Mumbai University launches MA programme in Hindi and Marathi

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December 1, 2020

Mumbai University has launched two MA programmes in Public Relations and Communication and Journalism. The programme will be conducted in the online and blended mode in partnership with UPGrad. The programme will be available in Hindi and Marathi.

According to reports, it is the first time that the online platform UpGrad is offering courses in a vernacular language for the higher education programme. The programme will be a 15 hour class per week with both live and recorded lectures from Mumbai University faculty and industry leaders.

Chief Executive Officer UpGrad India – Arjun Mohan stated that the collaboration intends to disrupt the educational stereotypes associated with online learning and make the degree accessible, affordable and flexible.

Also read: Mumbai University postpones UG, PG exams

He further added that through the strategic alliance with the University the e-learning platform aims to assist aspiring learners with accurate programme guidance, updated academia and steadfast placement support contributing towards the government mission of doubting the country college and university enrolment to reach 50 per cent by 2035.

He also pointed out that the first batches of the programme are scheduled to commence from December 31, 2020. According to the details provided, the programme also reserves seats for specially-abled learners.

Pokhriyal: NEP 2020 upholds the reservation policy

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December 1, 2020

Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has issued a clarification over reports of National Education Policy (NEP) diluting various provisions of reservation in educational institutions.

Pokhriyal has issued a statement stating that the NEP 2020 upholds the reservation policy enshrined in the Constitution of India. “I would like to clarify with all authority in my command that there is no such intention, as is clearly reflected in NEP-2020.

The policy affirms…the constitutional mandate of reservation enshrined in Article 15 and Article 16 of the Indian Constitution,” reads the statement by the education minister. The controversy broke after CPI (M) leader, Sitaram Yechury wrote to the prime minister, Narendra Modi, seeking clarification on the provision for ‘reservation’ in the NEP 2020.

Also read: Pokhriyal urges students to help atleast three persons

Yechury in his letter to PM Modi wrote: “Seeking your clear and categorical response to the following question viz., does NEP2020 seek to end the policy of reservations for SC, ST, OBC a. disabled in educational institutions, If not, could you please clarify as to why NEP2020 does not contain any mention of reservations.” Pokhriyal’s clarification says that various entrance examinations like the JEE, NEET, UGC-NET, IGNOU were organized after the declaration of NEP-2020 and many appointment processes were also held in educational institutions, but his government has not received a single complaint of dilution of reservation provision so far.

Karnataka CM launches LMS for govt school students

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December 1, 2020

For the benefit or 4.5 lakh students, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa launched the Karnataka Learning Management System (LMS). The new LMS will help 24,000 teachers to make an impact on their learning and teaching.

“The KLMS is implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 34.14 crore in two ways – LMS-based digital learning and establishing 2500 ICT enabled classes,” Yediyurappa said while launching the initiative virtually from his home office here.

The CM added that the KLMS would cover 430 government first grade colleges, 87 government polytechnics and 14 government engineering colleges and the continuous evaluation of students and teachers would pave the way for several changes in the quality of higher education.

Also read: Karnataka govt formulates SOPs to open educational institutions

He claimed that the KLMS is a first of its kind initiative in the country and hoped that this system, which encourages digital learning, would improve the quality and Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education. He added that students can access study material anytime and anywhere through the KLMS.

Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan said that KLMS will help students learn anytime, anywhere, online or offline and evaluation of each student will be maintained in this system. Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar, member of National Education Policy drafting Committee M.K. Shridhar, Secretary to Chief Minister S. Selvakumar and Commissioner of Collegiate Education Pradeep were also present on the occasion.

Pokhriyal urges students to help atleast three persons

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December 1, 2020

Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank asked the degree holders of Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU), the lone central varsity in Arunachal Pradesh, to help develop the lives of at least three persons.

Students should keep in mind that institutes are laboratories for developing individuals who benefit humanity in all corners of the world, he said while virtually delivering the convocation address of RGU, which secured the second position among all central universities in the country.

Congratulating the students who were awarded various degrees, Pokhriyal said, “The degree that RGU confers upon you is not a mere piece of printed paper or symbolic representation of the university.”

