It has proposed initiating the system of Industrial Training Institutes in government high and higher secondary schools throughout the state to reduce the gap between school education and industry-ready skills.

This initiative is jointly being explored by the School Education Department and the Department of Employment and Training as part of a broader initiative to enhance employability among students at an early stage.

The initiative, still at a conceptual stage, proposes to set up a new facility called ‘School-ITI’. To explain, the industrial and vocational training will be imparted from school campuses as students pursue technical skills training along with their regular academic education.

Senior officials of both departments attended a meeting on December 4 to discuss structure, eligibility and feasibility associated with the implementation of the proposal. The Employment and Training Department proposed the selection of 10 government schools as a pilot institution for setting up School-ITIs under the initial roadmap.

Though no final call has been made regarding implementation, preparatory ground works have begun by assessing the infrastructure and suitability of locations. Later, subsequent to discussions, the CEOs in chosen districts were asked to furnish a list of government high and higher secondary schools where the project can be suitably implemented.

They have been given one week to submit the list after considering the local needs and availability of facilities. Several clauses have been specified for schools to be eligible for hosting a School-ITI.

Each school should have at least half an acre within its premises. It also requires approval for conversion of unused and underutilized laboratories and buildings into workshops and training classrooms for ITI.

Another related criterion will be the absence or lack of vocational training centres in the immediate vicinity. Schools falling within or near the proximity of an industrial zone will be accorded further preference as it is likely to increase practical exposure and development of industry linkages along with increasing job possibilities for the students following completion of training. Currently, ITIs in Tamil Nadu offer a wide array of technical and vocational courses to Class 10 and 12 completers, encompassing several trades in manufacturing, electrical, mechanical and service sectors. This is one area where the School Education Department has already taken initiatives, restructuring the curriculum for Classes 11 and 12 from the 2021-22 academic year with increased focus on employability. The pilot can be scaled up statewide, transforming school education by embedding job-oriented training at the grassroots level, opening up early career pathways for the student community, and strengthening Tamil Nadu's skilled workforce ecosystem.

Every year, applicants to business schools try to decipher what admission committees want. One researches LinkedIn profiles of recent admits, analyzes GMAT averages of shortlisted candidates, talks to alumni from Harvard or Wharton, and tries to mimic someone else's journey. It is almost a cultural ritual-the typical Indian working professional or college senior giggling their way through the maze of "right school-right fit-right investment," often hoping that mirroring a topper's path will guarantee the same outcome.

Also Read: How Indian B-Schools are redefining leadership for new era

The idealized "perfect" applicant is analytically sharp, professionally successful, globally exposed, and socially conscious. The universally occurring fear that follows is: If I am not perfect, I won’t be chosen.

Yet, the world of management education is not looking for perfection; it seeks a purpose.

Admissions processes have not changed overnight, they are only evolving with how leadership itself is evolving. Business schools are no longer selecting only for performance or academic scores. They are selected based on clarity of direction, maturity of judgment, and the ability to connect personal growth to institutional mission.

And this is where the many Indian applicants trip.

A lot of applicants apply for an MBA simply because it is the “logical next step.” Their short-term goals sound the same; their long-term goals do not relate to something that they have experienced in life, and their reasons rarely resonate with the identity of the schools they apply to. When goals are generic, the application becomes replaceable. Admissions committees can spot this in an instant.

The Indian applicants also tend to come from the same professional ecosystems: IT services, engineering, analytics, consulting, and banking. These, per se, are strong pathways. However, when contribution patterns look identical across thousands of candidates, differentiation depends on the story alone. Where the story is missing, the application collapses.

That's why some sort of unconventional pathway may turn out to be the real strength.

Indian students are still largely from engineering or BBA/Economics. But today, candidates with non-business degrees—History, Psychology, Literature, Fine Arts—are being let in at top MBA programs in record numbers if they bring quality work experience and a coherent narrative. A gap year used on meaningful, purpose-driven work, or an engineering student who spends weekends selling premium art in a gallery, can suddenly become a potent differentiator. Schools increasingly value candidates who break templates, not follow them.

Consider any two applicants who got admitted into the same business school.

Last year, one applicant entered the Oxford MBA with a classic strong profile: competitive GMAT, structured consulting growth, and measurable business outcomes. This year, another candidate earned the same admit with a modest academic record and lower score. Her differentiator was continuity of contribution—seven years of climate resilience work in rural districts, in partnership with local governance bodies and citizen groups. Her leadership emerged from trust and responsibility, not title or scale.

Both got in. Both earned it. They took very different roads into college, and both were convincing.

Global data supports the trend. The GMAC Application Trends Report 2024 reports marked upticks in admits from non-traditional professional backgrounds. Programs across the United States, Europe, Singapore, and India are focusing on systems thinking, collaboration, and ethical leadership. According to the World Economic Forum, interdisciplinary problem-solving and stakeholder coordination top key leadership competencies for the next decade.

Business schools are not awarding past performance but selecting the talent that will determine how companies compete, how economies adapt, and how markets reorganize around new priorities. Thus, admission is no longer a question of evaluation; it is a question of designing the future.

Rejection patterns tell the same story: too many bright candidates rejected owing to lack of alignment, not lack of capability. If goals are boilerplate, motivations incoherent, or school selection a pure rank-driven exercise-not a purpose-led one-the application will read transactional. Committees do not admit profiles; they admit people.

Three qualities in particular are of most importance in such an environment:

Coherence:

Your past, present, and future should logically be connected.

Contribution

Leadership is about lifting others up, not about the responsibility you amass on yourself.

Articulation:

Those candidates who speak specifically and self-consciously distinguish themselves from those who speak in general templates. Unusual experiences help to strengthen an application when related honestly. However, if there is no story, there is no admit. There is no "perfect" profile for business school. There is only the understood profile. Purpose-not polish-is now the strategic differentiator.

The fifth edition of BioAgri 2025, a leading conference and expo on sustainable biological agriculture, will be organised on December 10 and 11 at Ramoji Film City. Organised by BioAgri Inputs Producers Association (BIPA), the event is expected to bring over 200 delegates across the agri-inputs sector besides policy-makers, researchers, entrepreneurs and farming community representatives.

BIPA is the oldest registered body for agricultural biology under the Societies Act, with over 100 active members who promote safe, sustainable, and biologically derived agricultural solutions. This work mainly focuses on lessening the reliance of this sector on conventional chemical inputs while improving the adoption of environment-friendly ones for soil health, biodiversity, and the productivity of farms in the long term. The association also guides its membership on some of the pressing issues faced, including regulatory compliance, product development, technology adoption, and policy advocacy.

BioAgri 2025 will have 40 exhibition stalls on the latest biological inputs; biofertilizers; biopesticides; plant growth promoters; and microbial solutions for increasing crop yield with minimal environmental impact. It allows companies and startups alike to showcase the latest technologies while networking at the event with future partners, distributors, and end-users.

Apart from the exhibition, there will be two days of sessions by experts on sustainable farming practices, advances in biotechnology, climate-resilient agriculture, regeneration of soil, and market trends for emerging biological inputs. Industry leaders and subject matter experts will share knowledge on the rising global demand for sustainable agricultural products and how India can lead this transformation.

BioAgri 2025 is designed to be an essential knowledge-sharing and networking platform in view of challenges associated with increased climate change, soil degradation, and rising input costs. It fosters innovation in biological agriculture as a pursuit toward the strengthening of India's transition into a more resilient, sustainable, and ecologically responsible farming ecosystem.

On a hot afternoon, 16-year-old Riya Kumari stands outside her school with a cloth bag full of reusable pads. "Didi, hum log plastic waale pad phenkna bandh kar diye hain," she tells a huddle of younger girls, explaining how switching to reusable kits helped her family cut both cost and shame. Riya is one of nearly 40 students in Dhatkidih who now conduct weekly awareness circles-a quiet revolution led not by seasoned activists, but by teenagers determined to keep their village menstrual-waste-free for two uninterrupted years.

The movement took root under the guidance of Tarun Kumar — widely known as the Padman of Jharkhand. But the baton has unmistakably passed to the youth. “I only started the conversation. The students made it a habit,” Kumar laughs, watching a group of boys from Class 10 explain biodegradable waste to villagers at the weekly haat.

For years, Dhatkidih struggled like so many rural pockets of Jharkhand: there is little awareness, scant access to hygienic menstrual products, and unsafe methods of disposal make women burn or bury their pads secretly. That changed when Kumar introduced a simple three-step model: awareness, access, and sustainability.

He distributed free sanitary pads in 120 villages, then switched to reusable menstrual kits and distributed those to more than 5,000 women. The results were almost immediate: homes reduced monthly expenditure, menstrual hygiene improved, and waste production dipped dramatically.

But it was the students who brought about the turning point.

“My mother used to hide her pads in a tin,” says Class 9 student Sunita. “Now she uses the reusable one I taught her about.” Health workers say they have witnessed a clear decline in infections due to poor menstrual hygiene. Panchayat members proudly refer to Dhatkidih as the model for sustainable menstruation, bringing it up during block meetings.s

Students' involvement has also inspired nearby schools across Kolhan, with similar youth-led clubs coming up in them. Teachers say the movement has erased awkwardness and encouraged boys to participate in menstrual-health sessions — a rare sight in many Indian villages. In fact, Dhatkidih's story is singularly unremarkable: no grants, no large-scale campaigns; just one man starting a conversation and some young people turning it into a community habit. As that spreads across Jharkhand, one is left with this powerful question: If a handful of schoolchildren can eliminate pad waste in one village, imagine what millions of India's students could do together.

In a significant move aimed at restoring work-life balance for millions of employees, the Right to Disconnect Bill, 2025 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Saturday by NCP MP Supriya Sule. The private member’s bill proposes to give workers the legal right to ignore work-related calls, emails and messages after office hours and on holidays, thus address the growing culture of digital overwork in India.

The bill comes at a time when constant connectivity, long working hours and rising stress levels have become common concerns across sectors such as IT, media, finance, startups and corporate services. If passed, the legislation would set up an Employees' Welfare Authority that will be responsible for laying down guidelines to protect employees from after-hours communication and resolving disputes between workers and employers.

Introducing the bill, Sule said the legislation "seeks to advance a better quality of life and a healthier work-life balance by lessening burnout caused by today's digital culture." She also posted a video of the moment on social media platform X and emphasized the need for legal safeguards in a time when boundaries between professional and personal life have become increasingly blurred.

But the bill still has a long way to go, since, as a private member’s bill, it is unlikely to be passed into law without backing by the government. Most private member’s bills in India, after all, are either debated, diluted, or ultimately set aside. But political observers argue this proposal has managed to restart an important national conversation about employee rights, mental health, and workplace well-being.

