The ever-evolving digital space is continuously making a whirl in the education sector. Covid being the catalyst and technology being the driving factor, the entire system is set for the biggest revolution in the history of education. Focussing on the school education framework, the major ignition started with the National Education Policy 2020 and now the boundaries are even expanding in terms of development. With regards to the same, Sheeba Chauhan of Elets News Network had an exclusive conversation with Haseeb Faquih, Secretary, Orbis Education Society on the shift in the school education framework. Edited excerpts:

Post covid, we have come across a new ecosystem of school education. What are current changes that are apt for the holistic development of students?

Post covid very evidently the appreciation for teaching faculty and their role in the development of students has once again surfaced. Even the most traditional schools have adopted technology that brings to life new experiences beyond the four walls of the classrooms.

The proverb “necessity is the mother of invention” was well understood at least by the teaching faculty. Many innovative tools in the field of teaching have accelerated the grasping power of students. The ease with which differentiative teaching styles are implemented now is a major revolution in itself. The enhanced teaching-learning methodology is directly proportional to the confidence building in the students. A multidisciplinary approach that has come in very handy for the teachers is no doubt a building block for the holistic development of students.

The PM recently announced the PM- SHRI scheme to build approximately 14000 schools with modern infrastructure. How will you think such steps will help the school education ecosystem in India?

The need for revamping education in India ushered the NEP, this policy can only be implemented in letter and spirit if the schools are well stocked with the latest resources, especially modern technology. PM- SHRI is a very good initiative. The improved infrastructure of schools will facilitate better instruction and improve student outcomes. Peer teaching by these lead schools will have a rippling effect in the education sector. The focus on teaching pedagogy and the change in mindsets will change the entire scenario. At these exemplar schools, the assessments are proposed more for conceptual understanding and competencies rather than rote learning, this is self-explanatory of the fact that the learning gaps can be identified and accordingly dealt with in a systematic manner. Learning outcomes will be mapped with individual graphs and with the help of technology individualised remediation would be planned.

Hybrid Learning is somewhere reducing the role of teachers in students’ growth. Do you think the introduction of technology in the education landscape can completely erase the existence of teachers?

It is all a myth, nothing at all can replace the need for teachers in students’ growth. If this was true then attendance of students post-pandemic would not be as encouraging as it was for schools. A very small fraction of parents did resist the physical reopening only for safety reasons and nothing else. Education is not about completing the syllabus, there is a vast difference between gathering information and being knowledgeable. Where technology is a necessity in the 21st century the role of the teacher has also changed with the change in learning styles. The teacher needs to be the guide by the side and help to process the relevant information. Therefore there will always be a requirement for such trained guides to hand hold the students at every step.

After NEP, everyone is aiming at a multidisciplinary curriculum. How are you planning to inculcate the same in your school?

Our school strongly believes that learning should not be compartmentalised and that a multidisciplinary approach helps the learners to understand the concepts better and grasp them faster in an informal learning environment.

After NEP, our school is equally excited to enhance the scope and depth of learning through the multidisciplinary approach as we believe that the boundaries and barriers between various disciplines need to be done away with to stay relevant in these changing times. We are working to encourage our Science students an opportunity to study entrepreneurship and Economics, our Humanities students to explore the nuances of Computer Science, and our Commerce students to delve into disciplines like Fine Arts. The learning of diverse disciplines in our understanding gives our students varied perspectives and a liberal outlook.

Amendment in the education policy was much needed. What amendments do you still think are left unattended and not focused up to the mark?

National Education Policy has covered almost all areas of concern and has addressed issues for the majority of schools in India. Although for schools there are certain questions that remain unanswered with respect to teaching primary students in their mother tongue, the local or regional language. Being a land of diverse languages this may create issues regarding migration from one region to another. Language should not become a barrier in the global world. Secondly, the gap between Sr. Secondary and graduate courses should be bridged.

The Indian education system follows multiple boards like CBSE, ICSE, or state in their schools. Which board does your school follow and why?

