Pre Budget Byte 2022: Ms. Kiran Dham CEO, Globus Infocom Ltd.

Budget 2022

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January 20, 2022

As all eyes are on Union Budget 2022 that is all set to be announced on February 1, 2022, Digital Learning spoke to a few industry experts about their expectations from the Union Budget 2022.

Also Read: Pre Budget Byte 2022: Dr. Pankaj Sharma, Director Placement & Admission, JK Lakshmipat University

“This year’s union budget brings many expectations & scopes of work on the edtech core. This budget should lay proper emphasis on the implementation of NEP across different levels. More policies should be introduced to encourage technology-based education in schools & Colleges as the ongoing covid 19 situation is already putting immense pressure on schools. Effective & sufficient infrastructure should be in line to implement edtech learning structure effectively in schools. Schools should be supplemented with technology-supporting infrastructure to make education accessible for one and all even during such tough times. It must also help in reskilling teachers with digital capacities for creating an efficient digital learning ecosystem at all levels. We further look forward towards a centralized union body to create a framework for edtech space ensuring transparency & fair practices. “

Pre Budget Byte 2022: Ashwini Jain, CEO & Cofounder, ForeignAdmits

Budget 2022

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digitalLEARNING Network

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January 20, 2022

As all eyes are on Union Budget 2022 that is all set to be announced on February 1, 2022, Digital Learning spoke to a few industry experts about their expectations from the Union Budget 2022.

With the idea of creating a huge impact of “Make in India”, it is important to understand the role of start-ups too. The start-ups and their new ideas to contribute to the economy and localization need proper funding and budget too. Many of the economy-related issues would be solved with better start-up conditions in the country. Not only would we be able to boost localization at its best, we would also be able to create jobs, more career opportunities, and customize the production according to the needs of our citizens. There are some important factors that the government needs to keep in mind during the upcoming fiscal year budget discussion. Some of them are reducing the GST, giving more funding to the start-ups, and making the public data accessible for us. Start-ups should also get equity and interest-free loans in the growth stage so that they can help in contributing to the country’s economy.

Pre Budget Byte 2022: Dr. Pankaj Sharma, Director Placement & Admission, JK Lakshmipat University

Budget 2022

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digitalLEARNING Network

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January 20, 2022

As all eyes are on Union Budget 2022 that is all set to be announced on February 1, 2022, Digital Learning spoke to a few industry experts about their expectations from the Union Budget 2022.

Also Read: Pre Budget Byte 2022: Ashwini Jain, CEO & Cofounder, ForeignAdmits

Quality education is one of the fundamental rights of every child. When there is a pandemic in the environment, quality education has become a distant dream due to the widening gap in accessing education. As a result, in this budget, the Government should announce multiple schemes to enhance better Internet connectivity infrastructure across the nation so that last-mile connectivity can be ensured and access to affordable 5G devices. The education curriculum in the higher education institutes should be job-ready so that drop-out rates can be curtailed. If we see the education expenditure, India spends only 4.6 percent of its total GDP and ranks 62nd in total public expenditure on education per student, therefore it’s high time that the government should allocate at least 6 percent of Indian GDP to the education sector.

Pre Budget Byte 2022: Jai Decosta, Founder & CEO, K12 Techno Services Pvt. Ltd.

Budget 2022

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digitalLEARNING Network

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January 20, 2022

As all eyes are on Union Budget 2022 that is all set to be announced on February 1, 2022, Digital Learning spoke to a few industry experts about their expectations from the Union Budget 2022.

Also Read: Pre B udget Byte 2022: Ashwini Jain, CEO & Cofounder, ForeignAdmits

The Union Budget is crucial for the Education sector this year. Last year due to the unprecedented rise of covid cases Education sector’s fund allocation suffered as Healthcare needed more attention from the Govt. However, this year we are hoping FM will be generous in fund allocation given the kind of hurdles faced by education sector during the pandemic, it surely needs a booster. We expect the FM to announce programmes and schemes which can provide availability of funds that can bring relief from GST and RTE reimbursement. I would also like to urge the FM to reduce the interest rates on bank loans for school trusts and include it in the priority lending segment. By providing education loans at concessional rates to schools & students would foster better infrastructure as well as access to affordable education.

