Education Technology | Innovations and Insights - Edinbox

Shabd AI, India's pioneering AI-powered regional language digital content marketing platform, touched a major milestone when it secured a coveted place in NSRCEL's incubator program at IIM Bangalore. Chosen from more than 625 applicants-one out of only 33 startups with an acceptance rate of 5.4%, the company attended a bootcamp that honed its revenue model and go-to-market strategy for fast-track growth.​

Founders Swati Saxena and Kriti Pradhan launched Shabd AI in 2023 from Kurla, Maharashtra, starting with three translators focused on BFSI localization. Emphasizing quality, contextualization, and responsiveness, the bootstrapped firm expanded to sectors like social impact, agriculture, pharma, manufacturing, and lifestyle, securing a landmark retainer contract that attracted 29 more clients including NAFED India, SBI General Insurance, UltraTech Cement, Blinkit, and Swiggy.​

Core Offerings and Impact

Shabd AI offers end-to-end services right from strategy design, creation in text/ video/ audio/ images, distribution, and ROI analytics. Its patent-pending Document Localisation Tool, powered by translation memory and IndicTrans2 models, supports 26 Indian and international languages, translating over 10 million words for websites, social media, infographics, and more. With a team strength of 62 members, out of which 90% are women and ISO 9001:2015 certified, they help further increase brand engagement for India's multilingual digital market.​

NSRCEL's validation underlines Shabd AI's role in hyperlocalization: helping businesses tap regional consumers amid a rise in digital penetration. Recent presentations at Bharat Fintech Summit 2025 and Discover India Tech-Innovation Series highlight the momentum.​ This milestone positions Shabd AI to scale nationally and foster inclusive content strategies as India advances toward Viksit Bharat through AI innovation.

The government has decided to provide quantum teaching laboratories in a total of 100 engineering colleges across the country, with each getting financial support of Rs 1 crore, as part of a bigger initiative towards strengthening India's research capabilities in this area.

The Secretary of DST, Professor Abhay Karandikar, made the announcement on Monday at an event held at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.

The initiative is to build capacity for undergraduate minor programmes in Quantum technology, said Karandikar. He also said that more than 500 proposals have already been received and only 100 will be selected.

MAJOR PUSH UNDER NATIONAL QUANTUM MISSION

He added that the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems and the National Quantum Mission also saw significant progress, where IIT Bombay is playing a leading role in both.

He discussed the new areas the Technology Innovation Hub at the institute is engaging with: startups, new technologies, and research on Indian-language large language models.

He informed that all four hubs under National Quantum Mission, namely IISc Bengaluru, IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, and IIT Bombay are demonstrating very good progress. But IIT Bombay's quantum sensing hub stands apart in the group.

NEW FABRICATION FACILITIES ANNOUNCED

During his visit to the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay on Monday, Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh announced the setting up of two major quantum fabrication and central facilities under the National Quantum Mission.

These would be established at IIT Bombay and IISc Bengaluru with an investment of Rs 720 crore in total.

Along with that, two other smaller facilities will also be set up at IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur. Singh explained this would contribute to the indigenization of fabrication for quantum computing chips and quantum sensors, reducing reliance on foreign infrastructure while allowing for faster development cycles.

BOOST TO CRYOGENICS AND QUANTUM ENGINEERING 

Singh also sought to increase the infrastructure in cryogenics in the country and added that liquid helium is a critical resource for MRI systems, research with advanced materials, and cryo-electron microscopy. The new facility comprises a helium recovery system that is expected to bring the cost of cryogenic experiments down by about one-tenth of the current expenses. He said the facilities would be made available to academia, industry, MSMEs, startups and strategic sectors for prototyping, technology development and small-scale production. Singh said that IIT Bombay's work had exemplified the potential impact of collaboration between academia, government and industry in furthering next-generation science and technology.

The new Bihar government is setting priorities to provide the state's youth with skill development training, along with employment and self-employment opportunities. For that, work on the development of 69 ITIs as Centres of Excellence has been completed, where the skill development training for young people will begin from next month.

The Labour Resources Department has instructed nodal officers to prepare an action plan for this purpose. It is expected that young people trained through the Centres of Excellence shall get direct employment in industries, strengthening Bihar's skill development sector. The government intends to establish this facility in all ITIs soon, so that young people from both rural and urban areas can benefit equally.

A Labour Resources Department official said that the goal of skill development for the youth of the state is to make them employable, create avenues of self-employment, and prepare them for the future work environment. The schemes are also aimed at fostering entrepreneurship among the young, imparting new skills, and developing adaptability to technological change.

