Bengaluru took another leap forward in digital learning and competitive examination preparation when a Virtual Lab was inaugurated for students at Widia Poornaprajna Pre-University College, Nagasandra. The facility, which was inaugurated recently, aimed to equip PU students with computer-assisted learning skills that have become an integral part of examination results these days.

Dr. A.P. Bhat, Honorary Secretary, Udupi Shree Admar Mutt Education Council, while speaking at the inauguration ceremony, said that computer education was no longer an option but a compulsion for students seeking higher education and better employment avenues. “Computer-based education has become imperative for students in this competitive era. Practical education in science, commerce, and technology-based platforms is what provides a safe and sure road to prosperity,” he said.

The virtual lab is specifically designed to support students preparing for CET, NEET, IBPS, and other national-level competitive tests. It shall offer online mock tests, subject-wise digital learning modules, exam-pattern-based assessments, and performance analytics in a real examination environment. This will lead to enhancements of speed, accuracy, and examination preparedness.

Such laboratories play a very important role in shaping intellectual and technical growth, particularly among students who may not have access to advanced digital learning resources at home, said Dr. Bhat. The virtual lab is targeted at minimizing gaps in learning and building the confidence of students to move into a nationwide tech-driven assessment format.

Within the next few months, the college will further expand this lab with AI-led learning tools, interactive content, and digital modules of career counselling. With this move, Widia Poornaprajna PU College has strongly established its position as one of the leading future-oriented institutions committed to preparing students for challenges that lie ahead in competitive academics and professional fields

After years of planning stalled by various hurdles, the much-awaited Diploma in Happiness will be introduced from the ensuing academic session at Gangadhar Meher University.

The six-month program has been specifically designed to help students cope with stress, form emotional balance, and build up self-confidence in view of growing crises in mental health and increasing rates of stress among Odisha's youth.

The course would touch upon different dimensions of happiness and their applications related to aspects of emotional intelligence, stress management, mindfulness, and decision-making, said Deputy Registrar Uma Charan Pati.

"The present education system should not be confined to academics only; it needs to promote moral, intellectual, and personality development as well. The six-month course will aim mainly at helping students achieve mental stability, cope with stress effectively, and strengthen their decision-making abilities," he said.

Pati said that the unbridled use of social media, fast-changing life, and academic pressures seriously affect the mental health of the youth. The diploma course will offset these with interactive lessons, group activities, and participatory workshops to breed optimism and self-reflection.

“A meeting regarding the syllabus of the course was held on Monday. Once the course is launched, the university may extend its duration and upgrade it into a full-fledged degree programme in future depending on the feedback and overall response,” added Pati.

The proposed program focuses on students at GMU and external participants who seek to attain better mental well-being. It would be team-taught by an interdisciplinary team from the departments of psychology, philosophy, and sociology.

This would make GMU the first state-run institution in Odisha to offer such a course. The university also proposes to initiate a Gender Studies program with certificate and diploma streams, which would take up issues of gender equality, gender stereotyping, and empowerment from both male and female standpoints.

University insiders said space shortages were the main hindrance, but this obstacle has since been removed with the complete operationalization of the Basantpur campus.

India is doing well in higher education with seven leading Indian institutions ranking in the top 100 Asian Universities in the QS World University Rankings: Asia 2025-26. This accomplishment underlines the increased competitiveness, research quality, and international status of Indian universities. 

Top-Ranked Indian Universities in Asia

Leading the list is the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi), placed 59th in Asia. Other prominent institutions in the top 100 include the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (64th), IIT Madras (70th), IIT Bombay (71st), IIT Kanpur (77th), IIT Kharagpur (77th), and Delhi University (95th). These rankings highlight India's stronghold in quality education and pioneering research, especially in science and technology.

Although IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay were ranked in the top 50 last year, due to increased regional competition, they both have slipped in positions by a bit, as the rankings of universities are dynamic. However, there has been an increase in the overall scores of these top institutions, which means a further growth of academic and research excellence.

Broader Indian Higher Education Growth

India’s representation in the QS Asia rankings has dramatically increased, with 294 institutions featured in 2026 compared to just 24 in 2016. Apart from the top 100, universities such as Chandigarh University and Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani have shown significant improvements, signaling expanding quality across the nation’s higher education landscape.

India holds the lead in Asia for research output and the number of PhD graduates, testament to a growing academic ecosystem supported by government funding, strategic reforms, and international collaborations.

Challenges and Future Outlook

Despite ambitious gains, Indian universities face stiff competition from counterparts in China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong. These nations lead in research impact, internationalization, and employer reputation metrics.

Still, the upward trajectory of Indian universities signals a bright future. Focus on interdisciplinary research, technology-based education, and innovation are expected to further improve India’s standing in global academic rankings.

The QS Asia University Rankings 2025-26 reaffirm India’s rising influence in global higher education. As more funds are pumped towards research, infrastructure and good teaching, Indian universities will continue to rise, leading to innovation and socio-economic development

The Allahabad High Court upheld the validity of an order of the Government on the basis of requirements of minimum necessary qualifications for a post of assistant teacher in a recognised junior high school.

As per the GO, candidates applying for the post of assistant teachers would need to have a graduation degree from a university recognized by the University Grants Commission, along with a teachers training course approved by the state government or the National Council for Teacher Education.

The observation came from a two-judge bench headed by Allahabad HC Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Kshitij Shailendra while hearing a special appeal filed by the state government against the judgement dated September 24, 2024, reports PTI.

In the judgment in 2024, a single judge of Allahabad HC allowed the writ petition submitted by Yashank Khandelwal and nine others, and set aside clause 4 of the government decree dated September 9, the same year.

Clause 4 of the government order dated September 9, 2024, prescribes the minimum eligibility criteria to be satisfied for appointment to the post of assistant teacher in a recognized junior high school.

A writ petition was filed to direct the respondent authorities to permit the petitioners and such other candidates to seek admission to a two-year Diploma course known as DElEd conducted at the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), based on their Intermediate Certificate Examination or an equivalent qualification.

It also aimed at quashing the impugned government order prescribing graduation as the eligibility criterion for admission to the two-year Basic Training Certificate course.

After hearing the parties, the division bench observed that a peruse of various rules and provisions shows that apparently at first instance, they relate to the appointment of assistant teachers in basic schools, where ‘training’ has been given due importance.

It further noted that even for a training course recognized by the government or any training qualification notified by NCTE to teach Classes I to VIII, the intent of the law is that only graduates are eligible for appointment. "Therefore, if the State Government in every Government Order right from 1998 till today has prescribed graduation as minimum qualification for taking admission in B.T.C./D.El.Ed. course, the same being in consonance with the Rules of 1981 and not said to be an arbitrary provision," added the Court. With all those observations, the single judge's order dated September 24, 2024 was set aside, and the respondents' writ petition was dismissed.

The five free AI courses are being offered by the Ministry of Education through the SWAYAM platform. Professionals and students can avail the courses to get the essential skills of AI and data science in various fields, such as sports, education, science, and finance.

The courses involve Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning with Python, AI for Teachers, AI in Physics, AI in Chemistry, AI in Accounting, and Cricket Analytics with AI. Each program is specially developed to provide useful insights into its usage and applications through case studies.

Course Details

AI/ML Using Python

This course will introduce concepts in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning using Python as the programming language of Data Science. The course will cover data visualization techniques, linear algebra, statistics, optimization concepts, and more. By the end of this course, participants will have developed skills in the design and evaluation of Python-based data science solutions.

