An Indian software engineer currently working at Google and earning more than ₹80 lakh annually has triggered widespread debate online after revealing that a startup rejected his application because his college CGPA was below 7.

The tech professional, who chose to remain anonymous, said he has around eight years of industry experience and had applied to the startup while exploring new job opportunities. However, instead of evaluating his professional track record, the company reportedly rejected him over academic scores from his college years.

According to the engineer, the rejection message was sent through WhatsApp and specifically mentioned that his college CGPA did not meet the company’s criteria.

What intensified the controversy was the fact that the candidate had not even mentioned his CGPA on his resume. Despite his experience at one of the world’s leading technology companies and a high-paying role, the startup allegedly focused on academic performance from nearly a decade earlier.

Speaking about the incident, the techie said the company gave no other explanation for rejecting his application. The experience prompted him to share the incident online, where it quickly gained traction across social media platforms.

Many users criticised the startup’s hiring process, calling it outdated and disconnected from real-world industry expectations. Several argued that judging experienced professionals on college grades rather than skills, achievements and work history reflected an “archaic” mindset in recruitment.

One user speculated that the company may have used the CGPA requirement as a convenient excuse because it did not have the budget to hire a highly paid engineer from a major multinational firm. Others suggested the candidate had “dodged a bullet” by avoiding a workplace with rigid and potentially toxic hiring standards.

The incident has once again reignited discussions around recruitment culture in India’s startup ecosystem, where some firms continue to prioritise academic scores, elite college backgrounds and rigid eligibility criteria even for mid-career professionals.

Industry experts have often argued that while academic performance may help assess fresh graduates, years of hands-on experience, project execution, leadership and problem-solving abilities become far more relevant for senior roles.

The engineer also confirmed that the startup did not contact him again after the social media backlash surrounding the incident.

UNESCO Peru has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting Media and Information Literacy (MIL) among young people during Global Media and Information Literacy Week 2025, highlighting the urgent need for critical thinking, ethical technology use, and safer digital participation in an AI-driven world.

Observed globally from October 24 to 31, the UNESCO-led campaign this year centres on the theme, “Think Before AI: MIL in the Digital World,” encouraging reflection on how artificial intelligence is reshaping access to information, communication, and learning.

UNESCO Peru said the initiative comes at a time when young people are spending increasing portions of their lives online, often navigating complex digital environments shaped by algorithms, misinformation, and cyber risks.

Growing digital dependence, rising concerns

According to UNESCO’s report Journey through the MILtiverse, nearly 80 per cent of young people use AI tools several times daily. At the same time, media consumption habits in Peru are rapidly shifting toward social platforms.

Data cited by UNESCO showed that:

• 54 per cent of Peruvians access news through Facebook
• 34 per cent rely on YouTube
• 33 per cent consume news via TikTok

Despite high digital engagement, only 14 per cent of users reportedly verify the information they consume, according to DATUM 2023 findings.

UNESCO also pointed to growing concerns around online safety, particularly for young women and girls. Its report Whatever Happens, Your Opinion Doesn’t Matter found that 58 per cent of young women and girls have experienced cyberbullying on digital platforms.

Media literacy beyond technology use

UNESCO Peru stressed that Media and Information Literacy is not limited to technical knowledge but involves learning how to critically evaluate information, recognise misinformation, respond ethically online, and participate responsibly in digital society.

Officials said these competencies are increasingly important in combating disinformation, hate speech, online harassment, and misuse of AI-generated content while strengthening democratic participation and informed citizenship.

Youth-centred digital citizenship initiatives

Throughout October, UNESCO Peru supported multiple youth-focused activities aimed at building safer and more inclusive digital spaces.

Among the key initiatives:

• A virtual conference on transparency in universities organised with Peru’s National Authority for Transparency and Access to Public Information and the Ministry of Justice, attended by over 700 participants.
• Workshops on technology-facilitated gender violence and safe digital participation during a youth citizenship pre-congress event.
• The “Connected Citizen” workshop in Villa María del Triunfo focused on fake news awareness and strengthening democratic engagement among community youth leaders.
• Participatory workshops at Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP) under the AMBER Network initiative addressing digital citizenship, cybersecurity, and online harassment prevention from a gender perspective.

Building safer digital environments

UNESCO Peru said its “Connected Youth” initiative seeks to equip young people with practical tools to engage with technology responsibly and ethically.

The organisation emphasised that digital literacy is becoming an essential life skill in modern society, especially as artificial intelligence increasingly influences how information is created, distributed, and consumed.

Through its MIL Week activities, UNESCO Peru reiterated its commitment to empowering young people to think critically, verify information, combat harmful online behaviour, and contribute to creating safer and more inclusive digital communities.

Driven by the belief that education remains the foundation of social progress, Shaurya Welfare Society has expanded its grassroots educational initiative, Project Arohon, across remote regions of Darjeeling and Bankura to strengthen digital learning access in underserved schools.

The initiative, conducted between July 2025 and January 2026, focused on schools struggling with declining enrolment, poor infrastructure, teacher shortages and limited digital access. The word “Arohon,” meaning ascent or rising upward in Bengali, reflects the project’s larger aim of empowering children and communities through education.

