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More efficiency in Higher Education is the need of the hour

Basavaraj Rayareddi
Minister for Higher Education
Karnataka

Within one month after taking over the charge Basavaraj Rayareddi, Minister for Higher Education, Karnataka, is addressing the problems slowdowning the augmentation of the higher education in the State. To speedup the development, the minister has come out with 100 days of action plan for his 20-point agenda. He shared his priorities, including ambitious Master Plan for the development of higher education, in an exclusive interview with T. Radhakrishna of Elets News Network (ENN)

What is the mandate given to you by Karnataka Chief Minister?
I am thankful to our CM for inducting me into his cabinet. I have been given a freehand by the CM to do good work in higher education. I apprised him of my 100 days of action plan for my 20-point agenda in the Department of Higher Education. Out of Rs 85,375-crore annual budget for 2016-17 fiscal, the State has allocated Rs 23,000-crore for the education (primary, secondary, higher education, etc) in Karnataka. The numbers show the commitment of the State Government. The student population is one crore, which is equivalent to 1/6th population of Karnataka.

Kindly share your vision about higher education in Karnataka.
I am aware of the fact that the higher education system in Karnataka is demoralised with inside politics and dishonesty methods. We cannot blame it (on anyone) as everyone is responsible for this. The need of the hour is to strengthen the education system collectively with a clear focus on strengthening accountability, transparency, productivity and efficiency. After taking over the charge as the Minister, I held discussions with all the heads of the department. I felt that there’s a need for streamlining the system for students’ benefit. Accordingly, I have come out with a 20-point agenda, which is being pursued for next 100 days, from August 1, 2016 onwards.

Statutory Discipline
To bring order in the education system, the Department is working on several initiatives.

One, a Uniform Education Act for all 23 State Universities is proposed, for which Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, who is the chancellor of the State-run Universities, has given consent to it. Today, coordination among all the universities has become a major concern as each State University has its own Education Act. With the introduction of new legislation, statutory discipline comes in place for better functioning of the universities.

Two, taking cognisance of the hardships faced by students each year because of delay in announcement of examination results, an order is issued to all State Universities to declare the examination results for UG courses before May 31 and for PG courses before June 30. Failure to adhere to the deadline will result in disciplinary action against the respective vice-chancellors, registrars and examination controllers. An order to this effect was issued by the Department in August and it will come into effect from this academic year. I feel it is the responsibility of the university officials to take everyone into confidence and ensure that they follow the new common calendar of events.

Three, ahead of the imminent division of Bangalore University (BU), a new committee has been constituted headed by Dr S.A. Kori, Executive Director, Karnataka State Higher Education Council, to ease the process of trifurcation. The decision was taken after convening a meeting with representatives of the BU and special officers of the two new universities, set to be carved out of the BU. I acknowledged the significant delay in the process and asked the committee and the two special officers to give an estimate and requirements of the two new universities. I have directed them to ensure that there are no hiccups in the functioning of the three varsities.

Four, to improve basic facilities at higher education institutions, a master plan for the development of higher education in Karnataka is being pursued. The State will seek an assistance of $500 million from the World Bank for this ambitious plan. A survey had already been done in 412 government colleges on basic facilities. The final report will be ready very soon. I felt that the higher education in Karnataka is lacking in quality and quantity despite Bangalore being known as knowledge capital of the country. The required (push) for the sector has not been accorded because of fiscal constraints. In order to overcome this, the master plan is being planned.

The Cabinet Minister’s 20-point agenda includes bringing in a legislation to ensure Uniform Rules and Syllabus for all 23 State-run Universities and also an ambitious US$ 500 million Master Plan for the development of higher education in Karnataka.

New Schools Plans are afoot to open new schools and introduce new courses. Karnataka has expedited the process of operations of IIT, Dharwad by registering 470 acres of land in its name. The Institute is ready for official launch in August by Union Minister for HRD Prakash Javadekar and Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah. A total of 120 students have enrolled into the IIT, Dharwad. Out of 120 students, seven are girls and 10 are from Karnataka.

Other proposed institutions include Environmental Research Institute – ERI (at Bellary district); Energy Institute – EI (at Chidradurga district); new IIIT (at Raichur district); and Ban galore School of Economics – BSE (at Bangalore Urban district). Karnataka is gifted with mineral resources. As suggested by the Apex Courts (Supreme Court and High Court of Karnataka) in their judgements that there is need for protecting the environment from the unscientific utilisation of the mineral wealth, the proposed ERI will facilitate the needful knowledge and expertise to tackle the situation. There is a need for establishment of BSE in Bangalore, which was once regarded as capital of Banking Sector with the presence of seven National Banks in the city.

Keeping the growth of Karnataka and its needs in mind, we are planning to commence an Advanced Flying School. We are open to collaborations in this regard. We all know that Kempegowda International Airport is fastest growing airport in India. The Ancillary Industry needs to be given impetus to meet the growing demands of the airport. In this regard, the support of academic and R&D is important. The proposed school will facilitate qualified pilots for the air traffic industry. Similarly, we are planning to commence railway engineering courses in the State. There is a great demand for talent with railway engineering domain knowledge in the State as Karnataka has ongoing projects of laying new railway tracks up to 4,000 km. The demand for new railway tracks is expected to grow further. The introduction of new courses in railway engineering will help the State in providing qualified engineers.

STATE UNIVERSITIES
  • Bangalore Univeristy, Bangalore
  • Davanagere University, Davanagere
  • Gulbarga University, Gulbarga
  • Kannada University, Hampi
  • Karnataka Folklore University, Haveri
  • Karnataka State G.H University of Music & Performing Arts, Mysore
  • Karnataka State Law University, Hubli
  • Karnataka State Open University, Mysore
  • Karnataka State Women’s University, Bijapur
  • Karnataka University, Dharwad
  • Kuvempu University, Shimoga
  • Mangalore University, Mangalore
  • Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Science, Bidar
  • Rani Channamma University, Belagavi
  • Sanskrit University, Bangalore
  • Tumkur University, Tumkur
  • University of Agricultural & Horticultural Sciences, Shimoga
  • University of Agricultural Sciences, Bagalkot
  • University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore
  • University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad
  • University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur
  • University of Mysore, Mysore
  • Vijayanagara Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Bellary
  • Vishweshwaraiah Technology University, Belagavi

Conferences

The Department is planning to organise Karnataka State Vice Chancellors’ Summit in September and World Innovation/ Creative Forum in November this year. The objective of the Summit is to ensure quality education for Under Graduate and Post Graduate courses in Karnataka. All Vice Chancellors of 23 State-run universities have been asked to submit their vision documents before the summit. The proposed forum is planned on the lines of World Economic Forum and the World Social Forum. The last edition of the World Innovative/Creative Forum was held in Geneva, Switzerland. Karnataka Chief Minster will be the chief patron, while myself and the Director, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, will be the patron and co-patron respectively. The forum would be the first step in galvanising the R&D facilities across the State, mobilising the entrepreneurs towards innovation and focusing the higher education institutions across the state towards creativity.

New Recruitments

Our degree colleges are facing shortage of faculty (Assistant Professors) and Principals. To fill the gap, the Department is in the process of recruiting 2,160 Assistant Professors and principals for vacant positions. Efforts are also on to address the problems of 14,000 guest lecturers working in the State. The Department is also trying to facelift B.Ed programmes and Science Education for strengthening the quality standards.

What’s your plan about improving quality of infrastructure at the educational institutions?
We are working on improving the quality of infrastructure at all education institutions. With increasing quality standards, many Degree Colleges will get accreditation of National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and compliance of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). This has been a continuous process in achieving quality and standards.

HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN KARNATAKA
  • No. of Universities – 50
  • State Universities – 17
  • Private Universities – 10
  • Deemed – 23
  • Polytechnical Colleges – 305
  • Government Colleges – 81
  • Aided Colleges – 44
  • Private Colleges – 180
  • Number of Colleges – 2992
  • B.Ed Colleges – 433
  • University Constituent Colleges – 24
  • Private Colleges – 1803
  • Engineering Colleges – 207
  • Govt Colleges – 14
  • Aided Colleges – 11
  • Pvt Colleges- 182
  • Aided Colleges – 321
  • Govt Colleges – 411

basavaraj_rayareddi-2What is your view about Karnataka Knowledge Commission recommendations?

The Karnataka Knowledge Commission (KKC), an important constituent of the Government of Karnataka, came into existence in 2008. It aims to enable the development of the vibrant knowledge based society in the State. It is headed by Dr K Kasturirangan, a former member of Rajya Sabha. The members of the Commission are drawn from diverse fields like education, science and technology, agriculture and industry. The Commission is independent of the Government and works with and for the Government in policy making and implementation. The context and development of the state of Karnataka is paramount for the work of the KKC. Presently, the KKC has identified six primary focus areas. Each of these areas has a pivotal role to play in transforming Karnataka into a vibrant knowledge society. These are: Literacy and School Education, Vocational Education, Higher Education, Humanities, Social Sciences, Law and Management, Libraries and Knowledge Networks, and Health Sector. We are committed to the KKC’s recommendations.

 

UGC seeks public feedback for world class institutions

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has invited objections and suggestions, on a policy document on Establishment of World Class Institutions in the country.

The Centre drafted a proposal on world-class universities, seeking to grant them full freedom to decide their tuition fees and academic affairs.

Ten government-run and 10 privately managed institutions will be conferred world-class university status and get full exemption from the regulatory framework of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

These institutions will be free to fix tuition fees with facilities like loans and scholarships for the needy. At present, the fee in government universities ranges from Rs 20 to a few hundred rupees. It is about Rs 2 lakh per annum for BTech courses in IITs.

