Anita Rodrigues (name altered) broke down, a couple of years back, after going to the Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou) regional centre at Porvorim and discovering that her several postgraduate degrees obtained through 'correspondence' and 'external' modes by paying thousands of rupees were not valid. There are several such requests from the police every year for Ignou to check certificates, which prove to be always forged.

The diplomas are sometimes sold at a fee by scammers to students who are entirely aware it is a forgery, but, in most of the cases, the forged diplomas are dispensed by 'agents' who present themselves as authorized centers to provide 'correspondence' or 'external' degrees.

"Students ought to be aware that the terms 'correspondence' and 'external' are old-fashioned. There is no such thing anymore.". There are a few who claim to be centres and offer students a roster of universities from where they can award a degree. Students need to be suspicious if someone, for example, claims to be able to award a degree of Sikkim or Jammu university. If Goa University is not able to give a degree to a student who is sitting in Sikkim or Jammu, then how can it be done the reverse way," Ignou centre regional director G Shrinivas expressed.

Only a university like Goa University set up by an Act in the assembly and Ignou set up by an Act in the Parliament are able to give degrees, he stated.

Unless they send you to that university to respond to an exam in Sikkim or Jammu, for instance, they cannot award a degree to you. Most come here to complete their masters degree and when we teach them that their graduation degree is a bogus one, they are flabbergasted. 'Agents' also tell students that they can respond to all three years' exams for degree program at one time.". This idea of allowing answering of exams for all years at one go was halted by University Grants Commission in 1989," said Shrinivas.

Rodrigues lost years of answering doing her postgraduate programme again through Ignou, impacting her career development. She found out how she was cheated only after visiting Ignou to do her doctorate.

Now, it is not correspondence or external, there remains only open and distance education in operation. Most of the universities such as Shivaji, Annamalai, etc used to be providing programmes in correspondence and external mode in other states previously. But during the 2000s, the UGC halted this and mentioned that universities have no control outside their states.".

Meanwhile, Rodrigues has managed to finish here postgraduate and doctorate courses through Ignou.

Still, 'agents' have been found openly scamming students running offices all over Goa, assuring 'external' degrees.

"Some of them provide the admission to Ignou programmes through our website itself. Then they extort the student Rs 25,000 for a graduate course available at Rs 5,000 fee at Ignou.". They incur fee for each assignment, project or dissertation submission, which is free of cost. 'Agent' then submits the assignment free of cost to Ignou centres. Students tend to realise after they lose thousands of rupees and lots of valuable years," Shrinivas added.

CUET 2025: Cut-off Trends, College Options, Results & Counselling Guide

Interim CUET-UG answer key, response sheets, have been made available by the National Testing Agency (NTA) in the third week of June and are inviting objections. Final answer key and official results will be published in the last week of July 2025, likely between July 28 to July 30, and can be accessed at cuet.nta.nic.in.

Out of 13 to 14 lakh aspirants, the test used a uniform marking scheme (+5/-1) and applied normalization between shifts.

CUET Cut-Offs: Expectations

Cut-offs differ university-wise, course-wise, and category-wise. General-category candidates for brand central universities such as DU, BHU, and JNU typically need about 90–98 percentile.

DU B.Com (Hons.): about 97–99 percentile (about 200–220 out of 250)

DU BBA/BMS: about 96–98 percentile (about 190–210 out of 250)

DU BA/B.Sc courses: about 95–98 percentile

Cut-offs in different categories (OBC, SC, ST) would be lower and in the range of 70–85 percentile.

CUET scores offer admission to over 45 central universities, state universities, and deemed universities like DU (about 79,000 seats), BHU, JMI, JNU, Aligarh Muslim University, the University of Hyderabad, etc.

DU colleges like Hindu, Hansraj, and SRCC have very high cut-offs (e.g., Hindu BA Honours English has a cut-off of roughly 770 out of 800). The selection of test combinations (stream, languages, general) has a significant influence on the possibility of getting admitted. 

CUET-UG counselling starts from the date of declaration of results, which is usually in the first week of August 2025.

It is a decentralized process where each university performs registration, choice filling, and seat allotment separately.

General Process:

Registration on respective university portals.

Document verification and category verification.

Filling of preferences for colleges and courses.

Seat allotment happens in several rounds depending on the preference and merit.

Payment of fee and submission of documents to complete admission. There could be upgrades or spot rounds in subsequent rounds for remaining seats.

Centralized via the CSAS portal in the support of a helpline. The initial round starts after the results, with upgrades in future rounds.  BHU and JNU also conduct online counseling, often with mop-up rounds for left-over seats.

Final Checklist

Late July: Collect the scorecard

Early August: Counseling registration

Mid-August: Fill choice selection, document verification, and fee payment

From September: College reporting preparation and new academic term

The Konyak Students' Union (KSU), the renowned student body of the Konyak Naga community, formally asked the Nagaland government to review its existing job reservation policy, seeking quotas to be recalculated based on the population of each tribe. KSU wants representations in the state workforce to be just and asks for overhauling of reservation on the strength of tribal population.

In a letter to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, the KSU argued that the current reservation system is not a demography-based system and has led to unequal representation of various tribes in government positions. The union argues that population-based will lead to equity and be more beneficial to communities that are underrepresented in government positions.

"This is not about privilege — it's about proportional justice," said a KSU spokesperson. "The Konyak community, despite being one of the largest of the Nagaland tribes, is still marginalized in state-level recruitments. We are asking for a policy that reflects ground reality."

The Konyaks, living mostly in the Mon district of east Nagaland, have long been complaining of imbalances in development, education, and employment. The fresh plea for a reorganisation in the quota is being made against the national debate backdrop in India on reservation justice, equitable representation, and tribal empowerment.

Reports from the Chief Minister's Office indicated that the representation has been received by the government and is likely to be debated in the next cabinet meeting. Officials still maintained, however, that any tweaking of reservation policies should be carried out after intensive consultations with all of the tribal organizations to foster social harmony.

Civil society organizations in Nagaland are watching the development closely because it has the potential to lead to such demands from the other tribes for proportional representation.

As Nagaland continues socially and politically, the Konyak Students' Union's call for population-based reservations can turn out to be a turning point — not just for tribal justice, but for the way affirmative action is framed in India's northeast.

Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR), by Ministry of Education is a life-long, 12 digit unique identification system meant for all students in India. It is meant to monitor a student's academic records during their period of education, making transitions between institutions and schools easier and efficient.

APAAR ID: Fundamental Features Of APAAR

Comprehensive Academic Records: APAAR has comprehensive academic records such as courses pursued, grades, certifications, and achievements. It is connected with Digi Locker for secure storage and management of the same.

Monitoring And Evaluation: It assists in monitoring and evaluating the outcome of educational outcome, scholarships and benefit schemes through its integration with Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK).

Data Security and Privacy: APAAR ensures strong security for students' data, keeping their academic records available only via their account.

Transparency and Accountability: APAAR assists students in maintaining and accessing their academic records anywhere at any time, making inter-transits easier for educational institutions, skilling, while applying for employment or higher studies.

APAAR ID: How To Apply For APAAR?

School Visit by Parents: Parents first have to visit the concerned students' school in order to learn in detail about APAAR ID.

Submission of Consent Form: Subsequently, parents have to submit the consent form to sanction for making APAAR id.

ID Generation: Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) system generates the APAAR id of the student and publishes the same in the Digi Locker account, from where they can download and view it.

APAAR ID Creation: Information Required For APPAR ID Creation

UDISE+ Unique Student Identifier (PEN),

Student Name,

Date of Birth (DOB),

Gender, Mobile Number,

Mother's Name,

Father's Name,

Name as per Aadhaar, 

Aadhaar Number

Following the tragic Air India Flight AI-171 plane crash near the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, which hit a hostel that accommodates medical students, B.J. Medical College (BJMC) has decided to cancel all existing and future internal tests for MBBS students.