On the same day, Sule also introduced two other private bills, the Paternity and Paternal Benefits Bill, 2025, seeking paid paternal leave, and another, the Code on Social Security Amendment Bill, 2025, aiming at recognizing gig workers as a separate class of workers with minimum wages and social security.

A day earlier, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor moved yet another private member bill to amend the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, to check long working hours and legally reinforce the right to disconnect. Quoting data, Tharoor said that over 51 per cent of India’s workforce works more than 49 hours a week, while 78 per cent experience burnout, linking excessive workload to deteriorating physical and mental health. While the Right to Disconnect Bill’s eventual fate is still uncertain, experts say its introduction marks an important turn in the way India is beginning to address the question of work culture in the digital era. Even without becoming law, the bill is likely to inform corporate policy, forcing organizations to implement healthier ways of communication and giving employees’ personal time respect.

The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta has started the admission process for the fifth batch in association with TimesPro for the Executive Programme in Healthcare Management.

Thus, demand for qualified healthcare management professionals has been growing rapidly, with India's healthcare spend projected to rise from 3.3 per cent to 5 per cent of GDP by 2030, while investment is accelerating across the ecosystem.

The 12-month LIVE online EPHM equips learners with contemporary managerial capabilities tailored to health care. The curriculum builds robust competencies across leadership, organizational design, strategy, marketing, managerial communication, operations, economics, human resources, finance and accounting, and information systems, thus enabling professionals to apply evidence-based management in complex clinical and non-clinical settings. It welcomes a wide range of learners from hospitals, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics, allied services, health insurance, public health bodies, and consulting, thus preparing them for advancement as future managers, business heads, analysts, entrepreneurs, and sector leaders.

It involves strengthening peer learning and faculty engagement through two five-day campus immersions. Its design is based on three core axes: Healthcare Context, Sector-Specific and Functional Modules, deepening the understanding of regulatory and ethical frameworks, public policy, comparative health systems, hospital operations, data and digital health, health economics, entrepreneurship, and technology as a strategic enabler. Learners can translate learning to practice via cases, projects, and a capstone with immediate workplace application.

Industry analyses signal robust tailwinds: Rubix Industry Insights, September 2025, estimates the healthcare market to cross $1.5 trillion by 2030 at a CAGR of ~19%. Meanwhile, IBEF pegs the sector to need in excess of 6.3 million additional healthcare jobs by 2030, underlining the pressing need for leaders capable of scaling quality, safety, access, and efficiency across the continuum of care.

Commenting on the announcement, Ravindran Rajesh Babu, Professor and Dean (Executive Education), IIM Calcutta said, “At IIM Calcutta, EPHM integrates managerial rigour with the realities of care delivery. Learners examine policy, finance, operations and digital health, then convert insight into measurable gains in safety, access and patient experience. Through immersive pedagogy and peer learning, we equip clinicians and administrators to lead resilient, data-driven organisations and steward sustainable performance across India’s evolving healthcare ecosystem with conviction.”

Sridhar Nagarajachar, Business Head, TimesPro added, "We emphasize applied analytics, quality improvement and service redesign so that learners can create tangible value from week one. Industry engagement, mentoring, and workplace projects sharpen judgment and accelerate leadership readiness. Our focus is tangible outcomes, better decisions, smoother patient pathways and scalable operations across hospitals, life sciences, insurance and public health."

The pedagogy features highly interactive sessions, case studies, projects, and assignments led by renowned IIM Calcutta faculty and industry experts, delivered via TimesPro's Interactive Learning platform in a Direct-to-Device mode. On successful completion, learners will get a Certificate of Completion and IIM Calcutta Executive Education Alumni status, thereby getting access to a prestigious network and learning community.

Eligibility:

– MBBS/BDS/BAMS graduates with at least 3 years of healthcare experience

– Biotechnology/biomedical graduates preferred

– Candidates from other disciplines require at least 5 years of healthcare experience

– Minimum 50% marks in graduation/post-graduation

Last date to apply: November 23, 2025

A story to mark the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence and Human Rights Day-26 Nov.-10 Dec.-serves as a reminder of one's inalienable right to dignity, equality, and safety.

A Delhi journalist reflects upon the hardships of her colleagues in Afghanistan: notably a lady who received an award given out by India, but the country refused to give her a visa to come and accept it-a recognition and a denial which has cost her dear.

An Afghan woman journalist, who must for reasons of personal safety be unnamed, was this year informed that she had been given an international media award in Delhi for her work to uphold women's rights inside Afghanistan. The journalist - I will refer to her here as "Karishma" - was part of a women-only collective which attempted to keep the world informed, through an online media portal called Zan Times, of what her and other women confronted following the Taliban seizure of power in August 2021.

Zan Times is more than an online newspaper that highlights problems women have to face in order to survive under the misogynist Taliban regime; run by Zahra Nader, now based in Canada, the publication is a lifeline to stifled women to get their voice out into the world beyond Afghanistan, ruled by a group of men who believe women should neither be seen nor heard in public.

Karishma, like thousands of women, had lived for two decades in a Taliban-free Afghanistan since 2001, when the Northern Alliance-a group of Afghan resistance fighters aided by the US and allied forces and supported by India-had thrown the then Taliban regime out of power. This facilitated two decades of awakening for the women of Afghanistan.

I met Karishma online when she, along with several of her colleagues, joined South Asian Women in Media, a collective of leading women media professionals from eight countries across Southasia. We had talked about ways in which SAWM could try to carry Zan Times beyond Afghanistan, so that people could realise the true face of the Taliban.

We nominated Karishma, who lives in Afghanistan, to a media award in India for courage in discharge of professional duties. And to our delight, she won it. When informed of the award, she pulled out her passport, looking forward to a brief reprieve outside Kabul from her faceless life.

Ironically, however, India did not grant a visa to Karishma to attend the receiving of that award in Delhi - notwithstanding several representations made to the Indian government, including senior membership from SAWM.

She felt disappointed and hurt and lashed out at those in India who had nominated her. It seemed so unfair that India could turn down legitimate requests for visas from people like her.

She once told me and a few of my colleagues in India about how, to our great shame, "We do not want charity, we just want a chance."

The organization even tried to deliver the award to her in Afghanistan. But this well-intentioned offer brought her under the most critical scrutiny of the Taliban, compromising her personal safety and getting her family members threatened for receiving recognition abroad for writing the truth about her situation.

I knew this through one frightened mail from her, in which Karishma highlighted how our offers of assistance had made things more difficult for her life and those of the scattered few women who still tried to function as journalists inside Afghanistan.

"On February 5, 2025, an e-mail regarding the award that we were to get reached me. According to what was said in the e-mail, the award was intended to be delivered to me via Mr. J… in Afghanistan.

However, ever since I received your email, I have been personally confronted with some serious challenges. I am under extreme threats from anonymous persons, who seem to know of my past work. The threats became extremely severe and unknown people even came to our house, attempting to arrest us. At present, my husband and I have been living separately at undisclosed locations, far away from our family, just to save ourselves. Really, the situation has become dangerous, and I'm deeply concerned about my safety and that of my loved ones.

I have not heard from Karishma since then. The Taliban has restricted the internet across Afghanistan so that such stories do not filter out.

Meanwhile, astoundingly, even as Karishma was denied a visa, India has just rolled out the red carpet to the Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to visit India. In New Delhi, the bilateral talks revolved around trade and strategic regional security issues. One can safely assume that the question of Karishma's security and that of the Taliban's efforts to efface women did not enter the talks. This is in stark contrast to India's earlier policies. New Delhi had actively opposed the earlier Taliban regime, 1996 and 2001, and had tacitly supported Ahmed Shah Masood's Northern Alliance which ousted Taliban 1.0. Today, India's outreach to the current Taliban regime has made things even worse for the women of Afghanistan. These women struggle between a ruling that stifles their existence because of their gender and an international community which seems to have forgotten and doesn't care that they lurk in the shadows. I have not been able to trace Karishma or any of the others in this SAWM Afghanistan group; it's as if they vanished. Even for those few journalists who managed to escape in 2021, there is residual fear and reluctance to talk openly. Bitterness over the fact of having been forced to leave their country; guilt because they left family members behind; anxiety that family members may be punished for any word they utter seen as critical of the regime. After four years at the helm of affairs, Taliban regime 2.0 is in full control of this troubled landlocked country, leaving the international community with little choice but to deal with them. But for Afghanistan's beleaguered women like Karishma, it is important that humanity worldwide retain the focus on their stories.

Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India has signed an MOU with the National Forensic Sciences University for further consolidating its technological, investigation, and forensic capabilities. The MOU was signed on 24th November 2025. NFSU, set up under the National Forensic Sciences University Act, 2020 is the country's premier institution in respect of forensic science education and research.

The agreement also aims at developing the competency of SEBI in select areas such as digital forensics, forensic accounting, cyber security, and data analytics. NFSU thus would design and deliver specialized and customized training programs for officers of SEBI with a view to enhance operational efficiency and improve regulatory oversight. The two institutions will jointly organize training sessions, seminars, conferences, and workshops on subjects of mutual interest, with faculty and officers from both sides participating.

The key deliverables of MoU include the following: Development of the latest forensic infrastructure for SEBI, including assistance in establishing state-of-the-art laboratories in domains such as cyber security, digital forensics, and allied sciences. The NFSU may also provide consultancy services to support SEBI in building modern investigative capabilities.

Further, the parties agreed to share knowledge and resources, subject to applicable laws, that can help in efficient discharge of respective functions. The move will help SEBI in handling cases of corporate fraud, fund diversion and other types of cases.

The programme has been designed in line with the larger IIT Hyderabad plan to expand international design education and industry-linked innovation, according to an official statement. The partnership has been developed with support from the Project Minerva – The Italian Education and Training Hub by IICCI.

IITH announced its new International Certificate Programme in Integrated Product–Service System (IPSS) Design, crafted by its Department of Design, DoD, in collaboration with POLI.design, Milan. In India, the programme will be supported by the Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, IICCI. This shall improve cross-border learning while facilitating advanced design frameworks to Indian learners, states an official release.

The IPSS Design Certificate is an online, 54-hour training program beginning on 15 January 2026. The said program includes 30 hours of live online modules along with 24 hours of hands-on workshop sessions. The sessions will be jointly conducted by the faculty members from POLI.design and IIT Hyderabad’s Department of Design.

The program structure would be in rotation between Italian and Indian experts. This would include exposure to worldwide design practices, collaboration, and project work. It also aims to develop some competencies in the participant, which are product-service system thinking, sustainable design methods, strategic innovation, enablement to real business-design challenges.