Government institutions are unable to hike tuition fees easily. Although their executive councils are empowered to take such decisions, the universities seldom do for fear of political repercussion.

The 10 government institutions that will be given world-class status will continue to implement the reservation policy. The private institutions are not expected to follow any quota.

According to the draft proposal, government and private institutions will have to apply for world-class university status. An empowered expert committee will examine the applications and make recommendations. If the UGC approves, the ministry will clear them.

These universities will be allowed to recruit faculty without following the UGC’s qualification norms. They can recruit foreign faculty up to 25 per cent of the total strength. They can admit up to 30 per cent foreign students. Since the institutions will not be bound by the UGC’s academic norms, they can design their own curriculum and courses. At present, the UGC prescribes a model curriculum to be followed by institutions.

These institutions will be free from any kind of inspection by the UGC.

UGC has also sought suggestions or objections, if any, on a policy document on Establishment of World Class Institutions.

The Commission has asked academicians and stakeholders to submit their feedback on the UGC (Declaration of Government Educational Institutions as World Class Institutions) Guidelines and UGC World Class Institutions Deemed to Be Universities Regulations, 2016.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development has formed the said policy documents with October 28 set as the last date for submitting feedback.

It may be noted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in March, had reiterated his government’s plan to set up 20 world-class universities in the country.

As per preliminary plans, the government is expected to identify 10 government and 10 private universities and help them achieve “world-class standards”.

Amity varsity purchases college in US, sceptics doubt its role

Amity University is expanding into the US with the purchase of a campus in New York and thinking of buying two more. But the move appears to have not gone down too well as it has drawn opposition from a section of the state officials in Massachusetts who are sceptical about the quality of education it might offer.

Amity University, a system of private colleges based in New Delhi, has always sought to create a global network of schools. Since it was founded in 2003, the chain has opened campuses in India, England, China, South Africa and five other countries.

At overseas campuses, a dozens of US colleges have opened. But few foreign schools have sought to establish branches in the US in part because of the cost and tighter regulation.

Amity, one of the largest colleges in India, paid $22 million last month to buy a Long Island branch of St. John’s University in New York City, which was selling the campus and shifting to a smaller site on Long Island. It plans to open its first US branch at the 170-acre, century-old campus after it gains ownership in June 2017.

The chain also has made a deal to buy the New England Institute of Art, a for-profit college near Boston, and one of its sister schools, the Art Institute of New York City, according to paperwork filed in Massachusetts. The deal would require approval from state education officials.

“We are very, very sceptical about this,” said Massachusetts attorney general Maura Healey, who is asking the state’s Board of Higher Education to block the sale.

“It’s hard to imagine that this outfit from overseas, which has never done any education work here in this country, is well-suited to provide any kind of education to these students.”

Amity hopes a US campus will attract students from abroad who want to gain the prestige that comes with studying in the United States. It also hopes to forge research partnerships with other colleges, and to connect foreign scholars with their counterparts here.

“We have a global vision for education, a model of education which allows for student mobility, faculty collaboration and research collaboration,” one of the largest colleges in India.

“We believe that the leaders of tomorrow will be those who have perspectives from different parts of the world.”

Owned by a non-profit company, the chain offers bachelor’s and graduate degrees in a range of fields, from art to engineering. It enrolls 125,000 students at more than a dozen campuses, and has grown rapidly amid rising demand for higher education in India.

Government set to give IIMs more freedom

The Ministry for Human Resource Development (HRD) has decided to accord more freedom to the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and reduce government authority over them under a proposed Bill.

Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar has commenced to rework the provisions which were introduced under his predecessor Smriti Irani. Among the key provisions that the HRD ministry has decided to revise include those related to the Visitor’s office.  

The new Bill draft can drop previous references to the President having the power to review their work as the Visitor.

Another change from the earlier proposed draft is that the HRD ministry has given more powers to the Board of Governors of the IIMs to appoint their directors. The new draft bill is now learnt to have gone to the Law ministry for review.

Is Augmented Reality A Blessing in Disguise?

Nehru World School, Ghaziabad is exploring Augmented Reality since August 2016
The September month has been ablaze with news of Pokemon-Go and its addiction, with people needing therapy, going through fatal accidents and possible long term psychological impacts. In brief, it is an augmented-reality game that lays a sort of semi-transparent Poké-world over your actual, geographical location, which you can explore by physically walking around while staring zombie-like at your screen (The Washington Post , 2016).

For the uninitiated, Augmented Reality is a technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user’s view of the real world, thus providing a composite view. It has been a focus for Google with its Cardboard project while Microsoft has been piloting the technology with its soon-to-be-launched HoloLens (Microsoft, 2016) and in the process taking imagination, prototyping and collaboration through a paradigm shift.

pokemonWhile we may not be able to see a direct relevance of these technologies right away, we are standing at the gates of a new reality as our earlier epidemic of mobile phone addiction now combined with the engagement of augmented reality has the power to transform the manner in which our young learners engage with new content and understand it. Augmented reality and virtual reality investment reached $1.1 billion in the first two months of 2016. This is the first time that AR/VR investment has topped a billion dollars in any year (let alone 2 months), and shows incredible growth compared to the $700 million invested during 2015.

Education is on the cusp of a revolution. Imagine a small town classroom in a far-flung part of India where students do not have access to high-quality teachers and school systems. However, the students are amongst the 230 million smartphone users of the country that has the power of internet connection, thanks to the advent of newly introduced LTE technology with inexpensive data rates. Virtual reality can serve as an incredible medium to transform a classic structure of a classroom where a teacher, standing in front serves knowledge and students are expected to soak in the same, to one where students are not compelled to learn the same thing at the same time in the same order and progress at the same pace.

Certain subjects are more challenging to be present in an exciting and engaging way. The hard sciences, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology are often presented without context in the classroom. Imagine with the aid of virtual reality, a child able to follow the journey of a molecule of water from the liquid state to when it is frozen in the refrigerator. The child also tracks the journey when it gets heated up by the Sun’s rays and gets evaporated and rises up as water vapour. During this journey, (s)he will be able to track the movements of the water molecules which slow down enough that their attractions arrange them into fixed positions. The child will be able to follow the hexagonal patterns of the water molecules in solid state and also compare the molecules when they were in liquid water. In the other phase change, the child might get interested to know how much energy (from the Sun) results in exciting the molecules to transform them to a gas. The child might also be more interested in biology and might be particularly keen to know how a water molecule is transported by the vascular system of the plants, thereby learning about the adhesive and cohesive properties of water. (S)he could play the role of the Sun and learn deeper about the transpiration process, again changing water to its vapour form. The dynamics of learning can go on and on. This technique would provide the required curiosity amongst learners and with information being ubiquitous, learning is surely heading for a revolutionary change.

As virtual reality continues to break new grounds, the following are already possible with existing tools:

humanANATOMY 4D: Through this free app and a simple printed image, it transports students into an interactive 4D experience of human anatomy. Visually stunning and completely interactive, Anatomy 4D uses augmented reality and other cutting edge technologies to create the perfect vehicle for 21st-century education (Smore, 2016).

FIELD TRIPS: It is a location-aware augmented reality app that functions like your own mobile tour guide to places such as historical landmarks and museums and notifies you if you are near that location, complete with a pop-up card with information about the place.

QUIVER: This app brings your drawing (on colouring pages provided on the website) to life. Once the kids (or you) colour one in, you capture it with the app, and it’s instantly a 3D figure that you can control (Max, 2016).

TITANS OF SPACE 2.0: It is a deep-dive tour through our Solar System and then takes you beyond that. The primary aim is to gain new perspective on what our universe actually looks like by taking advantage of the increased spatial awareness made possible by modern VR (DrashVR LLC, 2016).

For a country of the size of India with a population of 1.27 billion, this most recent digital reality which still appears to be futuristic to many, may just be the hope for understanding and the bridge between aspiration and achievement for millions of students who currently find themselves bereft from inspirational teachers who would bring these concepts to life. Augmented reality and mobile devices are here to stay to connect the real and virtual worlds (until they are replaced with something even more extraordinary).

About the author:

anurabhArunabh Singh is an educationist, innovator, technology enthusiast and Director of Nehru World School, Ghaziabad. An alumnus of Kings College London and Hindu College, Delhi University, he has been honoured with a national award for “Exceptional contribution to the field of Education” by Independent School Federation of India in 2010.

He has also been awarded “Innovation in Progress” Fellowships for two consecutive years at World Round-Table Conference for Educational Leadership and “Global Teacher Accreditation” award from Cambridge Foundation for his action research on Continuing Professional Development of Teachers.

Singh is a British Council School ambassador and associated with other international organisations such as Goethe Institute, Tony Blair Faith Foundation and the Central Board of Secondary Education.

Conference Outcomes

Where Great Minds Discuss Grey Matter

The 7th elets World Education Summit 2016 drew an overwhelming response from the congregation of various highly esteemed stakeholders in the Indian education system. With the participation of key decision makers and global thinkers from across the country and diff erent parts of the globe as vice chancellors, principals, directors, or school owners, the world education conference was truly a confl uence of great minds responsible for shaping up the nation’s tomorrow –the students. Jharkhand Chief Minister Shri Raghubar Das inaugurated the summit at the Le Merdien, Delhi and launched WES 2016 Special Issue of Digital Learning magazine in the presence of Poland Ambassador Tomasz Lukaszuk. In the School Education section, the fi rst day was classifi ed into various brain storming sessions including School Education: The Road Ahead, Rethinking education in the age of technology and a special discussion on whole brain functions. The other section, dedicated to Higher Learning, was classifi ed into sessions like Technology: The Game Changer for Higher Education Scenario, International Education Initiatives: Learning & Collaboratives, Creating a framework for developing a research-ready institutions and Eff ective management of Transnational Education. It witnessed some of the leading lights of our school system from across India. There were also industry presentations highlighting scope of technology and its eff ects in the education sector. Top verticals covered during the summit comprised government, school, higher education, investors, skill and vocational training On the second day, Union Minister of State for Minority Aff airs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi deliberated on the need for skill development in the country, highlighting how despite several laws intending betterment of higher education, more participation from education fi eld was required. A few glimpses of the educational extravaganza:

Exclusive Summary
exclusivesummary globalfootprintvisitorsanalysisexhibitoranalysisglobal-marketing-campaign

higher-education3How World Education Summit connected the Education INDUSTRY

A key initiative for World Educati on Summit was to strengthen and build connections across different industry verticals, countries and between the public and private sectors.

