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First Indian education PE to raise $150-200 million

India's first education-focused private equity (PE) fund, Kaizen Management Advisors, will close a $150-200 million fund by the middle of next year. The fund is looking at investing in two education institutions by the end of this year. Sandeep AnejaKaizen was set up in mid-2009 and has a 10-member team in India. At present, it is managing capital raised from domestic institutions and high net worth investors. The education sector, virtual and offline, has been attracting investments from strategic and financial investors. Education is an $80-billion (INR 3,84,000 crore) market in India split between the public sector ($30 billion or INR 1,44,000 crore) and the private sector ($50 billion or INR 2,40,000 crore).

Kaizen will invest in core education, including schools and colleges, teacher training schools, finishing schools, publication companies, and courseware and technology companies. It expects a grosss internal rate of return of 30 per cent and has already invested in vocational space. Aneja refused to tell the name of this company. The biggest hurdle in the sector was regulation, said Aneja. 'While India needs quality private education, there are regulations which prohibit the ability of investors to provide all that is needed to create such an environment. High quality need not be expensive,' said Aneja. Kaizen plans to stay invested in the ventures for at least five years. Exit options will include creating companies that can be sold as standalone companies, secondary sale to larger funds and selling stake via an initial public offering.

Medical and law courses at NIT Warangal

After serving as a premier engineering school for 50 years, the National Institute of Technology (NIT)-Warangal is set to become a full-fledged university that will offer a host of courses, including medicine, law as well as postgraduate degrees in humanities and business economics. HRD Minister Kapil Sibal has expressed his intention to convert institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) into integrated universities that provide both medical and legal education among other courses. While the IIMs and IITs have been cautious in their comment towards this proposal, NIT- Warangal is the first to announce its plans of transforming into a university to sources.

NIT Warangal is the first among the NITs. It was dedicated to the nation by the first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru way back in 1959. Then it was known a regional engineering college. The institute is older than many IITs, including IIT Delhi. Currently, India has 20 NITs and the union cabinet had earlier this month given the go ahead to set up 10 new NITs, including six in the northeastern states. The director said the institute, which started its journey with a little over 100 students from a temporary campus, now boasts of 4,200 students. In 2006, the institute had 2,000 students of which 1,600 were pursuing B.Tech courses and the rest M.Tech. The institute is getting ready to celebrate the culmination of its yearlong golden jubilee celebrations late October.

Evaluation of students at IGNOU to follow CBSE pattern

Around 2.5 million students of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) are to receive a good news. Their exam results are set to come in faster and they won't have to travel all the way to Delhi in case they have a complaint. IGNOU, known for providing long distance education across India and the globe, will soon decentralise its evaluation process CBSE-style, says a top official. Srikant Mohapatra, Registrar of IGNOU's student evaluation division, explained that a CBSE style procedure would be decentralised to provide examination results to IGNOU students. Mohapatra, who had earlier headed IGNOU's Bihar and Orissa centres after resigning from the post of political science professor, said, 'Currently students come to Delhi or write to us complaining about many things, but with the zonal system student grievances can be solved at the zonal level.' He also said the effort will solve the problem of getting competent evaluators at the state level. Right now evaluators are chosen only by IGNOU's Delhi headquarters.

Currently, the university has around 5,000 empanelled evaluators and a teacher is paid Rs.18 for evaluating the answer paper of one student. He said this will expose zones to the examination and evaluation process and make them more responsible towards the larger goal of the university – that is, creating a huge pool of well-qualified human resources. The registrar said a notification regarding this decision will be announced in the near future. Mohapatra said there are some infrastructural problems at the zonal level but things will be sorted out soon. The IGNOU authorities said they are also contemplating starting a grading system in some of the courses instead of giving marks to students. IGNOU is the largest open university of the world with nearly 2.5 million students. Besides India, the varsity has a presence in 33 countries across the globe. It has 21 schools of studies, 59 regional centres and over 2,300 learner-support centres. From the current academic year, CBSE has introduced big changes. Its Class 10 board exams have been made optional. It has been asked by the central government to implement a six-point grading system rather than awarding marks to students. This evaluation will be made as per performance in school round the year.