The college has also canceled the summer break for all the medical faculty and doctors and requested them to help in the treatment of the injured.

The move will impact more than 500 students, mainly the first and second year students, who were residing in the building that was struck by the Boeing Dreamliner.

Over 200 students, including MBBS residents, have left their hostels and gone back home in trauma and fear.

Sources in the college said at least 40 students who were on the spot when the accident happened are still in a state of shock and trauma.

The exams will be postponed after students recover from the psychological trauma, officials added.

"In view of the present psychological and emotional condition of our students, and the logistical inconvenience brought about by the destruction of the mess-cum-hostel building, all in-house theory and practical exams are put off until further notice," a BJMC senior official confirmed.

The mess building, where students' hostel as well as the dining area were located, was hit squarely by the aircraft wing when it crashed.

With the chaos located on the second and first floors, residents and interns have been left without the availability of regular meals and basic facilities.

In a similar development, the college has also canceled the summer break for all medical staff and physicians.

The second half of the summer recess was to commence from June 13, but all medical personnel have now been ordered to join duty from June 14.

It has been done in consideration of the emergency medical requirements following the aircraft crash and the treatment of injured victims at Civil Hospital where BJMC doctors are on night shifts.

While Vijay Rupani's son Rishabh Rupani had come to Gandhinagar from the United States on Saturday, his wife Anjali Rupani arrived from London on Friday on a special chartered flight.

Other senior BJP leaders like Health Minister Rushikesh Patel, Union Minister Parshottam Rupala, and some party members and relatives have also been reaching the Gandhinagar residence of the family to pay their condolences.

The party sources have said that the late leader will be given the last rites in his hometown, Rajkot

With schools re-opening in Telangana, transport authorities have intensified checks on school buses to ensure the safety of children. Nearly 60 school buses operating in the Greater Hyderabad region were seized on Thursday for various violations. Of these, 25 were seized within the limits of Hyderabad city alone.

Hyderabad currently has 1,257 school buses, Joint Transport Commissioner C Ramesh told us. Besides, there are 6,149 buses on Rangareddy district's roads and 6,095 on Medchal district's roads.

The inspection teams started early on Thursday morning with school buses. Transport officials found several violations, such as documents missing, absence of fitness certificates, and non-compliance with safety standards.

The department knows that almost 15% of the Hyderabad school buses have not procured mandatory fitness certificates. But almost 90% of the educational institution buses in Rangareddy and Medchal district procured it.

The inspections ensured that buses have compulsory equipment for safety: each student should have his own seat; the buses should have fire extinguishers and first-aid kits; and the vehicles should get regular maintenance. Also, each school bus should be accompanied by an attendant to serve students' safety.

It is also required that a bus driver hold a valid heavy vehicle licence and be below the age of 60 years. School buses must change their fitness certificates annually, on a test performed by the RTA. These certificates and registration records, the driver's licence and other documents, have to be carried on board on a permanent basis.

School bus seized in Nizamabad for not having fitness certificate

Rahul Kumar, DTO In-charge, Nizamabad, told that one of the school buses running without a fitness certificate was impounded when they went on inspections on Thursday. He added that 790 school buses are present in the district and 680 of them have been inspected to date and found to have valid fitness certificates and licensed drivers.

There are 170 pending buses to inspect. All of them are nearing 15 years of service, and some of them are still on the road for one reason or another. "If any unfit buses are operating on the roads, they will be seized and fined under the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act," DTO stated. He also mentioned that the regular inspections will go on in the district with a special emphasis on safeguarding students and preventing road accidents.

Saudi Arabia murdered more than 330 individuals in 2024 alone, human rights estimates suggest. And in this, the execution of a reporter for tweets is no exception—it's a message, writes Edinbox senior scribe Nibedita.

Journalism is not terrorism. A tweet is not treason. And Turki Al-Jasser should have lived to pen many more of them.

In an era where a single blog can be used to magnify truth or opposition, journalism and treason are becoming indistinguishable from each other—at least in Saudi Arabia. The recent beheading of journalist Turki Al-Jasser on charges of spreading his opinions on the internet has left the world of journalism and the universe of human rights gasping in its aftermath. It is not only a haunting tale of power abuse, but a sort of amnesia at how totalitarian regimes still view speaking truth to be punished as a crime.

Al-Jasser, an old journalist in his late 40s, was picked up in 2018. His offense? Tweets criticizing corruption, women's rights, and the threat that militant groups posed—most of them tweeted anonymously. Human rights organization Reprieve says he was tried in secret and sentenced to death, whose sentence was recently carried out. His offense, they claim, was "just journalism."

This case frighteningly recalls the 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist murdered within the Saudi consulate in Istanbul—a killing American intelligence believes was sanctioned by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The international outcry at the time was so promising. But seven years on, not much has changed. If anything, the room for dissent has narrowed further.

The Saudi government still functions under the cover of anti-terrorism, employing lax legislation to muzzle criticism. From a Bank of America staff member imprisoned for a tweet he deleted to dual citizen U.S.-Saudi Saad Almadi found guilty for tweets because he had been resident in the U.S., it is apparent that speech online is being criminalized—even retroactively.

Turki Al-Jasser was not a criminal. He was a responsible journalist, who defied silence in an arena where silence is dictated by weapons. The fact that his trial was held in secrecy, where nobody knows anything about it, indicates the institutionalized erosion of transparency.

This is not only a Saudi problem. This is an observation of how the world still facilitates such regimes with silence and transactional foreign policy. When governments and corporations value transactions more than human rights, they enable authoritarianism.

With the NEET-PG 2025 date nearing, MBBS graduates of this very same university were eagerly anticipating they would be eligible to sit for the exam despite graduating a year ago.

Impacted college is Madhya Pradesh Medical Science University (MPMSU) Jabalpur. MBBS fourth-year students, who graduated in 2024 from MSU, claim that they were not in a position to provide NEET-PG 2025, as they have not completed their mandatory one-year internship, which will be done only in August.

According to National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) regulations holding NEET-PG, the candidates must have completed their internship on or before 31st July 2025 in order to be considered for appearing for NEET-PG 2025.

With regard to MP MSU students, the reason why their internship was not completed is that the university delayed publishing their final year MBBS results.

"We have completed all our end-term tests and other exams till June. But results were declared till August 16. So, we began our internships a bit late than we should have," Dr Lucky* (name withheld at request), a passout from college, said.

Normally, the university students would complete exams, receive final marks and disperse for internships by March 31, and the deadline would be July 31. But not one year. "The college somehow left our results pending, which never used to happen," says Dr Anshuman*, a postgraduate of the university's MBBS course.

Dr Lucky also lamented that since the COVID-19 pandemic, results of exams after taking the exams took months before the university released them. "First-year exam results at some point in time were out five months after sitting for exams," he said.

"Even final year results were impacted by those delays last year," he groused.

Hence, MBBS students who had given their final exams received their result after months when the exams were over and so there were delayed internship notices. In this so-called bureaucratic error, these students are unable to provide NEET-PG 2025.

"We can provide only NEET-PG 2026. One year has lapsed without our fault," fumed Dr Lucky*.

Both the interns also make sure that after internship, it is not possible to become a junior resident doctor. "Madhya Pradesh state government hospitals and health centres have a two-year bond. If we start practicing after internship, we will not be able to deliver NEET-PG till 2028," said Dr Anshuman*.

The only ray of hope for the graduates is that the NBEMS extends its deadline by one month, to August 31.

Medical professional associations such as the United Doctors' Front (UDF) also conveyed sympathies to the graduates.

In a letter to Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda, the UDF states, "This partial extension would provide all such aggrieved candidates an equitable and fair opportunity to compete in NEET PG 2025, as per the canons of justice and academic parity."