It has been developed under an official statement as part of IIT Hyderabad's bigger plan to scale up global design education and build up industry-linked innovation. The collaboration has been shaped with support from IICCI's Project Minerva – The Italian Education and Training Hub.

Prof BS Murty, Director of IIT Hyderabad, said the collaboration with POLI.design and IICCI would help strengthen knowledge exchange between India and Italy. He added that it is expected to build skilled human resources in tune with fast-emerging product and service design landscape in India.

Prof Cabirio Cautela, the former CEO and faculty member of the project at POLI.design, said the institution wanted, through this program, to contribute and support the need for upskilling and reskilling in India, sharing strategic design expertise.

Mr. Claudio Maffioletti, CEO and Secretary General of IICCI said, "Such collaborations contribute to forming stronger Indo-Italian business linkages besides supporting the transfer of design capabilities increasingly required by the industries."

Role of IICCI and international industry link This collaboration has been facilitated by Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry under its Minerva Eduhub initiative. The Chamber sees such partnerships as a way of deepening the bilateral economic engagement and strengthening design-driven enterprise capabilities, the IIT Hyderabad statement said. POLI.design is a part of the Politecnico di Milano Design System and was ranked first in Italy, first in the European Union and sixth globally in the category of Arts and Design in QS Rankings 2025, an official statement said. The institution, founded in the year 1999, has been a provider of postgraduate education and creates cross-industry programs by adopting the project-based learning and research-led learning approach. Thus, the tri-partite collaboration places the programme in a strategic position to support professional readiness across sectors dependent on integrated product and service offerings. It further resonates with the wider initiatives of global network development in design, innovation, and industry-oriented education.

WCSJ2025 opened earlier this week in Pretoria, South Africa, marking a significant pivot of the profession. Never in its 33-year history has the flagship gathering of the World Conference of Science Journalists taken place on African soil.

The 13th edition of the conference, held at the CSIR International Convention Centre, brought together delegates from across the world. Since the launch in Tokyo in 1992, having run biennially, this one convened under a theme aptly reflecting the urgent political climate: 'Science journalism and social justice – Journalism that builds understanding and resilience'.

The gathering this year was organized by SASJA and the Science Diplomacy Capital for Africa, an initiative of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation of the country.

And throughout the week, the discussion shifted from the mechanics of reporting to confront inequality, democratic fragility, and eroding trust in empirical evidence.

This has also underlined how deeply the scientific enterprise depends on universities-as a producer of research, training grounds for the future cadre of scientists and journalists, and anchors of public trust in knowledge.

Fourth Estate under pressure

SASJA President Mandi Smallhorne reflected on the tension between wonder at scientific discovery and the grit required to report truthfully on the same:

"Most of us who end up doing this work stay because we love it," she said in her welcome address. "We are awed by the questions science asks and the worlds it opens up."

Still, she cautioned that fascination should not be an anaesthetic against scrutiny. “Science and scientists have their flaws,” she said, placing science journalists squarely in the Fourth Estate.

“It is because we care about science – and value its role – that we dig deep to uncover misconduct or fraud and that we fight false messaging.

This was echoed by South Africa's Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande. Opening the conference, just over a week after South Africa concluded the continent's first G20 presidency, Nzimande emphasised that scientific progress is mute without dissemination.

“You can do good science, but if it is not known, it is as good as dead science,” he said.

He advised delegates not to become "praise singers" for the science but to remain critical guardians of the public interest. "Science has often also been used for destruction. We must remain vigilant to ensure it serves humanity."

At a press conference after his speech, he said that higher education—which he was once in charge of until it broke away from the rest of his portfolio—still remains the backbone of research and innovation in South Africa: “Universities remain at the centre of our knowledge-production system.”

Conference Director Engela Duvenage was clear about the practical pressures facing science journalism. “The challenges we face with misinformation require a global, collaborative response,” she said in a statement, noting conference sessions that featured tools journalists are using to counter falsehoods affecting public health and environmental policies.

Nervous system for the planet

In the impassioned keynote, Advocate Cormac Cullinan, an environmental lawyer and author and winner of the Shackleton Medal 2025, challenged those present to bridge the widening chasm between scientific reality and legal frameworks.

He warned that "the law is lagging dangerously far behind scientific knowledge," adding that whereas science demands an end to fossil fuel reliance, legal systems continue to permit the destruction of the biosphere. He claimed what was needed was a cultural transformation as deep as that which takes place when the caterpillar becomes a butterfly, not incremental adjustments. Cullinan located the source of the crisis in the mechanistic worldview inherited from the Enlightenment, which views the universe as a ‘giant clock’ and reduces nature to objects for human manipulation. He termed this human exceptionalism “eco-apartheid”-a form of separateness whereby one species claims superiority over the entire community of life. 

Set against that was his call for a shift towards ‘Earth jurisprudence’, a legal philosophy that recognises the universe not as a “collection of objects” but as a “communion of subjects”. To illustrate this in action, Cullinan announced the launch of the Antarctic Alliance, a global campaign to recognise the continent as a legal entity. “The question is not ‘how do we manage Antarctica?’ It is: ‘what is our relationship with Antarctica, and how do we repair it?’” he said, suggesting the continent be given standing to represent its own interests in international courts and UN climate processes. Cullinan called for the media to broaden their sense of objectivity. He presented the profession as an active organ of planetary self-protection: “Science journalists are part of Earth’s nervous system – sensing danger, transmitting signals, and helping society respond,” he said. “We are not protecting nature. We are nature protecting herself.”

Hong Kong is stepping up research into traditional Chinese medicine as part of China's efforts to enhance the scientific foundation and increase the application of age-old herbal remedies, by leveraging artificial intelligence to analyse data on traditional treatments used informally throughout East and Southeast Asia.

The School of Chinese Medicine at Hong Kong Baptist University is presently the leader within this region in conducting research into old remedies.

"We have a very active programme in drug discovery. A lot of these [Chinese medicines] are based on botanical drugs originally suggested by doctors a thousand years ago," Martin Wong, provost of Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), told University World News.

“The Hong Kong and Chinese governments want Hong Kong to experiment and come up with a new model of how to have Western medicine and Chinese medicine combined,” he said.

HKBU's long-established School of Chinese Medicine was the first Hong Kong government-funded institution to offer undergraduate programs in Chinese medicine and pharmacy. According to Wong, these combine elements of Western medicine as well.

This month, the Hong Kong government announced that the city's first Chinese Medicine Hospital - currently under construction - will open this December. HKBU has been a key advisor for the government-funded hospital, which it will manage.

Setting up Hong Kong as a centre for Chinese medicine and integrating Chinese and Western medicine will also accelerate the research in traditional medicines and possibly allow clinical trails, said experts.

Collaboration agreements were signed on 9 September with HKBU and Hong Kong's two medical schools, at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) - both globally renowned for their biomedical research. Experts at the three universities will support the new hospital's clinical services, extending the use of Chinese medicines beyond primary healthcare. They will also conduct research at the hospitals.

Research on Chinese herbal remedies

HKBU is using modern data science and AI to research herbal medicines with a view to developing new drugs aimed at the global market as well as modernizing Chinese medicine, said Wong. AI is also used to analyze chemical compounds in plants.

Lyu Aiping, vice-president (Research and Development) at HKBU and a member of its Chinese medicine faculty, told University World News: "We envision a future where data science and AI illuminate what Chinese medicine research has long intimated, providing deeper insights into health classifications and compound interventions."

Wong said, "At HKBU we start with a lot of clinical data based on historical [materials] about what doctors prescribed for patients with certain medical problems and what these plants are good for. Once we have that, we want to develop some drugs based on the clinical data."

We use very sophisticated analyses using AI and find out a lot of potential drug candidates. Once you have these, you go into the next stage of modern biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, to see where these are viable and safe.

Wong said the aim was to apply to file drug patents based on traditional Chinese medicines. A few drugs developed at HKBU have been given FDA approval for clinical trials, he pointed out.

One of these has already been granted "orphan drug" status by the FDA for the treatment of myofibrillar myopathy, a rare neuromuscular disease caused mainly by genetic mutations.

According to a report titled Evolving Legacy: Decoding the scientific trajectory of Chinese medicine released in June by HKBU and Elsevier, the first bibliometric analysis of Chinese medicine covering the past decade, research papers on Chinese medicine nearly tripled between 2014 and 2023.

The report found that Chinese medicine researchers are producing high-impact work mainly in the mainland of China, underlined growing interdisciplinary collaboration, and an uptick in international partnerships with other countries.

Western vs Chinese approaches

He explained that the approaches utilized in Western drug development were different from those of Chinese medicine; Chinese medicine would stress combination therapies, a "whole body" approach to symptoms of disease, and social and environmental factors.

Western drugs, he noted, isolate medical diseases by diagnosis with no linkage between diseases, but with Chinese medicine “we can find some connection between two different diseases that would modify current interventions [treatments]”.

He employs a "systems medicine" approach, which focuses on complex disease interaction and is not just limited to a single disease treatment. This is in recognition that diseases like diabetes and hypertension interact dynamically in the human body.

The Western process isolates single compounds, takes the active ingredient, and incorporates it into the drug for a diagnosis without linkage between diseases, while Chinese medicine combines herbs that commonly have multiple compounds that work in harmony, Lyu said.

"The future of medicine," he said, "is to understand these complex interactions and move beyond the traditional single-compound drug discovery model.

He believes that up to two or three compounds in combination can improve treatment efficacy. “Chinese medicine can actually show us how future medicine could get done,” he said, with much enthusiasm.

"Robust clinical evidence is critical to acceptance, however," he said.

"Clinical trials have become more and more important to prove efficacy," Lyu said, noting: "Worldwide, more and more clinical trials on Chinese herbal products have been published.

"In all the clinical trials I conduct, I collect more samples and, with the help of AI, try to analyze the difference in responsiveness and then try to find out the reason for those non-responsive cases."

"So rather than pure clinical trials on efficacy > [this approach] would add a stage of clinical trial plus clinical pharmacology."

Dual fluency HKBU's degrees in Chinese medicine are especially popular with Mainland students, although only one in six applicants from outside Hong Kong are admitted to the HKBU programmes, according to Wong. The school also offers a Masters in Chinese Medicine Drug Discovery. Lyu believes the next generation of Chinese medicine professionals would need "deep, dual fluency – not only in traditional Chinese medicine, but also in contemporary biomedical sciences." 

Fueled by a spate of large-scale, design-led initiatives, Telangana plans to emerge as India's Design Capital by 2030 by entwining creativity and innovation into governance, industry, infrastructure, and education. One such important proposal to achieve this goal is the creation of a Centre of Design Excellence in Hyderabad that will support design innovation, research, communication design, and skill development in all sectors.