Only technology led English language program created in association with BBC

The English language skill provider, Liqvid, has drawn an ambitious plan to equip 30 lakh Indian students with English language skills every year by 2012. 'English is an essential communication tool now more than ever before. It equips young school and college pass outs with skills that can ensure professional and social success,' says Vivek Agarwal, Founder and CEO of Liqvid, the provider of globally benchmarked, technology-led 'English Edge' program, in association with BBC. 'We hope to leverage our vast expertise and technology edge to scale up operations many fold and train 30 lakh learners in 2012 alone,' Agarwal added. Since the inception of its English Edge program 5 years back, the NOIDA -based company has forged relationships with academic institutions, including universities and Engineering, Management and other professional colleges in North and Central India. The company has created, domain specific English programs for sectors like Finance, IT and hospitality, for the first time in India. This is in recognition of the fact that every student learns the English language to attain a different goal. Many vocational schools that impart skill for careers in Travel, Hospitality, Computer Software and Hardware, Fashion, Retailing have access to Liqvid's 'English Edge' program. Liqvid's has almost ten years of expertise in creating cutting edge technology-led education design and delivery tools and has established a name in the English training field. Liqvid's unique instructional design and multi media course material empowers teachers to quickly master the training tools. It is estimated that around 250 million Indians use English a secondary language of communication with varying levels of proficiency and form the target segment for the company's offerings India's services sector success story is built around knowledge of English and it is generally accepted among employers that if the toss is between two equally qualified Individuals, the one with proficiency in spoken English has 4 times more chances of being selected.

These candidates can also expect from 25%-30% higher salary. In today's global world, English has emerged as a link language. It is the language of commerce and industry. A good command over English has become a must for anyone who wants to communicate better with the world and succeed in this global village. A command over spoken English involves more than just a good vocabulary, it involves correct diction, stressing on the right parts and pausing at the right places. These are skills that are acquired through practice, observation and training. Liqvid believes that a successful language program does not depend on just excellent teaching but also on the depth of the skills it imparts. The traditional method of teaching English emphasizes only on grammar, memorising words, translations etc. It does not foster effective speaking skills. To speak English fluently, learners need specially designed courses, coupled with effective methodology that not only teaches them to speak correctly but also focuses on improving their diction and accent.

Education with quality now easy to access

It comes as no surprise that the ever-eager-to-learn Indian is leaving no stone unturned to ensure quality education for his children, thus 'securing' their future. The awareness of the importance of quality education is even felt by domestic help who would rather forego a meal but ensure their children's fees are paid on time. In the case of educated and ambitious parents, they would like to stop at nothing to provide their children with the best education, which would then take the kids a long way in life. No wonder then, toddlers today, armed with a tiny little schoolbag and an equally tiny water bottle, trod all the way to 'play'school. The idea being that these playschools serve as a venue for young ones to interact with others their age and develop social skills. When it comes to a regular school that will provide education right up to class 10 (or 12 in some cases), there are many options. Parents in their quest for 'quality' education have several boards to choose from – SSC, CBSE, ICSE, IB and IGCSE.

Progressing, we move on to various professional courses that continue to be introduced, almost every year, at the bachelor's and master's level to make students even more job friendly. Courses like Bachelor's in Banking and Insurance, Bachelor's in Computer Applications, Bachelor's in Mass Media, Bachelor's in Management Studies are just some of the 'newly' introduced courses that many youngsters are taking to, like fish to water. Corporates who were contributing a significant amount to causes like natural calamities, environment etc are now channelising their funds towards education. Education, even in modern day India, is looked at as the tool that can secure futures.

IIT fest to be sponsored by Airbus, Adobe, Bosch, Boeing and DRDO

The patron list has just got longer at India's premier tech institute festivals with engineering majors Airbus, Adobe, Bosch and Boeing becoming marque sponsors. Even defence organisations such as DRDO, commodity exchanges like NCDEX and big business groups like Murugappa are marking their presence at these events. Boeing and Airbus are debuting as sponsors at IIT-M's Shaastra. Confirming their participation, Shaastra 2009 event co-ordinator Saranya Kapur said, 'This is the first time they are sponsoring any IIT fest.' She attributes the keenness on Shaastra 2009 being the world's first ISO-certified student event and also on the showcase event, Aerofest. The five-day annual technological festival of IITMadras starts on September 30. According to Shirish Subramanian, IITKharagpur's annual techno-management fest Kshitij 2010's core team head, DRDO is sponsoring a workshop for the first time as well. NCDEX too has moved in by signing up as an event sponsor for Kshitij, again a first. They'll be sponsoring an event called 'Analyst' , as they are keen on something specific to the commodities and derivatives market. NCDEX is eyeing good research analysts and they plan to use the fest as a platform to connect with students. Kshitij 2010 will be held between January 28 and 31. Not only has the sponsor matrix evolved, but firms are looking at fests to scout for managerial talent.