We follow the CBSE board as it is recognised by the Indian Government and is a National level board. People who wish to relocate to other states due to various reasons are able to provide continuity to their children without many adjustments that further help in a smooth transition for the child. Being associated with CBSE for a long time now, as a school we find it the most evolutionary board that focuses on experiential learning and the overall development of children. CBSE syllabus is designed to prepare the children for professional courses after senior secondary.

What is your enhancement plan to transform India and its populace into a 100 percent educated nation? How is your school contributing to the same?

As a school, we promote ‘Each One, Teach One’ and other social responsibility projects taken up by the students of the school to make a small contribution and support the education of less privileged and disabled children. Regular sensitisation programs and awareness drives conducted by schools will surely help and contribute towards building an educated Nation.

Your school is contributing immensely to India’s education sector. What are your expansion plans for this year and beyond?

The school envisions the movement of self-motivated learners and will widen the circle of influence in the coming years. We look forward to providing a variety of skill enhancement and vocational training to our students and instilling emotional maturity in them. Through internships and by setting up a career counseling cell in the school we want to expose our students to the world outside and make them future-ready. Very soon we shall be launching new campuses and would leverage that to expand our reach to more and more students.

 

Why do companies need to hire skilled employees?

robin

There is an interesting shift in hiring patterns in recent times. While earlier companies preferred to hire skilled employees, the trend has now shifted, and now employers focus on hiring professionals with job-relevant skills as well as investing in upskilling their current employees.

Today the industry and academia innovate and update learning and development modules with a strong focus on skills to address industry-specific requirements. It is especially true for technology led careers.

The reasons for the gradual shift in company hiring patterns arise from the key principles of loyalty, productivity, and growth.

1. Employees associated with companies long-term are loyal and display trust in the institute and its growth. They are aligned with the culture and ethics of the organisation and prove a value addition. However, companies must recognise this loyalty and upskill them with relevant and new-age tech/operational skills to ensure optimum skills transformation and competency building.

2. Existing employees are aligned with the organisation’s vision and policies. The cost to train them with relevant updated skills is lower than investing in hiring, training, and employing a new professional. The productivity and delivery disruptions in operations are at a minimum.

3. In hiring an employee with exceptional industry experience and behavioural skills, it is beneficial to train a candidate with tech skills rather than hiring a candidate with limited behavioural and problem-solving skills. These skills are beneficial to the company and the professional in the long term.

Technology is ever-evolving, and so are the skills attached to it. Hence, hiring employees based on their managerial aptitude, behaviour, critical thinking, and problem-solving approach is a long-term investment rather than an employee who hones a skill but lacks the right work attitude and ethics. While technical skills can be learnt, behavioural skills are nurtured traits. An example is Ratan Tata choosing Shantanu Naidu as his private secretary rather than a skilled employee with experience. While Shantanu may not have had the technical expertise, he showcased the personality sought after by one of the biggest leaders of all time. To promote growth and scale with minimum disruption and

maximum human capital building, a company must invest in its employees. The growth by upskilling its workforce in line with the technological advancements that are bound to transform in years to come. However, while companies look to retain professionals, the responsibility of upskilling and skills transformation should be on the individual. Professionals should continually look for relevant courses and programs to train themselves on the latest technologies and tools. The solution lies in progressing as a team in sync with the technological changes rather than disintegrating and integrating a team to fit the changing landscape.

Views expressed by Robin Bhowmik, Chief Business Officer, Manipal Global Education Services(Skills Academy).

Stimulating empathic learning in the field of education

seema negi

In a world where life is busy, complex, and filled with stress, empathy is the glue that holds relationships together. “Empathy is like giving someone a psychological hug.” It is about finding a way to connect and to be able to say, “I want to understand how this feels to you and let you know that you’re not alone.” Being empathetic requires us to have perception– we must put ourselves in others’ shoes, which can be difficult when their experiences are foreign to us.