 

VISION AND MISSION

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Minority Affairs Government of India

India has emerged as an education hub globally. It is our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government’s dream and determination to provide quality education. We are also focusing on skill development. In these two years, we have tried hard for employment oriented skill development. From the ti me of Gurukul to present, India is a leader in education. People present here are trying to make educati on more meaningful, more cultured and employment oriented. It is important that we must have skills along with practical education.

TRANSFORMATION WITH TECHNOLOGY

A tree cannot have a proper growth until it has strong roots. This is the reason why a big question mark exists on our education system. Our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has repeatedly laid stress on importance of technology and encouraged its use to the hilt. This can ensure a transparent and accountable administration. With maximum use of technology, transformation is being ensured across the world. We also need to ensure that it takes place in our country and universities.

Raghubar Das, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Jharkhand
Raghubar Das, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Jharkhand

I feel due to professional education or the private universities, there has been a lot of improvement in the education sector. Our government will fully support private universities to strengthen the education sector.

TOMASZ LUKASZUK, Ambassador, Embassy of Poland
TOMASZ LUKASZUK, Ambassador, Embassy of Poland

Mining sector is important for India and for Poland as well. I think through cooperation with businesses of mining, we can create a momentum also for education, for technical education between two countries.

RAJ BALA VERMA, Chief Secretary, Government of Jharkhand
RAJ BALA VERMA, Chief Secretary, Government of Jharkhand

There is pressing need to improve quality and relevance of education in our higher and technical institutions. We invite institutions of excellence to partner and mentor, build capabilities in the existing institutions, also to open new institutions to address the huge demand in the state of Jharkhand.

RAVI PANCHANANDAN, Chief Executive Offi cer, MeritTrac
RAVI PANCHANANDAN, Chief Executive Offi cer, MeritTrac

We need to recruit today for 2030. We need to recruit about 26 million school teachers to provide primary education to children. We have 20 million higher education students right now. I was reading somewhere for 370 odd peon positions, there were more than 23 lakhs applications.And, I believe a lot of them were PhDs!

R SUBRAHMANYAM, Addl. Secretary (TE), Department of Higher Education, MHRD
R SUBRAHMANYAM, Addl. Secretary (TE), Department of Higher Education, MHRD

With everybody’s consensus that is building up, we want to build a very strong, robust structure in this country which can help in converting this demographic dividend to our advantage. We are looking forward to using technology in a big way.

The Game Changer for Higher Education Scenario

GEORGE KURUVILLA, Chairman & Managing Director, Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL)
GEORGE KURUVILLA, Chairman & Managing Director, Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL)

To reach out to country’s distant locations we will have to use mix mode of satellite communication and terrestrial transmission, the FM Radios and put the community radios right in that village, produced by their own people in native language, and teach them primary education or socially relevant themes.

DIPTIMAN DAS, Chairman & Managing Director, Educational Consultants India Limited (EdCIL)
DIPTIMAN DAS, Chairman & Managing Director, Educational Consultants India Limited (EdCIL)

We are the only PSU in education sector in India. We are also a mini Ratna company which doubled its turnover to Rs.175 crore this year. We wish to be a edu-tech company. We believe technology is not a game changer, we strongly believe it is a super game changer.

JAIKANT SINGH, Head- Strategy & Program Development, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)
JAIKANT SINGH, Head- Strategy & Program Development, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)

The more penetration, the higher usage of IT system, ICT, in any of your schemes or anything, the better placed you will be, the more stable you will be. In order to bring speed, scale, sustainability, scalability until we have optimum use of ICT, we would never be able to reach out there.

LT GEN (DR) S P KOCHHAR, Chief Executive Offi cer, Telecom Sector Skill Council
LT GEN (DR) S P KOCHHAR, Chief Executive, Officer, Telecom Sector Skill Council

If you don’t have telecom facilities, you are no one, you are just sitting in your own office, own cabin and just doing what you can. Telecom is unseen but it is there. This must be recognized. It’s there and why it is ignored because it is in a state where it can be afforded to be ignored because you know you will get it.

higher-education15

International Education Initiatives –  Learning and Collaborative Opportunities

EDUARDO J. PARDON, President, Miami Dade College, Miami
EDUARDO J. PARDON, President, Miami Dade College, Miami

In the US, about the top three skills that our CEOs say are important in people they hire, global competency figures among them. So we all realised institutions need to do something about it if we are to provide students with the competencies that they need to be able to get the jobs that they aspire to get.

PROF PREM VRAT, Pro Chancellor, NorthCap University
PROF PREM VRAT, Pro Chancellor, NorthCap University

Internationalisation is the process of integrating international perspectives in education. A global mindset is a pre-requisite before thinking of internationalisation. It calls for an openness for tolerance of different cultures, acceptance of their values, food habits, languages, dresses.

DR. P. BALAKRISHNA SHETTY, Vice Chancellor, Sri Siddhartha Academy of Higher Education
DR. P. BALAKRISHNA SHETTY, Vice Chancellor, Sri Siddhartha Academy of Higher Education

To perform surgery on any foreign patient here I don’t need any permission but to give education to any foreigner here I have to take hundreds of permissions. This is the state of affairs of higher education here. Please give us freedom to make globalization happen here.

S. B. HOSAMANI, Vice Chancellor, Rani Chennamma University, Karnataka
S. B. HOSAMANI, Vice Chancellor, Rani Chennamma University, Karnataka

Nowadays we say that the quality of education is dwindling. Without generalizing, it’s true. In comparison to teachers of earlier era, today’s’ teachers have become more materialistic less of educationists. As a result, we will have to inculcate hard and dedicated efforts in our teachers.

DR. (PROF.) ANOOP SWARUP, Vice Chancellor, Jagran Lakecity University
DR. (PROF.) ANOOP SWARUP, Vice Chancellor, Jagran Lakecity University

A great civilization has to take its normal place in the comity of nations. The process of internationalization of higher education is on. We have to be fast, productive, resourceful and committed, I mean government, the policy makers have to productive.

higher-education21
DR. RUPA VASUDEVAN, Vice Chancellor, Rai Technology University

It’s the social, inter-cultural skills to navigate and succeed in today’s inter-connected world that any student needs to have and be there at the globally competent market.

DR. P.B. VIDYASAGAR, Vice Chancellor, Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University
DR. P.B. VIDYASAGAR, Vice Chancellor, Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University

If we want to give world class education, the international cooperation is very much essential. We should have strength to attract good universities. We should be so strong that we attract students from developing countries. Catering for cultural and psychological needs of foreign students that’s where we are lacking.

higher-education23

K VIDYASAGAR, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Government of Jharkhand
K VIDYASAGAR, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Government of Jharkhand

Existence of very few medical colleges has led to a huge shortage of doctors. Government of India wants to fast track setting up medical colleges. Besides investment, a proper regulatory mechanism existing in a liberalised manner is needed like for land requirement. I am sure things will change now. “Students in the east India, aspiring to be doctors are forced to approach private colleges in the west or south India. Since not everyone obviously can afford, not many students from these regions are being produced from medical colleges within these states or from the south or west. This is creating problem in entire health sector of eastern region. Jharkhand is one of the worst affected states.

DR. A ASHOK, Commissioner and Secretary, Board of Intermediate Education, Government of Telangana
DR. A ASHOK, Commissioner and Secretary, Board of Intermediate Education, Government of Telangana

Technology gave us the advance to enforce many reforms and bring about qualitative change in the systems and also in the approaches. Technology blended with academia for better outcomes, we found this is giving us great advantage. It has perfected the processes and outcomes and also enhanced the outcome based learning and made the learning more effective by using more technology.

SUNIL KUMAR BARNWAL, Secretary IT & e-Governance Department, Government of Jharkhand
SUNIL KUMAR BARNWAL, Secretary IT & e-Governance Department, Government of Jharkhand

IT is very much central to the government in Jharkhand. Not just one sector but in all sectors the IT is taking precedence. We are creating conducive climate in the state for anyone looking for investment in India to keep Jharkhand in consideration. For IT infrastructure, we have marked land for developing IT city and creating IT startup ecosystem.

TANKESHWAR KUMAR, Vice Chancellor, Guru Jambeshwar University of Science and Technology
TANKESHWAR KUMAR, Vice Chancellor, Guru Jambeshwar University of Science and Technology

Ranking’s signifi cance is to improve the quality of educational institution. The existing ranking systems are in fact helping the already highly ranked universities because students apply for top ranked universities.

DR. SUNIL RAI, Vice Chancellor, The Assam Kaziranga University
DR. SUNIL RAI, Vice Chancellor, The Assam Kaziranga University

The majority of contribution is now coming from the private institutions that are highly placementcentric. People will join me at my university if they are placed, not because their research papers are published in high impact international journals.

