Kalpathi Group launches ed-tech platform Veranda

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December 2, 2020

The Chennai based Kalpathi Group, announced the launch of their new ed-tech venture Veranda Learning Solution, India’s first comprehensive 360-degree online education platform. Veranda comes from the Kalpathi AGS group that has immense experience in education, technology and top quality production with proven expertise in the past.

Veranda is building a unique online platform that will combine the best of technology, processes, and methodologies to deliver high-quality content seeking to be one of India’s first to offer a comprehensive 360 degree education. Focused on academic outcomes for its students, Veranda adopts a multi-modal delivery system backed by a rigorous and disciplined learning framework.

Also read: Mumbai University launches MA programme in Hindi and Marathi

Speaking on the occasion Suresh Kalpathi said, “with the launch of Veranda we aim to establish an education company of choice for our customers who need a committed partner to drive their success by offering affordable, best in class and focused online content. Our intent is firmly on being a reliable provider delivering outcomes for all those who opt for our courses”.

“The Indian online education market, supported by macro-economic changes, improvements in product offerings and changes in business models, is expected to grow to USD 1.96 billion by 2021 and to USD 4.87 billion by 2024. Veranda is ideally placed to play a dominant role in the education industry. Being built with an initial investment of Rs. 50 crores, Veranda plans to expand its portfolio through organic development and acquisitions.”

Pokhriyal: Evaluate economic impact of women working in hills

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December 2, 2020

Union education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said the new initiative – Indian Himalayan Central University Consortium (IHCUC) – launched by NITI Aayog at Garhwal University will evaluate economic impact of women workers in the hilly regions of the Himalayan states.

“The consortium should work on agro-ecology of Himalayan states with special reference to marketing; development of affordable and environmentally friendly tourism in hilly areas; creation of employment opportunities for migration control from mountainous regions. This will help evaluate the economic impact of women working in the hills,” Pokhriyal said.

He asked vice-chancellors of the Himalayan universities to undertake research in Hill Agriculture, Horticulture, Herb Production, Floriculture, Organic Agriculture, Eco-tourism, and Technology. This would produce the sources of livelihood in Himalaya.

Also read: Pokhriyal: NEP 2020 upholds the reservation policy

Hemvati Nandan Garhwal University in Pauri Garhwal celebrated its 8th convocation on Tuesday. Pokhriyal was the chief guest at the event.

This year, 155 students registered for online convocation of which 72 students were awarded Ph.D., 59 gold medals were awarded to the toppers in various subjects.

Vice-chancellor Prof Annapurna Nautiyal said, “This year, the university decided to have the convocation through an online medium to promote an academic spirit despite the Covid-19 global epidemic. Despite various geographical disparities and resource shortages, the university has successfully converted the challenges arising out of Covid-19 into an opportunity by using online mediums.”

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.

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