Analytics in Cricket using AI

This Sport Analytics course is specifically designed to show learners how data science is used currently in cricket. It would cover the collection and preparation of data, performance metrics like strike rate and BASRA index, and visualizing complex cricket data in Python.

AI for Educators

The course explores the possible uses of AI in education, assessment, and engagement in great detail. It was designed specifically for educators. This increases classroom productivity, helps teachers integrate AI tools into their existing methods, and gives students a more personalized experience.

AI in Physics

By providing practical instruction in machine learning and neural networks, it connects experimental physics with AI technology, allowing students to employ AI-based tools and simulations to tackle real-world physics problems.

AI in Chemistry

This course targets undergraduate students in the scientific field, introducing them to the uses of AI in molecular prediction, reaction modeling, and the process of designing drugs. The students engage directly with realistic datasets and learn how to apply Python-based methods in solving problems in chemistry. 

AI in Accounting: 

The interaction between finance and technology is the basis for this course. This course will cover a number of important subjects, including how AI helps with automation, fraud detection, financial forecasting, and data-driven decision making in accounting procedures. 

The SWAYAM portal offers all of these courses for free, with certification upon completion. This is in line with the government's goal of democratizing AI education and increasing sector-wide digital readiness.

Indian International Model United Nations (IIMUN) had the privilege of inviting a distinguished retired Indian Administrative Service officer in their Civil Services Tour that was conducted in partnership with the Parul University. Having a renowned career of a total of 38 years, Mr Swarup has worked in some of the most decisive posts in the Government of India.

In his glorious career, he was appointed to important posts in GOI such as School Education & Literacy and Coal Secretary. His experience in these positions was characterized by major contributions to policy reform and governance innovation, and handling the aftermath of the coal scam with transparency and success.

During their meeting with students, Mr. Swarup provided priceless information on nation-building by highlighting the significance of ethics in the public and by showing how tenacity can lead to meaningful change. He also motivated the future civil servants to build their careers abstaining from compromising compassion, integrity, and devotion to the service.

It was an informative and inspiring experience for the students who were encouraged to contribute positively to society through thoughtful governance and leadership. 

His outstanding career in innovation and writing are considered to be influential books like the ones by Mr. Swarup, which inspire the upcoming generations to this field who believe in public administration and ethical service.

This was a significant highlight in the Civil Services Tour of IIMUN and supported the need to engage in constant learning with the experienced leaders and inspire the spirit of responsibility and quality among budding civil servants.

Taking to LinkedIn, one HR executive warned that career depression is a very real thing and urged others to be kind to themselves.

"I had an interview this morning. It started off well — the candidate seemed confident and prepared. But ten minutes into the conversation, he suddenly zoned out," said Juhi Bhatia, a recruitment professional.

She also said the candidate went completely silent. "For a full minute, there was just. awkward quiet."

The post was followed by many comments. As one commenter put it, "We forget that behind every résumé is a nervous system trying to hold it together. Job interviews are no longer just evaluations but emotional marathons."

Another added, “Career depression hits harder when you have bills to pay and responsibilities to manage. You can only hold it together for so long-we're all human.”

"I've seen it, too: it isn't a question of skill but sometimes just an opportunity and some kindness from someone," said the third.

Another shared, “This happened to me once. I blanked out during a test because I cared too much. It hurts but we learn.”

What is Career Depression?

It is also referred to as work depression or career depression syndrome, which is an emotional condition that one develops continuously from job dissatisfaction, burnout, or career stressors. Unlike temporary stress, it brings ongoing hopelessness, exhaustion, and disengagement since one's mental health, productivity, and quality of life may be affected.

The common triggers of career depression are a toxic work environment, lack of career fulfillment, too much workload, poor work-life balance, and job insecurity.

Following are indications for the same including: Emotional: sadness, irritability, loss of motivation, feeling trapped Physical: Fatigue, headaches, sleep problems, changes in appetite Behavioral — procrastination, low productivity, withdrawal from coworkers

Admission to paramedical courses in Gujarat continues to face an acute crisis of vacancy, with as many as 31,870 seats said to be remaining vacant following the end of the fifth round for the 2025–26 academic session. According to a provisional Round 5 allotment list published by GPNAMEC, there is a gap between the availability and intake of students.

In total, 7,155 candidates have exercised choices regarding seat allotments in this round. Of the total, 2,833 students got a fresh allotment and 310 candidates upgraded their earlier allotted seats. Thus, total admissions secured in Round 5 are 3,143.

Though five rounds of counselling have been carried out, only 20,920 seats have been filled so far out of the total 51,790 seats in key paramedical courses like Nursing, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, and Prosthetics & Orthotics, leaving over 60% of the total seats vacant. Again, this brings up questions relating to dwindling interest among students, or awareness gaps, or perhaps issues concerning course availability, fee-related problems, or institutional choices.

The committee has asked the students who were allotted seats in Round 5 to confirm the admissions before November 11, failing which the seats would be forfeited or released in subsequent rounds.

Course-wise, most of the seats in high-demand para-medical courses like ANM, B.Sc. Nursing, GNM, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, and Prosthetics & Orthotics have almost been filled up in government colleges, with students still preferring the institutes over private ones. On the other hand, private colleges are not getting enough admissions.

The polytechnic colleges of Tamil Nadu have achieved a remarkable feat by recording the highest National Service Scheme enrollment among students in the country.

This is because of youth volunteers, especially the active participation of NSS Programme officers, with consistent encouragement given by the DOTE, according to officials.

About the National Service Scheme

NSS is a flagship programme of the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, whereby students can involve themselves in community service or nation-building activities. The scheme was first introduced in polytechnic institutions of Tamil Nadu in 1983–84. In the beginning, when the scheme was launched, the number of colleges included was 10, with 1,000 student volunteers. Over the years, the programme has grown exponentially.

“Today, NSS units function in 335 polytechnic colleges with 45,500 registered volunteers, the highest among polytechnic institutions across India,” said a senior DOTE official.

In the period from 2000 to 2004, there was a sharp rise in participation in NSS, and enrollment rose to 20,765 students. "More than 45,000 students have joined in the last five years alone from 2019 to 2025, indicating a new interest among the youth to serve society." The official said,

He added, "NSS continues to act as a transformative platform to shape character and behaviour, molding students into socially responsible citizens."

NSS in Tamil Nadu has been instrumental in establishing Red Ribbon Clubs across 250 polytechnic colleges also for creating awareness about HIV/AIDS and other related health issues.

The state received many national awards over the years because it implemented the scheme in the most effective manner and integrated service with skills-based learning.

NSS volunteers in Tamil Nadu are involved with a broad spectrum of community-oriented programmes, starting from tree plantation drives, health education campaigns, disaster management workshops, road safety and first aid training, and women's self-employment initiatives to technical training for rural youth. "More than 90 per cent of these activities achieved their intended goals because of active participation and commitment from NSS volunteers," the official said. From instilling leadership qualities to fostering empathy and civic awareness, the polytechnic students of Tamil Nadu have continued to prove that service learning can go hand in hand with technical education: building not only skilled professionals but also compassionate citizens.

From the emerging evidence on the role of yoga in the management of cardiovascular diseases to achieve targets related to ABC in the care of diabetes, promotion of healthier diets by reducing high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt, and ultra-processed foods to improving access to antihypertensive medications, the strategies are being implemented in order to tackle the escalating NCD crisis in India.