DR DEVENDRA PATHAK, Vice Chancellor , Dr. K N Modi University, Rajasthan
DR DEVENDRA PATHAK, Vice Chancellor, Dr. K N Modi University, Rajasthan

Finance is as important as it may be but the other factor lack of academic leadership that’s really posing a bold problem and when our desire is to excel then that poses a bold contradiction… Data reflects probably we are not very serious about research that’s why we are failing in world rankings.

PROF VPS ARORA, Vice Chancellor, Shri Venkateshwara University
PROF VPS ARORA, Vice Chancellor, Shri Venkateshwara University

Research comes from thinking. I don’t say people coming from outside the country are only scholars, within the country they have scholars to give better leadership to the department. They should be given the autonomy and freedom to select their own team.

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DR O R S RAO, Vice Chancellor, ICFAI University, Ranchi

Whether or not we are interested in the global rankings, if we need to produce universities…we need to create an intellectual contribution. The university has to be different in creation of intellectual capital.

PRABHAT AGRAWAL, Chairman, Echelon Institute of Technology, Faridabad
PRABHAT AGRAWAL, Chairman, Echelon Institute of Technology, Faridabad

For India to become Vishwa Guru, the need of the hour is to invest, to calibrate, to work upon, to innovate and create model systems and frameworks whereby we can impact the higher education.

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Industry Presentation – Using technology to motivate students to improve their diversity and effective management of transnational education

APRIT BADJATYA, CEO & MD, Academia ERP
APRIT BADJATYA, CEO & MD, Academia ERP

One of the most critical tools in adoption of technology in higher education and school segment in India today is about ERP for educational institutions because ERP is the nervous system for an institutional technology ecosystem around which all your components can play and this can sit right in the middle for efficient operation.

A H RAJASAB, Vice Chancellor, Tumkur University
A H RAJASAB, Vice Chancellor, Tumkur University

If you say our universities are not doing well, how do our students do well in foreign? We have potential, just need to identify methodology where a guru and student can understand and learn from each other, get values of Indian heritage and bring back Indian pride.

DR. R KARPAGA KUMARAVEL, Professor and Head, Department of Education, Central University of Tamil Nadu
DR. R KARPAGA KUMARAVEL, Professor and Head, Department of Education, Central University of Tamil Nadu

We need to apply technology to reach the unreached, to reach the disadvantaged population through the development, application and evaluation of systems, techniques and aids to improve the process of human learning. Technology brings education to people instead of bringing people to education.

DR. S NABI, Director, LearnEngg
DR. S NABI, Director, LearnEngg

We offer one-stop e-content for technical education for branches and for all courses. It’s a high quality digital content, exploiting technology on the visual side. We use a lot of 3-D models that industries are using. We also use all personalised devices for that.

PROF. VIJAYKANT VERMA, Vice Chancellor, AISECT University, Bhopal
PROF. VIJAYKANT VERMA, Vice Chancellor, AISECT University, Bhopal

In transnational education, the reduced cost usually also sees decline in quality. Regulatory framework is another aspect because the providing country doesn’t have any control where it is being imparted. These issues need to be sorted out in the regulatory framework.

LATESH KJ, Vice President, Xiphias Software Technology Pvt. Ltd.
LATESH KJ, Vice President, Xiphias Software Technology Pvt. Ltd.

For Information Security, we have a transparent system to enable you to access your database anytime, using your own key just like pincode for debit card/credit card. With secret key pins, you make your system or solution three-layered secured so that your ERP solution is running absolutely fine.

H L VERMA, Vice Chancellor, Jagan Nath University, Haryana
H L VERMA, Vice Chancellor, Jagan Nath University, Haryana

About transnational education, there are various serious issues like quality, financial part, recognition, student satisfaction. So its effective management is very important. The question arises, do we really need support from foreign institutions to promote our quality?

DR. S K SALWAN, Vice Chancellor, ApeeJay Stya University, Gurgaon
DR. S K SALWAN, Vice Chancellor, ApeeJay Stya University, Gurgaon

Knowledge should come from wherever it is possible and we must accept the knowledge, it maybe from other nations via trans-national agreements. And, environment must be created where they can safely embark on this exploration.

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Round-Table – Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Fostering Growth

DR. SHABNAM KAUR, Vice Chancellor, Guru Jambeshwar University of Science and Technology
DR. SHABNAM KAUR, Vice Chancellor, Guru Jambeshwar University of Science and Technology

The main obstacle for a college in remote area is of fi nance. Paying capacity at ground level is not as much as we can sit here and discuss. It’s very easy to discuss the problems at round-table conferences. We discuss the problem and leave them here only but to solve them we have to be at the ground level.

PROF (DR) ANURANJAN MISRA, Professor & HOD, Computer Science & Engineering, Noida International University
PROF (DR) ANURANJAN MISRA, Professor & HOD, Computer Science & Engineering, Noida International University

We have to think about making the life of our people better. It must be done while keeping in mind the Indian perspective. We must also focus on research and development of new products rather than buying them from the other countries.

DR. BMK PRASAD, Principal, Dronacharya College Of Engineering
DR. BMK PRASAD, Principal, Dronacharya College Of Engineering

So far the education system is concerned, more modification is required from school level to the university level. I also think that the moral education must also be the part of school level education upto class 10th.

DR. KAVITA GUPTA, Assistant Faculty , Entrepreneurship Development Institute Of India
DR. KAVITA GUPTA, Assistant Faculty, Entrepreneurship Development Institute Of India

We have a mission of promoting entrepreneurship. I always feel that all technology people and management people are pillion riding onto somebody else to get an opportunity for themselves whereas entrepreneurship is what is opening doors to them and they are able to create lot more opportunity.

DR. REENA SINGH, Associate Dean, KIET Group of Institutions, Ghaziabad
DR. REENA SINGH, Associate Dean, KIET Group of Institutions, Ghaziabad

Whether it’s a private college or a government college, working hours for faculties are so long that we are so exhausted that by the time to do research and publish it, it’s a long way to go for us.

YVS KUMAR, Dean-APQA Rayat Bahara University
YVS KUMAR, Dean-APQA Rayat Bahara University

I see that the research and the innovation and the kind of involvement that should happen in the higher education system has not really taken root in the private universities because expectation of stakeholders that is of students, teachers, managements and administrators are changing.

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Higher Education & Skill Development Scenario in India: The Road Ahead

NITESH TYAGI, Head, Training, Mahendra Skills Training and Development Pvt. Ltd.
NITESH TYAGI, Head, Training, Mahendra Skills Training and Development Pvt. Ltd.

Skill development in India is going to be a challenging task because education alone can not fulfi l the requirements of skilled workforce in future. Skill development must be a parallel initiative along with education. There is a potential opportunity for India to become a talent pool.

SUNIL K CHATURVEDI, Chief Executive Offi cer, Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC)
SUNIL K CHATURVEDI, Chief Executive Officer, Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC)

India itself is a huge market and with the passing of GST, the economic unifi cation has been assured. It will throw up large opportunities. To drive that, essentially we need to have skills in higher education.

SUPREETH NAGARAJU, Head – Education, West, South India & Sri Lanka – Adobe Systems
SUPREETH NAGARAJU, Head – Education, West, South India & Sri Lanka – Adobe Systems

It is important to ensure good mix of students from gender standpoint, from geographic standpoint and also from various strata of interest levels in the industry standpoint.

AMEYA DONGARE, Team Lead, Orion India Systems Pvt. Ltd.
AMEYA DONGARE, Team Lead, Orion India Systems Pvt. Ltd.

Time and again we are told that securing good marks in your board examination virtually guarantees your berth in higher education but it is not the case as always. A student has to worry about two more factors, timely result and accurate result.

MARC POULIN, Assistant Professor, School of Graduate Studies & Director of MBA and MITGov Program, Canadian University, Dubai
MARC POULIN, Assistant Professor, School of Graduate Studies & Director of MBA and MIT Gov Program, Canadian University, Dubai

Perception of student is, what value does my degree hold? Is it recognised or not recognised? Am I gonna be hired because I have a piece of university paper or not? So, yes, it gets your foot in the door but eventually if you can’t deliver, if you don’t have skills, you are not gonna stay in that company.

DR. RAJAT GUPTA, Director, National Institute of Technology, Srinagar
DR. RAJAT GUPTA, Director, National Institute of Technology, Srinagar

Our students should not only be the jobseekers, they should also be the job providers. If this is so, then innovation and incubation centres are to be setup with the industries in all the institutes along with IITs and NITs.

DR B B KALIWAL, Vice Chancellor, Davangere University
DR B B KALIWAL, Vice Chancellor, Davangere University

I request all industrialists that you must help the society or you must help the curriculum preparing. So that these things can be utilized by students, so that there is a bridge between the universities, the industry and the government.

DR R VENKATA RAO, Vice Chancellor, National Law School of India University
DR R VENKATA RAO, Vice Chancellor,
National Law School of India University

The education’s aim should be to emphasize learning power not earning power. Education should be for well being not well off. Instead of depending on industry for employment opportunities, can we ask industries to discharge their corporate social responsibility in a more meaningful way?

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DR. INDRAJIT PATEL, Dean, Gujarat Technical University

At GTU, our vision is to make a hub of research, technology and entrepreneurship. To meet with our vision, we have varieties of initiatives on our campus right from international collaboration with the leading universities in North America, Europe and all other part of globe. We have collaboration with all major leading associations including chamber of commerce, CII and FICCI.

DR S P MISHRA, Vice Chancellor, Sanskriti University
DR S P MISHRA, Vice Chancellor, Sanskriti University

Are we making value plus people or value less people. If a person is good enough than the person will fi nd out the ways, how to get self employed or how to be an entrepreneur or how to be employed in one or other organisations.