But notwithstanding the amount of help there is, the graduates have no chance of the deadline being extended on their behalf. "The university administration does not assist, and to be frank with you, they are also helpless in extending the deadline," Dr Lucky said.

Dr Anshuman also suggested that he "has accepted" the fact that they would have no option but to proceed and conduct NEET-PG 2026 alone. "Sale of NEET-PG application forms is closed and last opportunity to apply late is closed. The test will go as planned and nothing could be done in this regard," he admitted nostalgically.

Hate comments have now become a rampant phenomenon in the digital era disrupting the lives of the people, society and even national discourse. But why? Do you know what triggers them to post hate comments? Recent studies and psychological researches give a unique and fact-based insight into the psychology of online hate, and discloses a complicated interrelation of individual characteristics, social influences and loopholes in the regulation.

Why do People Post Hate Comments?

1. Emotional Frustration and Jealousy: It has been found that hate comments are posted by individuals who become frustrated and envious when the personal objectives or ambitions are not achieved. As an example, when India’s Got Latent was called out by the court, people started to post hate comments and abusive comments on the post of judges along with the core team. This trend is not unusual, public figures, celebrities, and even regular users become targets in case their followers are disappointed or jealous.
2. Exposure and Desensitization: In a fMRI study published in 2023, it was shown that desensitization to hate speech repeated exposure can decrease empathy, which in turn increases the possibility of the individual conducting such treatment. This compassion collapse translates to the fact that individuals become desensitized to the suffering of others in life, particularly subjects belonging to the perceived outsiders or outgroups.
3. Social Contagion and Group Process: Hate speech is contagious. When hateful speech becomes an accepted way of communication within people's online environments, they are more likely to engage in them. Group dynamics further support this because projecting hate may get to be an approach of sharing the idea that one is loyal to a specific group or community. 

The Mentality of Hate Commenters

According to a seminal research published in Frontiers in Psychology, those who write hate comments online are frequently so psychopathic that they possess the character trait of egocentricity, lack of sympathy, and moral depravity. Although other characteristics (such as envy or narcissism) may be used, psychopathy was identified as the most reliable predictor of online hate.

The perceived anonymity of the internet reduces social inhibitions, and one can express hate without fear of offending them in real life. This so-called online disinhibition effect promotes individuals to utter things that they would never have said face to face.

Some post hate messages in an attempt to express anger, establish dominance or gain a sense of power where they feel powerless. This may be encouraged by the immediate response loop of likes, shares or replies.

What is the Government Doing?

Hate comments have a severe and broad range of physical and psychological effects, such as mental illnesses, bullying, and physical violence, yet there is little government control over them. Laws against hate speech already exist in many countries, and India is one of them; however, implementation is commonly feeble, and statutory definitions may not be clear, or even adequate. Platforms are inconsistent in dealing with hate comments, and a lot of them are not caught.

Some governments and organizations are trying an alternative to harsh censorship: counterspeech: responding to hate with empathy or corrections to the facts. A 2021 study conducted at ETH Zurich showed that the empathy-based counter speech is capable of countering hate speech, but only to a moderate degree. Nevertheless, this type of intervention is not common and systematic yet.

These hate messages actually produce real-life consequences to the victims, causing anxieties, depressions, and insecurities- even in the non-digital space. The most impacted people are usually those in marginalized groups and the psychological effects and aftermath can be long-term.

A combination of personal frustration, hard personality characteristics, social contagion, and the enabling atmosphere of online anonymity contribute to the mindset of hate comments. Despite the promising results of some of the interventions, there is a lot left to do on the platform and policy level. To students, teachers and policy makers, these triggers and mindsets are what they should understand to create healthier communities online.   

Social media hate comments are increasing day by day; it is now a necessity to educate people, make strict laws, and have control over such unethical practices to  prevent social, personal, and national harm.

The Indian government is acting swiftly to ensure the safety of its citizens and students in Tehran. In a significant move, over 100 students were moved out of Tehran in the last 48 hours. Many of them are said to have already crossed the Iran-Armenia border and are preparing to return home. This order was passed due to the increasing security threat because of the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. The government has also advised its self-sufficient citizens in Tehran to leave the city.

The Embassy of India in Tehran, in close coordination with Iranian authorities, has helped in shifting the students of high-risk areas of Tehran to safer cities like Qom that are approximately 150km. Qom, with its religious significance and relative safety, has become a temporary refuge of around 600 Indian students. On the other side, 110 students (including many medical students of Kashmir and other Indian states) who crossed over the border to the Armenian side will soon take a flight to Delhi.

As per the Indian officials, There were 10,000 Indian nationals in Iran of which 6000 were Indian students when the clash happened. The government of India said, "The embassy remains continuously in touch with the community with a view to extending all feasible assistance. Further advisories may be issued given the fluid situation."

To guide the process, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has established a 24/7 control room in New Delhi to keep track of the situation and make evacuation arrangements. The embassy is also making advisories requesting all Indian nationals in Tehran to relocate to safer grounds at their own means where possible, and stay in contact with the embassy officials further to assist them.

Tehran air evacuation was impossible since the Iranian airspace had been closed as a result of the conflict. Consequently, the Indian government decided to use the land route through Armenia, the country bordering Iran and has good relations with India. They have taken this path as a preferred method of safe escape, similar to land evacuation during the Ukrainian evacuations in the mission called Operation Ganga.

Indian students in Tehran reported being in fear and in most cases forced to stay in the basements with little communication because of poor internet connection. Mehreen Zaffar, a medical student living in Tehran told the news agency PTI in a voice full of fear, “We are scared. We have been calling for help but nothing is happening.” She also said, “Iran is on black alert. We don’t know what is happening.” Mahreen then described how they had to be in the basement with no communication. 

Mahreen is one of those 70 students stuck in the warzone waiting to be rescued. For these students, the Indian embassy and the Indian government  are the only hope that can help them return home safely. “We have full hopes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.” She further said. 

Huzaif Malik, a student far from the warzone in Urmia said, “we were in Urmia which was relatively safe. We have reached Armenia.” Another student named Faizan Nabi from Kerman University of Medical Sciences said, “The situation is not bad here as in Tehran. But there is still fear and we are hoping that we will be relocated soon.” 

As per the report received from Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Association, the students have safely reached Yerevan which is Armenia’s capital city.

There have been numerous reports of relief at being relocated to safer areas but calls of an outright evacuation back to India remain. The situation is still strained and parents in India are waiting desperately to hear about the safety of their children.

Almost 100 foreign medical graduates (FMGs) in Rajasthan have an uncertain future since their compulsory internships at ESIC Medical College, Alwar stand paralysed due to stipend dispute, and insufficient internships seat issue. These aspiring doctors are in a dilemma regarding their eligibility of medical practice and continuation of higher studies in India due to this crisis.

The main issue is a conflict of rules and bureaucracies. The Rajasthan Medical Council (RMC) assigned internship posts to Foreign Medical Graduates (FMG) five months ago after the results of Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) were announced. But since they missed the June 15 deadline of joining they have not yet been allowed to start their clinical work yet their colleagues across other institutions are already serving in hospitals.

The Supreme Court has required every FMG to be stipend but National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines permit only 7.5% of the entire seats to be paid internships. Dr Asim Das, Dean of ESIC Hospital raised a question referring to this that, "This is a govt organisation where we are answerable for the audit. So, how do we differentiate the payment of the stipend? The Rajasthan government is saying give a stipend to 7.5% of FMG’s, but the question is which 7.5% out of the 100 FMG’S.” 

Das also stated that the number of internship seats in the ESIC Medical College is just 100 and the same number of Indian medical graduates are also competing to get these internship seats. This will lead to the direct conflict between 100 FMGs and 100 Indian medical graduates for 100 seats, as the competition of scarcely available opportunities is getting increasingly high.

According to FMGs, neither ESIC nor the RMC and the medical education department are considering their applications and thus they are moving around seeking solutions from one pillar to post.