The efforts required to bring down NCDs were discussed at the ongoing World Health Summit 2025 in Berlin by a panel of experts moderated by Dr Sanghamitra Pati, Additional Director General, ICMR, and Dr Tanvir Kaur, Head, International Health Division.

Dr V Mohan, Chairman, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, spoke on preventing diabetes complications, achieving ABC targets, and controlling HbA1c, that is, blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

Referring to the ICMR-INDIAB study, India's largest epidemiological survey on diabetes, Dr Mohan also spoke about the growing prevalence of diabetes among young adults and how more than 101 million Indians are presently living with diabetes and another 136 million being pre-diabetic.

"Along with clinical management, lifestyle interventions are key and a healthy diet along with increased physical activity can prevent up to at least 50 per cent of new Type 2 diabetes cases," added Dr Mohan.

Dr Bharati Kulkarni, Director, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, said that their surveys had pointed towards a lack of diversity in Indian diets, veering towards processed foods, high in fat, salt and sugar, more so in urban areas. Dr Kulkarni further gave a snapshot on how initiatives such as Eat Right India and policies aimed at reversing this trend through public education, food labelling and school-based interventions.

During the panel discussion, Dr. Manoj Murhekar, Director, ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai and Head, Epidemiology Division of ICMR shared how the India Hypertension Control Initiative has resulted in substantial outcomes towards addressing high blood pressure.

Among the IHCI tools put into work for tracking and monitoring are the SIMPLE App. It reached over 5 million people in 2024 across 157 districts. This came with global recognition.

Dr Gautam Sharma, Professor, Cardiology and Head, Centre for Integrative Medicine and Research, All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, further elaborated that the trend is fast catching on as yoga is slowly being seen not only as an exercise but also as therapy.

According to Dr. Sharma, the main principles underlying the beneficial effects of yoga in cardiovascular disorders are "a modulation of the autonomic nervous system, reduction of stress and psychological burden, and cardiac rehabilitation."

A recent paper by archaeologist Vinay Gupta reveals that Brahmi script was in use centuries before Emperor Ashoka.

A Superintendent Archaeologist with the Jaipur circle of ASI, Gupta’s latest paper titled “Seals and Sealings from Bahaj Excavations” establishes the presence of script in north India before the Ashokan edicts were inscribed on non-perishable materials.

“The origins of the Brahmi script must go in hoary past and the development of Ashokan Brahmi must have been a gradual one,” the paper written by Gupta says. He excavated the Bahaj site in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur, bordering Uttar Pradesh, to untangle the historical threads of the Braj region - the birthplace of Hindu deity Krishna.

The Ashokan edicts of the 3rd century BCE reveal an evolution of the Brahmi script. However, Gupta's new research has rewritten the history of the script in India and pushed back the origins of the Brahmi script by almost three centuries, at around the 6th century BCE.

Based on the sealings discovered at Bahaj in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan, Gupta's work proposes that writing was known to the people of the PGW culture commonly identified with the Mahabharata period. This would imply that the Brahmi script evolved indigenously in India and did not suddenly appear in the Mauryan age.

The paper says that an early Mauryan seal of jasper stone was unearthed from the deposit of the Kushana period, and it comprises nine symbols or Brahmi letters. Finds of this many seals and sealings from a limited area demonstrate the level of literacy and prosperity during ancient India.

His paper said the origin of the Brahmi script could be traced to the PGW (1200 BCE to approximately 550 BCE) culture, which archaeologist and former ASI director-general BB Lal correlated with the Mahabharata period. But there is no unanimity among archaeologists on this.

"Discovery of this sealing makes it clear that the people of PGW culture were familiar with writing," the paper says.

The sealings have been found from the upper levels of the Painted Grey Ware, which as per stratigraphy are easily datable to circa 600 BCE, the paper says.

Excavation at Bahaj started in 2024 and was carried out for two seasons. "Braj is a very important area from the point of view of Indian culture," said Gupta in 2024.

Religious connection of seals

It was the first season of excavation that yielded the seals. The excavation unearthed 39 seals and sealings which ranged from PGW phase to the Kushana period.

Most of the seals found are with an inscription, and some with only symbols. According to the paper, the most striking finds on the site are the presence of four sealings made of unbaked clay from the upper levels of the PGW period. “Such sealings have never come to notice from anywhere in the subcontinent,” it reads.

Most of the names found on these sealings are related to Rudra, Vatuka, Garga, and Nandivardhana. The same is the case with religious symbols, which are related to Nandipada, Nandi, and Dhvajas.

Of the sealings there are two varieties. Two of these show a similar impression on four sides, and the remaining two a similar impression on four sides.

The research paper also stated that one of the impressions has two separate elephant riding figures and two standing figures, matching, to some extent, the representation of Samkarshana and Vasudeva on some early Mathura coins. The researcher found the impressions to be of a religious nature. The letters on one seal read Janaka, and the other read Nokhara. "The Brahmi characters on these sealings are the earliest known examples of Brahmi script in the subcontinent," the paper says. It further adds that these findings of two sealings confirm that the Brahmi script had its beginning in the PGW culture period and they provide a missing link in writing.

Amidst raging debates on National Education Policy and State Education Policy, the All India Save Education Committee of professors and former vice-chancellors of different universities in the country have drafted People's Education Policy 2025 as an alternative to NEP.

Rajashekar VN, member of AISEC, said, "We have pointed out many drawbacks in NEP from the time it was introduced. We have drafted PEP, which is still open for suggestions and changes from various stakeholders in education. We will place it before the Union and state governments in January and push for its implementation."

PEP offers a welcome change: an adequate number of teachers, no non-academic work for the teachers, no no-detention policy, with reintroduction of year-end exams, two-language formula, among others.

Educationists have, meanwhile, criticized the state government for failing to reject NEP and for delaying the posting of the SEP report in the public domain.

Kathyayini Chamaraj, educationist and executive trustee, CIVIC, said, "I fail to understand why the SEP report is not being made public, though it was submitted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah two months ago. I had submitted a memorandum with certain suggestions to one of the members of the SEP committee. The memorandum was given after consulting teachers and anganwadi workers, who are part of elementary education in the state."

Kathyayini said the state government has not rejected NEP. “There are many issues with NEP. It has no proper mention of ‘free and compulsory education’, except once. In that case, how can one justify Article 21A which provides for free and compulsory education for those in the age group of 6 to 14?”

IIM Calcutta reported an average monthly stipend at Rs 1.85 lakh, while the median stipend stood at Rs 2 lakh a month for the summer placement season.

IIM Calcutta has achieved 100 per cent placement for summer internships in 2026 for its 62nd MBA batch. A total of more than 520 offers were received for 465 students by 154 firms within seven days of placement activities.

The institute said the entire placement process was completed in hybrid mode. In all, 183 recruiters participated in the placement drive, including many first-time participants alongside regular recruitment partners. The structured cluster-cohort model, along with policies such as the ‘dream offer’, ensured an optimal fit between students and recruiters”, making it, as the institute described, “a win-win for both sides.”

Average monthly stipend of Rs 1.85 lakh

IIM-Calcutta reported that the average monthly stipend during summer placement season stood at Rs 1.85 lakh, while the median stipend was Rs 2 lakh per month. This year, the highest domestic stipend was Rs 4.5 lakh a month, while the highest international stipend reached Rs 6 lakh a month.

