Education Leaders | Top Interviews

As India races toward becoming a global knowledge leader, its higher education system stands at a critical crossroads. Few voices articulate this transition as clearly as Dr Sanku Bose, Vice-Chancellor of Sister Nivedita University (SNU) and Group CEO of Techno India, one of the country’s largest education ecosystems. Known for his philosophy of Life-Ready Education and his focus on human-centric learning for Industry 5.0, Dr Bose has emerged as a leading thinker in reimagining how India must educate its next generation.

In this wide-ranging conversation with Edinbox Scribe Nibedita Speaks, Dr Bose explains why India must urgently shift its mindset, how SNU is being redesigned as a “Life-Ready Talent Factory,” and what legacy he hopes to build for India’s youth by 2035.

1. The single biggest mindset shift Indian higher education must adopt to match global standards

Dr Sanku Bose:
“The most important shift India needs is moving from degree-ready education to life-ready education. Around the world, universities are no longer judged by syllabus completion, exam cycles or rigid classroom delivery. They are evaluated by the life outcomes they create — confidence, creativity, employability, global exposure, and values.

In India, we must stop asking: ‘What have you studied?’
Instead, we must ask: ‘Are you life-ready?’

For this, I believe the C3P Framework must become the backbone of Indian higher education:

• Curiosity – courage to question and explore
  
  
• Creativity – ability to imagine possibilities and build solutions
  
  
• Compassion – ethics, empathy, and human sensitivity
  
  
• Purpose – clarity on why one wants to learn and contribute
  

If we embed these four competencies with the same seriousness we attach to degrees, India can not only match but surpass global benchmarks.”

2. Ensuring education remains purpose-driven and not just another business vertical

Dr Bose:
“In my dual role at SNU and Techno India, my foremost duty is to protect the sanctity of education. Degrees create qualifications. But purpose-driven education creates impact.

We evaluate every program and initiative through the C3P lens:

• Are we nurturing curiosity?
  
  
• Are we igniting creativity?
  
  
• Are we building compassion and ethics?
  
  
• Are we empowering purpose?
  

This keeps education rooted in service and social responsibility, not commercialization. When institutions lead with purpose, excellence naturally follows.”

3. Transforming SNU into a talent-generation hub for Industry 5.0

Dr Bose:
“Industry 5.0 is not about replacing humans with technology but amplifying human intelligence through technology. SNU is being reimagined around Life-Ready Skills + C3P Competencies.”

Key initiatives include:

• 1. Life-Ready Curriculum
  Programs integrate problem-solving, emotional intelligence, values and future skills.
• 2. School of Lifelong Learning (launching January 2026)
  Micro-credentials in AI tools, communication, digital skills, leadership, career readiness — before, during, and after the degree.
• 3. C3P Talent Development Framework
  Curiosity-driven exploration, creativity studios, compassion-driven community work, and purpose-driven career mapping.
• 4. Co-op & Industry Immersion
  Students spend 6–12 months in industry, earning credits and real-life competencies.
• 5. Deep Tech & High-Value Labs
  AR/VR Lab, VLSI Lab, iOS Lab, Salesforce Lab, Green DevOps and more — all designed for skill-building, not degree-building.

“SNU is no longer a degree factory. It is evolving into a Life-Ready, Future-Ready Talent Factory fully aligned with Industry 5.0.”

4. Aligning a large ecosystem like Techno India Group

Dr Bose:
“The challenge is not scale — it is synchronizing purpose. We apply a group-wide Life-Ready Learning Philosophy reinforced through the C3P Framework.”

The alignment strategy includes:

• Unified Vision: Curiosity, Creativity, Compassion, Purpose across all units
  
  
• Decentralized Innovation: Autonomy with shared principles
  
  
• Data-Driven Leadership: Dashboards, audits, KPIs, academic governance
  
  
• Cultural Alignment: Faculty development, leadership mentoring, values training
  
  

“No matter where a student enters the Techno India system, they experience the same ethos — Life-Ready + C3P education.”

5. Legacy for 2035: What today’s Indian students must urgently change

Dr Bose:
“My vision is to nurture a generation of Life-Ready Indians — confident, compassionate, globally competent. A generation that embodies C3P.”

But two mindset shifts are urgent:

• 1. From ‘Marks-Ready’ to ‘Life-Ready’
  Marks help you start a career. Life skills help you sustain it.
• 2. From ‘Job-Seeking’ to ‘Problem-Solving’
  Job-seekers compete. Problem-solvers lead.