The delay going on in Rajasthan’s Medical College could have severe consequences for these FMGs. Their chances of being registered to work in medicine, carry post graduate studies and being employed altogether will be delayed unless they have timely internships. Most affected graduates have shown distress and stated that urgent solutions should be given by the state to find a way forward as this stipend dispute needs to end.

This situation at Medical College in Rajasthan is underscoring the dire necessity of transparent and uniform rules about FMG internships and stipend allocation. Other medical experts and student organizations are pressuring the Rajasthan government, RMC and the ESIC Medical College so that the FMGs are not subjected to unequal treatments. This problem needs to be urgently settled not only because of the careers of these young doctors but also due to the healthcare system of the state, which also relies on the continuous supply of trained specialists.

Innovation has become a critical trend in the corporate environment of the modern world, as well as in the creative career field and the overall life of individuals living in it. Some of the most revolutionary concepts tend to be created at the juncture of art and science as the creativity and analytical thinking are paired. The described synergy is not a theoretical construct only, it also is supported by the recent research, trends, and facts that demonstrate how professionals and aspirants can become real top designers in 2025.

Art-Science is the Engine of Innovation

Recent studies across the world reveal the contribution of art and science interplay which is spearheading some significant inventions. As an example, in 2025, scientific teams are using AI in order to decode the human brain, and it is expected to have detailed brain maps that will transform healthcare and cognitive sciences.

All these developments owe to the actual collaboration between scientists and artists/designers to bring these complex data to perception and available to the general population thus resulting in better communication and resolution to the problems. For instance, the Princeton University Art of Science exhibition illustrates how art and science in combination extend limits of human imaginations and knowledge and lead to innovations in any field of life.

Understanding Design Thinking in 2025

The idea of design thinking, which blends the approaches of empathy, creativity, and scientific interpretation, has turned into a point that changes everything in organizations all over the world. The Design Management Institute has also made claims that firms that took design thinking seriously have been able to outperform the S&P 500 by an unimaginable 219 percent in the last ten years. 

There was a research carried out by IBM indicating that design thinking can save one 75% of risk related to the project, shorten time to market by 50%, and enhance the efficiency of the team by 20%. Though it’s an old report and the numbers would have drastically changed, what matters is taking the average and understanding where the market has reached, and where it will go  in the coming years. The industries of countries in the world are expected to augment the global design thinking market at a compound annual growth rate of 10.67 in the period between 2023 and the year 2030, with over $2.5 billion anticipated to be spent on its application by 2028 in both start-ups and existing businesses. 

Roles And Skills of Designers in 2025

There is an utmost need for skilled designers, and the role they perform is changing awfully fast because of technology and change in consumer expectation. UX/UI designers, motion designers, product designers, and AR/VR specialists are the most requested careers in design where creativity and technical skills are needed. 

In order to become a successful designer one would have to learn a wide skill set:

1. Corporate insight and inter-team charm: It is essential to know business terms and it is also beneficial that there should be a smooth transition in different business departments.
2. Technical ability/knowledge: You need to know how to code, integrate AI and new design programs such as Figma and Sketch.
3. Understanding the users: To develop solutions that will really appeal to end-users, top designers carry out deep user research and introduce empathy to their tasks.
4. Flexibility and unceasing education: As the new waves of creativity based on the use of artificial intelligence, the culture of immersive cultures through the use of AR/VR, and the idea of more environmentally friendly design methods gain momentum, being up to date is no longer optional.
5. Inclusive and Emotional design: In the 2025, the development of emotion-invoking experience that can be accessible to all users becomes a major concern.

The undeniable fact is that innovation space is changing rapidly even though the level of investment in science and innovation in the world declined in 2023, advancements in technology in areas such as AI, genome sequencing, materials science and where interdisciplinary research is fostered are healthy. 

In design, AI has become an addition that has not only automated mundane activities, but also increased creativity and popularized design and thus the industry has experienced a boom in the number of new entrants and new ideas in the field. This will be mirrored by the UX market growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.2% between 2021 to 2028.

What to Do to Become a Best Designer: Practical Advice

In order to become the best in this changing world, professionals and hopefuls ought to:

1. Develop Curiosity in Other Areas:  Be inspirationally motivated by art and science in exploring innovation.
2. Obtain mastery of analytical and creative tools: Remain tight with design software, AI, and the fundamentals of coding.
3. Put empathy and user research in first place: Put user needs at the center of each design decision.
4. Embrace continuous learning: Keep in touch with trends, attend workshops and seek criticism to be ahead in the industry.
5. Be an access and sustainability champion: Ethical, accessible and environment-friendly design.

Art and science do not just have to be fused as a theoretical desire of creativity sometimes, but as an already tested and effective pattern of innovation and career advancement. The adoption of this interdisciplinary approach by businesses and developers opens new horizons, contributes to business prosperity and determines the future of design. 

If you are the person who hopes to become a leading designer in 2025, the advice is simple: learn to be creative but scientific at the same time, be curious and never ever stop studying. It is where real innovation and career success starts.

Making the career choice in design is a big step, more so in India because the creative industry is booming and new age-specializations are coming up every year. Initially the question was between art and craft, then came the choice between art,craft, and specialised design, and today the design field has evolved into a set of all the types of design. 

If you are a design aspirant who is confused whether to choose Bachelor of Design (B.Des) or Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) or Diploma in Design, this guide can assist you compare these courses on the basis of course structure, career scope, entrance exams, and salary trend so that you could make a wise, future-oriented decision.

What is Bachelor of design (B.Des)?

Bachelor of design is a professional degree in the field of applied design, i.e., product design, user experience/user interface (UX/UI) design, fashion design, interior design, or communication design. The curriculum is technology and focused on practical skills, fusing together creativity and problem-solving, which has massively changed the B.Des graduates into professionals that the technology companies, start-ups, and international brands highly want to recruit.

1. Entrance exams: UCEED, NID DAT, NIFT, AIEED, AIDAT
2. Specializations: Product, Graphic, Textile, Fashion, UI/UX, Industrial, Interior, Jewelry and so on.
3. Leading Recruiters: TCS, Infosys, Flipkart, Myntra, Tata Elxsi, design studios and MNCs.
4. Salary Trends: Product designers and UX/UI designers can be paid up to 12.5 lakh/yr and other designers and/or freshers have a salary range of 3.3-6.7 lakh/yr.
5. Ideal for: Students who enjoy creativity and combining the art with technology as well as being a team player and aspiring a career with a variety of high-paying jobs in India, which is a rapidly developing design industry.

What is Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)?

Bachelor of Fine Arts is an undergraduate degree in visual arts and performing arts- painting, sculpture, animation, photography, etc. The course is suitable to students interested in traditional or digital art and wish to develop a portfolio to work in the art, animation, or teaching field.

1. Entrance examinations: NID DAT, BHU UET, JMI, CUET, AIDAT.
2. Specialization: painting, sculpture, applied art, animation, photography, visual communication.
3. Careers Scope: Fine Artist, Animator, Art Director, Art Teacher, Gallery Curator, Multimedia Artist.
4. Salary Trends: The entry-level pay is between 1.2 to 8.7 lakh across per /yr, with the highest paying jobs (such as Art Director or Actor) with 20 lakh per /yr.

Ideal for: Students with strong creativity who wish to study personal/ commercial art or become interested in animation, galleries, or even teaching.

What is a Diploma in Design?

Design Diploma programs are shorter (1-3 years) skills-based programs, and tend to be less costly. They suit students who wish to get into the workplace as quickly as possible, upskill, or specialize in such directions as graphic design, animation, web design, or interior design.

1. Eligibility: 10+2 
2. Career Scope: Junior Designer, Assistant, Freelancing, Primary school teacher 
3. Salary Trends: Entry-level jobs pay in between - 1.8-4 lakh/yr.
4. Best suited to: People who need practical skills, wish to enter the workforce sooner, or use community or technical college as a bridge to a 2- or 4-year degree program.