That the top 5% of students at IIM Calcutta received an average of Rs 3.4 lakh per month reflects strong market demand for its MBA talent. Sectoral trends IIM Calcutta said the summer placement season at the institute saw offers from sectors like consulting, finance, FMCG, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, software, and technology. Besides the legacy recruiters tapping into the pool of students at the institute, multiple new domestic and international firms participated in the process for the first time. The institute said that a large and strong network of alumni helped in making the recruiters' interaction much stronger for the smooth placements of all. The sustained relationship between the alumni, faculty and corporate partners further added momentum to the process of achieving a single objective of 100% placement across all cohorts. Commenting on the feat, Professor Ritu Mehta, Chairperson of Placement Activities at IIM Calcutta said, "The performance of the 62nd batch MBA students resulted in yet another year of excellent summer placements. We are grateful to the recruiters for continuing to believe in our students and trust our academic processes." Previous session also recorded 100 per cent placement In the previous session, for the 61st MBA batch, IIM Calcutta had achieved full summer internship placements, wherein all 475 students got placed with a total of 564 offers from 175 companies across sectors. According to the institute, the median stipend stood at Rs 2 lakh per month, while the average stipend was Rs 1.89 lakh per month, both record highs for IIM Calcutta then. The highest domestic stipend reached Rs 3.67 lakh per month, whereas international recruiters offered stipends as high as Rs 6.75 lakh per month.

Acceleration in the agriculture sector would not be complete without India's quest to emerge as a $10 trillion economy by 2047. According to industry experts at the CII Northern Region Agri Inputs Summit, agriculture needs to grow from about $450 billion now to $1 trillion in order to contribute toward the economic vision of India. With almost 46% of India's population dependent on agriculture, the share of this sector in GDP remains close to 15%, indicating an imperative need for policy reforms and technology adoption besides more investments.

Technology and policy reforms can power the next Green Revolution in India.

Ajay Rana, chairman of the CII Northern Regional Committee on Agriculture and also head of the Federation of Seed Industry of India, said scientific innovation has already demonstrated transformative impact. Adoption of hybrid maize seed has for instance jumped from 15-20% to almost 90% in the last two decades, proof that technology-driven policy can multiply farm productivity. For the full realization of agriculture's potential, he went on to say, widespread adoption of technology, modern agri-inputs, and farmer-centric innovation would be required.

India needs clear, consistent, science-based agri policies

The summit saw demands for predictable and science-based regulatory frameworks from various participants. Rana also proposed a National Agricultural Technology Council to ensure harmonisation of policies between Centre and states on time-bound approvals on seeds, crop protection products, and new farming technologies. Inconsistent state regulations, coupled with sudden bans, discourage private investment in this sector, leading to slow innovation in agri-inputs, experts said. Four Pillars of Rural Growth: “Seed to Market” Strategy Emphasising adherence to the government's vision of "Seed to Market" in enhancing rural resilience, speakers outlined four pillars to agricultural empowerment-seed, insurance, credit (bank), and market access-which would, over time, empower farmers to be more productive, reduce their risk, and have better income stability. Agri-Input Sector Could Double to $120 Billion Long-term policy reforms could double the value of the agri-input industry from $60 billion to $120 billion, increase exports, and make agriculture a core driver of national growth, say experts.

The National Institute of Design (NID) continues to strengthen its global presence by virtue of a broad network of global as well as collaborative programmes. Ranked by Business Week (USA) amongst the Top 25 European & Asian Design Programmes (2006, 2007) and amongst the Top 30 design colleges globally by Ranker in 2014, NID has continued to adhere to excellence in learning as well as creative partnerships with world-class international design schools.

Faculty and Research Collaboration

Since NID is approaching six decades of designing learning in India, faculty exchange has emerged as one of the prime focus areas. Short- and long-term faculty exchange programs with its associate universities are fostered by the institute to develop cross-cultural learning and encourage research conversation in design. Research remains the pillar of NID's academic culture.

NID Press and Publications

NID's publishing arm, NID Press, chronicles the institute's philosophy of design and innovations in the form of books, monographs, catalogues, and newsletters. Its premier publication, The Trellis, focuses on research work, archival research, interviews, and book reviews with open invitations for contributions from both the faculty and students globally.

Collaborative Workshops and Open Electives

Through its Continuing Education Programmes (CEP), NID conducts short-duration workshops and collaborative training programmes bringing design in touch with industry, commerce, and service sectors. Visiting professors from partner institutions often co-conduct the workshops with the facilitators, facilitating cross-learning.

NID also organizes its Open Electives every year in January–February, where senior students from all disciplines are welcomed to participate in two-week multidisciplinary design workshops. International students and faculty are also welcomed, helping in creative exchange and experimentation.

Student Exchange Opportunities

NID offers semester-long exchange student programs typically between January to May during which the participants have the opportunity to undergo India's design ecosystem. The exchange requests are processed by the home institutions' respective International Offices in accordance with regulations that have been established.

Through these initiatives, NID continues to be at the vanguard of international design education by fusing Indian creativity with international cooperation to create the future generation of innovative thinkers and researchers.

The waitlist movement of IIM continues to be one of the most eagerly awaited stages for MBA hopefuls following the Common Admission Process (CAP) and final results of admissions. Thousands of applicants every year eagerly wait as the Indian Institutes of Management publish waitlist movement reports, typically extending between May to July.

Waitlist movement takes place when the initially shortlisted candidates reject admission invitations, and this drives IIMs to invite the next available candidates from the waitlist. This movement is quite different across different IIMs, categories, and years of admissions.

Upper IIMs (A, B, C, L, K, I) tend to observe minimum movement due to greater acceptance by higher-ranked candidates. For the year 2025 admissions, candidates should look forward to several rounds of waitlist movements in May-July 2025.

Younger IIMs and baby IIMs, however, tend to have substantial waitlist movement as plenty of aspirants upgrade to older IIMs or more prestigious non-IIM institutes.

Category-wise variations are observed — SC, ST, and OBC categories, being more heterogeneous in nature, witness greater waitlist movements owing to different patterns of acceptances and seats available.

Factors that Impact Waitlist Movement

There are various factors that determine the extent of movement at the waitlist at every IIM:

Acceptance Rate – When a majority of high-calibre candidates accept offers at top IIMs, movement is reduced.

Seat Intake – B-schools with bigger batch sizes (such as IIM Rohtak or IIM Indore) exhibit wider movement.

Alternative Offers – Offers to ISB, XLRI, FMS, SPJIMR, or abroad international B-schools tend to create openings at IIMs.

Reservation Policies – Category-wise allotments may lead to disproportionate movement across General, EWS, OBC, SC, and ST lists.

As competition becomes fiercer year on year, knowing the IIM waitlist movement 2025 trend can assist applicants in estimating their prospects better and making effective backup plans.

The government has stepped into actions in response to inquiries about fee hikes in top institutions like Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), and central universities as part of a Parliament inquiry. Even as they assured that some of the colleges have revised their fee structure, the government asserted there are different schemes of waivers and grants of financial aid provided to students from marginalized communities. According to official figures, fees for undergraduate courses in IITs were doubled in 2016 from ₹90,000 to ₹2 lakh a year, while fees for MBA courses at top IIMs have crossed more than ₹20 lakh.

For IIMs, the schemes of financial assistance vary in institutions. Most of the IIMs offer need-based tuition fee scholarship to students of the lower-income group and extra scholarships to meritorious students by the Ministry of Education and external funding agencies. Central universities offer meric-cum-means scholarships, SC/ST scholarships, and fee waivers to meritorious students. 