Banaras Hindu University introduces course In Hindu Studies

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digitalLEARNING Network

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January 19, 2022

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

The Banaras Hindu University (BHU) Varanasi has started a new course – MA in Hindu Studies. According to BHU, the postgraduate course is the first-of-its-kind to be offered by a university in the country.

BHU director VK Shukla inaugurated the course and said it is an interdisciplinary programme designed in line with the National Education Policy, 2020.

Also read: Banaras Hindu University invites applications for Performing Arts Diploma Courses

The programme will be offered by the Bharat Adhyayan Kendra, in collaboration with the Department of Philosophy and Religion, Department of Sanskrit and Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archeology, under the faculty of Arts. A total of 45 students, including a foreign student, have joined the first batch.

Blended Learning in India

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digitalLEARNING Network

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January 19, 2022

Unless online education is blended with experiential and activity-based learning, it will tend to become a screen-based education with limited focus on the social, affective and psychomotor dimensions of learning. (Pp. 59 National Education Policy 2020)

According to the National Education Policy 2020, published by India’s government, blended learning should be experiential and activity based. It is not a mere mix of online and face-to-face modes, but refers to a well-planned combination of meaningful activities in both.

After looking into several different successful blended learning programs, there are a few qualities that stand out:

• Intentional technology use. Emerging technologies, and those that are untested at scale, can be very attractive and engaging in the right circumstances, but they are also prone to steep learning curves, a lack of support, and financial investment. Technology that is familiar and well-integrated into daily life can be used to generate extremely innovative practice. Above all, effective blended programs are focused on the learning experience and outcomes before considering the purpose of technology’s role in learning.

• Student engagement. Most students nowadays are surrounded by technology in their everyday life. They often engage more easily with material when technology is incorporated in instructional settings. Enriching blended learning content with appropriate images, audio and video can add variety and impact. Some platforms allow incredible engagement opportunities, and, with the right planning, the learning with these platforms and tools can be very effective. Additionally, students become empowered as they expand their technological skills and competency with technology.

• Active blended learning. The University of Northampton in the United Kingdom is in a strong position to respond to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The active blended learning pedagogical approach used by the institution combines sense-making activities with focused student interactions (with content, peers and tutors) in appropriate learning settings – in and outside the classroom. Students discuss ideas, experiment, work in teams and receive tutor feedback. Whether on campus or remotely, community, cooperation, flexibility, and accessibility are highly valued.

• Appropriate training for instructors. It cannot be assumed that a good teacher in a traditional classroom will automatically be a good teacher in an online classroom. Aside from changes required in pedagogy, online assessments also require a different approach. There are numerous challenges to conducting online examinations at scale, including limitations on the types of questions that can be asked in an online environment; handling network and power disruptions; and preventing unethical practices. Numerous bite-sized training resources can be found online to meet “just in time” needs. There are also professional training programs like the Digital Teaching and Learning series by Blackboard. This series is a professional development pathway for education practitioners and support staff in the use of digital learning technologies to promote excellence, high quality, and consistency in the student experience.

IGNOU signs MoU with Skill ministry to link vocational education with higher education

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January 19, 2022

New Delhi

The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) to link vocational education and training with higher education. The MOU was signed on January 18, 2022.

The agreement aims to create avenues for work opportunities for India’s youth and to strengthen the vocational and technical training framework.

The beneficiaries of the programme include trainees attached to the National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) , Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras (PMKKs) and Jan Shikshan Sansthans (JSS). It is aimed towards making higher education and thus better livelihood opportunities available to these students and ensuring an upward mobility for them.

Also read: IGNOU invites applications for admissions in January 2022 session

As per an official statement, nearly 32 NSTIs, 3000 ITIs, 500 PMKKs and 300 JSS will be associated with the varsity as registration, examination, and work centres.