So Which Path is the Right Path?

1. Go for a B.Des if you want to be a professional designer, pursue a design career in India, love solving problems, and want to work in the area of technology, business, or creativity.
2. Go for a BFA degree if you are an art lover and yearn to possess a creative portfolio or hope to work either in animation, fine arts or education.
3. Go for a diploma in design if you need to get into design fast, you can’t afford a UG degree in design, or you need practical problem-solving skills to start working.

Most Recent Trends & Insights (2025)

1. Generative AI in Design: B.Des and even Diploma courses are starting to integrate AI tools into their curriculum to quick-prototype and do digital artwork, UX research and a lot more.
2. Hybrid Careers: Graduates of B.Des pursue careers in the startups, e-commerce, and digital marketing fields and those of BFA pursue careers in animation, gaming, and OTT content creation industry.
3. Demand: UI/UX, product design and animation have been classified as some of the best-paying and highest-demanding design jobs in India as per the 2025 placement data.

Indian design education has it all, something of interest to every creative mind. Select the one that suits you the best whether B.Des, BFA or any Diploma. It is better to align your choice according to your strengths, interests and career aims. Check college rankings, consider internships, research entrance exams and create a good portfolio. Remember, the Indian design industry has a bright future ahead, make the right choice and be prepared to become a big name in the design industry. 

According to recent reports and internal memos, Google is, in fact, trying to make its employees adopt artificial intelligence (AI) as one of its central business areas. This is not merely gossip or floating idealistic fantasy, but is rather an official strategic change that is already transforming the workforce training, product development, and not the least, the composition of a workforce.

The Voluntary Buyouts, not Layoffs, by Google

This month, June 2025, Google is offering “Voluntary Exit Program” aka voluntary buyouts to thousands of its employees in the US, covering major divisions, such as its Knowledge and Information (K&I) organization, a unit that includes the company flagship Search, Ads, and Commerce businesses, and the core engineering and marketing, research and communications groups. This is in the wake of the possible layoff of 2023 where Google sacked 12,000 employees worldwide.

Such buyouts unlike standard lay offs are being framed as a friendly outing option to the employees who do not feel aligned with the new direction at Google or find it hard to fulfill the new demands of their current position. This was made very clear by Nick Fox, the leader of the K&I group, stating that “If you’re excited about your work, energized by the opportunity ahead, and performing well, I really (really!) hope you don’t take this! We have ambitious plans and tons to get done”.

What is the Buyout Package?

Although specific figures are not revealed, the buyouts involved up to 14 weeks of pay and an extra week per year of tenure in the case of midlevel to top-level employees in the company in the past. The present VEP has comparable severance packages, which offers a soft land at the hands of employees willing to leave.

Google’s AI First Approach

Google has completely reinvented its internal learning platform, Grow, to essentially offer training that is entirely AI-oriented. As per a report by India Today, courses that were not AI-related, such as personal finance to 3D printing, are canned, and the company claims that only sessions that are directly linked to business priorities shall be offered. The aim of this move is to assist in the process of the employees learning how to incorporate the latest AI instruments in their daily routine and utilize them more effectively to support the new strategic focus of Google.

CEO Sundar Pichai has been frank in the messages, informing employees that 2025 will be an important year to Google and that they need to put more efforts into artificial intelligence and regulatory concerns. He has emphasized on the fact that attention needs to be given to AI to keep abreast with the race and also to solve some genuine problems faced by users.

Gemini, the AI flagship product of Google, as well as the agent-based product NotebookLM Plus, which are both AI-based products, falls at the heart of the company outlining its 2025 vision. The company is moving team members and resources to hasten the advancement of AI and integration into its suite of products.

Additionally, Google is encouraging employees at some of its divisions, especially those that are less relevant to its AI-first agenda, to offer voluntary buyouts. It is clear in internal memos that the employees not motivated or not aligned with these new priorities are welcome to consider the exit program.

What Is The Motive Behind This Step Of Google?

The AI competitions have been going on with Google struggling to gain the lead with giants like Microsoft, Apple among others as well as smaller start-ups in the field. Internally Sergey Brin, one of the co-founders of the company, has claimed that achievement of artificial general intelligence (AGI) is achievable by employees working much harder and particularly collaborating more inside the workplace.

At the same time, the company is reducing its expenses, reducing the number of employees and optimization of operations. The direction of investment is AI infrastructure. Those programs and benefits that are not directly linked to AI or business results are phased out as well. also, the rising regulation pressure and the need to be more innovative every day prompts Google to look at AI as the contingency to continue to hold the leadership position.

Moreover, Google is not acting alone. Already, almost 75,000 jobs have been lost in the tech sector so far in 2025 as employers rebalance to the impact of AI and evolving market conditions. On the professional side, it translates to the fact that flexibility, constant learning, and the ability to adjust to new technologies are paramount now.

The AI Alignment of Google: The Implication to Professionals and Aspirants

If you are a Current Employee, know that there will be AI tools and practices for upskilling mandates. Non-AI roles and programs are being deprioritized or eliminated. It is also clear that the people who might be energized and aligned to the vision of the AI-first are invited to stay and to continue to develop; people who might not like the vision are being offered exit options.

If you are a Job Seeker and or an  aspirant, know that in Google, AI literacy has become a prerequisite in most positions. The company will rely more on hiring and training those who have a proven set of AI capabilities or those who can exert an effort to settle their jobs out of some new technologies. Google evolves as a warning to the rest of the technology industry: cooperation with AI is not an alternative anymore but a need. 

In short, the Voluntary Exit Program speaks for itself, Google clearly requested its staff to follow AI, both in ideology and in reality. Redesigned training processes and team restructuring, explicit requests to concentrate and be proactive by the top management, everything indicates that the future has become AI-first. It can be considered as a challenge and opportunity especially to professionals and aspirants: those who are open to AI will do well, and those who are not may be sidelined.

The All India Forensic Science Entrance Exam results are out! Today on 16th of June 2025 the official site aifset.com has made the score card of AIFSET 2025 live. If you want to know how you can check and download your entrance exam result, continue reading. We will also tell you what are the next steps after clearing the AIFSET exam. 

AIFSET 2025 Result: How to Check

1. Visit the official web: aifset.com
2. On the home page, press the "examination"  tab and then on “Results”.
3. Fill in your registered log-on details (User ID and Password).
4. You can easily View and download your AIFSET 2025 scorecard from there.

The AIFSET scorecard will have information like your name, roll, name of the exam, authority, date of birth, marks obtained, ranking and qualification status. This information will help the university to verify your eligibility and personal details.

What comes next After AIFSET Result 2025?

Counselling Registration

Eligible applicants have to apply to AIFSET counselling. Counselling form will open from your AIFSET login dashboard under the tab of counselling form. This form should be submitted in 7 days after the declaration of the result to be considered eligible for admission.

Merit List and Admission

On the basis of your score, a merit list shall be issued by AIFSET. Each university in which you particulate will release its individual admission list based on the counselling options that you will have made. Supposing your name is mentioned on the list of admission, you will be called at the concerned institute to verify the documents.

Document Verification

Sit with all the needed documents including your AIFSET scorecard, admit card, ID proof, academic certificates and passport-sized photos. You'll be admitted on the basis of a successful verification of documents by the college or university.

Digital AIFSET Result 

It is good to remember that the results of AIFSET 2025 are only online. No email or hard copy will be issued to candidates. Retrieve your scorecard on the official portal and store it in your safe place to use further.