Before launching the intervention, a four-member survey team from the organisation visited seven institutions in the Rongmukh-Sonada belt of Darjeeling and parts of Bankura. The survey documented infrastructural limitations, digital exclusion, low student-teacher engagement and the socio-economic hardships faced by tea estate workers and Lohar tribal communities.

Among the schools surveyed were Jai Bharat Primary School, Vidyaratna Primary School, Proletarians Academy, Chandraman Dura Nursery School and Ramkrishna English School.

The findings revealed a severe shortage of resources. Some schools operated without electricity, while others functioned from fragile hillside structures divided by cardboard partitions and furnished with broken benches and worn-out blackboards. Several institutions relied almost entirely on community-appointed teachers and nominal student fees to survive.

In Bankura, Dhansimla Junior Girls High School, once home to more than 400 students, now has only 34 girls enrolled despite having government-appointed teachers and infrastructure. Teachers cited social pressures, economic hardship and gender-based responsibilities as major reasons for declining attendance among girls.

The outreach also extended to Ma Brahmamoyee Seva Ashram, a community-run educational shelter supporting children from the Lohar tribal community through academic tutoring and co-curricular learning activities.

As part of the Rongmukh intervention conducted in October 2025, Project Arohon installed electrical infrastructure, introduced computers and digital learning tools, organised teacher and guardian workshops and enabled remote desktop support systems for continued technical assistance. The initiative also distributed books donated by Julien Day School.

In Bankura, volunteers conducted extempore sessions, quiz competitions and puzzle-based learning activities while distributing winter clothing, books and educational kits to students.

The project highlighted how digital learning infrastructure could help bridge educational inequality in geographically isolated and economically distressed communities. Organisers believe computer-aided teaching can improve student engagement, reduce dropout rates and encourage fresh enrolment by connecting learners to broader educational resources beyond their immediate surroundings.

At the same time, the survey underscored deeper structural challenges facing rural education, including poor sanitation, lack of trained teachers, unsafe school environments and limited parental awareness regarding long-term educational outcomes.

Project Arohon’s interventions reflect a growing effort among grassroots organisations to combine digital inclusion with community-based educational support in regions where conventional schooling systems continue to struggle.

A journalism professor at Ball State University has earned one of the highest recognitions in journalism education, highlighting the growing importance of hands-on, community-driven learning in media schools across the United States.

Adam Kuban was named Teacher of the Year by the Scripps Howard Fund as part of the 73rd Scripps Howard Journalism Awards. He received the prestigious Charles E. Scripps Award for Journalism Teacher of the Year, a national honour that recognises excellence in journalism education and student mentorship.

The recognition places Kuban among a select group of educators shaping the next generation of journalists through immersive and community-engaged storytelling projects. He is only the second faculty member from Ball State University to receive the award, following Jennifer Palilonis, who won the distinction in 2012.

Kuban, who has been part of Ball State’s faculty since 2011, is widely known for integrating real-world journalism experiences into classroom learning. Over the years, he has guided students in producing documentaries, books, magazines, digital platforms and multimedia storytelling projects focused on issues ranging from science communication to sports journalism.

Speaking after the announcement, Kuban described the recognition as both humbling and motivating. He said journalism education plays a critical role in helping students understand truth, accountability and their responsibility as future media professionals.

His work has particularly stood out for connecting journalism with public-interest storytelling. One of his most recognised initiatives is Water Quality Indiana, an interdisciplinary project combining journalism and science education to examine local and global water issues. Student documentaries produced under the programme received two regional Emmy nominations and four Aurora GOLD Awards.

Beyond classrooms, Kuban has collaborated with organisations such as USA Volleyball and The Facing Project, giving students opportunities to work on professional-level storytelling assignments with real audiences and community impact.

Former student Casey Smith said Kuban’s teaching extended far beyond academics, describing him as a mentor who helped shape careers through practical reporting opportunities and an emphasis on public service journalism.

The award also reflects a broader shift within journalism education, where universities are increasingly prioritising experiential learning, multimedia storytelling and industry-linked reporting experiences over traditional lecture-based instruction alone.

Kuban holds a doctorate in communication from the University of Utah and both his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Iowa State University. During his academic career, he has taught more than 2,200 students and received multiple honours for teaching excellence, immersive learning and community engagement.

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into modern journalism, universities across the United States are still struggling to decide how future journalists should use the technology in classrooms, according to new research from University of Kansas.

The study found that journalism programs are adopting inconsistent and sometimes conflicting approaches toward AI usage, ranging from treating it as academic dishonesty to encouraging its use within structured boundaries or examining it as a broader ethical issue.

Researchers say the lack of consistency may leave students confused about professional expectations at a time when AI tools are rapidly reshaping the media industry.

Study Analysed Journalism Courses Across US Universities

The research examined 60 journalism course syllabi from 15 universities across the United States to understand how instructors are addressing artificial intelligence in journalism education.