The plan was highlighted in view of the Telangana Global Summit 2025, scheduled to take place from December 8–9 at Hyderabad Future City near Meekhanpet. Another significant summit, Design Democracy 2025, promises over 120 luxury brands and 80 speakers, placing the state as a platform for global design dialogue. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s Mega Master Plan 2050 places design at the centre of Telangana’s growth story, with a strong focus on AI-based innovations, smart infrastructure and sustainable urban development.

It proposes a 30,000-acre Bharat Future City, India's first net-zero greenfield smart city, over an area of 765 sq km. Among others, the amenities that were proposed in the township include industrial clusters, Artificial Intelligence City, Young India Skills University, sports hubs, and innovation corridors aimed at decongesting Hyderabad while it fosters a strong design ecosystem.

Further firming up the vision is a proposed design competition for an iconic ‘Gateway of Hyderabad’ at Himayath Sagar under the Musi Riverfront Project, along with the development of 1,174 km of national highways and the Regional Ring Road to boost connectivity. The state’s 2025–26 budget has also earmarked ₹24,439 crore for agriculture, signaling a design-based approach towards bettering rural productivity and sustainability.

Industry bodies like CII and FICCI have hailed Telangana's blueprint that merges modern design thinking with the traditional sectors. A new Telangana Bhavan in Delhi, designed by Creative Group LLP at a cost of ₹482.25 crore, further reflects the state's commitment to design-led identity. With these strategic developments, Telangana is creating a new benchmark in creative and innovative design solutions while redefining urban and economic planning for sustainable development.

Choosing to pursue a B.tech degree is a great choice in the 21st century where everything is technology-driven. Students with sheer interest in the field of AI and computer science must pursue this degree from a renowned university to ensure their career is in safe hands. However, many students in India are unaware of the fact that universities offering direct admissions might not be the best choice for their career because all  the talented students are either in the top colleges or abroad. This is why, if you seek good exposure and want to study with students who are as passionate about them as you, taking admission via a computer science entrance test is the best choice. 

National-Level Entrance Tests Attract Better Students and Institutes

The colleges who take in students according to their performance on the nation-level computer science entrance examination tend to have a more competent batch. This is a good influence on classroom interaction, peer learning and academic atmosphere. These types of institutions will have better standards, superior faculty as well as new facilities to facilitate quality education.

On the other hand, colleges with direct admissions and no stringent requirements tend to be characterised with diversified learning abilities of students, which may have adverse impacts on the learning process. Direct admissions might be easy, however, it may not necessarily result in the optimal educational experience and employment preparation. 

Why a National-Level Entrance Exam is always preferable

The decision to sit a national or accepted entrance test has long-term benefits that do not end with admission. Such exams give equal chances to students with different backgrounds to demonstrate their merit. Besides, passing such competitive tests exposes one to a reputed institution and scholarships, which boosts career opportunities.

Most importantly, being ready and passing an entrance examination acute sharpen problem-solving abilities, discipline, and time management which are imperative attributes of the engineering pupils.

Why Should Universities seek Entrance Tests for B.Tech Admission

Entrance exams provide a standardized level on which the knowledge of the candidate can be evaluated regarding fundamental concepts in such fields as math, physics, and computer science. These tests help to select only those students who already have the required background knowledge and problem-solving abilities to be in the B.Tech programmes. This does not only retain the academic standards of the colleges but also makes the environment healthy in terms of competition which makes the students work harder.

Passing a reputed entrance test reflects on students' readiness and willingness to face the rigours of an engineering course. It also makes them feel confident and eases them extensively to rigorousness and high standards of technical education.

For Students Uncomfortable with Traditional Exam Centers: Consider GCSET

Although entrance exams are important, the conventional system of going to the exam centres to take the exams may be stressful or even impractical to some students with regards to geographical or health reasons among others. In the case of such students, the GCSET (Global Computer Science Entrance test) is a great option.

GCSET is an online entrance test which is meant to help students take tests at the convenience of their homes and at the same time, not lose the quality and credibility of the test. It is an open and distant one and is ideal to those who desire to enjoy the merits of a national level computer science entrance test  and study in the top universities in India offering computer science courses. To find out more and subscribe to GCSET, refer to https://gcset.org/.

Students admitted to famous B.Tech programmes following admission based on viable entry exams such as GCSET or other national examinations are not only guaranteeing themselves a place in famous B.Tech programmes, but also a good base to a successful career in engineering. Thus, for students who wish to have a good education and more opportunities in life, the entrance route is the less risky and more rewarding way. For more information or free consultation, call @8071296499.

Seeking the most appropriate management courses in India 2026? Thousands of students in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and tier 2 cities and 3 cities strive to get the best BBA and MBA courses with GMCAT 2026. The article discusses management courses in India 2026 stepwise: eligibility, fees, colleges, and how GMCAT will help to secure admission with scholarship (only eligibles).

What is GMCAT? Management Courses Easy Entrance.

Global Management Common Aptitude Test (GMCAT) is one of the leading entrance tests developed to become a successful management professional who aspires to be the best in the global business environment. GMCAT is the key to your dreams whether you wish to take up undergraduate management programs or postgraduate studies.

The test is carefully designed to test candidates on the skills that are vital to success in the dynamic profession of management such as Verbal Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, Logical Reasoning and General Knowledge. This makes filtering the right talent for universities easy while helping students find the best university that aligns with their aspirations. 

Why management courses in India via GMCAT 2026? 

1. One test scores for 100+ universities 
2. Merit student scholarships.
3. Also covers BBA at the end of 12 th standard and MBA at the end of graduation.
4. Assess practical competencies: marketing, finance, human resource, operations.
5. No stress like CAT which makes it perfect for Class 12 passouts or working pros. 
6. Search for "GMCAT management courses India" rising fast, making it a preferred online entrance test. 

Best BBA Management Courses after 12th via GMCAT

After 12th, management courses in BBA build business basics. GMCAT scores are required for entry into good colleges.

Top BBA Specializations 2026:

• BBA General: Marketing, finance, operations 3 years
• BBA Marketing: Digital ads, consumer study.
• BBA Finance: Banking, investments.
• BBA HR: Team leading and hiring.
• BBA International Business: Global Trade

Eligibility:

50% in Class 12 (any stream) GMCAT score + interview.

Top BBA Colleges Accepting GMCAT: Fees per year

1. NMIMS Mumbai: ₹3-5 lakhs, jobs ₹6-10 LPA.
2. Christ University Bangalore: ₹ 2 lakhs.
3. Symbiosis, Pune: ₹3 lakhs.
4. Amity Noida (Delhi NCR): ₹2 lakhs.

GMCAT Process for BBA: Register on gmcat.org, give online test, get counseling for seats + scholarships.

MBA Management Courses in India 2026 via GMCAT

For graduates, an MBA management course guarantees high salaries from ₹15-40 LPA. GMCAT opens doors for executive MBAs too.

Top MBA Specializations:

• MBA Marketing: Brand building, sales
• MBA Finance: Stock market, loans.
• MBA HR: Company culture, training.
• MBA Entrepreneurship: Start your business.
• Executive MBA: For job holders, 1-2 years.

Management Course Fees in India 2026

• BBA: ₹1-5 lakhs total in UP colleges like Lucknow University affiliates.
• MBA: ₹5-40 lakhs, scholarships via GMCAT cut costs.
• Online MBA: ₹1-3 lakhs, NMIMS online.

Even if you are looking for "low fee BBA colleges" or "MBA scholarships Delhi" – GMCAT helps you find the perfect match.

How to Prepare & Admit via GMCAT for 2026?

Here are simple 5 Steps to prepare for Global Management Common Aptitude Test: 

• Register on GMCAT portal.
• Take a 60-min online test anywhere.
• See score on portal.
• Join counseling for colleges.
• Pay fees, start classes.

GMCAT Exam Tips

• Practice Marketing topics
• Practice Finance Questions
• Take Free Mocks 
• Attempt all questions

Jobs After Management Courses via GMCAT BBA 

• Graduates: Marketing Executive (₹4-8 LPA), Bank Officer. 
• MBA Graduates: Manager ₹15-30 LPA at TCS, HDFC, startups. 
• Global Jobs: Get jobs outside India via university placement or support. 

Note: India needs 2 million managers by 2030 - this is your chance! 

Why choose Management courses via GMCAT 2026?

GMCAT makes the pursuing management courses in India 2026 easy. Candidates only need to take one test for BBA/MBA, scholarships, career help. For Indian students in metro cities, small towns or even remote areas, it is the perfect start. 

Visit https://gmcat.org/ now, and register yourself for GMCAT 2026 and pursue your desired  management course from the top university in India!

The field of design in India is evolving and we see it! It started as a niche creative industry, but now has become a force to reckon with as a contributor to innovation in businesses, user experience and brand identity. As days pass, the lines between technology and creativity continue to blur, opening unparalleled opportunities for skilled designers.

For students preparing to take AIDAT, All India Design Aptitude Test, it becomes important to understand what employers and industries actually need. It is not a matter of merely passing an entrance test; it's about laying the foundation of a career that shall define the next decade of your professional life.

The Design Industry Reality Check

The Indian creative economy is flourishing with estimates showing that companies with design led operations are ahead of their competitors in expanding revenue and market value. Startups in Bengaluru to manufacturing powerhouses in Mumbai, organisations are scouting out designers who are strategic, collaborative and result oriented in their work.

Numbers are fascinating tales. Newly graduated students of recognised design schools are joining the job market with an initial package of between 4.5 to 9 lakhs per annum based on their specialisation and strength in their portfolio. More importantly, the design  profession is steep as senior professionals in the field of UI/UX, brand strategy, and design leadership are offered much higher pay. However, most students forget that only technical skills cannot help them get there.

What Actually Matters in 2026? 

Conceptual Thinking Over Decoration

Design isn't about making things pretty, it's about solving problems with intelligence. When, say, an e-commerce platform needs to reduce cart abandonment or a healthcare startup needs to make onboarding of a patient easier, they need designers who think systematically.

Modern design education emphasizes this shift. You're not just learning to use tools; you're learning to ask the right questions. Why does this user struggle here? What behavior are we trying to encourage? How can I form a support function?

Build this capability by:

• Questioning everything you see, why does this app work that way?
• Documenting problems you encounter in life and sketching solutions for them
• Reading case studies on companies like Swiggy, PhonePe, and Flipkart
• Attending design thinking workshops and hackathons
• Pursuing projects that solve real-world problems, not limited to aesthetic exercises.

Communication via Design Language

Your designs will be judged by those who can't explain design principles but intuitively know when something is wrong. Your job is to present complicated information in an easily digestible manner, to direct user focus consciously, and to elicit specific emotional responses.

This goes beyond color palette selections that are visually appealing. It's knowing about cultural context, accessibility standards, and how a different audience interprets visual hierarchies.