DR SHALINI GUPTA, Vice Chancellor, Mandsaur University
DR SHALINI GUPTA, Vice Chancellor, Mandsaur University

At University, what we have made the vision is “Make in University” concept wherein we will be giving the raw products into the finished course to our students who are employable.

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G C SHARMA, Head Financial Education, School & University, NSE

NSE and CBSE have joined hands together at 9th and 10th level and at 11th and 12th level. All NSE certified financial market professional modules are integrated into the curriculum of CBSE. So that the students after class 12th, when they come out, they have a choice either to go for a job or they can go for higher education.

M N RAJU, Chairman, MNR Group of Institution, Telangana
M N RAJU, Chairman, MNR Group of Institution, Telangana

Whatever excellence we want to bring in education particularly in India, the requirement is giving importance to psychology of child. If one mind is improved, both conscious and subconscious mind, everything goes very well.

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K ANAND, MANAGING TRUSTEE, Adi Shankara Group of Institution

Additional skill acquisition program of our institute is widely accepted. And our students who have completed the skill training program and are having certifi cate for it, they get maximum opportunity than any other institute.

DR H PURUSHOTTAM, Chairman & Managing Director, National Research Development Corporation
DR H PURUSHOTTAM, Chairman & Managing Director, National Research Development Corporation

If you wanted to acquire knowledge in different spheres it is important to nurture creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. These are the three pillars apart from the value system imparted to students. We need to revise our curriculum addressing these issues, then only we will be able to contribute and we will become one of the innovative nations.

DR R C SRIVASTAVA, Vice Chancellor, Rajendra Agriculture University
DR R C SRIVASTAVA, Vice Chancellor, Rajendra Agriculture University

Why anyone acquires a skill? Whether a person upgrades his skills or a new skill but what for? For getting a job in case if he is fresher or a starter or to improve his livelihood opportunity if he is in mid of career?

Mind the Skill Gap – Arming Students with the Skills They Will Own Tomorrow

PROF A K SINGH, Vice Chancellor, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya
PROF A K SINGH, Vice Chancellor, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya

India is such a large country. Farmers are of different categories. How can we convey the latest information, the latest advisory to them. I think we need to exploit Information Communication Technology to fullest possible.

DR SATISH C SHARMA, Chairman & Director General, Maharaja Group of Colleges, Udaipur
DR SATISH C SHARMA, Chairman & Director General, Maharaja Group of Colleges, Udaipur

If we look at our demographic dividend, 65% of the total population would be between 15-29 years of age in 2020. How will we really take care of this population — The youngistan population. The only solution is which we talk about giving skills to everybody.

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PROF PRADIPTA BANERJI, Director, IIT Roorkee
PROF PRADIPTA BANERJI, Director, IIT Roorkee

No, one solution is the optimal solution in today’s world. MOOC’s and the traditional format of teaching should coexist. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) have a very great role to play in equity, considering the demographic dividend of our country.

PROF CHANDRAKALA PADIA, Vice Chancellor, MGS University, Rajasthan
PROF CHANDRAKALA PADIA, Vice Chancellor, MGS University, Rajasthan

We must have clarity about whom we are talking? Are we talking about the urban or the rural population? When we talk about Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC), what content are we going to provide them? That is one of the major questions.

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PROF ASHUTOSH GUPTA, Director School of Science, U P Rajarshi Tandon Open University

If we want to give world class education, the international cooperation is very much essential. We should have strength to attract good universities. We should be so strong that we attract students from developing countries. Catering for cultural and psychological needs of foreign students that’s where we are lacking.

DR M RAMAMOORTY, Chancellor, K L University, Andhra Pradesh
DR M RAMAMOORTY, Chancellor, K L University, Andhra Pradesh

Which is better, online learning or traditional university coaching? I feel both should supplement each other. It’s impossible that one can replace other. We shouldn’t even dream of having that type of situation where complete university education is replaced by online learning classes.

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When School Education
Matters the Most

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The other section of the education summit, dedicated to the School Education, witnessed various school principals, owners, and other stake holders discussing best practices, suggestions, and upcoming challenges and their possible solutions suitable for the new generations.

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School Education: The Road Ahead

MVV Prasada Rao, Director, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
MVV Prasada Rao, Director, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)

Technological development has doubtlessly done a revolutionary change in the entire world but the way the technology has grown, the child’s mind has not grown. We are now interested in producing the quantitative result than quality.

Dr Rajesh Kumar, Director, Academics & Vocational Training, National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)
Dr Rajesh Kumar, Director, Academics & Vocational Training, National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)

The NIOS is the largest school system in the world. We are also partnering with government of India for MOOCS (Massive Online Open Courses), where online programme will be available for anyone interested. If desired, they can take exams. We also have life enrichment programmes for those who wish to learn for their joy, there is no need to take any certification.

Industry Presentation

Sameer Ahmad, Co-Founder, CEO, LearnOn Technology Solutions
Sameer Ahmad, Co-Founder, CEO, LearnOn Technology Solutions

Differentiated learning helps teachers to identify students’ needs in classroom itself and address them based on their learning styles and levels and track progress. To meet the 21st century students’ needs we need Closed Loop Instruction System. With learning platforms of tomorrow, we can in effect improve the learning process and this could lead to higher achievements.

Industry Presentation

Gautam Goradia, CEO, COM-SUR
Gautam Goradia, CEO, COM-SUR

We want you to think about a new concept of surveillance which is the angle of auditing CCTV. We want you to audit not suffer. The recent major terror attacks had commonality of being covered by CCTV. Avoid suffering, start auditing CCTV. Have a standarised system of reporting incidents so that you derive intelligence out of any incident.

Industry Presentation

Sandeep Senan, Founder & Director, BiBox
Sandeep Senan, Founder & Director, BiBox

We are essentially looking at what is that idea spark that a kid has to bring out. That’s why we call it innovation. We want to bring out that spark of the idea that every kid has in him.

Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology, Special Discussion on Whole Brain Education
Industry Presentation

Jacqueline Anthony, Educomp Solutions
Jacqueline Anthony, Educomp Solutions

We have tried to integrate Educomp’s revolutionary product -Smart STEM in school education system in an integrated and applied approach. Smart STEM is a cohesive learning paradigm and deals with the real issue related to the learner and learning context which is far away from rot or didactic learning.

Chandrashekhar DP, CEO, Jain Group of Schools
Chandrashekhar DP, CEO, Jain Group of Schools

Rethinking Education in the age of technology how education can be executed inspite of technology. Technology may not replace a teacher but enable him or her in classroom.

Dr Vandana Lulla, Director, Podar Group of International Schools, Mumbai
Dr Vandana Lulla, Director, Podar Group of International Schools, Mumbai

The latest research around the world no longer talks about right and left brain. It talks about the whole brain teaching and learning. So it’s historical and they say there is a connection between the two. It’s now about whole brain teaching approach in teaching and learning.

Virendra Rawat, Founder, Green School Initiative
Virendra Rawat, Founder, Green School Initiative

To introduce technology, first we need to give schools autonomy. It’s very important for students. I am running green school, using latest technology. The entire school is driven by students. It is most sustainable, affordable. The operating cost is less than 70 percent in normal school. There are no sick leaves, 100 percent teacher retention, and community involvement.

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GUSTAV JACOBUS GROPP, Principal, Oakridge International School, Hyderabad

 If we really want our students to take responsibility for their learning and to circumvent all the issues mentioned so far, we need to be able to present students with real life situations to solve. It doesn’t matter which subject area they are working on. Because then we motivate them to fi nd solutions.

Early Childhood and Common Core: The Impact on Young Children and the Opportunities for Expansion in the Preschool space

AMOL ARORA, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Shemrock & Shemford Group of Schools (Moderator)
AMOL ARORA, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Shemrock & Shemford Group of Schools

It is not just about the curriculum, it’s not about what we teach ABC, colours, shapes, counting, rhymes. It’s about how we stimulate the child’s interest to come to school to be engaged in learning process.

S K RATHOR, Founder Director, Sanfort Group of Schools
S K RATHOR, Founder Director, Sanfort Group of Schools

We are doing work for the skill development of a child, we are preparing children for the next level/senior secondary school level. When we talk about quality of pre school it means infrastructure, activities. We need to create an online platform also for teacher training, we have created in our system because if we have number of branches in particular city then we can conduct teacher training frequently.

ABHAY GARG, Associate Director, Acumen India
ABHAY GARG, Associate Director, Acumen India

We invest in early stage companies, we do it across four sectors and fi ve countries. We have done investment in over 90 companies, investing over 100 million dollars. In India, we are very active in education. Regulation by definition means to regulate not control, with the new education policy I am worried as an institutional investor.

PRITAM KUMAR AGRAWAL, Director, Hello Kids
PRITAM KUMAR AGRAWAL, Director, Hello Kids

If the standard Preschool ratio is 10:12, each and every child gets a good 2-6 minutes of individual attention time. We need to think what kind of quality teachers we need to have. What kind of training we have.

DEVEN KHULLAR, Chairman, Brats n Cuties
DEVEN KHULLAR, Chairman, Brats n Cuties

Any investment institution will feel much more comfortable investing in a brand which has ethos and clarity about how to take it on a longer path with the surety that innovative ingredient in a system will counter all kinds of pressure from formal schools dolling out their own preschools.

 

 

HAZEL SRIMONI, Managing Director, Maple Bear
HAZEL SRIMONI, Managing Director, Maple Bear

Maple Bear is a Canadian preschool elementary chain. It’s a global brand presented in many countries. Preschool domain is so important that the society is placed on us. This is the first time the child asserts himself in outer world with self control, independently.