The analysis identified three broad approaches emerging across institutions:

• AI as a threat to learning and professional integrity
• AI as a tool permitted under strict limitations
• AI as a subject of ethical and professional inquiry

The study was conducted by Samuel Muzhingi, a doctoral researcher at University of Kansas, alongside Alyssa Appelman and Tamar Wilner from KU, as well as Hong Tien Vu of University of Colorado.

The findings were published in the academic journal Journalism & Mass Communication Educator.

Students Receiving Mixed Messages About AI

According to the researchers, one of the most significant concerns is the inconsistency students encounter even within the same institution.

Muzhingi noted that some professors fully prohibit AI tools while others permit or even encourage limited use, creating uncertainty for students trying to understand acceptable professional practices.

“Students are like, ‘OK, so which class or which professor should I listen to more?’” Muzhingi explained while discussing the findings.

The researchers argue that this fragmented approach may unintentionally shortchange students as journalism schools attempt to adapt to rapidly evolving technology without shared institutional guidelines.

Writing Courses Most Resistant To AI Use

The study found that different types of journalism classes tended to approach AI differently.

Writing-focused courses most commonly treated AI as a threat to learning, discouraging or prohibiting its use entirely. Researchers said this reflects concerns that students must develop independent writing abilities — considered a core foundation of journalism.

Many syllabi under this approach warned that submitting AI-generated writing without disclosure could constitute plagiarism or academic dishonesty.

Meanwhile, design and photography courses were more likely to allow limited AI use under strict supervision or instructor approval.

Media ethics and law courses often approached AI differently altogether, treating it as a topic for professional discussion and critical inquiry rather than simply a classroom tool.

AI Allowed As A Tool — But Not As A Writer

Several courses allowed students to use AI for tasks such as grammar correction, spelling assistance, or brainstorming while explicitly prohibiting full AI-generated writing.

At the same time, instructors frequently warned students about AI hallucinations, misinformation risks, factual inaccuracies, and embedded biases.

Some syllabi required instructor approval before students could use AI tools in assignments.

Researchers say these varying rules reflect the broader uncertainty currently unfolding within the journalism profession itself, where news organisations are still determining best practices for AI integration.

Journalism Educators Face A Difficult Transition

Alyssa Appelman, associate professor of journalism and mass communications at University of Kansas, said educators are trying to balance caution with professional preparedness.

Journalism schools face pressure to preserve traditional reporting and writing standards while also preparing students for workplaces increasingly experimenting with AI-driven tools.

“As an instructor, even if I have concerns about the tool, I still see a responsibility to help students engage with it critically,” Muzhingi said.

Researchers emphasised that the issue is no longer whether AI will influence journalism, but how educational institutions can guide students toward responsible and ethical usage.

Call For Clearer Institutional Guidelines

The study concludes that journalism programs may benefit from clearer and more consistent institutional policies regarding AI usage.

Researchers suggested that accrediting organisations such as Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication could help institutions develop shared frameworks and best practices.

Appelman said instructors can no longer assume students already understand acceptable AI boundaries because guidance currently varies dramatically from one course to another.

“One of my biggest takeaways from this study is how important it is for instructors to be clear about their expectations,” she said.

The researchers plan to continue studying how journalism students engage with AI tools when given clear ethical guidelines compared to situations where expectations remain ambiguous.

As AI continues reshaping reporting, editing, research, and content production across newsrooms worldwide, the study suggests journalism education may be entering one of its most important transitions in decades.

Journalism education is increasingly being recognised as a pathway that extends far beyond traditional newsroom careers, with educators and industry experts arguing that media training now equips students with critical thinking, communication and analytical skills valuable across multiple professions. A recent commentary published in The Lowell Sun highlighted how journalism programmes are evolving to prepare students not only for reporting roles but also for careers in public policy, business, education, digital communication and civic engagement.

The article emphasised that journalism education today focuses heavily on research, storytelling, verification, ethical decision-making and audience understanding — skills that are increasingly relevant in an era shaped by misinformation, artificial intelligence and rapidly changing digital platforms. Educators argue that journalism courses help students become stronger communicators and more informed citizens, regardless of whether they ultimately pursue careers in media.

The growing shift reflects wider changes in the media landscape, where journalism has expanded beyond newspapers and television into podcasts, newsletters, creator-driven platforms and digital storytelling ecosystems. Industry observers note that modern journalism students are now expected to develop multimedia capabilities, including video production, social media strategy, data analysis and audience engagement.

Experts also point out that journalism education increasingly intersects with media literacy, an area gaining importance globally as societies grapple with fake news, manipulated content and declining public trust in information ecosystems. Recent academic discussions have stressed that journalism programmes now play a crucial role in teaching students how to identify misinformation, evaluate sources critically and engage responsibly with digital media.

The discussion comes at a time when journalism itself is undergoing rapid transformation due to technological disruption and the rise of AI-powered content systems. Despite concerns over shrinking traditional newsrooms, educators maintain that journalism education remains valuable because its core skills — curiosity, ethical reasoning, storytelling and public accountability — are transferable across industries and increasingly important in the digital economy.