Aditya College of Architecture and Design (ACAAD) has secured the second position in Mumbai among Private New Age Architecture Institutes (established after 2000) in the Times Top Education Institutes & Alternative Careers Survey 2026, reinforcing its growing stature in architectural education.

The recognition highlights the institute's emphasis on academic excellence, design innovation, industry engagement and modern infrastructure, placing it among the city's leading institutions for architecture and design studies.

Focus on Future-Ready Architectural Education

Established with the objective of nurturing architects capable of creating sustainable and impactful built environments, ACAAD has developed a curriculum that combines creativity, critical thinking, technical expertise and practical problem-solving.

The institution's academic framework is designed to prepare students for the evolving demands of the architecture profession by encouraging design exploration, innovation and real-world application of knowledge.

A key feature of the college's approach is its emphasis on experiential learning. Through project-based education, industry interaction, collaborative assignments and mentorship from experienced faculty members, students gain exposure to practical challenges faced by contemporary architects and urban planners.

Leadership Perspective

Commenting on the achievement, Harishchandra S. Mishra, Chairman and Founder Trustee of the Aditya Group of Institutions, said architecture plays a crucial role in shaping how people interact with their surroundings and communities.

He noted that the institution seeks to develop creative thinkers who can integrate innovation, functionality and sustainability while addressing real-world challenges. According to him, the recognition validates ACAAD's commitment to fostering an educational environment where students are encouraged to experiment, innovate and contribute to the future development of cities and communities.

Strengths Behind the Ranking

The Times Survey recognition reflects several strengths associated with ACAAD's academic ecosystem, including:

• Experienced faculty members
• Strong industry connections
• Focus on design-led innovation
• Modern learning infrastructure
• Practical and project-based learning opportunities

Together, these elements aim to help students build professional competence while developing the creative confidence required in architecture and design careers.

Preparing Architects for a Changing World

As the architecture profession increasingly responds to technological advancements, rapid urbanisation and sustainability concerns, ACAAD says it remains focused on equipping students with the skills and perspectives needed to thrive in a dynamic industry.

The latest ranking serves as recognition of the institution's efforts to combine academic rigour with industry relevance while preparing future architects and designers to address contemporary urban and environmental challenges.

About ACAAD

Aditya College of Architecture and Design (ACAAD) is a Mumbai-based institution that offers architectural education through a blend of academic learning, design experimentation, industry exposure and practical training. The institute focuses on developing responsible and innovative professionals capable of addressing modern architectural and urban development challenges.

India's rapidly expanding gaming industry is creating unprecedented demand for skilled game designers and developers, prompting higher education institutions to strengthen specialised programmes in game design and development. However, industry experts warn that a significant gap remains between classroom training and the skills required by gaming studios.

According to the FICCI-EY Report 2025, India had approximately 488 million online gamers in 2024, making it one of the world's largest gaming markets. The sector, currently valued at $3.7 billion, is projected by IMARC Group to reach $16.72 billion by 2034, reflecting the growing influence of gaming in the country's digital economy.

In response to this growth, more than 300 colleges and universities across India now offer courses in game design and development. Institutions such as Pearl Academy, Amity University, Lovely Professional University and Symbiosis Institute of Design have introduced structured programmes aimed at preparing students for careers in the gaming sector.

Despite this expansion, a taskforce report commissioned by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on the animation, visual effects, gaming and comics (AVGC) sector highlighted a persistent mismatch between academic curricula and industry requirements. The report called for greater industry participation in course design and more practical, project-based learning across certificate, diploma and degree programmes.

The success of Indian gaming studios underscores the potential of homegrown talent. Pune-based SuperGaming launched the Indo-futuristic battle royale title Indus in 2024, which has surpassed six million downloads. Meanwhile, Masala Games gained international recognition with Detective Dotson, a mystery-adventure game set in India that received strong reviews from players and critics alike.