School communities strive to build empathy in their school setting. The school adopts existing research and strategies to promote empathic learning to students and parents. To actualise the idea, we at Sanjeevani World School adopted ‘’Be a Teacher”. Parents were invited to step into a teacher’s sneaker first, wherein they imparted effective lessons, conducted hands-on activities, managed the class, assessed and evaluated them. The idea behind organising the session was to commiserate with teachers, understand their roles and responsibility, detect their emotions and their perspective. Parents developed a new found appreciation for the energy it takes to work with high-spirited age groups. It created a better understanding for parents of how their children actually experience school. Roles and responsibilities, challenges, diverse techniques and personalities of each teacher was taken into consideration.

On Parents’ day, the school invited parents to participate in “Be a Student” session. Parents took part in various activities as students and stepped into their shoes. The parents re-lived their good childhood days and embraced the inner child with self compassion. The school felt exhilarated to see their faces light up to childlike joy.

A teacher is no longer the “Sage of the stage – a controller of pace, sequence and content” but a co-constructor, co-created and a co-contributor in an automated world. Educators also agree that personalised education yields better learning outcomes, and technology has accelerated this process. Innovation in education is not a question of technology acquisition but rather leveraging technology to drive student objectives and outcomes.

Dr. Seema Negi, Director Principal, Sanjeevani World School, Dahisar, Mumbai.

Tally Education joins hands with Coursera to impart industry skills

Tally Solutions has joined hands with Coursera

Tally Education, a company under Tally Solutions has joined hands with Coursera to boost industry skills and enhance economic growth by ensuring employment for young aspirants.

Under this partnership, all learner groups will have access to Tally Certification Courses at a global scale on a digital platform. The company claims to provide certification courses for trainers and trainees. The courses will have access to rich and diverse content that was curated and delivered by industry experts.

Bhuwaneshwari B, CEO, Tally Education, on the occasion of joining hands with Coursera said, “Tally Education aims to boost the pool of skilled resources available to both established and emerging technology-enabled firms. To help the youth become more employable, TEPL is collaborating with universities, colleges, and education facilitators across the globe.”

The exponential rise of virtual placements – An exceptional transformation

S Pasupathi

The recruitment industry keeps evolving, and it has transformed exceptionally from traditional recruitment methods to modern hiring methods. Virtual placement is an advanced way of recruitment and is one step further than traditional placement. Technology is simplifying and aiding hiring agencies for a smooth hiring process. Delving deep into the discussion S Pasupathi, Chief Operating Officer, HirePro had an interaction with Kaanchi Chawla of Elets News Network (ENN). Edited excerpts:

What were some advancements in campus placements caused by the pandemic?

There has been a seismic shift in traditional hiring practices in the past two years. With increasing hiring targets, growing competition for talent, and process automation, a new benchmark for ideal hiring processes have been established. Following the pandemic, campus recruiters’ attention has shifted from doing the groundwork to managing a vast talent pool. The distinction between on-campus and off-campus hiring solutions is blurring as organisations take a more holistic approach. This evolution has resulted in the greater use of integrated tools from end to end to handle the hiring processes. Automation has altered businesses approach to campus hiring by removing the mundane. The digitalisation of campus hiring has:

• Enhanced organisation’s talent reach and shortened their hiring period

• Allowed for seamless hiring from diverse sources

• Helped facilitate specialised hiring by offering precise data about
universities and candidate performance.

What are the pros and cons of on-campus vs virtual campus placements?

Recruiters and hiring managers around the world now have a new tool that delivers a broader reach, a greater pool of exceptional candidates, and more efficient and cost-effective logistics during the recruitment process. With the introduction of the new virtual hiring approach, the net has been cast wide, even globally, for several jobs.

On-campus hiring is preferred by:

• Organisations that find it difficult to brand themselves and attract talent virtually. So, they are present on the ground and try to create awareness and build their employer brand.