IIT Fee Hike Details

The Parliament response did admit that a few IITs have raised their fees in the last few years. The course fee of the undergraduate course was raised in 2016 from ₹90,000 to ₹2 lakh per year for general category students. SC, ST, and PwD students remain exempt from full fee concessions, while partial concessions are given to EWS students. Even M.Tech and PhD courses have witnessed time-to-time fee hikes amongst IITs.

In the same vein, IIMs have innovatively restructured their fees from time to time, and fees for flagship MBA programs in leading IIMs are now touching ₹20 lakh. Yet economically weaker sections of society get considerable financial assistance so that deserving students are not deprived of opportunities because of fiscal limitations.

Govt's Stand on Accessibility

The Ministry of Education reaffirmed that affordability and accessibility are issues of prime importance. It claimed that the top institutions are still providing different types of scholarships, interest-free loan facilities, and need-based finance to ensure that students from all socio-economic backgrounds can access quality higher education with no economic burden. The response of government is to balance fiscal sustainability of institutions with inclusivity to ensure that meritorious students can still get access to education in India's best institutions irrespective of occasional fee adjustments.

The National Scholarship Scheme, initiated by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, is a program that seeks to empower Scheduled Tribe (ST) students by giving them complete financial support in seeking higher education in India's best institutes. The scheme is meant to motivate bright ST students to attend undergraduate and postgraduate courses in various professional fields like Engineering, Management, Medicine, Law, Social Sciences, and Humanities.

100% Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship

This 100% funded Central Sector Scheme is undertaken by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. It addresses all the notified and recognized institutions' approved courses. The award of the scholarship extends until the completion of the whole course, subject to maintaining satisfactory academic progress, as attested by the institute.

But the students availing of this scholarship are not entitled to receive any other Central or State scholarship during the same course.

 The income is derived by totaling the gross income of both parents from all sources — salary, agriculture, business, property, or any other source.

Important provisions are

If both parents earn, their combined income is considered.

In case of a single parent, only that parent’s income is counted.

For orphans supported by a guardian, the income limit does not apply.

For married students, the spouse’s income is added to the family income.

The certificate of income must be submitted only once at the time of admission. For salaried workers, Form 16 is accepted, whereas for others, certificates issued by the specific State or UT authority are acceptable.

Premier Institutions and Course Coverage

A total of 252 top institutions in India have been notified under the scheme currently (Annexure-I). They are prestigious IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, National Law Universities, and other high-ranked government colleges. Only those students from these institutions who are admitted on the basis of merit are eligible for the scholarship. Those admitted under management quota in private colleges are not included.

Providing Equity in Education

National Scholarship Scheme is an historic initiative for preventing good ST students from pursuing world-class education due to financial constraints. By paying for tuition fees, living expenses, and study expenses, the scheme provides opportunities for tribal youth to succeed in competitive, high-impact professional careers — building a stronger, more diverse India.

If you walk into a room and see a robot that looks so much like a human, it smiles, speaks with warmth, and even seems to understand your feelings, it would feel cute and fascinating, right? What if I tell you, it’s not an imagination or a sci-fi movie scene anymore, it’s the future we are building today?

Yes! This is no longer about making cool gadgets but creating Robo-Sapiens (humanoid robots) that blur the lines between human and robot. But what is the purpose of us being so insistent to bring these human-like machines to life? What are the mighty dreams and needs that compel us to invent Robo-Sapiens? And how will they alter the way we live, work and learn?

This nearing revolution is about our very human quest to reach beyond ourselves and partner with machines that can think, feel, and grow alongside us. This article dives into the exciting journey of creating Robo-Sapiens, explains why humans are building them, and shows how this adventure can offer new chances to learn, create, and grow.

The Rise of  Humanoid Robots

Humanoid robots are slowly turning into functional, advanced, and autonomous, well beyond industrial automation chores. Research companies in the field of robotics propose that mass production of humanoid robots will start in 2025, with large corporations such as Tesla and Figure AI scouting a revolutionary deployment of robots that are able to perform well in diverse and non-predictable conditions in different sectors. 

With sophisticated AI software, such as reinforcement learning and computer vision, these robots are able to make decisions in complex decision making environments and more easily engage humans. This is a huge striding point in the quest to have machines with physical dexterity which combine with cognitive intelligence that opens up visions of Robo-Sapiens which would be able to boost and even redefine human productivity and creativity.​

Why Build Human-Like Robots?

Because humans are thinkers, creators, and explorers. It is natural that human beings identify with familiar things. A robot becomes more friendly when it has a face and moves like a human being with eyes. This elicits sympathy and trust, which make human beings accept and get along with robots.

Humans desire machines which can help us in doing more, thinking better, and also access places which we have no access to. Thus, the next logical step is to create robots which would resemble and behave like humans. Here’s a breakdown:

• To Work Side by Side With Us

Robots that are human shaped can occupy the space of human beings such as schools, hospitals, and homes since they are the same size as us and move in the same way. Examples of robots assisting physicians to treat patients or teachers in classrooms. Moving and interacting robots like us understand and become better adapted to human activities.

• To Learn 

People learn easily when robots are like them. By observing or practicing with human beings, they are able to acquire skills. This is beneficial in supporting the development of AI faster and safely.

• To Push Human Imagination

It is magic to have machines that resemble what is unique to us, our walking, talking, thinking. It drives science and it makes inventions that we have not even dreamed of.

The Obstacles that spur Innovation

It is not easy to design Robo-Sapiens. Engineers and scientists are required to answer puzzles such as:

• How would the robots be able to demonstrate what they are thinking and not confuse the users?
• What are the ways of making robots safe and reliable, particularly among people?
• Will robots be able to learn and develop human-like and make no mistakes?
• What causes robots to perceive compound human feelings and interpersonal signals?

These issues do not only make solving them exciting but also leave new spheres of study to students, PhD programs, and innovative inventions. 

What Does This Means for Students and Learners? 

If you are a student or someone passionate about AI and robotics, the rise of Robo-Sapiens is your moment. Here is why you should be excited and prepared:

• New Learning Paths: Schools and universities are introducing courses on robotics, AI, and human-computer interaction. Understanding how humans and robots communicate will be key.
• Career Opportunities: The need for experts who can design, program, and improve Robo-Sapiens is growing fast. From engineers to psychologists, many roles will shape the future of human-like machines.
• Becoming Creators, Not Just Users: Learning about Robo-Sapiens means you’re not just using technology but you’re building it. You can bring ideas to life that could change the way people live and work.
• Ethical Thinking: It’s also important to ask big questions, “How should robots act? What rights should they have?” Considering these questions prepares you for responsible technology leadership.

Moreover, people well-versed in AI wishing to leave their mark in history are already striving to build humanoid robots and human-like AI models, proving the time to be the best for building a career in the field of computer science. 

The connections between Human Perception and Machine Intelligence

To understand the connection between bots and human perception, I approached Harshit Dave, an AI expert and Ex-IBM researcher, who is currently working on this particular area trying to build AI models with cognitive abilities like that of humans. He explained that although AI systems, such as large language models (LLMs), can reason, calculate probabilities and generate explanation texts or numbers, there is a critical disconnect between the perception of users about the inner feeds of AI systems. Users are generally not able to instinctively feel the level of uncertainty or confidence of an AI or the depth of its reasoning, which makes it difficult to trust and interact. 

He further said, “the solution to this gap is futuristic research into human-computer interfaces beyond the visual-auditory signal-finger and sensory substitution, affective haptics where sensation of temperature, touch or other new modalities convey AI internal processes. This area of research reverses the trend of just making AI smarter and instead makes AI perceivable, so that users can develop credible mental models via embodied interaction.” 