The progress of the programme will be monitored and reviewed by a project steering committee. The committee will include representatives from both – the varsity and the skill ministry. The memorandum has been signed for a period of ten years and is subject to renewal on mutual agreement.

IIM-Ahmedabad scraps bachelor’s degree as criteria for MBA admissions

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January 19, 2022

The admission committee of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad has decided to scrap the bachelor’s degree as a criterion for admission to the postgraduate programme (PGPM), for the 2022-24 batch. The institute has taken this decision in view of the fact that for the last two years due to the pandemic, many universities were unable to conduct exams. The results for students were prepared on the basis of varied alternative criteria.

The Academic Rating (AR) score will now be computed on a scale of 25 on the basis of Class 10, Class 12 marks, and the candidate’s work experience. “The AR now will be computed on a scale of 25 (considering class 10 and class 12 marks as well as candidate’s work experience) and the points will be pro-rated to 35,” stated an official notice by the institute.

Also read: IIM Ahmedabad to provide management training to CAs

The CAT committee in 2021 had decided to allow candidates to take the CAT- 2021 exam without requiring any minimum percentage of marks in bachelor’s degree.

Haryana ACS Higher Education promoted

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January 18, 2022

Chandigarh

The Haryana state government has promoted the Additional Chief Secretary of Higher Education department, Anand Mohan Sharan, to the grade of Chief Secretary.

Also read: Ashish Chauhan Appointed As Chancellor of the AU

This was stated in an official statement released by the state government on Tuesday.

Edtech Innovator Square Panda India wins National Startup Award 2021

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January 18, 2022

National Startup Awards 2021 Certificate - Square Panda India

In a recently held online ceremony, the Government of India announced the winners of the National Startup Awards 2021, with Square Panda India winning in the category ‘Education & Skill Development for Teacher Training’. The Ministry said that six parameters were used to decide the winners – innovation, scalability, economic impact, social impact, environmental impact, and inclusiveness and diversity.

This was the second edition of the National Startup Awards that recognises and rewards outstanding start-ups that have demonstrated measurable social impact, and high potential of employment generation or wealth creation. A total of 46 startups were felicitated for their contribution in their respective sectors.

The award has been organised under the aegis of the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s Startup India initiative, which has been successful in its efforts to catalyse India’s startup culture, building a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship across the country, thereby driving sustainable economic growth. This has resulted in India emerging as the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world.

Offering his thoughts, the Hon’ble PM said, “I congratulate all the innovative startups that are flying India’s flag high. It is my wish that India’s startup culture reaches every corner of India, which is why we have decided to establish 16th January as National Startup Day henceforth.”

The ceremony was also attended by the Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal, who while quoting PM Modi said, “Today, India is rapidly moving towards hitting the century of unicorns. I believe the golden era of India’s start-ups is starting now. The Government is standing with our innovators, and so is the entire country. Let’s Innovate for India, innovate from India!”

Square Panda India was accorded this award for its technology-based solutions, such as its Teacher Training Programmes that upskill custodians of education in keeping with the objectives of NEP 2020. This includes expertly designed programmes created and contextualised for India using global best practices ensures holistic, continuous professional and skill development of educators, which in turn results in improved learning outcomes for all.

Commenting on this momentous honour, Square Panda India MD Ashish Jhalani stated, “We are humbled and honoured to be given this award in recognition of our education interventions across India’s grassroots. We thank our diverse partners that have been an integral part of this journey of ours, and pledge to continue furthering India’s growth story through comprehensive and innovative tech solutions that help every stakeholder realise their full potential. Through this, we envision driving better learning outcomes for children across the nation and building India anew.”

“The Award recognises Square Panda India’s contribution to India’s education system and its role in shaping the nation’s socio-economic landscape and will continue to inspire the organisation to usher social change via the transformative power of education,” Jhalani added.

Along with being felicitated during an award ceremony, Square Panda India and a few selected startups were given the opportunity to present policy recommendations to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, outlining how to leverage education and skill development as key enablers for inclusive growth & sustainable development.

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