Colleges Accepting AIFSET Score

Some of the renowned colleges in India that accept the AIFSET scores are:

1. Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur
2. Parul University, Gujarat
3. Jaipur National University, Rajasthan
4. Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab 
5. Amity University, Gurugram, Haryana
6. Amity University, Jaipur, Rajasthan
7. IILM University,Greator Noida
8. Rai University, Bengaluru
9. RIMT UNIVERSITY, Gobindgarh, Punjab
10. Gokul Global University, Siddhpur, Gujarat 
11. Shri Khushal Das University, Rajasthan
12. Sri Sri University, Odisha
13. T. S. Mishra University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 
14. Saraswati Group of Colleges, Mohali, Punjab
15. Alakh Prakash Goyal Shimla University, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
16. Starex University, Gurugram
17. Invertis University, Bareilly
18. Aditya University, Andhra Pradesh
19. RR Institutions,Bangalore
20. Assam Down Town University,Assam
21. Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
22. And 50 more!

Check your AIFSET 2025 results now if you haven’t already, register with your counselling, and have your documents ready to be scrutinized. This is your gateway to a promising career in forensic science. Best of luck for the next steps!

For all updates and detailed information, always refer to the official AIFSET portal: aifset.com 

Do you have a creative inclination and fascination towards fabrics? Then a course in textile design in India can be your stepping stone to a fun filled as well as fulfilling career. Indian textile industry is among the leading and the most fast-growing ones in the world, worth about USD 128 billion in 2024 and estimating its growth at the CAGR of approximately 4.15% during 2025-2033, peaking at almost USD 190 billion by 2033 (IMARC Group). Government efforts, escalating exports and growing local demand for apparel and home textiles are some of the factors that facilitate this steady growth.

What Is Textile Design and How Is It Significant?

Textile design is the art and science of designing patterns, textures and colors on cloth. It combines imagination with technical understanding of fibers, yarns, dyeing and printing processes. Textile designers make an impact in the world of fashion, home and interior design and industrial textiles, so their work is central to several industries.

The output of the textile market in India is projected to reach about USD 60 billion in 2025 and grow at a moderate rate of approximately  3% CAGR through 2029 (Statista). Employment: The sector is a big time employment generator and millions of workers depend upon it and it is a major contributor to GDP and export income of India.

Application and Admissions Test

The admissions procedure entails:

1. Eligibility Check: Having passed 10+2 examination of any recognized board.
2. Entrance Exam: The most popular Entrance Exam is NIFT Entrance Exam or another national level entrance exam AIDAT, which consists of creative ability test, general ability test and situation test.
3. Portfolio Submission and Interview: A few institutes need a portfolio and a personal interview.
4. Counselling and Seat Allotment: On the basis of merit and choices.

The textile design admission process 2025 preparation would include training creative abilities, doing design aptitude test practice, and learning the exam pattern.

Job opportunities and Scope

The varied careers available to textile design graduates include fashion houses, textile manufacturing, export companies, interior design and e-commerce. Junior level wages usually begin at 2.5 lakh per year with skilled designers making more than 6 lakh. The Indian textile and apparel market is estimated to attain USD 350 billion by 2030 (PIB) meaning that there will be a high demand for skilled professionals.

Why Textile Design in India in 2025?

1. Expanding Industry: India is the 5 th largest textile market in the world and the government is supporting the industry through schemes such as Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.
2. Various Career Opportunities: Fashion, home textiles, technical textiles and eco-friendly fabrics.
3. Great Education System Infrastructure: Admission to the best institutes having industry interactions.
4. Sustainability Focus: The growing need in sustainable textiles creates new innovation opportunities.

Do you love art and design and fabrics and wish to pursue a career that allows you to use your creativity and also earn you a stable income? Then a course in textile design in India is a great option. The time to start thinking about entrance tests such as NIFT is now, to develop a portfolio, and to scout the best colleges so that you can have a seat in this highly successful business.

India is at the verge of making a historical technological advancement, the introduction of its own indigenous semiconductor chip by the end of 2025. This success, declared by Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw, is a breakthrough in India’s quest to become self-reliant (Atmanirbhar) in high-tech manufacturing, a domain occupied till now by international heavyweights.

India has been dependent on imports to service its semiconductor requirements in the last few decades, which means that the nation is susceptible to global supply chain failures. The new chip which is being produced in the range of 28-90 nanometre (nm) and below is not only a technical achievement but a strategic one at that. That segment alone represents close to 60 percent of worldwide chip demand, used in everything from automotive electronics and telecommunications to industrial power systems and railway technologies. India is catering to the instant market demands and building the foundation of the future developments by targeting this sweet spot.

It was the Semicon India programme of the government that was kicked off in 2022 with an enormous 76,000 crore budget. Six state of art semiconductor fabrication units are being set up within the country with the flagship plant at Dholera in Gujarat being developed in joint venture with Tata Electronics and PSMC of Taiwan. One more large facility is underway in Assam, and a sixth fab is planned in Uttar Pradesh in a joint project between HCL and Foxconn. Such fabs are not only going to manufacture the chips, but also will generate thousands of high-technology employment opportunities and develop a strong research, design, and manufacturing ecosystem.

Semiconductors are the intelligence of all present-day electronics. Producing own chips, India will:

• Lessen the level of import dependence and conserve foreign exchange.
• Enhance national security by making sure that critical infrastructure does not depend on foreign technology.
• Develop engineer, technician, and researcher level high value jobs.
• Boost the Make in India initiative and establish the nation as a manufacturing center of the world.

The government too is buying talent, whereby there is a programme of training 85,000 engineers in semiconductor and electronics manufacturing. This will foster the constant availability of professionals to drive the industry.

It is the opportunity of a generation for electronics and computer science students and professionals. The digital economy of the world revolves around the chip industry. With India entering the semiconductor fabrication, the following will be in high demand:

• Chip design engineers Design engineers
• Experts in processes and fabrications
• Quality control specialists
• R&D professionals
• Manufacturing and supply chain managers

With the emphasis on indigenous intellectual property (IP) and design, 25 chips with Indian IP are already being developed, so there is a place for innovations, entrepreneurship, research. Granted, the ecosystem being developed is not only focused on manufacturing but on the whole value chain, including design and deployment.

The launch of this chip is a mere beginning. The goal of the government is to transform India into a global semiconductor supply chain leader by 2047, serving artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT), automobiles, telecommunication, and other industries. Through calculated investments, global partnerships, and an emphasis on infrastructure that is fit for the future, India will soon graduate as a technology consumer to a technology creator.

If you are a student who aspires to make a career in the electronic field, or a working professional in the technology industry, or just a proud Indian, the unveiling of the first indigenous semiconductor chip made in India is a tale of ambition, innovation, and self-reliance. It is an invitation to be part of the upcoming period of Indian development where your talent, innovativeness and enthusiasm can make a difference in the future.

So be informed, be competent, and prepare to join the semiconductor revolution in India by pursuing a career in B.Tech via GCSET!

Data science is a dynamic field with an unmatchable pace, and amongst the biggest changes in recent years is the emergence of Retrieval-Augmented Generation, or RAG. As a data scientist, an AI engineer or even an aspiring engineer in this sphere, possessing knowledge of RAG is a requirement and not a bonus point in your resume. However, what is RAG, and why is it so essential to remain relevant in the modern AI-centered environment? Let’s take a look at it. 

RAG is a hybrid structure that combines the advantages of two strong AI components, a retriever, and a generator. The retriever does the job of retrieving relevant information residing in external sources- these may be databases, internal documents or even the open web. This context-rich information in real-time is then used by the generator, which is often a large language model (LLM), to produce responses that are accurate and up-to-date. This is a significant jump compared to the traditional LLMs which only use what they were taught the previous time they were trained and are commonly hindered by out of date or incomplete information.

As you already know, hallucination is one of the major problems with LLMs because it leads to situations when the model writes something that sounds reasonable but is not at all factual or is out-of-date. This is the area that RAG fixes! RAG incredibly lowers the chances of hallucinations by basing its responses on verifiable, and retrievable information. This reliability is not a nice-to-have but a mission-critical factor to professionals in high-stakes areas such as healthcare, finance, or law. For instance, a clinical chatbot that cites the current research articles or a legal bot that retrieves the most recent case law; using RAG, these are not only feasible, but realistic.