“The interface design breakthroughs will be essential in any application that requires the use of Robo-Sapiens because human-robot collaboration requires intuitiveness and reliability through clear communication.,” he added. 

PhD Projects and Research in the Robo-Sapiens

A number of future research opportunities are currently on the rise with an aim of making Robo-Sapiens safer, more autonomous and flexible:

1. Autonomous Robotic Software Adaptation Projects such as RoboSapiens are making approaches on how robots can safely and effectively self-adapt to unanticipated environmental changes without impairment of performance or reliability. These methods incorporate sophisticated monitoring, analysis, planning, and implementation systems with deep learning to produce robotic systems that keep learning and getting better under natural environments.​
2. Sensory and Affective Interfaces: Future studies will investigate enhancing the sensory modalities in which human beings can perceive AI reasoning, e.g., through haptics to detect uncertainty or temperature changes to reflect processing intensity. It is an interdisciplinary task that includes affective computing and sensory substitution and cognitive psychology to better understand how users perceive AI behaviour and develop trust.​
3. Ethical and Cognitive Effects: Research questions include the influence of AI-enhanced humanoids on human cognition, creativity, and social functions. As an illustration, brain computer interfaces and cloud connected thinking are assured of higher creative output, however, there is a danger of cognitive decay should they be over utilized. Ethical AI structures and responsible engineering standards will be of paramount importance in making sure that Robo-Sapiens augment human capacities and not displace them.​

Researchers are Preparing For a Revolution

The explosion of humanoid robotics is expected to disrupt not only industrial sectors but also reshape education, healthcare, governance, and social interaction by 2050. Predictions estimate millions of humanoid robots operating across various domains. This transformation requires balancing technological advances with social acceptance and regulatory oversight.

AI aspirants and professors at top universities like Stanford are actively investigating these frontiers, focusing on how to blend robustness, adaptability, safety, and intuitive user interfaces into Robo-Sapiens. Their work includes exploring quantum computing's role, integrating multi-agent AI systems, advancing human-robot interaction, and crafting transparent explainability mechanisms that enhance collaborative human-machine decision-making.

Humans are Creating Humanised AI and Bots Cuz they are Humans

It is human in nature to be human enough to desire to create human-like machines. It is born out of our aspiration to discover, create and make life better in every way. The more intelligent and human Robo-Sapiens become, the bigger the challenge they give us to know more about ourselves and create a better future where man and machines can work together.

To all AI aspirants and students, this is your call to join the ride- learn robotics, feel AI, understand human behavior, and envision the future. Collectively, we will be able to develop Robo-Sapiens that are not merely machines, but co-worker towards progress.

Remember, robo-Sapiens is a story still in progress and the time is perfect to become a part of it. The future isn’t calling another Musk but (Your name), who will change the world. 

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are personal opinions of the author. They are all  views of the author in general and the author does not hold any legal responsibility or liability for the same.)

About the Author

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

Career growth used to follow one clear route: work hard, get promoted, lead a team, move to senior roles. It's a story that Gen Z seems to rewrite. According to the recent survey conducted by global recruitment firm Robert Walters, there is a shift in preferences that many employers probably did not see coming.

In fact, 52% of the professional members of Gen Z don't want to take up middle management positions. That brings another popularly known emerging term: conscious unbossing. It simply reflects the choice not to be a manager, not for lack of talent or hard work but because success is perceived differently.

Being the boss isn't the goal anymore.

The generation has watched as many of their older colleagues in middle management level jobs have had to put up with long hours and restructuring, along with people problems, and a great number seem to think that it's just not worth it. A survey by Robert Walters underlines the fact that 69% of the workforce from Gen Z consider middle management jobs to be high stress and low reward, which influences how they actually think about the future.

Many also prefer roles centered on their own work. The same survey points out that 72 percent of the employees in Generation Z want to grow as individual contributors; thus, they want to build skills, strengthen their expertise, and work with independence. Leading a team is not always part of the plan.

Dual career tracks are one option. This means employees can progress either as managers or as experts with no requirement to supervise others. Giving younger employees responsibility for projects early in their careers is another idea. It's not a flight from leadership but a search for leadership, which may not be about people management. What actually matters to Gen Z is influence by knowledge, creativity, and results; this is the kind of thing that benefits organizations. The future of careers is flexible. If you are planning your career, this moment offers room to think. Success may not appear the same for everyone. Some may enjoy team building and coaching. For some, deep focus on a skill might work best. You can also go ahead and ask during an interview or internship how growth is designed at the organization. Is there a route that promotes and rewards your strengths? Are you able to lead through your work independently without necessarily managing a team? In India, the typical view is that a manager title is proof that one has grown within a family or workplace. Students may find themselves needing to explain why another path suits them better. The nature of work is changing in every sector. Hybrid work, short project roles, and startup cultures all give new meanings to the idea of progress. From climbing ladders to building them. The career ladder is slowly turning into a set of choices. Gen Z is asking a simple question: "Do I need to be a boss to succeed?" The survey by Robert Walters suggests that many feel the answer is no. Organisations that can recognize this shift early will tap into new forms of leadership. Students who understand these changes can plan careers that match what they truly want. This trend does invite both sides to rethink the structure of work. The next generation is not avoiding ambition; it is choosing a different shape for it.

About the Author: 



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

It's time to retire that worn-out debate on higher education: classroom learning versus online learning. The debate has been a race between two camps, as if education needs to declare a winner. In truth, such framing itself is outdated. Sometimes, it may be in a late-night online module, sometimes in a heated classroom discussion, and often in an offline real-world project testing the theory.

Appropriately mixed, these ingredients make for a truly flexible, engaging, deeply human learning ecology. This would replace the passivity of lectures and the isolation of online courses with an integrated experience based on trust, collaboration, and respect for the personality of the learner. In the noisy world, in which information overflows everywhere, this is not a luxury-it's survival for the mind.

The Learner Becomes the Driver

With blended learning, the power dynamic gets turned on its head. It's flipped: learn the basics online and use in-person time to create, debate, code, simulate, build, and solve.

The Mentor Evolves — Not Fades

While critics fear that technology is substituting for teachers, the reality is it liberates them. Today, teachers design learning journeys, interpret data for intervention, and facilitate deep human learning experiences impossible to be supplanted by any AI. In return, their time is dedicated to what truly matters: sparking curiosity, instilling values, guiding teams, and mentoring individuals.

The Three-Part Harmony

Blended learning works because elements of the online, on-ground, and offline reinforce one another:

Online builds knowledge - the "what" On-ground builds understanding-the "so what". Offline build application and reflection -- the "now what". This balance also protects mental wellbeing, which is acutely needed in today's post-pandemic screen-saturated world. The Next Leap: Human + AI Blended learning is the bridge to this new frontier of the human-AI partnership in education. AI will provide personalized learning pathways, AR/VR will facilitate safe and immersive practice, while wisdom, empathy, ethics, and creativity remain the distinctly human strengths which the mentors focus on. The Editorial View The universities that will thrive will not be the ones which digitalize but the ones which humanize intelligently. Blended learning, powered by technology but anchored in human connection, is the model that shapes wiser, capable, more empathetic citizens. The question for the institutions is no longer "Should we blend?" It's: Will we have the courage to redesign, rebalance, and rehumanize learning for the world that is rapidly approaching?