“If India’s youth embrace Life-Ready learning and C3P values, then by 2035, India will not merely participate in the global knowledge economy —
India will shape it.”

India’s medical education system is facing one of its toughest moments like skyrocketing postgraduate fees, overcrowded MBBS batches, shrinking job security, and an unprecedented rise in unemployed young doctors. The traditional belief that medicine guarantees stability, dignity, and financial security is now rapidly eroding. At a time when the system is tilting toward collapse, voices from within the profession are crucial to understanding the true scale of the crisis.

To decode this shifting landscape, Edinbox Scribe Nibedita Speaks spoke with someone who has lived through two decades of medical transformation Dr. Ankush Bansal, a respected radiologist with over 15 years of clinical experience. Based in Panipat, Haryana, Dr. Bansal is widely known for his diagnostic clarity, ethical medical practice, and patient-first approach. After completing his MBBS from Bangalore in 2004 and his radiology postgraduate degree from Nagpur in 2009, he entered the profession at a time when medicine still felt merit-driven and predictable.

His work has been featured in national and international medical journals, and he has contributed to several medical education initiatives over the years. Outside the hospital, Dr. Bansal keeps pace with a different passion—badminton. Every morning begins on the court before he returns to the world of scans and diagnoses. He also describes himself as a committed automobile enthusiast and avid long-distance driver. Medicine, however, remains central to his life: he is married to a gynaecologist who shares the same values of commitment and integrity in private-sector healthcare.

Q: How long did it take you to recover the money you invested in your education?

Dr. Ankush Bansal:

There is really no fixed formula to calculate how long it takes to recover the money spent on medical education. It varies greatly from person to person. If one follows a completely ethical path—which most doctors aspire to—then the recovery can take an entire lifetime. Medicine isn’t a field where you earn back your investment overnight. It’s slow, steady, and deeply dependent on how responsibly you practise.

Q: Did pursuing a PG degree actually open better opportunities or higher salaries for you?

Dr. Ankush Bansal:

Absolutely. Once you are formally qualified and step into a specialised field, opportunities do come your way. A PG degree doesn’t just improve prospects—it elevates your social standing as well. People recognise your expertise, and your work is appreciated in a different way. The combination of specialization and good work ethic naturally builds trust and opens more doors.

Q: What pressures did your family face during your training period?

Dr. Ankush Bansal:

My family went through a lot—financial strain, emotional stress, and a constant sense of uncertainty. Being an only child added another layer of responsibility. When you study in another state, you also depend heavily on relatives and extended networks for support. It isn’t easy for any middle-class family to navigate this journey; the sacrifices are real and long-lasting.

Q: Do you regret choosing a seat that could have been high-fee?

Dr. Ankush Bansal:

Fortunately, I didn’t have to face that dilemma. I studied in a government-subsidised institution and had a good rank as well. This was around 15 years ago, when the system was far less commercialised. The situation today is very different. Students now face fees that are unimaginable compared to what our generation saw.

Q: What changes do you believe the government must make so future students aren’t trapped by high fees and limited opportunities?

Dr. Ankush Bansal:

The government is trying to address the issue of extremely high fees, and the push to set up medical colleges in every state is a good step. But the real problem is the imbalance between UG and PG seats. Increasing MBBS seats without increasing PG seats will only worsen the bottleneck. Every student ultimately wants to specialise, and if PG seats remain limited, the pressure will keep rising.

Another critical issue is infrastructure—especially in rural hospitals. If a PG student is made to work like a fresh MBBS graduate, then their training is wasted. Doctors can contribute far more effectively when the system supports them properly. Strengthening infrastructure and expanding PG opportunities should be top priorities.

Dr Ankush Bansal

MBBS; MD ( Radio-Diagnosis)

Consultant Radiologist, 

Bansal Diagnostic Centre

Panipat-132103

Harayana

7988848525

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In a higher education landscape crowded with titles and designations, true institution-builders are rare. Rarer still are leaders who not only envision transformation but roll up their sleeves to create it, brick by brick, system by system, strategy by strategy. Prof. Minal Pareek belongs to this rare breed.

Over the last two decades, she has redefined what it means to be an academic leader, shaping universities not as administrative structures but as living, breathing ecosystems of creativity, technology, and global ambition. From establishing media labs, production studios, and communication departments from the ground up to scripting the branding journeys of major institutions, Prof. Pareek’s work has consistently stayed ahead of its time. Whether she is conceptualizing digital television platforms, leading international collaborations, or steering university governance, her footprint is unmistakable: she builds, scales, and inspires.