The other benefit of RAG is that it is efficient and cost effective. The big language models might be costly to execute, particularly when they are required to process enormous data. RAG provides optimization of such a process as it loads only the most significant portions of data per each query, decreasing the computation load, and, consequently, the costs of its operation. This less involved strategy implies that organizations no longer have to spend a fortune to implement potent AI solutions, and advanced AI has never been this close.

Real time flexibility is another offer of RAG. RAG-enabled systems have access to the very latest data, unlike static LLMs which are frozen at the point of their last update, making answers up-to-date and relevant. This flexible capacity is essential in high-paced industries where information of yesterday may as well be out-dated. As an example, in technology or regulatory compliance, access to the most recent standards or news can be the key.

If we talk from a technical perspective, RAG works by first breaking down documents into manageable chunks and converting them into vector embeddings using models like OpenAI Embeddings or SBERT. When a user poses a question the retriever finds the most relevant chunks by the similarity search techniques. These are forwarded to the generator who then composites an informed and contextually correct response. It is this unification of retrieval and generation that distinguishes RAG among the previous AI architectures.

RAG applications in the real world are already causing a stir. RAG-powered search engines have been used in enterprises to enable employees to access company knowledge bases with pin-point accuracy. Clinical assistants may give suggestions based on up-to-date medical literature in the sphere of healthcare. Bots dealing with customer support can access up-to-date documents regarding policy, which can cut misinformation to a fraction and increase user confidence. Even in research and compliance, RAG assists in bringing the latest regulations or academic discovery to the top, which is priceless during decision-making.

The message to data scientists and other AI professionals is simple: mastering RAG is no longer a choice. As a beginning, it is worth becoming acquainted with vector databases (FAISS, Pinecone or Weaviate), and learning how embedding models and retrieval frameworks would work in the workflow. And one should be prudent to look beyond text. Remember, RAG can be generalized to images, code, and other structured data,  opening up possibilities for truly multimodal AI solutions. More than anything, your results will be only as good as your data sources, so you should invest in quality knowledge bases that are well- maintained. 

To sum up, RAG is not a mere technical invention, it is a strategic asset to anyone in the data science domain. It solves the fundamental problems of accuracy, cost and relevance which have beset AI applications. RAG can help data scientists future-proof their roles, provide more robust solutions to their users and keep up with the generative AI revolution. But unless you want to find yourself quickly becoming obsolete and ineffective in this new evolving environment of AI, it is important for you to equip yourself with RAG inside out and use it as a key part of your AI arsenal.

As a society, we often prioritise academic achievement over the emotional well-being of our children. The stress of shifting schools and cities can have a profound impact on young minds, leading to feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and isolation.

Reminiscing 2020’s global house-arrest and with campuses being closed and online learning being pursued, edtech push by COVID is now stronger than the fintech push by demonetization. The teacher-student model has ceased to exist for ever now, and we are moving to a qualitatively different mentor-learner model not just in the current digital learning phase, but also in the post pandemic times ahead. Beyond this complete campus lockdown phase, during which time mentoring-learning-assessing has gone online globally, we shall be moving towards blended phygital education ahead, which will be the new normal ahead, and will make the new model of mentor-learner firmly entrenched.

Learning or academics or education broadly has three functions: creation of learning content through research, writing, packaging with visuals; dissemination of learning through classes, lectures, notes, self-study, discussions; & assessment and evaluation of the education of the learner by various methods. All these three have been majorly impacted by the self-isolation imposed to ensure social distancing so that the learners and the mentors may first be protected from the spread of the infection of COVID19. The lockdown across the world is simultaneously a boon and a bane for the teaching-learning community today.

Teacher to Mentor:

The teacher was a sage on the stage, introducing every new topic, speaking the last word on it, sticking to a structured syllabus as prescribed, interpreting it as s/he deems right, finishing the syllabus and focusing on examination and evaluation to complete the cycle of delivery of education. He often demands respect, and relies on the power to punish to set things right (not always, though). Teacher teaches and often sermonizes.

Each premise noted above is changing now.

Mentor today is a co-learner, may be the first stimulus for a topic but never the last word, starts from a structured syllabus but is expected to move towards organic learning depending upon the variegated interest areas of groups of learners, aggregates learning resources from multiple sources and shares with the learners, is more a guide, second parent and agony shelter of sorts for the learners. Examination also is diverse and evaluation is just one more function and not the ultimate yardstick of learning and brilliance of the learner. Mentor may often be less informed about an issue, but with a better perspective to guide. Mentor engages and inspires.

Learning Resources Aggregation & Delivery:

To begin with being the new age mentor, a massive train the trainer and capacity building is needed today. For this, first the mentor has to be a digital personality with smartphone and net connection, and with laptop and wifi connection. Next, one has to learn how to create, deliver and engage in content across multiple online platforms, and how to take matter learnt online to matter practiced offline face to face. Third, one has to now learn assessment with open book through analysis and application, through quiz, through applied projects, through phygital presentation and actual work in labs and studios after using virtual labs and studios.

Creating the learning resources was quite easy earlier. There were the books, often called text and reference books, then the power-point presentation of the teacher, and then chalk and talk. And the topic was first introduced in a class, post which notes were given, books were mentioned, and later examination was conducted to check memory and a bit of understanding.

The game is changed now. And totally so.

The concept of proprietary content (the mentor’s own videos, audio or podcast content, power-points, cases, info-graphics etc), aggregated content (books, monographs, videos, podcasts, URLs, pdfs, cases, etc taken from the internet, YouTube and Vimeo, etc), and also massive open/closed online learning resources (free ones like Swayam or NAPTEL, paid ones like those of Coursera or LinkedIn, and the university’s own online courses): these three are the learning resources today.

The mentor is expected to make a mix of proprietary, aggregated and online learning resources, suitably arranging them from the easies one to the toughest one and offer to the learners digitally (using Google Class, emails, or better, Learning Management Systems like Canvas or TCSion, Blackboard or Collaborate, etc,) at least a week or more before they meet digitally or physically to discuss the content. This is called Flipped Classroom where the learners get learning content much in advance, read, watch or listen to the same asynchronously at their own time, place or pace, note down things they have not understood or have questions on, and come to the digital/physical classroom synchronously, to clarify doubts, discuss cases, debate on conclusions drawn and participate in quiz or analytical or applied assignments. Delivery of the online session can be on any platform: MS Teams, Zoom, Webex, Google Meet and can move from the synchronous digital classroom to asynchronous digital chatroom debates and discussions for further clarification.

This makes the task for Content Creation and Content Delivery for the mentors much more diverse, tech-savvy, and tougher than the traditional teacher’s job.

Learners’ Engagement & Evaluation:

Further, education will now move from a system imposed disciplined endeavour to voluntarily participated and internalized process. It will be truly a learner-centric education now in the new normal, and shall be far more participative than the past. The learner in the digital or blended mode is learning voluntarily and not on the basis of an imposed discipline on campus through a web of rules and power dynamics. While voluntary learning will throw many non-interested or apathetic learners out of the learning circle, it will also make many focused learners internalize education better and apply it in a more focused manner at his or her individual level.

Also, with Artificial Intelligence, robotics, automation, Machine Learning and internet of things being the other emerging realities, the skills for mass production or education to do the same work repeatedly will be totally irrelevant ahead when machines will take over almost all such work (more than three fourths of all human work today). Hence, new age skills, apart from technology use, have to be in areas like creativity, innovation, incubation, problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, critical thinking, design thinking, empathy, emotional intelligence and risk management. Each of these can be qualitatively and quantitatively mentored to any youth from an early age of say 15 years till 25 years of age, and will become his or her second nature.

