Current Context : Central government granted permission to the UK-based University of Southampton to establish a campus in Gurugram, Delhi-NCR. University of Southampton will become the first international university to set up a campus in India under the UGC (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023. The University of Southampton is among the top 100 universities in the QS World University Rankings (a portfolio of college and university rankings). The first academic session is likely to begin in July 2025, and the campus will hire faculty from both India and abroad. The....Read More

The government conducted the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT) as part of Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram across 23 states. The FLNAT was held in all districts of each participating State and UT. The assessment comprises three subjects – Reading, Writing, and Numeracy – each carrying 50 marks, totalling 150 marks. The test was conducted in the regional language of the learners, in line with National Education Policy 2020’s focus on promoting multilingualism. The test is crucial in assessing the impact of teaching-learning sessions conducted as part of the ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram. ABOUT ULLAS ULLAS (Understanding....Read More

The She Research Network India has been launched by the University Grants Commission’s Information and Library Network Centre. This initiative is designed to achieve equal representation of women scientists across various research areas. The SheRNI website is set to connect 81,818 profiles of Indian women involved in science and research fields. Furthermore, it encompasses an extensive collection of 675,313 publications and 11,543 patents, underscoring the crucial role women play in advancing scientific progress and encouraging innovation. This platform empowers female scientists and faculty members to establish strong professional networks, fostering collaboration, mentorship, and opportunities for career advancement.      Read More

A Kerala school has introduced a humanoid as a teacher. Named Iris, the humanoid was unveiled last month at KTCT Higher Secondary School in Thiruvananthapuram in collaboration with Makerlabs Edutech Private Limited. According to Makerlabs, Iris was built as part of the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL), a 2021 NITI Aayog project to boost students’ extracurricular activities in schools. Iris can speak three languages and also answer difficult questions, along with features including voice assistant, interactive learning, manipulation capabilities, and mobilities. Equipped with a dedicated Intel processor and a coprocessor for maneuvering tasks, the robot offers seamless performance and responsiveness. With....Read More

National Council for Educational and Research Training (NCERT) has introduced a new “holistic” report card that incorporates feedback from parents, classmates, and even self-evaluation by students to track their overall progress regularly. PARAKH, a standard-setting body under the NCERT, has devised the Holistic Progress Card (HPC) for foundational stage (Classes 1 and 2), preparatory stage (Classes 3 to 5) and middle stage (Classes 6 to 8) and is currently working on developing one for the secondary stage. The NCERT has asked all states to either adopt the HPC or adapt it according to their requirements. The HPC, aligned with the....Read More

Ministry of Education (MoE) recently launched the SWAYAM Plus platform. The SWAYAM Plus is aimed at enhancing the employability of both college students and professionals by offering learning programs across multiple sectors. The platform is designed to offer employability and professional development‐focused courses developed collaboratively with industry experts from players such as L&T, Microsoft, CISCO, and more. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, which is among the founder institutions of Swayam-NPTEL, will be operating the ‘SWAYAM Plus’ Platform. It will offer programs in sectors like Manufacturing, Energy, Computer Science and Engineering/IT/ITES, Management Studies, Healthcare, Hospitality, and Tourism besides Indian....Read More

The Madhya Pradesh government has made a significant decision to introduce 'bag less school' once a week for students in classes 1 to 12 starting from the upcoming academic session of 2024-25. This initiative aims to alleviate the stress faced by students and will be implemented in both government and private schools across the state. The state government has also issued a notice outlining the weight limits for students' school bags based on their respective classes. Students in- classes 1 and 2 - bags weighing between 1.6 to 2.2 kg, classes 3 to 5 - bags weighing between 1.7 to....Read More

IIT Guwahati has launched India’s “largest” Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO). The initiative was launched in collaboration with EduRade, a brand under RC HobbyTech Solutions Pvt. Ltd (RCH). Spanning across 18 acres, this facility at the IITG, can simultaneously operate nine medium-class drones, thus earning the distinction of being India’s largest RPTO. An RTPO is a school where aspiring drone pilots are trained and once they complete their training they are provided with RPC (Remote Pilot Certificate) approved by the DGCA, allowing them to embark on a career as certified drone pilots. It aligns with the vision of establishing India....Read More

The inaugurated the first Skill India Centre (SIC) of the country in Sambalpur, Odisha was inaugurated in Sambalpur, Odisha. The centre is equipped with best-in-class infrastructure, cutting-edge technologies and modern facilities that will catalyse demand for formal skills and will serve as a catalyst in enabling youth to acquire the skills needed to succeed in their respective fields. The SIC will play a pivotal role in designing curriculum along with industry experts which will be aligned with the changing industry needs, promote standardization, and create employment opportunities that meet the demand for skilled talent across industries.Read More

To address the staunch curiosity of young minds, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is organising a special programme for School Children called "Young Scientist Programme" or "YUva VIgyani KAryakram” (YUVIKA). ISRO has chalked out this programme to "Catch them young". YUVIKA programme is also expected to encourage more students to pursue in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) based research and aligned career. Young Scientist Programme - YUVIKA was conceived to impart basic knowledge on Space Science, Space Technology and Space Applications to the younger students with a preference to rural areas of the country. The programme envisages two weeks’....Read More