Her achievements from completing the elite US State Department’s IVLP Fellowship on Media Literacy to winning respected honours such as the Femina Women Achievers Award and the Women Leadership Award only underscore a career dedicated to excellence. Today, as the head of SNU SURGE, a dynamic 20-member consultancy division offering end-to-end digital and brand solutions, she continues to bridge academia and industry with uncommon clarity and conviction.

This conversation with Edinbox brings you the mind behind the milestones, one of the East’s most influential academic architects, a strategist with global perspective, and a leader whose work quietly powers the institutions we admire.

1. With short-form content and influencer-driven storytelling dominating today’s media space, how must curriculum and pedagogy evolve?

The media ecosystem is changing faster than ever, and our curriculum must move beyond traditional theory-heavy models. At SNU, we are consciously shifting toward creator-centric learning, where students learn to not only understand media but actively participate in it.

This means hands-on content production, real-time analytics, platform literacy, and data-driven storytelling. We integrate the principles of virality, audience behaviour, and influencer ecosystem dynamics into our teaching.

Students today must be industry-ready storytellers—agile, innovative, and able to adapt instantly to evolving digital formats. That is the future we are preparing them for.

2. How does Sister Nivedita University integrate digital marketing training across disciplines?

Through SNU Surge, internships, certifications, live projects, and consultancy assignments, we ensure every student, irrespective of their school, graduates digitally fluent and industry-ready.

• Digital marketing at SNU is intentionally cross-disciplinary.
• Media students learn digital storytelling, platform strategy, and analytics.
• Management students explore digital consumer behaviour and performance marketing.
• IT students work hands-on with MarTech systems, automation tools, and AI-driven platforms.
• Design students deep-dive into digital branding, UI/UX, and visual strategy.

3. What steps has SNU taken to ensure strong ‘Campus-to-Corporate’ readiness?

Our students don’t just graduate with degrees, graduate with experience, professional confidence, and a market-ready portfolio. Job-readiness is at the heart of our academic philosophy. We ensure this through:

• Work-integrated learning and mandatory internships
• Industry-aligned curriculum and real client briefs
• Live consultancy projects through SNU Surge
• Skill-building modules in communication, teamwork, presentation, and interview readiness
• Portfolio development, mentorship, and placement preparation

4. How important is student-generated content in building trust and credibility for the university?

Student-generated content is one of the most powerful trust-building tools today.

When students share their experiences, class projects, studio work, and campus life, it creates an authentic narrative that no advertisement can match. They become natural brand ambassadors, and their content establishes credibility, relatability, and transparency.

Prospective students believe students, not brochures. That is why SNU encourages, trains, and amplifies student-led content across platforms.

5. What is your long-term vision for the future of media education at SNU?

Our vision is to transform SNU into one of India’s most future-driven media education ecosystems. Over the next 3–5 years, we are expanding into:

• AI-powered content creation and newsroom automation
• AR/VR, mixed reality, and immersive storytelling
• Creator economy, influencer branding, and digital entrepreneurship
• Advanced media analytics and audience intelligence
• Social impact communication and sustainability narratives

Media of the future will be hybrid, for example creative, technological, analytical, and global.
Our goal is to ensure our students lead that future.

On the occasion of Children’s Day, Edinbox had a special conversation with Dr. Rakesh Singh, an experienced and thoughtful educator in the field of education. With over two decades in teaching, Dr. Singh has not only closely observed the ways children learn but has also deeply understood the changes that have evolved over time. In this interview, he shared his insights on the modern education system, the impact of technology, the importance of curiosity and emotional intelligence. He believes that education today should not be limited to just marks but should focus on developing children’s ability to think, question, and learn by connecting with life.

1. What is the biggest change you have observed in how students learn and think over the past two decades?

A teacher today must play a role beyond being just a source of knowledge; they need to be a companion in the learning journey. Their job is no longer just to “teach” but to assist students in “thinking and connecting.” If teachers create a learning environment by understanding students’ experiences, digital spaces, and emotions, they will always remain relevant because no technology can replace the human touch.

2. Has technology truly empowered today’s students or caused more distractions?

Technology has definitely empowered students in new ways but also posed challenges. Its impact depends on how teachers guide its use. Technology supports thinking development when students engage constructively, interactively, and critically, rather than becoming mere consumers.