A S GANESH, Founder & Managing Director, Smartkidz Educare India Pvt Ltd
A S GANESH, Founder & Managing Director, Smartkidz Educare India Pvt Ltd

How to maintain quality in preschool is a very big challenge because the investor makes the investment and he expects to make profit from the beginning itself. Quality of the preschool can be defined with effective implementation of curriculum and quality of teachers who must be stimulating and supportive.

Special WorkShop – On Using Data to Support Teaching and Learning in Classroom

JAMES NEILL, International Director, GL Education
JAMES NEILL, International Director, GL Education

If we use some data to understand our students, we can make our teaching more personal and more engaging and we can raise the outcome of those learners. So the benefits of using data to understand not just the potential but attainment of progress of our students, is the key.

Improving Efficiency, Operation & ROI – Industry Presentation

NISCHAL NARAYANAM, Founder & Mentor, nischals
NISCHAL NARAYANAM, Founder & Mentor, nischals

We have developed Portable and Micro Skill Laboratories for mathematics and sciences. It is antidote to traditional approach of taking child to lab in a school. It is being in a lab itself in classroom. So everyday, every concept can be taught in the lab atmosphere with hands on experience. We can inculcate habit of experimental learning in classroom itself.

NIKHIL DHYANI, Techno Commercial Manager-Education, Redington India Ltd
NIKHIL DHYANI, Techno Commercial Manager-Education, Redington India Ltd

Curiosity, imagination are very important for learning. For learning, it becomes imperative when students understand this part that they are learning something not because they are forced to learn but because they love to learn or do things differently that’s where students are more than happy learning on their own.

Industry Presentation

DR CHHAYA SHASTRI, Director, Robomate+
DR CHHAYA SHASTRI, Director, Robomate+

Robomate has a two-way use. One is student actually uses it before the exam. It’s a revision tool. Second, it’s a platform where there are so many components for institutions to use as an administrative system. Hence, there was access and every activity was mapped like attendance, class performance, test performance.

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SHALINI NAMBIAR, Vice President, GEMS Education

If you leave the children in a room with a set of books, research proves they will learn faster than if a teacher is there. They learn faster than us. Trust them, as you know you start picking up things, when you know there is nobody to help you.

DR D USHA REDDY, CEO & Sr Principal, Meridian Schools, Hyderabad
DR D USHA REDDY, CEO & Sr Principal, Meridian Schools, Hyderabad

If we have school owners here, obviously everybody has got reason to invest in technology. There are many schools who will take up this and ensure they have it in the class. But where they fail is because they haven’t trained or empowered their teachers. Unless it’s done, it (technology) will remain a very fancy article in your classroom.

ABDUL JALEEL PERLA, Principal, Aliya Senior Secondary School, Kasaragod
ABDUL JALEEL PERLA, Principal, Aliya Senior Secondary School, Kasaragod

Expectation from technology will always be higher…technology should not be blamed for destroying values. But even if we try to stop this thing we will not be able to stop. Technology is only way to do things today. Technology should not be our masters, we should master technology.

Visualising the Future of Learning in Schools

REVATHI SRINIVASAN, Principal, Smt. Sulochanadevi Singhania School, Thane (Moderator)
REVATHI SRINIVASAN, Principal, Smt. Sulochanadevi Singhania School, Thane 

Considering the kind of schools that we have in India and variety of the schools coming under various board, it is important for us to have a broader perspective of what education is and what learning is? So, while talking about technology, I have to think in terms of how do I engage that last child who does not have a computer at home.

GITA SHARMA, Principal, Shanti Asiatic School, Vastral, Ahmedabad
GITA SHARMA, Principal, Shanti Asiatic School, Vastral, Ahmedabad

Schooling must be a blend of values and technology.

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RAGINI BHATNAGAR, Principal, Modern Defence Sen Sec School, Jaipur

If we provide “In Service Motivational Programme” for the teachers, it will be beneficial for the teaching learning process.

Succeeding in Change Management Managing Technological Change for Schools of the New Millennium – Industry Presentation

JAMES NEILL, International Director, GL Education
JAMES NEILL, International Director, GL Education

I have been in education sector for almost 22 years. I am working with schools around the world, 750 at the moment. What makes me want to do my job and get ready for every morning is making the difference at these schools.

ARIJIT GHOSH, Head - School Programmes, British Council
ARIJIT GHOSH, Head – School Programmes, British Council

The role of teacher is heading for a marked change as it was possibly five to 10 years ago and it has already started to change with the advent of technology.

RAJEEV GUPTA, Director, Golden Bells Pre School
RAJEEV GUPTA, Director, Golden Bells Pre School

We need to have a single education Board, change the way India changes by equipping teachers not just be occupied with completing curriculum but also being observant to child’s growth. Parents need to desist habit of making kids finish their unrealized dreams.

ARUNABH SINGH, Director, Nehru World School
ARUNABH SINGH, Director, Nehru World School

Laptops are still most creative machines. It’s much easier to code on a Laptop whereas tablets are also eventually growing, hybrid product should come into market. I feel virtual learning and augmented reality are set to change concept of learning in future.

ANAMIKA ANJARIA, Managing Director, Rangoli Group of Institutes
ANAMIKA ANJARIA, Managing Director, Rangoli Group of Institutes

There needs to be proper allocation of time management visa- vis use of technology and learned skills by students. While training and development programmes for teachers are required, teaching moral values and life skills to students are also important.

S P AGGARWAL, Chairperson Advisory, Presidium & Mothers pride
S P AGGARWAL, Chairperson Advisory, Presidium & Mothers pride

There is more digitalization and digital learning helping our children to develop and learn much better way up to parental gratifi cation. Foreign schools operating in India appear more advanced in digitalization than our Indian schools.

Round Table Discussion – Investments in Dubai by Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dubai

 

 

PUNEET VASU, Advisor, Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dubai
PUNEET VASU, Advisor, Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dubai

It’s an interesting time for everyone to work at opportunities for investing in the education sector in Dubai. Dubai has a unique education landscape. We have approximately 183 nationalities studying in over 175 private schools. We have an average growth rate of anywhere between 6 to 7 percent in education sector.

Technology-Based Responses and Solutions – Industry Presentation

 

BRIJESH KARIA, Business Head, Robomate +
BRIJESH KARIA, Business Head, Robomate +

Robomate+ is a cloud based learning app which is used by more than 8 lakh students across the country today. This is basically a fully integrated learning app. It contains video lectures, tests, analytics and E-books in this app

Industry Presentation
school-education36SAI KUMAR, Product Head of Mobile DVR, HIKVISION India

Today, child safety or child security is one of the important aspects. Government of India and various state governments have done some good work for education sector in India. But as far as safety of children is concerned, a lot of incidents have happened but we are not able to recognize where actually the fault is.

DR INDU KHETARPAL, Principal, Salwan Public School, New Delhi
DR INDU KHETARPAL, Principal, Salwan Public School, New Delhi

Let’s talk about the National Policy on Education 2016. It talks about how technology has to be integrated into the classrooms, be it the rural school or government school or private school. Role of technology is very very important.

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RASHMI MALIK, Principal, Delhi International School, New Delhi

I am yet to find solution wherein I get real time data of GPS tracking. I am contacting many organisers and lots of demos and pilot projects are done in my school regarding the technology which ensures the security of children commuting through the school buses.

KAVITA SANGHVI, Principal, MET Rishikul Vidyalaya, Mumbai
KAVITA SANGHVI, Principal, MET Rishikul Vidyalaya, Mumbai

Technology has aided us in entirely changing the assessment patterns.

KRUTARTH JOSHI, Principal, Little Flower School, Dahod
KRUTARTH JOSHI, Principal, Little Flower School, Dahod

T PECK is Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. Content knowledge will be provided to student through technology. If pedagogy allows you to teach through technology then you must use the technology as much as you can.

R K TRIVEDI, Principal, O P Jindal School, Raigarh
R K TRIVEDI, Principal, O P Jindal School, Raigarh

In the inclusive growth model of real world situation, students need to learn. So we need to see that how we use technology. In addition to this, we need to introduce the technology to schools in such a way that it is accessible to the poorest one also.

DR REETA SAXENA, Principal, Scholar Mission School, Kanpur
DR REETA SAXENA, Principal, Scholar Mission School, Kanpur

Since long the CBSE has introduced the CCE pattern, where they have given permission to have multiple tests and on the basis of all the test, teachers can judge the performance of a student. In technology and software, CBSE has not provided any pattern but it is expected that very soon it will be introduced.

BrandED: Building a Successful Educational Brand – Industry Presentation

ANKUR GUPTA, CEO, Campus Mall
ANKUR GUPTA, CEO, Campus Mall

When you think of brand, it basically is a perception in your mind for quality of a product or a service. This perception comes from the set of expectations you have. How consistently that brand delivers as per your expectations, sets its brand value.

PRAJODH RAJAN, Co-founder & CEO, Euro Kids
PRAJODH RAJAN, Co-founder & CEO, Euro Kids

In the education context, most of the brands are saying the same things, easy offering very similar and the communication is same. Both content and form are getting more and more difficult to differentiate and there are often used words like “All Round Development” or “Holistic Development”.

RYAN PINTO, CEO, Ryan International Group of Institutions
RYAN PINTO, CEO, Ryan International Group of Institutions

All round development is very much part of our brand and that’s in our logo too. That is something we actually believe. We don’t think that we are a school that educates its children just for tests, just for reports, just for assessments or just for the percentage, not at all. We believe that school is a place for lifelong learning.

VINESH MENON, Dy CEO, Global Discovery Schools
VINESH MENON, Dy CEO, Global Discovery Schools

This is the only industry where we have 240 million brand ambassadors, the students and their parents. So, I think, as long as you are able to focus on inputs and continue to do the kind of thing that you stand for as an institution, you will be able to build your name and brand.