Also read: Pokhriyal launches 46 AICTE training programmes

“It is bestowing you with great responsibility that you have to bear all your life and I hope that in future you will understand its gravity and carry on your responsibility with complete dedication so that you prove worthy of the degree conferred upon you,” the Union education minister said.

Founded on February 4, 1984, as Arunachal University, the institute has now blossomed into a large and shady tree from which the state expects a lot, he said adding that the success of RGU was a proof of the hard work put in by the entire team of the varsity.

In the ranking released by the Union Human Resource Development Ministry in August, RGU secured the second spot among 40 central universities of the country.

Ed tech startup Kyt raises Rs 18.4 crore for expansion

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December 1, 2020

Ed tech startup Kyt has received Rs 18.4 crore in a funding round led by Sequoia Capital Indias. The ed tech firm eyeing to expand its online-first, global academy for extracurricular learning.

Titan Capital, along with other angel investors including Kunal Shah, Amrish Rau, Jitender Gupta, Allen Penn and Martin Li, also participated in the funding round.

Kyt is part of the fourth cohort of Surge, a bi-annual rapid scale-up programme run by Sequoia Capital India for startups across Southeast Asia and India.

With head offices in India and Singapore, Kyt was founded by husband-wife duo Bhavik Rathod and Tripti Ahuja in June 2020.

Also read: Ed-tech startup LEAD School raises Rs 210 cr

The platform leverages technology to provide online-only, live lessons to children aged between five and 15 years.

“The future of education is a hybrid of online and offline learning, and the market size for primary and secondary extracurricular learning is estimated to be $10bn in India alone, and around $200bn globally,” Rathod said.

Kyt said that so far more than a thousand students have taken a course or attended workshops with the platform which has more than 20 teachers onboard, with plans to increase this to 500 over the next 12 months.

Kyt plans to add more courses, including chess, various musical instruments, public speaking, creative writing, and how to be a content creator.

Rajasthan’s former Higher & Technical Education minister Kiran Maheshwari dies

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November 30, 2020

BJP leader and MLA from Rajsamand in Rajasthan Kiran Maheshwari, who had tested positive for coronavirus, died at a hospital in Gurgaon. The saffron part leader was 59.

The BJP MLA was former Higher & Technical Education minister of Rajasthan during former CM Vasundhara Raje’s regime.

Kiran Maheshwari, a three-time MLA from Rajsamand, was undergoing treatment at Medanta hospital for the past few days. She passed away late Sunday night.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Assembly Speaker CP Joshi, BJP state president Satish Poonia and other leaders condoled her demise.

Also read: MoS Railway Suresh Angadi dies of COVID-19; PM, President express condolences

“Saddened to know of the untimely demise of BJP leader & Rajsamand MLA Kiran Maheshwari ji. My heartfelt condolences to her family members & supporters in this most difficult time,” Mr Gehlot tweeted.

Expressing grief over the MLA’s death, CP Joshi in a tweet said, “Shocked to hear about the untimely demise of Rajsamand MLA, Kiran Maheshwari Ji. My deepest condolences to the whole family and prayers to God to provide Strength to bear this loss (sic).”

New syllabus for JEE Main and NEET exams soon

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November 27, 2020

Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has asked the National Testing Agency to prepare a fresh syllabus for the competitive examinations including JEE Main and NEET conducted for the admissions to the Engineering and Medical Courses in the country.

According to reports, the National Testing Agency will assess the situation across the different states and central school education boards before finalizing the syllabus. The ministry will also be launching a campaign seeking views from stakeholders on the schedule for conducting the board examinations next year.

The Central Board of Secondary Education along with the different state boards have decided to reduce the syllabus by 30 percent for the class 10 and 12 board examinations due to the situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also read: JEE Main and NEET 2020 re-exams: PIL filed in SC to ask NTA to conduct exams

The Education Ministry has stated that the NTA will come out with a new syllabus for the competitive exams after conducting an assessment on the scenario in the different boards at present. The ministry will also launch a campaign to seek opinions from the parents and teachers on conducting the board exams next year.