3. If you could bring back one aspect of the old education system, what would it be and why?

I would bring back the culture of "slow but deep and natural learning." Earlier, learning involved time, reflection, and practice. Today’s fast-paced system focuses on "results," not the "process." Deep learning happens when children have the freedom to make mistakes, think, and experience personally.

4. What is the biggest secret to keeping children’s curiosity alive?

The secret is giving children permission to ask questions. When we say, “That’s a good question, let’s explore it together,” it ignites the flame of learning. Curiosity thrives when teachers let students explore, imagine, and think before providing answers.

5. How has the definition of a "good student" changed from when you started teaching to today?

Earlier, a "good student" was disciplined, responsible, and scored well. Today, a good student understands, shares, connects with society, and creates something new. The modern good student is not just a "book expert" but a "life explorer" somewhat like a startup founder who has creativity and innovation running in the veins.

6. Do you think India’s schools and classrooms are evolving fast enough with global change?

Positive changes like child-centered learning and inclusive education are happening in many schools. But this change is uneven, with resource gaps between schools. Urban schools move faster, while rural and government schools still need structural and mindset shifts. Schools must shift from "curriculum-centered" to "life-centered" education.

7. How can teachers stay relevant when students learn more online and less offline?

Teachers must become learning companions rather than mere knowledge sources. Their role is to support thinking and connecting ideas. If teachers create learning environments understanding students’ experiences, digital spaces, and emotions, they will remain relevant because human connection cannot be replaced by technology. However, using AI cautiously is vital to preserve critical thinking.

8. Is emotional intelligence more important than academic intelligence for students’ success today?

Definitely. Success today depends not just on "what you know" but on "how you behave and feel." Emotional intelligence makes children sensitive, empathetic, and cooperative citizens. Academic intelligence may get you a job, but emotional intelligence connects you with humanity.

9. What can parents and teachers do today to encourage curiosity instead of competition in children?

We must cultivate a culture of dialogue, not comparison. Ask children, “What new did you see or learn today?” instead of “What marks did you get?” Encouraging children to ask questions, fail, and try again naturally fosters curiosity.

10. How would you describe the ideal classroom of the future?

The ideal classroom of the future will have no walls but open spaces for free-flowing ideas. Children will learn at their own pace, engage in group thinking, and use technology as a tool for creation not just for entertainment or as a shortcut for thinking. Teachers will act as guides, co-learners, and motivators. Both teaching and learning will happen side by side, in parallel journeys. In such a classroom, education will not just prepare students for the future, but celebrate life itself, teaching them how to observe, live, and learn from it.

Since Children’s Day makes us consider what the future of education might become, the thoughts of Dr. Rakesh Singh provide us with a certain appeal: it is necessary to develop the curiosity, empathy and holistic thinking to form the learners of the future. This intellectual discourse by a long time educator offers a relevant guide on how to help children in a fast evolving world not only in their studies but in other ways

Prominent scientist and head of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), Dr. S. P. Panigrahi  at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in India explained about the 'Army of None' on the future of warfare in a media interview.

According to him, the 'Army of None' reflects a future wherein warfare would no longer be strictly anchored around human soldiers physically fighting on the battlefield; instead, robotic-centered autonomous systems would dominate conflicts-smart machines which could operate independently without direct human intervention.

"From land, sea, and air, warfare has grown into the new domains of space, cyberspace, and electromagnetic spectrum. The objective too is different. It used to be territorial gain. Now we have 'cognitive warfare', wherein the idea is to affect cognition, thinking and decision-making of human beings to shape their perception in order to influence outcomes without necessarily a physical confrontation," he explained.

Speaking about such autonomous systems and their work he mentioned, "These autonomous machines are fitted with advanced sensors and AI capabilities which enable them to sense, detect and engage the adversary in real time. For instance, underwater vehicles can operate for extended periods independently, intelligent tanks can go across battlefields and make decisions on firing on their own, and drones can conduct missions of surveillance as well as attack without human pilots. In general, they go through cycles of detection, decision-making, and action-all on their own."

Explaining on how does such a change portend for military strategy and defense, Dr. Panigrahi said,"Needless to say, the military needs to evolve toward multi-domain warfare-integrating space and cyber, and the cognitive domain with traditional battlefields. Command structures will evolve to manage fleets of autonomous systems, their ethics framework of operation, and retain control if necessary. This too requires state-of-the-art research and development of advanced artificial intelligence and robotics technologies within the Indian defense ecosystem."