Tackling terrorism course in India for the first time

An initiative of Pune-based NGO Sarhad that works in insurgency-battered Jammu and Kashmir, the two-year post- graduate course called Counter Terrorism and Peace Management starts on October 2 – the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi – at the Sarhad Research Centre in Pune. Sarhad runs a chain of colleges, including technical institutions. This course will be run by Sarhad Research Centre for Counter-terrorism and Peace Management. They have applied for recognition of the course by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The brainchild of Sanjay Nahar, the founder of Sarhad, the course was designed after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Of the 18 students, four girls and 14 boys, many are masters in business administration (MBA), hotel management graduates and media professionals. The course fees are INR 30,000 a year. The center has received a good response from people abroad also. However, due to some legal technicalities none of them is enrolled in this batch. The centre is planning to accommodate them in the next batch. Nahar said they had contacted some 10 five-star hotels and 200 companies for campus recruitment and a majority of them have shown interest. The first year of the course will include the etymology and philosophy of terrorism, terrorist ideologies and modus operandi, national policy and role of the print and electronic media. The second year will focus on different terrorist groups, socio-economic factors that mould a terrorist's mindset, control strategy, retention camps, drugs and arms trafficking. There will be visiting faculty from other terror-affected Asian countries — Nepal, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Iraq.

5 chances to pass CBSE examination

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced that the practice of declaring 'Compartment / Fail' in a subject will be discontinued from the current academic session. As a part of its Examination Reforms, which will also see the implementation of the nine-point grading system, CBSE has introduced the system of awarding of 'Qualifying Certificates' to successful students. Those candidates, who obtain the qualifying grades (D and above) in all subjects excluding the Additional subject, will be awarded a Qualifying Certificate. Students who obtain grade E1 or E2 in a subject will have to improve their performance through subsequent five attempts.

For example, a candidate who appeared in Board's examination in March 2010, can appear in July 2010, March 2011, July 2011, March 2012 and July 2012 only in subjects in which he / she has got grade E1 or E2 till he / she gets qualifying grades (D and above) in all the subjects excluding additional subject as per Scheme of Studies and becomes eligible for award of Qualifying Certificate. Only those who get Qualifying Certificates shall be eligible for admission in higher classes.

Business Proficiency Skills need of the hour for India

In an eye-opening survey conducted by the renowned & noted research organisation, 'Frost and Sullivan' on behalf of ISIL-Indian School of Integrated Learning released their report on Employability skills of graduates. The surprising results show that over 40% of the students have given more importance to Employability skills over domain knowledge. This research is an attempt to identify, describe and produce an analysis of the interacting factors which influence the learning choices of students and to develop associated solutions. This in turn has assisted ISIL in designing apt courses for job aspirants and will hence help them compete on the competitive global stage! These programmes have been designed by ISIL's international associate 'Speak First'-UK has been helping people around the world to communicate more effectively in business.

Using the proven training methods of Speak First, ISIL will be offering the necessary employable skills to the students through their one-year Advanced Diploma Course and another four-month Certificate Course both in Business Proficiency Skills. Students will be trained in topics such as effective communication, presentation skills, personal impact training, media skills, interviewing techniques, cultural awareness and many more soft skills solutions, which have already been tried and tested across the globe. On Friday, when companies recruit employees, they look for more than technical expertise, skills or knowledge. This survey conducted by 'Frost & Sullivan' focuses on the need gap in the Business Proficiency Skills Training & Development amongst the students and the required skill set for employability. The study is based on survey conducted around 1,000 students from three major cities includingMumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, across 20 educational institutions. Rating on the chart of skills set lacked by students from these three different cities, Delhi students have considered domain knowledge and presentation skills more important. While Mumbai students have rated themselves less proficient on Communication and Decision skills. All skills are considered much more important by Bangalore students as compared to other centers. Indians undoubtedly are very competent in their technical skills, but this does not suffice anymore to make them globally competitive. Hence, Indian companies today are emphasizing the importance of soft skills training. ISIL programmes will be conducted by experienced corporate trainers, professional managers and behavioral specialists. ISIL plans to impart these soft skill lessons to the young Indians at its four fully equipped training centers, enhanced with the wi-fi technology at its Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad centers.


IT Empowerment Scholarships for 20,000 Nigerians

KarROX Nigeria, an Information Technology (IT) company, in partnership with Microsoft has concluded plans to award IT empowerment scholarships to no fewer than 20,000 Nigerian students. Business Development Manager of the company, Pritesh Zaveri, said out of 80,000 applicants, 20,000 students qualified for the scholarship, adding that the test was based on general aptitude, intelligence of students, while interviews were conducted at all karROX Computer Education and Training Centres nationwide for the qualified candidates. Managing Director of the organisation, Sunil Dhanuka told that the scholarship programme, now in its 4th year, was an opportunity for individuals, who desired the best of IT education to become professionals, adding that it was poised to support individuals who had the zeal and desire for quality IT education/career.He said the training would cover various software, networking and security modules with multiple platforms and technologies offered by ICT world leaders like Microsoft, CompTIA, Sun, Microsystems, among others. Microsoft Development Platform Manager, Ken Spann, said his organisation was excited about being part of the empowerment scholarship for 2009, saying since ICT was on the rise, the country was seeking to increase ICT capacity among students and workers both in the public and private sector.

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