• Organisations hiring for high paying-high stakes roles wherein the hiring is very competitive. For example, banks hire on campus in tier-one colleges as being on ground gives them better control to make quick decisions, collaborate with multiple interviewers, and also convince candidates to join them.

• Organisations hiring in tier-one colleges like IITs, where acquiring talent is extremely competitive. The hiring window is quite short and hence, organisations need to be very agile in the process.

How did virtual campus placements help students and to what extent?

Since the pandemic and its many ramifications made campus recruitment drives practically impossible for educational institutions, increased adoption of virtual education has helped reimagine and revolutionise campus recruitment, enhancing employment opportunities for students from all academic streams.

Virtual recruitment is not limited by geography, logistics, or time. It has enabled students to apply for their ideal companies and jobs from virtually any location. All students, regardless of gender, location, or other diversity differences, have equitable and accessible placement chances through virtual campus hiring.

Furthermore, employers prefer to hire from college and university campuses as it provides students with insights into their job roles and workplace culture, and helps employers hire fresh, innovative, enthusiastic, and loyal talent.

After the unprecedented occurrence of the pandemic, the education ecosystem has been molded into many forms for better and worse. What trends from the pandemic will carry forward in the long run regarding campus placement?

Hiring teams have carried through several current hiring strategies from the pandemic-induced remote hiring era to put their best foot forward and acquire a competitive edge in the war for talent. A noteworthy example is the continued use of remote and hybrid recruiting practices. During the shutdown, employers saw automation as a way to broaden their talent pools and hire in massive numbers without compromising quality talent. A few strategies that appear to be long-term trends are:

  • Automating the screening and early assessment processes
  • Outsourcing interviews
  • Employers practicing brand building through activities such as hackathons, placement activities, and campus relations.
  • Employers adopting distinct branding and marketing techniques for each target segment of candidates

Your brand has such an innovative concept. What inspired you to start this and how are you planning your future expansions?

In today’s brutally competitive recruitment environment, any firm that can hire top talent is guaranteed to succeed. HirePro was conceived to support businesses in managing their hiring operations through technology-driven solutions and services. Today, we see a growing number of recruitment departments throughout the world looking at solutions created in India since they can better accommodate volume and complexity. Given the intricacies and nuances of the Indian hiring scenario, such as the number of hires, rejects, dropouts, and candidates who cheat, there is a greater need for HirePro products.

It has been helping organisations manage college hiring since 2004. Having been in the industry for the past 18 years, the team understands the nuances of college hiring, assessments, process, and have been guiding organisations on how to make this change. Automation of our service offerings has helped us transform the business and also build speed and scale for our customers.

This is only the beginning of our expansion journey, as the adoption of technology for remote recruitment is at an all-time high. We are always evolving in terms of releasing smarter products in the industry, acquiring more clients, and expanding our geographical presence across India and globally.

“Education has to be comprehensive, meaningful & constructive”

prasad rao

The disruption of the pandemic has transitioned teachers, students, and parents in India into a new learning landscape. The hybrid education model relieves the potential of online learning systems by offering optimum flexibility and freedom to both educators and students. Delving deep into the discussion Dr. E. Prasad Rao, Chairman, Paramita Educational Institutions had an interaction with Kaanchi Chawla of Elets News Network (ENN). Edited excerpts.

Paramita Educational Institutions was established in 1996. In the last 25 years, your institution has grown tremendously as an educational institution with passion and innovation. How has been your journey? Please shed some light on the hurdles in the path.

Paramita was not just a school, it was a movement to redefine quality and equity in education. Schools in the region and across the country were steeped in archaic and out-of-place learning. To dismantle lackluster schooling experiences, meaningless ritualistic and out-of-place, compelling learning, and changing the mindset of the stakeholders was a huge task. Industrial age education was at its peak. Students’ voices and choices never mattered. Schools were teaching, but teachers were never reaching the children. Students epitomised Robo. Learning was reduced to producing meaningless information with Xerox’s efficiency. It is the passion that has been set in motion to change the paradigm in Paramita. It was a tough task indeed, but going against the current and walking on the untrodden path was what we chose willfully and purposefully. We were considered mavericks, our approaches scoffed at, and bringing about change was a major challenge, a challenge we have overcome slowly but certainly. Today, after an eventful journey of 26 years, Paramita has shown to the world that if you have passion and drive it with a mission, breaking conventions is a possibility.