Master this through:

• Exploring successful Indian brands and their visual identities.
• Understand how color meanings vary across regions and cultures.
• design for different target audiences (age, language and ability)
• Learning from failures, analyze designs that confuse users, understand why
• Getting Comfortable with Design Critiques and Articulating Your Choices

Digital Fluency as a Baseline Expectation

By 2026, saying you know Photoshop will be like saying you can use Microsoft Word-it's assumed. What will matter is how efficiently you work, how well you understand industry workflows, and if you can pick up new tools quickly.

Designing tools are changing, evolving and advancing. Figma has reached ubiquity for UI/UX work. The AI-assisted design tools are no longer experimental; they're production-ready. Understanding 3D software opens up opportunities in product design, gaming, and immersive experiences. Having the capability of motion design definitely helps set candidates apart in competitive job markets.

Get technically capable by:

• Deeply learning one tool before jumping to the next
• Mastering industry-standard workflows - not just features
• Trying out AI design assistants and learning about their strengths and weaknesses.
• Actual project building, not just following tutorials
• Joining the design communities where professionals share techniques and shortcuts.
• Understanding of file formats, design systems, and handoff processes

Evidence-Based Design Decisions

Gut feeling is fine, but professional design is rooted in data. Why did users not go there but instead go here? Which of the two layouts had been the superior in conversion? What are the pain points that user interviews would tell us?

Before finalizing collections, fashion designers analyze sales data and social media trends. Interior designers learn spatial psychology and sustainability of materials. Graphic designers study competitor positioning prior to selling brand identities. A professional outwits an amateur because one has a research-based practice.

Develop Evidence Based Design plan by:

• User research via surveys, interviews, usability testing.
• Using case studies and design research publications.
• Following the trends on Behance, Dribbble and Awwwards.
• Knowing the analytics tools and the effect of design on business measures.
• Competitive analysis. Practice on actual brands in your portfolio projects.

Working within systems, not solo

The solitary creative genius who has his romanticised image in place is a thing of the past. The reality of design is a dirty business of collaborating: product managers compelling the feature, developers justifying their technical choices, marketers with an opinion on colour, and clients who must have the change now.

The skill of negotiating such relationships, supporting your choices with evidence, integrating feedback in a graceful and sophisticated way, and being a compromise-intelligent person will make you successful in the career as much as design skill would.

Build collaboration skills through:

• Working on freelance projects for real clients with real deadlines
• Join student design collectives or clubs
• Competitions based on teams
• Documenting your process to allow others to follow your thinking
• Practising presenting work and dealing with feedback in a professional manner

Flexibility means future-proofing

The design tools you learn today may become obsolete in five years, and all the trends that dominate 2026 will look dated by 2030. The industries will move on to newer technologies, user expectations will evolve, and new design specialisations will emerge.

What remains constant is your ability to learn. Designers who succeed are those who approach their careers as one long education, always testing, always soaking up influences, always challenging their assumptions.

Be flexible by:

• Experimenting with innovative technologies such as AR filters, generative AI, or spatial computing

• Following thought leaders across various design disciplines
• Regularly attend design conferences, workshops, and webinars.
• Reading beyond design-psychology, technology, business, culture
• Being open to unlearning obsolete practices and embracing superior methods

Your Portfolio is Essential

AIDAT gets you into college. The portfolio gets you internships, jobs, and opportunities. It's the single most important tool in your career arsenal.

But here's what admissions committees and employers are looking for: they want to see how you think, not just what you can make. Include your research, your iterations, your failures and your learnings alongside polished final deliverables.

Portfolio essentials for 2026:

• 8-12 carefully selected projects that demonstrate range and depth
• Case studies that describe the process, and not only the results.
• Evidence of solving real problems, even in academic projects.
• CLEAR explanations of your role in collaborative work
• Projects displaying technical skills and conceptual thinking
• Regular updates to reflect your growth and current capabilities

Cracking AIDAT: Strategy Beyond Syllabus

AIDAT tests design aptitude including your inborn capacity to observe, visualise, and think creatively. Though you cannot fake aptitude, you most definitely can sharpen it with focussed practice.

The test is meant for assessing creative thinking, visual perception, design sensitivity, and skills of communication. It tests for the raw talent needed to be a great designer, independent of skill level.

Tips For Cracking Design Entrance Test

• Master the basics: excellent observational drawing, principles of design, knowledge of proportion and perspective.
• Be culturally current: Know key Indian and international designers, understand significant design movements, follow conversations on contemporary design.
• Practice timed exercises: Creative aptitude tests are always time-bound, so practice working quickly without compromising quality. 
• Visual vocabulary: Draw from observation regularly; train yourself to record ideas visually. 
• Think beyond the obvious: The test rewards original thinking. Practice coming up with multiple solutions to the same problem. 
• Review systematically: take mock tests, analyze mistakes, work specifically on weak areas. 

What Careers Can one Pursue After Earning a Design Degree?

Once a candidate clears AIDAT and graduate from a reputed design college, they get options to pursue various paths, like:

1. Digital Design Roles: UI/UX designers, product designers, designers working on apps, websites, and digital experiences.
2. Visual Communication: Graphic designers, brand identity specialists, publication designers creating everything from logos to full ecosystems of branding.
3. Spatial Design: Interior designers, exhibit designers, retailers, retail space planners that create physical spaces.
4. Fashion and Lifestyle: Clothing designers, textile designers, accessory designers, fashion stylists working in traditional and contemporary segments.
5. Motion and Experience: Animation designers, motion graphics artists, experience designers creating dynamic visual storytelling.
6. Emerging Specialisations: Designers for service Design researchers Design strategists working at the intersection of design and business.

The career options are much broader than the traditional roles. With experience, designers advance to the creative direction, design leadership, entrepreneurship, and consulting. Numerous set up their own studios, or work on an international level for global brands and agencies.

Design Courses Via AIDAT

Success in design isn't a matter of innate talent, it's cultivated through the process of deliberate practice, real curiosity, and relentless effort. Every great designer you admire began exactly where you are standing now… unsure, but willing to take the first step.

The skills described here are not mastered overnight. Choose one area to work on this month. Create consistently. Seek honest feedback. Remain interested in the reason designs function or fail. Document your progress. Celebrate little  improvements.

Remember, AIDAT is your gateway but the real journey starts after. The design industry requires new perspectives, diverse voices, and innovative thinkers who can approach tomorrow's challenges.

Want to get started? Register for the AIDAT entrance test via its official portal. Note it, your design career doesn't start when you enter college; it starts the moment you start taking this seriously.

Pursuing an MBA helps a lot in upgrading your skillset and boosting your CTC. However, if you're hustling through college finals or stuck in a 9-to-5 loop, dreaming of that MBA degree that'll flip your career upside-down might be draining. Exam halls, traffic jams, and sky-high fees are not worthy of your time especially in an era where gaining info & knowledge is just a prompt away. That's where the GMCAT entrance exam comes in. It is your ultimate online entrance test for MBA  helping you pursue the degree online, offline, in north, in south or anywhere in India you want. Forget the old-school hassle; this online MBA entrance test is built for real life. Here are five reasons why MBA aspirants should prefer online entrance tests for management .

Reason 1: Take Test When You Are Ready

Who has time for fixed dates that clash with everything? With the GMCAT entrance exam, you choose your spot, whether your couch, a cafe in Bangalore, your Delhi dorm or your hostel  room. No rushing to centers, no "what if I miss the bus?" panic. Be it working pros or last-bencher grads, this online  MBA entrance exam helps focus on giving the exam stress-free.

Reason 2: Budget-friendly and Convenient 

Big-name exams gobble up cash on fees, travel, and stays. The GMCAT for MBA flips that convention with super-low costs and zero commute expense making it  a convenient option for securing a seat in the top universities offering MBA.  Also, students don’t need to re-register for the exam if they miss it; they can simply contact their counsellor and request them to reschedule the exam. Pro tip: call on the number mentioned before making the payment yourself. 

Reason 3: Tests Skills That Matters 

MBAs aren't about rote learning anymore because it's digital hustlers who rule. GMCAT entrance exam throws adaptive questions and AI proctoring your way, sharpening skills you'll use in Zoom meetings or fintech gigs. 

Reason 4: Faster Result and Assured Seat

Contrary to other entrance tests, the GMCAT results are announced within 2-3 days of the examination. This allows students to settle their mind on what to do next without much pressure and which college or institute to join and thereupon, book a seat. 

Reason 5: Accepted in top B-schools 

One exam, 100 doors! GMCAT gives entry to 100 plus best B- schools in India. It recognises your real managerial skill and places you in an institution that aligns with you, giving you meaningful placement prospects after the completion of your degree.  If you are searching for the most trusted online MBA entrance test for 2026, GMCAT really stands out as the smarter choice.

So, stop planning, avoiding or delaying. Take GMCAT by registering from its official website and start your MBA journey. GMCAT syllabus, eligibility criteria and fee are all mentioned on its official website, check and register. 

For free consultation or expert guidance, call 8071296497.

It is a golden opportunity that Indian universities are losing out on by not offering criminology courses in India. With crime rates touching the sky and the huge demand for criminology jobs in India, university criminology programs can turn campuses into practical education hubs. Criminology courses in India assure very high employability; its graduates get forensic science education India roles at ₹3-11 LPA in CBI, NIA, and police forces. Student trends in Indian higher education show a desire for purpose-driven degrees amidst a rise in cybercrime and justice requirements. Offering criminology courses in India improves enrollment, ranking, and social impact. University criminology programs go hand-in-hand with the NEP 2020 and, thus, are one of the smart and profitable choices for progressive institutions today! Let's understand it in detail.

Increasingly Advanced Crimes Require Experts in Criminology

The crime rate in India is growing, with more than 44 lakh cases being reported every year, out of which there has been a rapid growth in cybercrime. This, in turn, is bringing forth an insatiable demand for trained criminologists who can analyze, investigate, and prevent crimes effectively. Indian universities have a unique opportunity to address this shortage by offering specialized criminology courses that produce job-ready graduates, directly contributing to safer communities and strengthening law enforcement agencies.

Expanding Career Opportunities in Criminology

Courses in criminology lead to a variety of job opportunities that are also well paid. A graduate can be employed as a forensic scientist, crime analyst, probation officer, or criminal lawyer in government agencies at the CBI, NIA, forensic laboratories, or NGOs. Salaries range from ₹3 to ₹11 lakh per annum, with many roles showing promising growth of around 20%. For students who look forward to challenging roles with positive social impact and financial stability, criminology becomes an attractive course of study.