Industry observers believe that culturally rooted game development could become India's unique competitive advantage. As gaming preferences in India differ significantly from global trends, developers who understand local audiences are well-positioned to create successful products for the domestic market.

With the sector expected to generate more than two million jobs by 2034 and major gaming hubs emerging in Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad and Kochi, the pressure is mounting on educational institutions to produce graduates equipped with both technical expertise and industry-relevant skills.

The National Testing Agency (National Testing Agency) is facing fresh criticism after candidates alleged widespread irregularities in the NIFT 2026 results, deepening concerns over the credibility of India’s national entrance examinations.

Soon after the National Institute of Fashion Technology (National Institute of Fashion Technology) declared its final results on June 3, several aspirants reported serious inconsistencies. Complaints include mismatched scores in the Creative Ability Test (CAT) and General Ability Test (GAT), incorrect attendance marking, and alleged lapses in biometric verification during the admission process.

Some candidates claimed they were marked absent despite appearing for exams, while others said they unexpectedly received marks even though they did not take the Stage 2 Situation Test. The absence of a publicly released answer key for the creative section has further fuelled accusations of limited transparency.

Social media platforms, including Reddit and X, have amplified the controversy, with screenshots and posts highlighting what students describe as “impossible score patterns.” The viral nature of these claims has intensified public scrutiny of the evaluation process and raised questions about the reliability of attendance tracking systems.

The controversy comes at a sensitive time for the NTA, which has already been under pressure following earlier allegations related to the NEET-UG examination cycle. Critics argue that repeated concerns across different national-level tests point to deeper systemic issues rather than isolated errors.

In response, senior NTA officials have maintained that the number of formal grievances remains limited. According to officials, only around 15 of nearly 12,000 candidates have directly approached the agency, and most issues have reportedly been resolved. However, students contest this claim, stating that many complaints sent via email and helplines remain unanswered.

Candidates and coaching experts also highlight structural gaps, including the lack of re-evaluation mechanisms and limited transparency in scoring for creative assessments. These limitations, they argue, make it difficult for aspirants to independently verify their results.

The NIFT admission process, which includes multiple stages such as GAT, CAT, and the Situation Test, concluded its Stage 2 evaluation for over 10,000 candidates before the June 3 results were released.

As allegations continue to circulate online, calls for an independent audit of the evaluation and attendance systems are growing louder, putting renewed pressure on exam authorities to restore trust in the national testing framework.

A new study in the field of empirical aesthetics has revealed that while people often agree on whether an artwork is beautiful, they may experience it in remarkably different ways. The findings shed new light on the complex relationship between aesthetic preference, emotion and personal interpretation.

Published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, the research explored a fundamental question: when two people like the same artwork, are they actually having the same experience?

Researchers invited participants in Philadelphia to view artworks from the Barnes Foundation and artefacts from the Penn Museum. After spending one minute with each object, participants rated whether they liked the piece and then described their emotional and cognitive responses using a vocabulary of 69 terms designed to capture the richness of aesthetic experiences.

The results revealed a striking pattern. Agreement was highest when participants judged whether an artwork was beautiful or likable. However, consensus declined when deeper emotional and reflective responses were considered. Positive emotions such as pleasure and calmness showed moderate agreement, while reactions involving discomfort, challenge or personal reflection varied significantly among viewers.

The greatest differences emerged in experiences linked to inspiration, enlightenment and deep absorption. Researchers found that these responses were strongly influenced by an individual's memories, knowledge, emotions and personal associations.

The findings suggest that appreciation of art operates on multiple levels. While viewers may broadly agree that a painting is aesthetically appealing, the meanings they derive from it often differ. A single artwork can evoke nostalgia in one person, intellectual curiosity in another and emotional transformation in a third.

According to the researchers, these insights help explain why aesthetic experiences can be both universal and deeply personal. The study highlights that shared judgments about beauty often mask diverse and highly individual pathways of emotional engagement and interpretation.

The Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIIT-Delhi), in collaboration with TimesPro, has announced the launch of the first cohort of its Post Graduate Diploma Programme in Interaction Design and User Experience (UX). The 12-month programme has been designed to equip learners with industry-relevant skills in design thinking, user experience principles, and contemporary interaction design while providing exposure to emerging technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), wearable interfaces, and generative artificial intelligence (AI).

The programme will be delivered by IIIT-Delhi’s faculty members and researchers through a blended learning format that combines live online classes with campus immersion. It aims to help learners develop expertise at the intersection of design, technology, and human behaviour, enabling them to create intuitive and inclusive digital experiences across products, platforms, and connected devices.

According to IIIT-Delhi, the course has been structured to support both professionals seeking career advancement and individuals looking to transition into the rapidly evolving design and innovation ecosystem. The curriculum comprises six modules covering Design Foundation, User Interface and User Experience Design, Human Factors, Evaluation Methodologies, Interaction Design, and Emerging Technologies and New Media, followed by a Capstone Project.

Over the duration of the programme, participants will engage in more than 350 hours of learning through live sessions, recorded content, assignments, projects, and practical exercises. A three-day campus immersion at IIIT-Delhi will be conducted at the end of the programme.

Learners will gain hands-on experience with industry tools and technologies, including Arduino, Unreal Engine, Android Studio, and Figma. The programme also offers exposure to cutting-edge domains such as brain-computer interfaces (BCI), wearable technology, AR/VR applications, and generative AI.

Speaking on the launch, Assistant Professors Pragma Kar and Richa Gupta said the programme has been designed to provide a contemporary and practice-oriented learning journey that integrates design, research, and emerging technologies. TimesPro’s Business Head for Executive Education, Sridhar Nagarajachar, noted that the increasing demand for professionals who can bridge design, technology, and user behaviour makes such specialised programmes highly relevant.

The programme prepares participants for careers as UI/UX Designers, Interaction Designers, Product Designers, UX Researchers, and AR/VR Experience Designers. Graduates from diverse academic backgrounds with a minimum of 50 per cent marks or equivalent CGPA are eligible to apply.

The National Institute of Fashion Technology has announced the final results for its 2026 admissions process, enabling candidates to access their scores, ranks and merit positions online through the official admission portal.

Candidates who appeared for the Stage 2 selection process, including the Situation Test, Studio Test and Personal Interview rounds, can now download their final scorecards. The results include cumulative scores, Common Merit Rank (CMR), category rank and All India Rank for various undergraduate and postgraduate programmes offered by NIFT.

The final merit list has been prepared by combining performance across different stages of the entrance examination. For Bachelor of Design (B.Des) candidates, scores from the Creative Ability Test (CAT), General Ability Test (GAT) and Situation Test have been considered. For Master of Design (M.Des) and other postgraduate programmes, performance in the Personal Interview has also been factored into the final ranking process.

With the declaration of results, the admission process now moves to the next crucial phase—centralized counselling and seat allocation. Qualified candidates will be invited to participate in the counselling process for admission to various NIFT campuses across India. Seat allotment will be based on candidates' ranks, category, programme preferences and seat availability.

NIFT conducts its entrance examination annually to select students for design, fashion technology and management programmes. The multi-stage selection process is designed to evaluate candidates on creativity, design aptitude, problem-solving skills and general awareness, ensuring a comprehensive assessment of their suitability for the institute's academic programmes.

Steps to Download NIFT Result 2026

Candidates can follow these steps to access their scorecards:

1. Visit the official NIFT admission portal.
2. Click on the "NIFT 2026 Final Scorecard" link available on the homepage.
3. Enter your Application Number and Date of Birth or password.
4. Complete the security captcha verification.
5. Click on Submit to view the result.
6. Check your scorecard, Common Merit Rank (CMR), category rank and other details.
7. Download and save the scorecard for future reference.

Candidates are advised to keep a copy of their scorecard ready for the upcoming counselling and seat allotment process. For further updates regarding counselling schedules and admission procedures, applicants should regularly visit the official NIFT admission portal.