Indian education system follows multiple boards like CBSE, ICSE, or state in their schools. Which board does your school follow and why?

We have Telangana State Board, CBSE, and ICSE schools. The CBSE Board with the support of NCERT has brought about paradigmatic changes in curriculum design and delivery. CBSE Board has now taken up the task of implementing the National Education Policy, 2020, a major change maker in Indian education. We are convinced that the CBSE curriculum is comprehensive and relevant with a focus on 21st Century skills education, capacity building, and value education. Learning is fun, frolic, deeply engaging, and meaningful. Reskilling and Upskilling teachers are being done regularly.

What are your plans to equip your students with 21st-century skills and enhance the overall learning experience?

Paramita has been endeavouring to teach skills to children. Capacity building at the school level is extremely important. The employability and deployability of graduates have become untenable as employers find them less skilled. It has pioneered project-based learning in this region. Students explore diverse themes through projects such as model making, thematic, collection, and investigatory projects across the year. They select a theme – a social problem or a knowledge element and explore it. They hypothesise and go through the process and find solutions. The learning experience is highly rewarding indeed. We have Paramita TED x Club licensed by TED, New York. Also, we run Inter disciplinary learning from Pre-K to Grade Seven.

Hybrid Learning is somewhere reducing the role of teachers in students’ growth. Do you think the introduction of technology in the education landscape can completely erase the existence of teachers?

Blended and Hybrid models of learning are going to stay as technology is playing a major role in teaching and learning. The covid pandemic has tutored teachers to learn technology. Our take on hybrid learning is that it is interesting and promotes learning. Though hybrid learning does help but learning by discovery, teachers as a guide and mentors are always integral in ensuring assured and quality learning.

Your school is contributing immensely to India’s education sector. What are your expansion plans for this year and beyond?

With a student strength of five thousand plus, the Paramita Group of schools, with Iris World School and Explorica as sister concerns has set the benchmarks. We are a learning group, and grab what is good for students. For us, each child matters. We don’t believe in quantifying without subscribing to quality schooling experiences. However, we wish to reach out to as many numbers of children as possible.

Education has to be comprehensive, meaningful, and constructive. Students have to grow and evolve with the required skills and values. There should not be skill and value gaps. Education has to be holistic, much beyond skills and values.

Edtech Giant Unacademy to fire 10% of its workforce

Unacademy logo

Companies are facing massive layoffs and edtech sector is not behind. Unacademy, one of the leading edtech decided to go for another round of layoffs. 10 per cent of the workforce is predicted to get affected by this round of lay-offs.

According to a source, the message was conveyed through an internal email sent to employees, Unacademy CEO Gaurav Munjal cited harsh economic conditions, the need to build efficient systems for the “unprecedented times”, and the pivot on offline education as the reasons for the layoff exercise.

“I am deeply saddened to share that we will have to say goodbye to some of our extremely talented Unacademy employees”, said Munjal in the mail. He further mentions that these would be across the Unacademy Group from verticals where we have to take a difficult decision either to scale down or completely shut in some harsh situations. Detailed communication will be sent to affected employees within 48 hours from the HR team.

Earlier, the CEO promised its employees that there would be no firings at the company. Though he had to sadly inform the employees that market challenges forced the startup to reevaluate his decision.

“Even though we realised this much earlier and took some stringent measures such as reducing our monthly burns, controlling our operational spends, limiting our marketing budgets and identifying other redundancies within the organisation, it was not enough. We need to keep optimising and building efficient systems for leaner and unprecedented times,” Munjal said.

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