High Student Interest and Enrollment Potential

With greater awareness of crime and justice, more Indian students are drawn towards courses in criminology. In this way, offering the course helps universities attract motivated learners looking for practical, purpose-driven education. Affordable course fees, generally ranging from ₹16,000 to ₹1.5 lakh, and a well-defined employability pathway make the course likely to fill seats and reach financial viability rather quickly.

Alignment with the national education policy and research grants 

Criminology fits well within the NEP 2020 framework of India, emphasizing skill development, research, and interdisciplinary learning. Alignment with the policy will help universities explore government grants to establish centers of excellence in forensic and cybercrime research. These courses raise the academic profile of any university while providing solutions for immediate, real-world challenges. 

Enhancing University Rankings and Industry Partnerships 

The addition of courses in criminology adds to the reputation of a university by reflecting its concern for relevance and demand. A high record of placements within police forces and forensic institutions improves the ranking and attracts further collaborations from law enforcement and private sectors. It positions the institution as a leader in emerging disciplines, helping it stand out among peers.

Social Responsibility & Impact 

Beyond academics and economic initiatives, criminology education enables universities to serve as agents of social change. Graduates who are trained to conceptualize and prevent crime contribute to societal well-being and justice. This also meets public expectations for educational institutions to create engaged, socially responsible citizens. 

Thus, Indian universities must consider offering this course because it is a strategic and value-laden decision with market relevance, student appeal, funding, and social benefit. Since crime is increasing and experts are less, only those universities that will now take advantage of this opportunity will be at the forefront of developing innovative solutions for public service in education.

The healthcare sector has some of the most promising and rewarding opportunities for a PCB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) student as well. Allied healthcare professions are gaining momentum in India and the rest of the world, especially due to medical and healthcare technological advancements as well as increased health awareness. PCB students need to be aware of the worth, educational needs, and vocational opportunities of the best paramedical courses after 12th before they make a critical career choice. This information will help them to pursue a course that has good employment opportunities, security, and self-satisfaction.

5 PCB Career Options to Consider

1. Medical Laboratory Technologist

One of the best allied healthcare professions that PCB students can pursue is medical Laboratory Technology which offers both technical and patient-centred careers. Medical Laboratory Technologists perform the necessary tests with an aim of diagnosing the diseases in a timely manner. Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) has the following core subjects: Clinical Biochemistry, Microbiology, Haematology, and Pathology. Graduates are employed in hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, blood labs and research institutes. The increased need in accurate diagnostics predetermines MLT as one of the highest-ranking careers that provide high wages and high employment opportunities.

2. Radiographer/Imaging Technician

Radiographers work with the use of high-tech medical image devices such as X-rays, MRI, CT, and Ultrasound. This is a highly rated career because of the growing healthcare facilities. Students have to take a Diploma or a Bachelor of Radiography and Imaging Technology degree that consists of courses in Radiation Physics, Anatomy, Patient Care, and Imaging Techniques. By becoming a Radiographer, it is possible to get exposed to thrilling work in hospitals and diagnostics centres with specialisation and attract high salaries.

3. Physiotherapist

Physiotherapy is one of the best allied health professions that one would prefer when he loves anatomy of the human body, physical therapy and interest in wellness. A Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) or Diploma course is the way to in-depth study of such subjects as Kinesiology, Exercise Therapy, and Pathophysiology. Physiotherapists practise in hospitals, rehabilitation centres, sports medicine clinics, and in their own practise. As the population of India grows old and more concerned with recovery, physiotherapy is a high demand profession and it represents a promising career in the future. 

4. Nutritionist/Dietitian

The demand of qualified Nutritionists and Dietitians is on the increase as the prevalence of lifestyle diseases takes over the world. The student of PCB has the option of a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, where he or she studies Human Physiology, Biochemistry and Food science. The career has a flexible career advancement in hospitals, wellness centres, research and private consulting. The reason it is ranked so high within the profession of health is due to the growing awareness of health and the explosion of the wellness business.

5. Occupational Therapist

Occupational Therapy is an allied healthcare profession that is increasingly being identified with a distinct niche in improving the quality of life of patients. Occupational Therapy is encompassed in courses that lead to a Bachelor or a Master degree in Occupational Therapy including Anatomy, Psychology, and Rehabilitation Sciences. Occupational Therapists help the individual in recovering and going back to living a normal life following injury or illness. The profession is very socially influential, provides numerous growth prospects, and is a satisfying career.

Allied Healthcare Careers are great for PCB students

The allied health professionals are considered the most rapidly developing professions in healthcare among PCB students because of their combination of the science, interaction with patients, and the use of modern technologies. They offer:

1. Good employment security and high job demands in the changing medical industry in India.
2. Profitable remunerations and evident promotion paths and specialisation.
3. The possibilities to work in various environments, including hospitals and clinics, research laboratories and community healthcare.

How to Choose Your Ideal Career?

The students of PCB are expected to determine their interest in labour, care with patients, digital health, physical therapy, or nutrition. Take up internships, career counselling and research courses to make a smart decision. Remember, all these top allied healthcare professions require a strong foundation in PCB subjects plus dedicated study and training.

For PCB students aiming for a prosperous and meaningful career, allied healthcare professions represent valuable, top-ranking pathways. Being aware of the disciplines covered, courses, and employment opportunities will enable students to make sure that they can choose a career that they are passionate about and one that is also in line with the growth of the industry in India, healthcare. Early start, focus and the future of allied healthcare will be a rewarding one.

For generations, India has quietly absorbed the cost of a damaging assumption — that young women do not “belong” in technical fields. This bias, subtle in classrooms but loud in boardrooms, shapes the choices girls make long before they enter the workforce. The result is staggering: by some estimates, India loses nearly $3 trillion in GDP every year simply because half its population is pushed to the sidelines.

Yet in a quiet village 40 km from a district town, the Rural Technical Training Institute (RTTI) has shown the nation what’s possible when opportunity replaces prejudice. The institute has achieved something even elite urban centres struggle with: 100 per cent job placement for young women trained in welding, fabrication, electrical work — fields where women have historically been invisible.

This is not a statistical outlier. Organisations like Sewa Bharat, Don Bosco Tech Society and women-only ITIs across states report similar numbers. The data exposes a truth we’ve long ignored: when women are given skills, they do not just participate — they excel.

A Broken System, Broken Twice for Women

India’s labour market has always favoured pedigree over potential — rewarding elite colleges, English-speaking corporate experience, and “refined” networks. For women, these barriers are doubled by centuries of exclusion from learning, law, and labour.

The fallout is visible everywhere:

• Girls start strong with 90% primary enrolment, but barely 35% reach higher secondary.
  
  
• Young women are four times more likely than young men to be NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training).
  
  
• In urban centres like Delhi and Bengaluru, 3 in 5 young women lack the skills needed for stable, well-paying jobs.
  
  

Crucially, interest in technical skills peaks for girls at 11–12 years, only to collapse under the weight of societal discouragement. Capability is not the problem; opportunity is.

Economists call this the Lost Einsteins problem — innovators who never emerge because they were never allowed to try.

Why Skill-Based Education Is the Turning Point

The old credential economy is crumbling. Employers are shifting from “Where did you study?” to “What can you do?”. For women long excluded from elite pipelines, this is revolutionary.

Evidence is piling up:

• A competency-based hiring study by Shortlist found that though women made up 24% of applicants, they earned 32% of all job offers.
  
  
• Research shows girls benefit disproportionately from growth mindset training, female role models, and collaborative learning — a trifecta embedded in skills-based programmes.
  
  
• India’s revamped frameworks — NEP 2020, National Credit Framework, ITI reservations, higher apprenticeship stipends — have finally aligned policy with possibility.
  
  

This is why women taught coding in a residential Himachal program are now employed in India’s $250-billion IT industry, and why manufacturing skilling partnerships have trained 25,000+ women, placing 22,000 into formal jobs.

Once systems are equitable, women don’t trickle in — they flood in.

Proof That It Works — and Why India Must Scale It

Models across the country provide a blueprint:

• Residential skill centres eliminate mobility barriers and offer culturally sensitive teaching.
  
  
• Corporate partnerships show that when women receive structured technical and life-skills training, they rise — sometimes from machine operators to organisational leaders within months.
  
  
• Impact Bonds prove that investing in women generates measurable returns: 75% placement, 60% retention, 72% completion.
  

These aren’t charity projects. They’re economic engines.

The numbers tell the story:

• Women with formal skill training earn 110% more (ADBI).
  
  
• Workers with digital skills earn 30–40% more (TeamLease).
  
  
• Employers report 73% difficulty finding skilled candidates (ManpowerGroup).
  
  

And here’s the headline India cannot afford to ignore:

If women participated in India’s economy at the same rate as men, GDP could rise by nearly $3 trillion annually.

That is the difference between aspiration and reality for Viksit Bharat 2047.

What Needs to Happen Now

India has the infrastructure. India has the evidence. India has millions of girls ready to learn.

What it needs is resolve.

1. Schools must embed practical, portfolio-driven skill education linked to credit frameworks.
   
   
2. Industries must remove degree barriers, expand apprenticeships, ensure safe transport, and build mentorship networks.
   
   
3. Governments must scale successful models, invest in proven programmes, and hold institutions accountable for outcomes — not promises.
   
   
4. Families must correct long-held biases and allow girls the freedom to choose skill paths, not just traditional degrees.
   
   

RTTI’s 100 per cent placement and Shahi’s 22,000 women in formal work are not miracles. They are outcomes — predictable, repeatable, scalable.

India stands at a transformational moment. Nearly half of its young women remain outside the workforce. That is not a statistic; it is a national emergency.

The window is open. The market is hungry. The data is clear.

The question is not whether India can bridge the skill gap for young women.
It is whether we will act before another generation is lost.

About The Author

Bio: Nibedita is an independent journalist honoured by the Government of India for her contributions to defence journalism.She has been an Accredited Defence Journalist since 2018, certified by the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.  With over 15 years of experience in print and digital media, she has extensively covered rural India, healthcare, education, and women’s issues. Her in-depth reporting has earned her an award from the Government of Goa back to back in 2018 and 2019. Nibedita’s work has been featured in leading national and international publications such as The Jerusalem Post, Down To Earth, Alt News, Sakal Times, and others

In the era where we see headlines about climate change, pollution, global warming and rising concern about trees, young minds are maturing and demanding greenery with serenity. Lush green university campuses have been winning the hearts of students boosting admission rate in universities offering this. Basic campuses with concrete buildings and sparsely distributed trees may be cost-effective but simply fall short of matching up to their green counterparts that boast fresh air, mental peace, and modern perks. Green campuses, instead, no longer remain a mere luxury but an essential part of 21st-century Indian students' dreams of top colleges. This piece looks at why green campuses generate more admissions, based on trends and real benefits-especially for eco-conscious youth in India.