Consider a young PhD scholar hunched over her bench in an Indian university laboratory late into the night. She is a first-generation learner and one of the brightest minds on campus. Yet, her day was defined not by research breakthroughs but by the public humiliation meted out by a supervisor-ideas dismissed, confidence eroded. In her inbox lies an offer from a European university: better funding, yes, but more importantly, a culture of respect, mentorship, and intellectual freedom. She is ready to leave-not for money but for dignity.

Her story is not an exception but a mirror to Indian academia.

We see a slow-burn crisis: casual caste and regional slurs brushed off as "jokes," closed-door decisions benefiting favourites, and ad-hoc rulemaking that shifts with power centres. Instead of curiosity, fear; instead of initiative, compliance. It is devastatingly unfortunate. Between 60,000–75,000 highly trained graduates—including IIT engineers and specialised researchers—leave India every year, draining $35–50 billion worth of talent and public investment annually. Even within the system, attrition is high, with the same individuals rotating in leadership roles to maintain the same insular circle.

This is not an accident; this is engineered through campus culture. And culture is a leadership choice.

It is now time for India to reverse this trajectory by turning away from punitive, hierarchical models of leadership and embracing Positive Leadership: a research-led, values-driven approach that creates "heliotropic campuses"-institutions that attract and retain talent the way a sunflower instinctively turns toward the sun.

The Shadow Campus: Understanding the Roots of Toxicity

Toxicity on campus is not an act; it's a system. It has an architecture that can be mapped across five dimensions:

Structural toxicity means lack of clear SOPs on admissions, hiring, grants or grievances that allows arbitrariness and favouritism.

Behavioral toxicity: micro-aggressions, public shaming, 'gotcha' emails, and unprofessional WhatsApp groups which humiliate rather than guide.

Incentive Toxicity: Rewarding loyalty to authority and not integrity or ingenuity. Neglecting mentorship and community-building work.

Process Toxicity: Paperwork for grievance mechanisms, delayed redressal, and informal punishment for speaking up.

Information Toxicity: Hoarding, rumour-driven communication, and opacity that breeds mistrust and silence.

Both these patterns emerge from the dominator culture that starts with student ragging and goes right up to senior academic bullying-two faces of the same disease: un-contained power. The worst brunt of this is suffered by marginalized students, particularly those from SC, ST, and OBC communities that face subtle and overt discrimination masquerading as meritocratic evaluation.

The most tragic consequence is the loss of future mentors. Those who leave-ethical, globally exposed scholars-are the very people who could have transformed Indian academia. And their absence creates leadership vacuums filled by people who run and support the toxic system. India is losing not just talent but reformers.

The Turn Toward the Sun: The Case for Positive Leadership

Positive Leadership represents a shift in focus-from faultfinding to strength-building, from fear-based compliance to purpose-driven excellence. Rooted in behavioral science, it is inspired by the heliotropic effect: the inborn tendency of living systems to move toward sources of nourishment and away from harm.

Positive leaders make a conscious effort to gratify the three basic psychological needs that undergird motivation: autonomy, competence, and belonging. This approach rests on four pillars:

Positive Climate: There is a culture of compassion, gratitude, and forgiveness; failing is an opportunity to learn.

Positive Relationships: High-trust networks across hierarchy that foster collaboration over competition.

Positive Communication – Public appreciation, private correction, transparent dialogue.

Positive meaning: daily activities linked to a higher purpose that inspires excellence beyond the job description.

From Day One to Year One: A Blueprint for Change

Change doesn't have to be about massive budgets; it needs committed leadership and small, continuous actions:

Immediate Actions (First 30 Days): Stop the Harm

Acknowledge past issues openly.

Ensure safe and confidential reporting channels.

Freeze discretionary decision-making. Require written justification.

Start every meeting with genuine appreciation.

Day 31–90: Embed Equity in Systems

• Publish transparent SOPs on hiring, appraisal, grants, and grievances.
• Replace annual performance "judgments" with coaching-based growth plans.
• Introduce mentor pairs for junior faculty in order to avoid supervisory misuse.

Day 91–180: Default to Positivity

• Establish a common mission statement to which the team goals are aligned.
• Measure psychological safety: publish results and actions.
• Recognize invisible emotional and community labor.

6–12 Months: Ensure Change Outlives the Leader

• Track early-warning culture indicators publicly.

Commission third-party culture audits annually. Create "belonging moats" of opportunities for growth, sabbaticals, micro-grants, and gratitude rituals. Conclusion: India needs to be a sun and not a sieve. India is at an inflection point. Will its institutions remain sieves, filtering talent to enrich other countries? Or will they be suns, spreading safety, dignity, and intellectual joy? Positive Leadership is not a soft ideal; it is a strategic national imperative. It is cost-effective, human-centred, and innovation-led. Cultures change not by memo but through rituals, systems, and everyday choices that privilege respect over fear. A campus becomes a sun the day its leaders choose fairness over favour, coaching over criticism, and purpose over power. It all begins with one act: choose trust.

Some resources for self-reading:

• Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't by Simon Sinek: Focuses on creating a "circle of safety" in leadership to foster trust and cooperation.
• Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek: Explores how to lead by being driven by purpose, which inspires action.
• Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. by Brené Brown: Tackles vulnerability, courage, and empathy as essential leadership qualities.
• The Power of Positive Leadership: How and Why Leaders Can Bring Out the Best in People by Jon Gordon: Advocates for cultivating optimism and a positive mindset to bring out the best in others.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey: A classic on personal and professional effectiveness that is fundamental for good leadership.

Indian women are creating a new history about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), silently yet boldly breaking Bahu-nomic culture which is a social and cultural construct that historically defined women as creatures who are primarily at home, are married, have babies and do every labour for the family rather than pursue careers and independence. Today, Indian women are shattering these barriers and actually making a difference in the areas that were considered male-dominat, especially in advanced spheres such as artificial intelligence (AI).

The "Bahu-nomic Tradition": A Modern Demand 

The term Bahu-nomic is derived by combining the word Bahu (daughter-in-law) and economic. This is a new trending word used on social media by people who value the efforts of an unpaid househelp (married woman). Most Indian families believed that the ambitions of women other than housework came second. Early marriage, homemaking and subordination were greatly valued by the cultural norms and education was mostly restricted to that which could be regarded as fitting a housewife or educator. As society evolved, the demands increased. Women are now asked to earn as well as take care of the family. Once when women were only bothered for dowry has now transformed into being bullied and forced to manage kids, office, and house, and also split the expenses like electricity bill, EMIs, etc. 

India surely changed its behaviour towards women after invaders did their best to promote their culture and beliefs. This deeply ingrained social structure influenced the society, producing a palpable gap in female education and employment, particularly in elite and male-dominated professions like engineering or technology. Women in science, technology, and engineering were exceptional cases, and those who were able to venture into these areas were not received with trust, were looked down upon, and were not supported by the institutions.

Changing Tides: Women seeking STEM in India

Today, the whole scenario is changing fast. India now boasts one of the highest percentages of women STEM graduates globally which is approximately 43% according to the latest surveys. This is a great turn around of a nation that used to be miles behind. The girls of all social and economic backgrounds including rural and semi-urban are now taking up science and mathematics streams in schools with government programs, scholarships and a new attitude towards parents. 