To deliver such a learning, the learners’ engagement techniques have to be more tech-savvy (google forms, polls, surveys, quiz, virtual lab and studio, AI tools, etc) and also with higher emotional quotient (use of humour, videos, info-graphics, empathy in the class, allowing diversity of opinion, wellness conscious, etc).

Even the evaluation or assessment has to be diverse. Assessment refers to learner performance; it helps us decide if students are learning and where improvement in that learning is needed. Evaluation refers to a systematic process of determining the merit value or worth of the instruction or programme; it helps us determine if a course is effective (course goals) and informs our design efforts. Assessment and evaluation can be both formative (carried out during the course) and summative (carried out following the course). There can be many ways for the same. Mentors can make learners aware of expectations in advance (e.g. one week for feedback from deadline) and keep them posted (announcement: all projects have been marked). For example, one can create tests that are multiple choice, true/false, or short answer essays and one can set the assessments to automatically provide feedback.

When online, evaluation can be on the basis of proctored digital examination or open-book analytical and applied evaluation with non-google-able questions. And this is surely not an easy task for the mentors as teachers of the past were used to repeat past questions, had set patterns of questions, examinations were ‘suggestions’ and memory based, and not application based in general. Online quiz, open book examination with time-managed and proctored question paper delivered online, applied questions not based on memory but comprehension, telephonic interview etc have been the usual ways of digital assessment and evaluation of learning.

There will be offline evaluation also. Here, the assessment can be based on offline written examinations, field-survey based presentation or report writing, debates, lab/studio-based practical, or a peer-group work, or a submission of a long-term real life or live project.

Digital Learning Tools Today:

The pandemic requires universities to rapidly offer online learning to their students. Fortunately, technology and content are available to help universities transition online quickly and with high quality, especially on the digital plank, though at a cost and with the risk of several teachers and administrators being forced to go out of the system.

Digital learning on the go or from distance calls for tech-led holistic solutions. It requires several content pieces to be transmitted digitally. These content pieces can be in the form of pdfs, ppts, URLs, YouTube links, podcast links, case-studies, etc. There can also be e-books, audio-books, kindle based content, magzter sourced magazines, etc. Then this can involve learning without being face to face through boxes, as in Google Class, or learning face to face as in Zoom live audio-visual discussions. People may also use GoToMeetings or MicrosoftMeet sessions also. Attendance can be taken on Google Spreadsheet and through WhatsApp Group chat of a batch of students too.

Then there are MOOCs, collaborative distance learning, wikis, blogs etc. Individual resource-rich institutes develop their customized secured and IPR protected Learning Management Systems, through the use of BlackBoard or TCSion LMS. Other LMS options like Kaltura or Impartus allowing video recording of talks also ar in use in many places. There are CourseEra courses, Swayam online lessons from UGC and similar other avenues to learn online.

Learning digitally can be further assisted with Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR) which can take the viewer to an enhanced experience even integrating scenarios which are yet to happen creatively bringing them within the learning experience. These are immersive and contextual experiences, and artificial intelligence driven chatbots can further enhance the digital interface of the learner and the mentor.

Digital Learning Value-adds:

Incorporating big data analytics and content management, educators can develop an individualized curriculum that enhances how each student learns (e.g. playlist of learning content in WiseWire changing for each student). Many in the West have started the use of the millennials' language and style: Khan Academy video lessons, YouTube use, distinct style and language for young learners. Twitter, Tumblr, Snapchat, Imessage, Instagram, Facebook & Whatsapp are being creatively integrated with school education. There is a case of a management school in India, where the professor sends a 3 minutes interesting video on the subject he is taking up next through group whatsapp to increase interest in the batch towards the topic being taught.

In the US, the smart-phone applications like Socrative and Plickers are helping teachers interact and assess students’ progress, collaborate via cloud-based applications to work and solve a common goal. Teachers can publish real-time quizzes and polls for students via mobile devices to keep them engaged.

Further, using anything from iMovie to WeVideo, learners can create video as a learning resource. YouTube (with privacy settings) and SeeSaw or Flipgrid are also alternatives learners can make use of. The benefits of SeeSaw and Flipgrid are that students can add voice recordings or text sharing feedback with peers. Students became the co-creators of content and as a result, more engaged, including their parents. Useful apps like Book Creator, Explain Everything and EduCreations can be utilised towards this end. 

There are various software used to create digital content, like Camtasia, Raptivity, Captivate, Articulate Online, etc.

Yes alongside, social media use extensively will support learning online. Facebook Page can broadcast updates and alerts. Facebook Group or Google Hangout with advanced features in G-suite can stream live lectures and host discussions. Twitter can act as a class message board. The 256 characters help to keep messages succinct. Instagram can be used for photo essays. One can create a class blog for discussions. There are many different platforms available, such as WordPress, SquareSpace, Wix, Blogger for that. And, one can create a class-specific Pinterest board as well.

Students to Learners:

With mentors replacing teachers, the students cannot be the pre COVID typical students any more going ahead.

Students study in classroom, are taught by teachers, limited to given syllabus, and study for marks, grades, degrees. Students give exams in written and on the basis of suggestions or set patters of evaluation.

Learners study within and beyond the classroom, from mentors, peers, personal experience, books, digitally aggregated content, through projects and through assignments. Learners learn for lifetime application, and hence learn to learn further as things learnt today are obsolete soon. Self-learning or learning to learn is hence a major cultivated skill for the present day learners, especially in higher education, as techniques and technologies are changing in the work-place in less than five years now. Learners also learn organically. While structured syllabus must be completed for foundation and examination, organic learning is about self-driven learning in few chosen areas out of interest, assisted by the mentors.

Yes, for this, doubling public education expenditure, digital access to the hinterland, considering digital connectivity as a human right, digital literacy as a fundamental pre-requisite in any work, providing cell phones and laptops or tabs en masse, announcing cheaper data packages for students, CSR in the field of domain of digital connectivity by corporate houses, etc and more would be needed soonest to bridge the yawning digital divide in the otherwise class divided society. It must be noted that even UNESCO has noted that only 48% of Indian learners’ community of 283 million is receiving some sort of online education today, the rest 52% going bereft of any form of formal learning whatsoever for more than a year now! And among these 48%, the girl-students are having a worse fate in the poorer families due to limited digital devices to which the sons have a higher access than the daughters.

Conclusion:

India has been speaking of digital education for long but it has stayed on as a possibility and not a reality for more than a decade now. Even IITs and IIMs have used digital platforms on the side for sharing of content and debating on issues sporadically. The larger mass of 1300 plus universities and some 44,000 colleges have actually not digitized their content, not made access to online learning mainstay of their teaching-learning process, except the distance learning universities. In fact, the old school educationists looked at online and distance education with some disdain all across South Asia. They are in for a major shock now. The digital divide needs fast bridging through the promise of 6% of the GDP for public education, through 2% of profits for CSR given here, and through civil society initiatives like getting smart-phones, laptops and tabs for the less privileged.

It is clear that going ahead digital access will be a human right, and those in governance must wake up to the reality that youngsters need in expensive tablets and easy data access. A nation that spends less than 3% of national budget for public education (lower than Tanzania, Angola and Ghana, et al), with the states putting in 2.5 (Bihar) to 26% (Delhi), with Delhi being the only state in double digits, cannot ensure digital education for the masses, unless allocation of funds and their transparent spending happen.

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Prof. Ujjwal Anu Chowdhury

The author is Vice President, Washington University of Science and Technology and Editorial Mentor, edInbox.com

The last two years have clearly shown that technology-aided remote schooling is neither fully possible nor completely desirable. 

Lest we forget that India is a nation of more than one-third of the population in the 15 to 25 years age-bracket, the most promising period of life when one decides career path, subjects for learning, types of work to do, and becomes self-dependent in the process.