Human creativity, intuition, and moral judgment are unmatched, even though robots are superior in terms of processing speed, pattern recognition, and autonomous operations. "Seeing humans push boundaries, create technologies that improve defense capabilities, and open up new frontiers for innovation is fascinating."   

So far, our challenge has been to synergize human cognitive capabilities with AI and robotics in building smarter and ethical systems. The 'Army of None' is representative of a paradigm shift toward reducing human casualties and redefining how security will be maintained globally.

What began in 2001 as a fledgling tutorial in the basement of a Jodhpur building has today grown into one of the most impressive EdTech success stories for India. That classroom belonged to Sagar Joshi, a young lawyer who believed law deserved the same kind of structured preparation and professional respect akin to medicine or engineering.

From being a small coaching centre catering to the aspirations of local students in preparing for law entrance exams, LPT Edtech has grown into a pan-India education brand, with 40-plus centres in 17 states mentoring thousands of aspirants seeking admission to CLAT, Judiciary, CAT, IPMAT & CUET.

Legal education in India was still looking for its moorings two decades ago, and most students did not look at law as the first choice for a career. But not so for Sagar Joshi, who had done his B.Sc. and LLB.

He started taking classes of a few students in a basement rented in Jodhpur with limited resources but an unlimited determination.

It was the year 2008 that brought a turning point in Sagar Joshi's life when the CLAT was introduced-a common entrance test for all NLUs.

Whereas many educators were still coming to grips with the new format, Law Prep Tutorial had already begun to actually prepare students to meet the challenges of CLAT. It was amongst India's first specialized coaching centres for CLAT, offering structured material, mock tests, and mentorship to meet the demands of this innovatively framed examination.

The results started pouring in from then onwards. Students from Law Prep Tutorial repeatedly secured top ranks and started getting into the best law schools in the country. What had started as a small coaching class at home now had gained national recognition.

But then, after the phenomenal success in Jodhpur, Sagar Joshi opened his second centre in Jaipur. Scaling was not the aim; maintaining quality was. Every new centre had to adhere to the same teaching standards, mentoring system, and student-care model that made Jodhpur successful.

Results from Jaipur further validated the model. Students there, too, started achieving top ranks in CLAT, proving that the approach could work anywhere. That confidence laid the foundation for nationwide expansion.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, traditional coaching faced a crisis. Many institutes closed their doors. Sagar Joshi flipped that challenge into an opportunity.

He oversaw a number of investments in technology for the company LPT, building an effective Learning Management System, a mobile learning application, and an AI-driven test analytics platform.

This service allowed students from all over India to prepare for CLAT and other exams using interactive online sessions, video lectures, and intelligent test analysis tools.

What began in a basement classroom would eventually become a fully thriving national EdTech ecosystem.

Beyond the Law

While CLAT remained its core focus, Law Prep Tutorial did not stop at that. In 2023, the Institute started Law Prep Judiciary, a specialized program catering to civil judge exams in various states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, and many others.

The results turned out to be phenomenal: more than 100 aspirants cleared the RJS 2024 exam in the very first year and set a new benchmark for judicial preparation.

Building on that momentum, Sagar Joshi diversified further in 2024 into coaching for CAT, IPMAT, and CUET under LPT Edtech. And within the very first year itself, the platform produced some stellar results —

• CAT 2024 Rajasthan topper Ayush Biyani (99.70 percentile)

•  Himanshu Agarwal (99.64 percentile)

• Top ranks in IPMAT 2025: AIR 9, AIR 22, AIR 24

These achievements proved that the LPT model worked beyond law-it worked anywhere excellence mattered.

Sagar Joshi has obtained several prestigious honours such as the Education Excellence Award, International Glory Award-IGA, Pride of Rajasthan Award, Marwar Gaurav Samman, and Academic Excellence Award 2024 for the contribution of Law Prep Tutorial in Indian education.

But more than the awards, it's the consistent results-a total of five All India Rank 1s in CLAT in the past eight years and over 1000 NLU selections every year-that prove a testimony to the brand's credibility and result-oriented commitment. A True National Success Story The journey of Sagar Joshi from a small classroom to becoming a nationwide EdTech brand is indeed a great example of how great ideas don't need big cities but big vision. Today, Law Prep Tutorial stands out as one of the most trusted names in India for legal and management exam preparation, and its story continues to inspire educators and entrepreneurs across the country. What began in the heart of Jodhpur has reached every corner of India … and it's only the beginning.