Even after this progress, there is a paradox that is critical. It is only 27% of these graduates who are able to work in STEM industries. This is because of work prejudices in the workplace, pressures in the society concerning marriage and child care, rigid work settings, which fail to support women with their special needs, and the Bahu-nomic thinking that demands women to earn as well as take care of home! The other problems aren’t as concerning as the last one due to the fact that women are Shakti, the creator, who doesn’t complain instead creates a way for herself. Someone said it correctly, the giver is always exploited. However, these barriers are being overcome by the sheer force of will of numerous women, who are making their career in AI, robotics, biotechnology, and other high-tech STEM industries. 

Women in Artificial Intelligence and New Technologies

The technological future of India is artificial intelligence, which is the epitome of the modern era of innovation. The AI industry was traditionally dominated by males, nowadays women are proliferating in top positions, inventing disruptive algorithms, and startups that solve societal issues are being launched.

In India, the women AI practitioners are building solutions that go beyond healthcare diagnosing to language translation, providing work opportunities, and helping the world as a whole to develop technologically. They are not symbolic but substantive, influencing the discussion of AI ethics and AI policy with a lens that is, in most cases, an expression of inclusiveness and  empathy.

Consciously developed educational programs on AI, machine learning, data science, and related areas have been developed to ensure that more women enrol and this has been achieved through the involvement of universities, industry leaders, and the government. These are attempts to close the leaky pipeline -the expression of the loss of women over time through STEM education to work.

Breaking the Leaky Pipeline: Organizational and Social Action.

In addition to personal determination, it is necessary to solve the gender gap in STEM on a system level. Gender friendly policies are being adopted by institutions: flexible work schedules, better maternity leave, a harassment-free environment and safe workplace, and mentorship programs that are specifically designed to suit women.

Stereotypes that present the division between women and men work are being demolished at the community level. The reforms in education have brought on concrete, investigative based STEM learning in education that has involved girls in equal measure as boys. Inclusive STEM skills are developed in government schemes such as Atal Innovation Mission and Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan. 

The Greater Effect: Women Bucking the Conventional Story.

The emergence of female scientists in STEM is a social uprising that questions the principles of the Bahu-nomic tradition, re-defining womanhood as a state of intellect, independence and professional ambition. Such women are role models to their communities where they motivate families to equally appreciate education and where they motivate girls to dream of a life beyond the normal duties.

These women are changing policy and culture as they rise the ladder in leadership, pushing the agenda of greater gender equality. Their achievements draw attention to the economic and social advantages of diversity - more innovative and more efficient in finding solutions and growing more inclusive.

Women Beyond STEM 

Indian women across diverse fields are also breaking free from the Bahu-nomic tradition that confines them to unpaid domestic labor and undervalued work. Traditionally, much of women’s contributions inside households like cooking, cleaning, caregiving, have remained invisible and uncompensated, perpetuating economic and social dependency. Today, women are gaining greater economic and social control by penetrating formal working environments, business start-ups and top management positions, requiring acknowledgement and suitable payment..

This shift not only challenges deep-rooted stereotypes but also redefines the value of women’s labor in society. By balancing both paid careers and household responsibilities, women are disrupting centuries-old norms of unpaid labor, creating a ripple effect that moves toward equitable gender roles at home and in the economy.

Moving from Bahu-Nomic to Bias-Phobic Society 

India is at a critical point of becoming gender equal in the STEM sectors. Although many pockets of society continue to be influenced by societal norms with their basis in Bahu-nomic traditions, the wave of women becoming scientists, engineers, engineers, and mathematicians gives hope and promise. Not only are they swamping classrooms or laboratories but they are literally carving out the technological future of India proving that talent is not limited to gender or tradition overcomes tradition.

With this change evident to educators, policymakers, students, and society overall it is obvious that women empowerment in STEM is not just an issue of equality but a strategic requirement to the development of India in the 21st century. 

As more women rise, inspire, and lead, the ripple effect will continue to break old norms & boundations, and build a future where every woman can dream big and achieve even bigger. 

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the form of a blog and get a chance to be featured on our site.

About the Author

Literacy in the 21st century is beyond reading and writing. Code, the secretive programming that is in charge of everything from mobile applications to Mars rovers, has silently assumed the role of this new literacy. In order to navigate and shape the digital world, students and teachers must learn to think in code, rather than simply consume technology. 

The focus of coding is not only to make one a software engineer. It educates on managing problems, expressing ideas and thinking logically in a world that is data-driven. Nautaro (2018) once quoted a saying by author and investor, Naval Ravikant, who said, Coding is the new literacy. Individuals who read and write using this logical language will define what is to come and what is about to happen.

The New Literacy of Digital Era 

Earlier, civilizations and societies were able to share stories and build their societies using written languages in the form of poetry, novel, novella, songs,  etc. In the modern world, the purpose of code is the same, allowing ideas to become digitalized. Across industries, coding is directly shaping art, science, finance, and even politics. For instance, AI editing tools are used by filmmakers, Python scripts are used in the analysis of DNA by biologists, and the creation of interactive online lessons is done by a teacher, all with the help of code (directly or indirectly).

Code learning is not just a way to know how computers work, but it also provides an understanding of how thought processes work. Coding demands accuracy, patience and ingenuity, which is crucial in contemporary learning. When students debug a simple program, they are exposed to a training of logic and persistence to learn to keep repeating until they detect solutions.

Coding Is an Art of Expression

Code seems to most people to be mechanical, even cold. However, the reality is that coding is also one more storytelling. Poets, as much as they reuse words to create emotions, are programmers who are arranging logic to make ideas come to life be it in the form of game, application, or even artificial intelligence. One of MIT professors, Mitchel Resnick, a founder of Scratch, goes on to explain that coding is not only about solving problems, but also about expressing yourself and making things that matter to you.

The student who creates a mobile app on clean water awareness is not any less an artist than the novelist or painter. They are narrating a story with a code change digitally.

Why Students and Teachers should Learn to Code

Coding fluency is emerging as an important issue as language fluency. According to the reports by the World Economic Forum, by the year 2030, 85 percent of the jobs of the future will need to be digital, and many will necessitate at least some rudimentary skill in either programming or some kind of computational thinking. However, the vast majority of students leave without having any coding experience.

It is time schools redefined the meaning of being literate. In the same way that reading and writing were breaking minds in the Industrial Era, coding can unleash power in students of the ⁙ AI revolution. Coding is already being made a main subject at the primary levels by governments such as the UK, Singapore, and even Rwanda. This change was also appreciated in the National Education Policy (NEP 2020) of India- the policy promoted the development of computational thinking at the earliest level.

To the educators, the adoption of coding does not imply that one should drop the old subjects, but enhance them. Algorithms make Math interactive. Data visualization makes history interesting. Even art is developing with digital design. A teacher who teaches students to code learns together with the students forming a strong classroom of creators rather than consumers.

The Human Code Behind the Machine

Still, coding education isn’t only about writing syntax, it’s about ethics, empathy, and inclusion. As AI systems increasingly influence decisions in hiring, law, and healthcare, understanding how algorithms work becomes a civic duty. If literacy once helped societies hold governments accountable, coding literacy helps us hold algorithms accountable.

By teaching students to code responsibly, we teach them to question how technology shapes our values, privacy, and fairness. That’s the essence of modern civic literacy.

Coding Is the Literacy of Empowerment

In the end, the ability to code is less about machines and more about empowerment. It enables students to bridge imagination and impact, to turn “What if?” into “I built this!” The democratization of coding tools means anyone, from rural India to Silicon Valley, can now create a digital footprint. That is revolutionary.

So, as we enter the era of AI, we should redefine the role of education: not only to teach students to use technology but how to create it. Remember the time when words and literature  changed the world? Now, code will! 

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