The Green Revolution of the Indian Campuses

The sprawl in India has transformed college searches into breath-finding missions. As AQI values keep soaring past 300 in Delhi and Mumbai, students are searching Google to find out the nearest campuses that are pollution-free or the greenest in India. The IIT Bombay, which boasts 50MW of solar power, zero-waste hostels, and TERI University in Delhi, a LEED Platinum leader, see application increase of 20-30% a year. Also, sustainability has already been included in the NIRF rankings, propelling IIT Madras (net-zero by 2025) to the first place.

Moreover, basic campuses have a confined environment, summer suffocation, water rationing, and dry grey walls that promote burnout, making them the least desired by talented students aspiring to become experts in their chosen fields. In a 2023 ASSOCHAM study, 68% of all Indian students indicated that they were more concerned with college choices based on green features, compared to 42% in 2018. 

Why the shift? Gen Z and Alpha are products of climate activism and consider campuses to be their second home. Green ones are an assurance of wellness during the mental health crisis in India, in which 1 out of 7 young people is struggling with anxiety.

The Invisible Admission Booster:Health and Happiness

According to a study supported by WHO, green spaces reduce cortisol by 15-20% thereby enhancing concentration in JEE/NEET preppers. Ashoka University, its 1,000-acre haven at Sonipat, comprising lakes and organic farms, boasts of 25-percent higher retention. Basic arrangements such as over crowded state colleges experience 12% drop outs due to fatigue in the campuses.

When parents google "campuses with parks in India" or “most sustainable university in India," they know that nature is the antidote to the Kota-like stress and the booster for creativity, intelligence, and willingness to do something good for the society. During the post-COVID times, wellness niches such as yoga decks, herbal gardens turned into bargaining chips. Simple campuses short change on this point and instead sell fans more than shaded quads, and forfeit eco-conscious toppers to competitors.

Sustainability Skills for Future Jobs

The 21st-century job market demands a green orientation. By 2030, India needs about 10 million green jobs in solar, electric vehicles, and waste management. Universities like the Azim Premji University in Bangalore teach this hands-on approach to rooftop gardens and biogas plants, after studying which students go on to work at Tata Power or Reliance Green.

Basic campuses miss this, leaving graduates in the job market without a clear edge. Recruiters from Google and Deloitte prefer candidates who are sustainability-literate. A FICCI report shows green-campus students enjoy 15–20% higher placements. Indian searches surge for “IIT green campus placements” to reflect a desire for campuses that build resumes, not just degrees.

Indian Student Search Trends

Geo-targeted searches like “low-fee green colleges in Bangalore” draw in a high volume of traffic. As per Google Trends, “green campus university India” is up 150% since 2020. Searches for “pollution-free colleges near Mumbai” shot up post-COVID-19. NIRF rankings now have sustainability scores in which last year IIT Madras topped with its net-zero push; applications rose 25%. Private universities, such as OP Jindal Global, where mangrove forests and EV charging attract Delhi-NCR students over concrete rivals, and Alliance university, Bangalore, where trees, birds, and the natural pleasing-fragrance of nature inspire creativity & focus, are trending recommendations for students. Additionally, admissions are driven by social media buzz, such as the #GreenCampusIndia movement, with over 50k postings. Basic campuses lag behind is they don’t have green campus; even IITs such as the one in Kanpur are revamping to keep up. 

To conclude, green campuses are the winners since they foster a student holistically, while the basic universities are sidelined. Policymakers, fund more; universities, retrofit now; students, demand green campus in applications because by 2030, only eco-champions will thrive. The revolution of education in India begins in green. Take admission in top green universities India 2026 and ensure you grow in a green environment with better vibes. 

About the Author: 

Kanishka, a versatile content writer and acclaimed poetess from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, combines her passion for creativity with a strong commitment to education. Beyond crafting compelling narratives, she is dedicated to enlightening readers by sharing insights and knowledge they often don’t encounter elsewhere. She has been featured in several national and international online magazines, and anthologies. Her talent and dedication to literature have earned her two national records— one for composing the longest reverse poem and another for compiling an all-female anthology that celebrates women’s voices. Her love for storytelling, philosophies, and mythologies fuels her mission to inspire and educate, shaping minds through the power of words and knowledge.

Over the last two decades, pre-schooling in India has quietly turned into a booming industry. From high-end chains in metros to tiny lane-level centres in Tier-II towns, early childhood education has become a business model with franchises, marketing playbooks and glossy brochures.

The language is strikingly similar across cities:

• “Inspired by Reggio Emilia”
• “Montessori-based learning”
• “Finnish pedagogy”
• “IB early years approach”
• “Multiple intelligences curriculum”

“Montessori-based,” “Reggio-inspired,” “Finnish pedagogy” and “IB Early Years” are no longer rare phrases — they dominate hoardings and brochures, promising parents an international advantage for their children before the age of five.

Play-based learning is replaced by worksheets, colourful walls substitute meaningful documentation, and the concept of “multiple intelligences” is reduced to periodic music or art classes.

If we strip away the logos and labels, the research on early childhood is clear and surprisingly simple. For children between 2 and 5, the most powerful learning happens through:

• Warm, responsive adult–child relationships
• Rich language and conversation
• Play—physical, social, imaginative, exploratory
• Predictable routines that build security and independence

At 2–3 years, the real goals are emotional security, attachment to at least one familiar adult, a burst in vocabulary, sensory exploration (pouring, squeezing, climbing), and parallel play slowly turning into simple cooperation. A good “playgroup” in Kolkata or Indore is less about worksheets and more about songs, stories, sand and water play, push toys, simple matching and sorting, and helping children manage separation from parents.

At 3–4 years (Nursery), children are ready for longer sentences, basic turn-taking, early problem-solving and fine motor practice. A developmentally appropriate classroom might have:

• A dramatic play corner (home, shop, doctor)
• Blocks, puzzles and loose parts to build and sort
• Daily storytelling and picture talks
• Pre-writing through big strokes on vertical surfaces, tracing in sand, not rows of letters on ruled pages

At 4–5 years (KG/LKG), the focus shifts gently to:

• Self-regulation: waiting, sharing, negotiating conflict
• Strong oral language: asking “why” and “how”, retelling events
• Foundational literacy and numeracy through games and meaningful print, not drill
• Simple inquiry projects on themes like “rain”, “vehicles”, “animals around us”

This rapid commercialisation has outpaced public understanding of what quality early childhood education really looks like. Instead of nurturing emotional security, creativity and language development, many centres sell early academic results — reading by age four, writing by three and a half — disregarding a child’s developmental readiness. In a market driven by anxiety and competition, what is most visible is often least appropriate.

It is not marked by homework, exams or rote memorisation, but by curiosity, conversation and care. As this sector expands, the question of regulation becomes unavoidable. However, India’s regulatory framework risks focusing more on paperwork than pedagogy. 

At its heart, the future of early childhood education in India must answer one simple question: are we designing systems around adult ambition or around children’s needs?

a) Regulate processes, not just papers

The non-negotiables should be what children experience and what keeps them safe:

• Child–teacher ratios and group sizes

o 2–3 years: about 1 adult for 6–8 children (max group size ~15)

o 3–4 years: about 1 adult for 10–12 children (max group size ~20)

o 4–6 years: about 1 adult for 15 children (max group size ~25)

• Warm, responsive interactions; no corporal punishment or humiliation
• Daily play-based routines with outdoor time
• Inclusion and emotional safety

Instead of twenty different registers, require a short annual self-declaration plus a few pieces of evidence: a sample weekly plan, photos of learning areas, and a short anonymised video of classroom practice.

b) Simple but serious licensing

A two-stage system can balance ease of entry with accountability:

• Provisional licence (Year 0–1) once safety norms are met (basic building checks, child-safe spaces, toilets, water, child-protection policy).
• Full licence (from Year 2) renewed every 3–5 years based on ratios, staff qualifications, evidence of play-based learning and complaint history.

All of this should run through a single digital portal rather than sending small pre-school owners from door to door for different NOCs.

c) Staff norms with real training support

Regulation that simply orders “all preschool teachers must have a diploma” but provides no affordable training path will either be ignored or drive up fees. A more realistic strategy:

• Minimum qualification for lead teachers: Class 12 + 1-year ECCE certificate (transitioning to 2-year diplomas over a decade), or D.El.Ed/B.El.Ed with early childhood specialisation.
• Assistants: Class 10 + short government-provided orientation.
• Mandatory 30 hours per year of ECCE-related professional development—delivered through DIETs, NGOs, universities and good online providers.

This way, regulation raises the floor while the system simultaneously builds capacity.

d) Curriculum and assessment: some “no-go” zones

Rather than imposing a single textbook or brand, the state can draw clear lines:

• Prohibited in preschool (3–6): heavy written homework, formal exams and ranking, large amounts of rote drilling of A–Z and 1–100, cursive writing and small-line handwriting practice.

A truly progressive pre-school ecosystem will not be defined by foreign labels, elite branding or rigid control. Instead, it will be shaped by safe spaces, trained and compassionate educators, meaningful play, inclusive practices and the joy of learning. If India can shift its focus from “how early can a child read” to “how happily a child learns”, this booming industry may yet become the foundation of a more humane and equitable education system.

The Indian higher education system is suffering with less enrollments. With the GER (Gross Enrollment Ratio) at just 28.4% of the 18-23 age group as per the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2023-24, the NEP 2020 GER target of 50% feels challenging. However, as the era is transforming and the skills are demanded over degrees, vocational integration provides exactly what's needed to boost enrollments . University deans scurrying to adopt NEP should centre their attention in blending skills training and degrees to attract a pool of youth orphaned by hopeless growth. This is not policymaking talk but saving Indian universities in 2026 and beyond. 

GER Crisis: Why Vocational Push is Urgent

The call is urgent because being the most populous country, current GER lags behind global peers. Talking about this, the GER of China is 59% while Brazil is at 52%, and we are still hoping for GER 50% by 2035!