ANIRUDH GUPTA, CEO, DCM Group of Schools
ANIRUDH GUPTA, CEO, DCM Group of Schools

Brand is a promise, brand is a legacy, brand is a faith, it is very important to be consistent and to adapt to change to increase your brand value. Once you are a brand, it’s very important for you to be cautious about each and every aspect of school management and school functioning.

ABHA MEGHE, Director, Meghe Group of Schools
ABHA MEGHE, Director, Meghe Group of Schools

We, as school educators, are involved in dealing with human beings and small kids. If anything goes wrong, we are spoiling the whole life of a kid and if everything goes fine, definitely we are creating the personalities. So, branding of any educational institution takes a long period. It depends on the quality of the education provided in the school.

school-education9

Shattering Traditional Frameworks: Competency based

Industry Presentation

 

s-g-ramananda-vice-preside
S G RAMANANDA, Vice President, K12 Inside Services, Pearson Education

If you look at classrooms of tomorrow how are they gonna be fundamentally different from the classrooms of today, this space is going to get more and more interesting… What we believe at Pearson is how do you make this entire continuum of the digital learning, virtual learning, self learning and the skills come together to deliver superior learner outcomes.

DR NEETA BALI, Head, Kasiga School, Dehradun
DR NEETA BALI, Head, Kasiga School, Dehradun

Competency is a component of a broader skill. A skill would be split into sub skills. When we talk about competency, generally each learner will pick up a sub skill, master that sub skill and then move on to the next skill and fi nally acquire the whole skill set.

ARTI CHOPRA, Principal, Amity International School, Gurgaon
ARTI CHOPRA, Principal, Amity International School, Gurgaon

Knowledge, skills and right attitude, if all these three things are clubbed together, then we can really have competency tested. We are slowly moving away from the traditional setup where we would just judge a child from the way he memorised the stuff towards the competency based education.

DR RAGHUVEER Y V, Principal, G D Goenka International School, Surat
DR RAGHUVEER Y V, Principal, G D Goenka International School, Surat

When we are talking about the competency, we have to look into the perspective of our competitors also. We have to see what particular skill I do have but my competitor doesn’t have.

DR PRIYANKA MEHTA, Principal, Amity International School, New Delhi
DR PRIYANKA MEHTA, Principal, Amity International School, New Delhi

Competency is what I want to do and what I can do? To match with what is required and matching the need is what competency is all about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brats n Cuties Abode of Preschool Learning

As a challenging world awaits students in big schools, the time spent during preschool stage is acquiring immense significance with each passing year, Elets News Network (ENN) examines why preschools like Brats n Cuties are making a splash.

brats1Gone are the days when early years of childhood were wasted at home, learning barely anything worth a child’s actual benefit.

With a challenging world awaiting every student in schools, the time spent learning in preschool has acquired significance over the years.

With the concepts of holistic development of children gaining ground among top schools and colleges, preschools like Brats n Cuties offer you a big sigh of relief. It’s a home away from home for your children where they grow up learning everything that matters, without missing on the real fun.

Lots of emphasis is being laid on the holistic development to prepare children and making them future ready.

Brats n Cuties Focuses on – All Round Growth Programmes

Toddler’s Programme (For 18 months and above)
Since the school believes early learning goes well beyond childhood, it has a toddler’s programme especially designed to accommodate children, irrespective of their physical stage or level of skill learning.

2’s Programme (For children aged 2 and above)
Two years old are highly active and interested in objects and people around them. Brats n Cuties’ Pre-Nursery programme provides structural guidance to every child so that he or she learns to share, gets along with others and performs tasks requiring a longer attention span.

3’s Programme (Nursery Age: 3 years and above)
At 3 years, children are capable of solving problems and may even have learnt to recognize alphabets, numbers and basic concepts.

4’s Programme (Prep Age: 4 years and above)
At this stage formal learning begins with the classification of subjects like English, Maths, Environmental Science and Hindi. There are series of well-planned and carefully graded term books to fulfil all educational needs at this tender age.

The Group’s Philosophy

As one of the top preschools of India, Brats n Cuties emphasizes on children’s overall development by offering right environment and right stimuli. The school believes the elements for proper learning include an environment that is free from fear and stress and a feel of being valued while having lots of fun. It balances academics with activities giving vent to creativity and inquisitiveness.

brats2Active and Curious Children

As children reach two years of age they turn quite active and are full of curiosity to explore almost everything around them. With physical and mental development taking place at a rapid pace, they want to be noticed for whatever they perform. And, the pre-school takes care of all this in the daily routine.

Colourful, Chirpy yet Cultural Days

Each day, at Brats n Cuties, begins with the devotional experience, with rendition of Gayatri Mantra (the revered mantra from the Rig Veda) and the school prayer.

Singing rhymes with actions in groups, identifying body parts, colours and oral counting are part of oral interaction. Child initiated activity-based learning takes place throughout the day, ending only with a set of story time, puppet show, dance, music, splash pool and similar things.

It is meant to create an environment where each child feels special, valued and has lots of fun.

As children learn to communicate with those around them, their games become more group-oriented and challenging, some of them involve them in activities like dressing up, clay molding, building blocks etc. Illustrated books help children evolve into creative individuals than being just another inquisitive little souls.

Preparing Kids the Brats n Cuties’ Way
brats3
The school’s methodology is an amalgamation of tried and tested Indian teaching methodology with the Montessori system, a child-centered educational approach based on scientific observations of children from birth to adulthood. This, in turn, is integrated with novo technologies and innovative teaching tools which are developed with constant R&D of consultants and teachers.

Since experiential learning is most adaptive at this age, the school curriculum involves such projects and themes.

At Brats n Cuties, as an early childhood educator, the approach followed is devised from a host of resources and includes facts from theories on early childhood, an understanding of the development of child and the kind of experience they have had with the children in diverse learning environments.

STRUCTURAL PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH FOR LEARNING
The curriculum pivots around a tri-way learning methodologies in which teachers, parents and the tiny-tots are equal participants.

Distinct Teaching Methodology – The school has holistic approach towards education of toddlers

INNOVATIONS IN EDUCATION DELIVERY
Edudrama – The school has been the pioneer of introducing Edudrama and unlike how other schools have tried to morph it by dramatizing the stories only. Whereas edudrama’s scope of learning is an enchanting experience, which enhances linguistic skills, awareness, voice modulation, facial expression and imagination.

Tablet based Learning – It helps the school to keep the kids abreast of latest trends in education.

Themes and Projects – The monthly themes and projects build awareness about environmental issues and provide an opportunity to get hands on experience of concepts through the activities.

The school organizes various events to provide a wide exposure and fun to the tiny-tots.

Educational Trips – Widen the horizon of thought process of the child.

Your Child’s Second Home

To churn out the well groomed portals through experiential learning, stage exposure, personality grooming sessions, phonics and dictions, activities are held to improve fine and gross motor skills. Special stress is laid on developing physical endurance of the child.

Prime Concern – You Child’s Safety It is ensured that security of the children is of utmost importance at all times. Strict supervision is observed when children are outdoors in the play area. Regular video recording is done of learning rooms, corridors, play areas, entrance and exit, besides frequent assessment of security measures.

Check-ins and Check-outs – Every child is signed in and out of the school with a digitally maintained check-in system that has a unique id assigned. A pre-designated pickup consent list, with photographs of the authorised people including parents is strictly followed while the child is being handed over at the time of dispersal from the school or at the drop point.

Attendance at Regular Intervals – Teachers take attendance in the learning rooms after the check-in and thereafter at the end of every activity outside the learning rooms.

Health and Hygiene Every child is provided with the healthy, hygienically prepared, nutritional meal readied from the scratch using freshly sourced vegetables and dairy products, which is extremely essential for their overall well being.

Since children spend a considerable amount of time at the premises, hygiene is maintained on the campus and the fumigation is done regularly. The washrooms are kept spic and inspected after every few hours.

Grooming Kids Holistically

Brats n Cuties nurtures a holistic approach for educating toddlers. The main idea is to groom children in a way that they develop good communication skills; self confidence while embracing moral values, says Deven Khullar, Chairman, Brats n Cuties, a group of Preschools, in conversation with Elets News Network (ENN).

Deven KhullarChairman, Brats n Cuties, a group of Preschools
Deven Khullar
Chairman
Brats n Cuties, Preschool

What are the Genesis of the Brats n Cuties Group of Preschools?
Brats n Cuties genesis was pivoted around providing the children of 21st century of India a world class facility in terms of ambience, and infrastructure that evokes self-exploratory learning and it prepares the children for the formal education in years to follow, giving them the right foundation and most importantly giving the parents a say in the learning and grooming a child’s experience at Brats n Cuties. Understanding the twin work culture, technology was used extensively to give the parents an insight into the school through live relay of the classes.

What philosophy do you abide by as a group to educate toddlers?
We groom and educate our children, emphasizing on developing their communication skills, boosting their self confidence, instilling in them moral values and helping them become independent. Our focus remains on indentifying the inherent talents and honing the skills of our little ones, ensuring they are empowered enough to take on the world.

As a brand, what distinguishes you from various other preschool brands in the country?
We clearly understand that the pedagogy could not be the only factor to differentiate Brats n Cuties from others and not only a different curriculum could have set us apart. What makes Brats n Cuties stand tall and unique from other operating brands of the country is our concept of “Parents as Partners” and incorporating project based learning into our curriculum which gave us inroads into the preschool segment and made us the most preferred preschool in the parent’s community.