The National Testing Agency has earlier stated that the first session on JEE Main 2021 exams is expected to be conducted in February 2021 instead of the usual January 2021. The application process for the same is expected to commence from next month onwards, however, the exam dates for the NEET 2021 examinations are yet awaited as the exams are usually conducted in May. The exams this year were delayed due to the pandemic.

IIT Kharagpur sets up innovation hub on AI and ML

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November 25, 2020

IIT Kharagpur has set up a technology innovation hub on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to translate academic research to industrially scalable products and processes.

The institute recently set up a special purpose vehicle, the IIT Kharagpur AI4ICPS I Hub Foundation (the Technology Innovation Hub on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning) for translation of academic research at the ‘proof of concept level’ to ‘industrially scalable products and processes’, focussed on AI interventions, the spokesperson said.

“While research has been happening in AI and ML for decades, mostly limited to software with limited inclusion in consumer goods and daily used gadgets, graduating innovation to technology readiness for industrial production is crucial,” Principal Investigator Dr Debdoot Sheet, who is also Assistant Professor with the Department of Electrical Engineering and the Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence said.

Also read: Pokhriyal lauds IIT Kharagpur for ‘COVIRAP’

“The Hub is envisioned to be a unique establishment in the country to undertake a diverse spectrum of activities linking academic research to the industry through an inclusive co-working partnership,” he added. The institute received a grant of Rs 170 crore from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India under the NM-ICPS to set up the infrastructure and undertake the related research and training programmes.

“We are also committed to promote fundamental research and foster the creation of start-ups to scale production for their off-shelf market availability,” Sheet said.

Cabinet nods for MoU between ICAI, Netherlands’ VRC

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November 25, 2020

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and the Netherlands-based Vereniging van Registercontrollers (VRC).

The MoU would help in strengthening and development of accounting, financial and audit knowledge base between the Netherlands and India, according to an official release. “The engagement between the premier institutes of both the countries would help to generate greater employment opportunities for Indian chartered accountants and also greater remittances back to India,” it added. VRC is a voluntary professional organisation and members offer services in management accounting, financial accounting, integrated reporting, strategic control and risk management, and corporate governance.

Also read: ICAI to SC: Will assess feasibility of conducting CA exams

ICAI, the chartered accountants’ apex body, has over 1,500 members in the European region and around 80 members in the Netherlands. “The contemplated MoU, for providing assistance to VRC, the Netherlands, shall benefit the ICAI members in the region and would provide an additional impetus to prospects of the ICAI members to get professional opportunities in the Netherlands,” said.

upGrad acquires The Gate Academy (TGA)

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November 25, 2020

Ed-tech firm upGrad, has acquired The Gate Academy (TGA) for an undisclosed amount. The new move will help the company establish its presence in the Rs 40,000 crore test preparation market in the country.

upGrad also plans to invest over Rs 100 crore into the test preparation business and will develop over 20,000 hours of content in multiple languages to provide access to at least one million test-takers annually.

Bengaluru-based TGA operates 57 coaching centres across the country and has had 76 million video hours consumed by its almost two lakh-enrolled learners for GATE and other entrance tests for various public/government sector jobs.

Also read: Fintech firm Eduvanz acquires edtech startup Klarity

upGrad Co-founders Ronnie Screwvala and Mayank Kumar, in a joint statement, said the acquisition of TGA provides upGrad a non-linear growth opportunity in a new segment entry, and deeper penetration in the semi-urban and rural markets.

“…(This) is in line with our core vision of making Bharat employable by adopting the mantra of lifelong learning. With every strategic move, we are ensuring that upGrad leads from the front as India emerges as the teaching capital of the world,” they said.

The company cited industry data to state that just the government exam prep market sees around 40 million applicants every year spending in a range of Rs 10,000.

This opens a new Rs 40,000 crore market for the company, it added. Post the acquisition, TGA will operate as a subsidiary of upGrad and will continue with its brand name.

TGA founder Ritesh Raushan will take on the role of CEO of the subsidiary to build this business line with upGrad providing its proprietary online learning solution and tools as well as sales, marketing, and content.

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