NEP is demanding admissions of 4 crore students by 2035 and for this it requires 1.5 crore seats per year. Class 10 dropout rates stand at 12.6% with young people in the rural areas (70% of the population) avoiding colleges and resorting to fast employment. Vocational education from Class 6, as NEP mandates, can reverse this. After 5 years of NEP, 23 states have reported multidisciplinary frameworks, yet only 10% of colleges have skills credits. Ignoring this part results in vacant chairs and declining NIRF rankings.​

Best Practices: Blueprints on Vocational Integration

1. Credit-Based Skill Embedment: Launch ABC-linked vocational modules like ITI tie-ups for BVoc degrees. The 20% credit in plumbing and EV repair is integrated in Parul University in Gujarat to increase admissions 25 percent in 2024. By 2027, deans are to have 40% vocational credits, based on the NSQF 4-6 levels.​
2. Industry Hubs on Campus: Partner with MSMEs through Skill India hubs. The IBM collab of Chandigarh University gave a placement of 2,000 CSE-Vocational students at an average of ₹9 LPA.. Make 50 centres in each state; 4000 Cr by the government through PMKaushal Vikas Yojana 2.0.​
3. Rural Outreach through Digital + Local Skills: Hybrid BVoc on Agriculture drones and solar tech. SWAYAM can be used to boost GER 15% in Assam Down Town University tribal skill programmes. Goal 1 million rural enrollees through ODL modes -UGC approved 50% online credits.​
4. Incentives to the Dropouts: Multiple entry-exit with ABC allows Class 12 dropouts to obtain certificates, diplomas and degrees. The model at LPU transformed one-third of the diploma graduates into graduates and had an increment of 10,000 seats. Deans: Provide 10,000 stipends through apprenticeships.​
5. Teacher Upskilling: Certificate 10 lakh faculty under NISHTHA 2.0 for vocational delivery. As per the latest data, states such as Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have achieved the highest percentage of trainer certification.​

Challenges of Deans, and their Fixes

• Funding? Avail ₹1 lakh Cr HEI corpus. 
• Faculty resistance? Connect promotions with vocational KPI. 
• Rural infra gaps? Cash in on 14,500 model schools of PM SHRI.

That reminds me, FLN increased but GER remained without vocational scale-up.​ Thus, adhering to the aforementioned fixes can help meet the GER target. 

The Payoff: Economic, Employment, Country.

Graduates of vocational programmes have salaries that are 20% higher; 1 crore GSK youths can contribute 500 Bn to the GDP by 2030 (NITI Aayog). Universities such as Amity, LPU record 85 percentage points improvement in placements after integrating. In the case of deans, it is NIRF gold: best 100 unis averaged 35% GER increase through skills focus.​

Indian universities cannot afford to sit hand-in-hand. Vocational integration is needed for the GER 50% target of NEP 2020. Deans, do it: redesign, build partnerships, monitor via UDISE+. Remember, it's better to fail while trying, and see competitors fly instead of letting your university be forgotten. Use the given strategies for boosting enrollment from 28.4% to 50% and make your university one of the best universities.  Achieve, and create an employable India. The clock to 2035 ticks louder, take the step NOW!

America’s accounting pipeline is collapsing at a pace that can no longer be ignored. Between 2019 and 2023, 340,000 accountants and auditors left the profession, while three-quarters of the remaining CPA workforce is expected to retire within a decade. What was once dismissed as a dull, dependable profession has become a pressure point in the country’s financial infrastructure, threatening everything from tax returns to corporate audits. Yet amid this crisis, an unexpected generation is stepping in: Gen Z. Their arrival isn’t a quirky twist—it’s a data-driven career pivot reshaping one of America’s most essential fields.

Gen Z’s interest in accounting begins with economic realism. After watching millennials pursue enthusiasm-driven careers in tech, media, and creative industries—only to face layoffs and instability—Gen Z is choosing predictable demand over precarious dreams. Universities are reporting astonishing outcomes: Oklahoma State University’s accounting program boasts a 98% job placement rate, with many young graduates crossing into six-figure salaries within a few years. In an age of rising rents, student debt, and economic uncertainty, accounting’s stability is not boring—it’s smart.

Technology has further changed the equation. Automation is eliminating routine tasks, allowing young accountants to focus on strategic advisory work, forensic analysis, risk assessment, and decision-making. Nearly two-thirds of Gen Z accounting students say they feel prepared to use AI tools, and 31% expect automation to enhance—not threaten—their roles. To this generation, accounting is no longer a ledger-bound chore but a tech-enabled discipline that blends analytics with problem-solving.

The profession’s entrepreneurial potential is another draw. A striking 75% of Gen Z accounting students in the UK say they plan to start their own business, viewing CPA credentials as a launchpad for independence. 

As one young accountant put it, “Accounting isn’t just calculations; it’s helping businesses perform better.” For a generation that grew up through financial crises, that sense of impact matters.

What strengthens Gen Z’s position further is the sheer magnitude of opportunity. With a 17% workforce decline, soaring job postings, and a retirement wave about to hollow out the profession, Gen Z is entering a labour market with minimal competition and maximum leverage. Firms are offering higher salaries, signing bonuses, flexible schedules, and rapid promotions—not out of generosity, but necessity.

Gen Z isn’t “saving” accounting. They’re strategically seizing an undervalued profession at the exact moment it needs them most. They have recognised that accounting offers what the modern economy rarely does: stability without stagnation, technology without displacement, and entrepreneurship grounded in expertise. The shortage may be a crisis for America’s financial system—but for Gen Z, it is a perfectly timed advantage.

About the Author

Bio: Nibedita is an independent journalist honoured by the Government of India for her contributions to defence journalism.She has been an Accredited Defence Journalist since 2018, certified by the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.  With over 15 years of experience in print and digital media, she has extensively covered rural India, healthcare, education, and women’s issues. Her in-depth reporting has earned her an award from the Government of Goa back to back in 2018 and 2019. Nibedita’s work has been featured in leading national and international publications such as The Jerusalem Post, Down To Earth, Alt News, Sakal Times, and others

When the blind teenager of Andhra Pradesh chose to sue the education system just to learn science, he was not only fighting on his behalf, he was secretly redefining the meaning of inclusive education in India. As a successful entrepreneur, Srikanth Bolla is a live case study, an epitome of how one court battle can reveal the gaping holes between policy commitments  and ground reality.​

Who is Srikanth Bolla?

Srikanth Bolla is an entrepreneur with a vision of a multi-million dollar company, Bollant Industries, in Andhra Pradesh who is visually impaired and hires numerous persons with disabilities. Being born blind, he was raised in a world of discrimination even starting with his primary school years when he was often made to sit alone and deemed as lesser humans due to his impairment. Class 11-12 was his turning point as the state board did not allow him to major in science and maths because he was blind! Seriously, that was the excuse he was given! 

The boy who sued the system

Under the Andhra Pradesh State Board rules then, blind students were simply not allowed to study science and mathematics at senior secondary level; they were pushed only towards arts and humanities, citing diagrams, graphs and visual elements as excuses. This rule was disputed in court by Srikanth, with the help of his school and a teacher, who claimed that blindness was no reason to deprive a student of studying science. Six months later, the court ruled in his favour after a legal battle and this allowed blind students to choose science and maths in the schools of AP state board.​

What Happened Next?

The next thing that happened next was a turning point both in the life of Srikanth Bolla and inclusive education in India. His story caught the attention of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India, who became his mentor and collaborator on several projects at the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) and Lead India 2020 movement. With the inspiration and determination, Srikanth became the first visually impaired international student in MIT and another trail-blazing path was created for the disabled students in higher learning. 

Additionally, his life story inspired a biographical film titled “Srikanth,” which brought his journey from adversity to achievement to wider audiences, spreading awareness about disability rights and inclusion.  

Where is Srikant Bolla?

Today, Srikanth Bolla is the chairman and founder of Bollant Industries, a Hyderabad based company, producing eco-friendly products such as recycled paper and packaging, and that has hundreds of employees with disabilities. Bollant Industries has substantially increased, its present valuation stands at around Rs 500 crore and the company is expected to emerge as a unicorn organization in the near future. The success of Srikanth does not just demonstrate what can be accomplished despite disability but also demonstrates how inclusive businesses can have a significant social and economic effect together. 

Was he right in this action?

From an ethical and constitutional perspective, the decision of Srikanth to sue was not an act of rebellion but an assertion of a fundamental right to equal education. The decision of the court recognized that blanket academic bans based on disability are discriminatory and contrary to equality and dignity guaranteed under the Constitution and disability rights law. In fact, recent judgments pronounced by the Supreme Court in medical education have spoken to the same logic, criticising overbroad disability-based exclusions and asking regulators to adopt a more inclusive, case‑by‑case approach.​

What this teaches today’s students

For students, Srikanth's story is a reminder that: Saying “system aisa hi hai” is a choice but using legal and democratic routes to question unfair rules is also a choice and it can change policy for thousands, not just for one person.​

Students must remember that good marks are important but talent matters more and so does awareness of rights, courage to document injustice and readiness to seek expert help (from teachers, lawyers or rights groups) instead of silently accepting bias.​ His case also shows that activism doesn't always mean a protest in the street; a well-argued petition, supported by evidence, can permanently change the way boards and universities frame the eligibility rules.​ 

What colleges and universities need to know

NEP 2020 speaks strongly of “equitable and inclusive education” and devotes an entire section to disability inclusion, assistive technologies, and barrier-free campuses. However, ground studies show that even today, large numbers of mainstream teachers are not trained to manage students with disabilities, and their institutions struggle with basic accessibility, from the format of reading material to physical infrastructure. 

Colleges and universities need to go beyond token ramps and scholarships to actually redesign curricula, invest in assistive technology, train faculty, and establish transparent grievance redressal mechanisms for students with disabilities.​ 

Do gaps remain in the promises of NEP? 

Research on inclusive education within the framework of NEP 2020 notes that although the vision of the policy is progressive, the implementation is inadequate and financially unequal, especially in regards to children and youth with disabilities. The entire burden of inclusion is usually on the special educators, regular teachers are inadequately trained and the special schools receive low grants per-capita even though their work is demanding. Even with favorable policy wording on paper, students such as Srikanth continue to face practical challenges in the form of restricted subject selection, unavailable examination, and staff low-awareness in the admissions department.​ 

From “special case” to systemic change

The legal battle that Srikanth Bolla won should not be looked upon as a feel-good exception but as an indication that when systems are not responsive to the rights of individuals, courts are the school of last resort. The framework of inclusive education developed by NEP 2020 is only successful, as boards, colleges, and regulators take the initiative to eliminate the barriers that exist behind the scenes rather than waiting until the next student lodged a case.

To the readers and students in India, I have some questions you need to ask yourself: Will you be a silent beneficiary of bad rules, or will you be the next student to change the system not only for yourself but for all the students who will follow? 

About The Author

Kanishka, a versatile content writer and acclaimed poetess from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, combines her passion for creativity with a strong commitment to education. Beyond crafting compelling narratives, she is dedicated to enlightening readers by sharing insights and knowledge they often don’t encounter elsewhere. She has been featured in several national and international online magazines, and anthologies. Her talent and dedication to literature have earned her two national records— one for composing the longest reverse poem and another for compiling an all-female anthology that celebrates women’s voices. Her love for storytelling, philosophies, and mythologies fuels her mission to inspire and educate, shaping minds through the power of words and knowledge.