The preschool Franchise business is blooming rapidly and lot of new players are joining the fray. How does Brats n Cuties make sure the interests of the partners are always upheld?
We welcome competition as long as it is from the groups who are looking at preschool industry not just as a business prospect but are hardcore educationists and have passion for this. We ensure that we keep evolving with times to maintain a position as a most preferred school and gives our partners business enough thrust.

How does your brand ensure the quality of all its partner schools?
For us brand-building was not just by infrastructure or facility instead it was all about delivery on the floor with the children and our connect with the parents. To ensure the delivery at par we do rigorous workshops and on the floor training for all our partners so the quality remains homogeneous.

What is your vision for the brand and how do you see the brand’ expansion in the near future?
We are very clear that the expansion excites but should be never done at the expense of compromising quality delivery. Our immediate target is to touch number 50 Preschool pan-India but the vision has a clarity that we are going to award our name to only passionate entrepreneurs who understand this industry and value our systems to be part of our vision.

What has been your brand’s achievement so far?
We won Top 100 Franchisor Award by Franchise India in 2012. We emerged as the fi rst choice preschool for well read and globe trotted parents. We were awarded as the most child friendly infrastructure in 2009.

Why A Preschool?

With a child’s career being one of the most important concerns of all parents, the first intelligent step towards addressing this is making the finest possible beginning. It is best to expose the little ones to a learning place away from home.
Parents enroll children in preschool due to its various advantages, as it helps preparing kids for kindergarten and elementary school.
These preschools also come handy for those parents who lack adequate time for kids due to work engagements or other pressing commitments to attend.
These special schools are very important in the initial development of a child’s life, as they offer first exposure to learning and education. It is also the first occasion of a child venturing out of his or her comfort zone — home. They learn while playing as they are not really expected to study.
The real learning comes to them with their interaction with other kids, games, songs and other activities. Children enjoy celebrating their first freedom from home, as they have fun with kids of their age.
These preschools contribute significantly in the preliminary education of the child, as these fun schools have teachers (read trainers) who also don the mantle of parents. Since the mode of teaching or training is personal, it helps teachers in figuring out the perfect way of teaching individual child.
A preschool has lower student-teacher ratio that helps the teachers to focus on each child individually.
The children get to learn their first lessons of lives through rhymes, games, songs, alphabets and numbers. A child is made to identify different objects. Children are taught in such a way that it helps them develop basic etiquettes and grow as an independent individual.
Since almost every child goes through anxiety or nervousness away from parents for long hours, Brats n Cuties ensures that every child feels comfortable by providing them an environment of a home away from home.

Scope of Preschools as Business

Scope of preschool education is large enough as it is an industry considered to be one of the recession proof industries. More importantly the preschool industry is the third largest expenditure group in Indian households. Another reason for its wide scope is that preschool education has its impact o n child’s future and overall life besides influence on their family. So all this makes every well-read parent view preschools as an integral part of a child’s education.

About Preschool Market
Sending their children to preschools has become imperative for well-read parents these days.

preschoolIn today’s cosmopolitan world of twin working culture and nuclear families, there is a growing need of parents to find a school in whose care their child can be entrusted, due to which the concept of Day Care came into being. These Day Care Centres are provided to children aged 0-10. These Day Care Centres follow a structured routine and are equipped with exceptional learning and age appropriate playing facilities for children.

In these centres, children are engaged in various kinds of activities such as singing and painting.

The staff of these day care centres is trained. With their individual attention to children, it helps the latter in their emotional and physical growth.

Preschool or Child Care Market in India to Grow 21.84% by 2020

prescool1According to Preschool or Child Care Market in India 2016-2020 report, the analysts forecast the preschool or child care market in India to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 21.84% during 2016-2020.

The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the preschool or child care market in India for 2016-2020.

It says the footprints of various international schools and kindergartens in India have led to a major change in the educational curriculum.

These international schools follow the Western educational system. This has led to the increase in enrollments of children from elite class and upper middle-class families.

According to the report, new vendors entering the child care market are adopting this system due to the rise in interest of parents in the blended learning of both western and Indian educational system.

The special report says, the absence of regulations for setting up schools, low investments, low interest rates from banks, and the ability to expand geographically using the franchise structures are the major factors that are encouraging many vendors to enter the market.

What Makes Brats n Cuties special?
With a strong focus on child’s holistic development, it’s also our duty of a child’s complete safety. Different methods and technologies are used to teach, to train, to skill and to keep children safe not within school premises but up to their doorsteps.

  • Orientation Programmes for Parents
  • First school to introduce live relay and Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) Cards
  • ROI Enhancer
  • Ever Evolving in its curriculum and teaching methodologies

Partner with Brats n Cuties

Taking a franchise of a pre-school is not about getting associated with a Pre-school which necessarily has few hundred outlets. It’s about joining hands with a brand which is ever evolving, ever growing, does constant hand holding, assists during Pre and Post opening operations and above all encourages a sense of association, not just as a franchisee but valued channel partners.

Pre-Opening Franchisor Support:

  • Assistance in site selection
  • Assistance in negotiation of suitable terms with lease agreement
  • Support in organizing of all necessary regulatory approvals
  • Comprehensive turn-key assistance
  • Architectural support, layout and design
  • Support in comprehensive centre setup
  • Assistance in recruitment and selection of staff
  • 4-Day start-up training for franchisee at corporate office
  • Special Staff Training in educational skills – “Train the Trainer” program
  • Systems and procedural disclosure for smooth running of business of the franchisee
  • Assistance and representation in organizing of center launch
  • Operational and training manuals on lease.
Post Opening Franchisor Support:

  • Assistance in fine-tuning business operations and periodic review to ensure achievement of set objectives.
  • Franchisee Coordinator to assist you in all center operations and franchise related matters
  • Regular checks, feedbacks & guidance on revenue generation and cost control
  • Marketing and advertising support
  • Support in organizing of promotional events
  • Fortnightly dossier for systematic and smooth conduct of the curriculum
  • Regular workshops for teachers to update their knowledge and teaching capabilities
  • Professional advices whenever required for all organizational issues
  • Complete support in resolving any kind of operational issues relating to staff or children
  • Centralized brand building and design support for local advertising
  • Assistance in organizing of regular new events for promotion of the center
  • Annual National Talent meet for franchisees
  • Periodic skill enhancement training
To improve the ROIs and also optimally utilize the premises Brats n Cuties offers a well researched and structured Daycare – The Nest and Tutorials – Learning Ladder modules. With the help of these modules the same premises can be effectively utilized after the school hours get over to enhance the Returns that one gets on his/her investments.

India’s first 3D Virtual Reality Augmented educational Gamebox ‘KUBE’ to nurture 20 skills in children

KOMPANIONS, an innovative Ed-Tech-Sci start-up has announced the launch of KUBE or the Knowledge Cube. KUBE is launched with a vision to re-visualize education by bringing back the joy in learning. India’s first 3D educational game box, KUBE is for the children of 3 to 12 years age group. The educational game box is powered by Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, 3D, Gamification, Brain Booster series and Skill reports to develop scholastic and co – scholastic skills of a child through Brain Training.

The product works on building 20 different skill-sets of a child such as logic, creative thinking, curiosity etc. and helps in developing 6 distinct facets of growth and exploration such as intelligence, logical thinking, language proficiency, creativity enhancement etc. KUBE is available in 8 unique themes, with 4 more to be launched soon. Additionally, there is also an activity kit that packs in physical activities that promotes creativity and imagination amongst kids.

Speaking on the launch, Yuvraj Krishan Sharma, Founder, KOMPANIONS said, “At KOMPANIONS, we firmly believe that true learning happens through exploration and discovery, leading to the ability to THINK. In our effort to bring joy into learning, we have created KUBE. The USP of this product lies in the fact that it packs in several learning elements in one box making learning a journey where one thing leads to another.”

KOMPANIONS’ key differentiator and competitive advantage lies in the fact that most of its existing technology and product portfolio are industry-firsts and therefore have no competition. The company aspires to make learning processes fun, easy and impactful. Other than KUBE, KOMPANIONS offers products and solutions, for both B2B as well as B2C space. It works with schools through 3D Labs, Assessment Architecture, Movie Making, Summer camps and VR workshops. KUBE is targeted at the retail segment.

Jharkhand: Cisco to setup 15 networking academies

AppleMark

US-based hardware networking giant Cisco will setup 15 networking academies  in the state of Jharkhand. These academics will be set up by the global technology company to enhance the information technology (IT) skills of students in various engineering colleges and polytechnics across the state.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Jharkhand Government and Cisco. Ajoy Kumar Singh, Secretary in Jharkhand’s Department of Higher and Technical Education and Dinesh Malkani, President, Cisco India and SAARC signed the MoU for enhancing IT skills of young engineers.

Under the MoU, 6000 engineering students will be trained by the company in the state till 2020 through these 15 networking academies. According to an statement from Cisco, the partnership will focus on developing skills required for the new digital economy by providing them with the required technical knowledge through Cisco Networking Academy Program.

Jharkhand government schools to get smart classes

With the aim to improve the quality of education, ‘Smart Class’ has been introduced in the government schools of the state of Jharkhand. Jharkhand education minister, Neera Yadav told the state assembly on September 13 that smart classes in government schools is being introduced in a phased manner.

In the first phase, modern teaching methods or smart classes was introduced in 203 Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girls Schools. In her written reply, she further mentioned that there are plans to phase wise introduction of smart classes in other schools.

Jharkhand education minister was replying to a question of BJP MLA Biranchi Narayan’s short notice question. The BJP MLA asked, whether the government has any plan to bring the standard of education between government and private schools on par.

In reply to his supplementary query, the minister appealed all MLAs to adopt one government school each. She further added, the standard of education in government schools was improving under the leadership of chief minister Raghubar Das.

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