The main objectives include:

•  Increasing employability: Helping youth to get jobs by providing them with industry relevant skills. To facilitate this, a model framework for Mega Skill Development Centres shall be prepared at the district level.
• Self-employment generation: Imparting young people with the required skills and motivation to initiate business. Under this, arrangements will be made for providing training to the young people at the block level.
• Empowerment of rural areas: The Bihar Skill Development Mission, in collaboration with various departments, will primarily focus on increasing the income of village artisans and youth by imparting new skills and techniques.
• *Bringing young people and new technology together: In the Centres of Excellence, the focus will be on bringing youth and new technology together and delivering job-related and entrepreneurial training.

DRDO invites nominations for two prestigious awards of national level to recognize outstanding contributions in Defence Science and Technology. The University Grants Commission has notified all higher education institutions to take note and initiate nominations accordingly.

Two Awards Carrying ₹10 Lakh Each

DRDO announces two major awards for outstanding individual achievements in defence-related research, each consisting of a citation and a cash prize of ₹10 lakh:

Dr. Kothari Defence Science Award – for excellence in basic research in defence science

Dr. Kalam Defence Technology Award: for innovation and technology development in the defence sector

These awards are open to individuals serving in government organisations, PSUs, private organisations, academia, industry, and R&D laboratories.

Nomination Process & Eligibility

Nominations will not be accepted directly from individuals; they have to be routed through the authorized bodies such as ministries, departments, organizations, or private agencies.

Applications must include:

• Prscribed nomination form
• Personal Information Form (PIF)
• A five-slide PowerPoint presentation
• Supporting documents (qualifications, achievements, publications, patents, awards, etc.)

Nominees are asked to submit a 100-word summary of their key contributions and another 100-word summary of the global technology level in the area in which they work.

Submission Details & Deadline

All nominations to be addressed to the Directorate of Personnel, DRDO HQ, New Delhi, should reach within 45 days from the date of advertisement. Two hard copies along with a soft copy should be sent to: Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. phone: 011-23007218

Selection Procedure The nominations would then be processed first by the Screening Committee, next by the Apex Committee, and finally approved by the Defence Minister. Awardees would be announced later on the DRDO website.

A policy was mooted to treat AI like a basic universal skill, starting from teaching in Class 3 onwards, because children will grow up in an AI-rich world and schools must not lag behind.

The Ministry of Education says the plan is age-appropriate and teacher-led, with training and materials in preparation for a staged rollout.

The idea is simple and bold: demystify algorithms so kids learn to use-and question-technology, not fear it. The conversation that follows is less tidy.

Will classrooms become coding factories, or is it possible to teach early AI in ways which can keep the concepts of play, curiosity, and deep thinking whole?

"Early AI exposure, if guided carefully, promotes critical thinking and creativity," says Dr Ankur Aggarwal, Senior Educator - Computer Science, Shiv Nadar School, Faridabad.

"Children need to understand the limitations and ethics of technology. Asking questions about data, equity, and purpose helps them stay thoughtful and responsible," she continues.

The Principal of Hindustan International School, Bharathi Laxmi, echoes several teachers when she writes, “Coding and AI should not overshadow the essential skills such as communication, ethics, creativity, and domain knowledge. Exposure must be meaningful, inclusive and continuous.”

WHY PUSH AI SO EARLY?

Policymakers point to a future full of automation and data-driven decisions; giving children early familiarity with AI is framed as a kind of basic literacy.

The move also relates to the NEP-2020 push in India for 21st-century skills and computational thinking.

As Shuchi Grover and Roy Pea have pointed out in their review of the literature on computational thinking, carefully designed programs can develop problem-solving and persistence if well-integrated into schooling.

It reduces fear, say advocates: children who tinker with simple logic blocks, patterns and stories are often less intimidated by later technical learning. Evidence of how to do this well does not come automatically, however: quality design, teacher support, and local context matter.

PLAY, PRESSURE AND THE COST OF SPEED

Child development experts worry about what gets lost if schools rush the process.

Young minds develop and learn more through playing, imagining, and relating to other people rather than through screens and directed activities.

In this regard, the OECD reports in 'Starting Strong' that free play and exploration lie at the heart of long-term learning and emotional development. UNESCO similarly warns in its early childhood education guidelines that a replacement of play with early academic pressure may prove injurious to creativity and mental well-being.

The same concern is echoed by Bharathi Laxmi, Principal at Hindustan International School.

Experts also warn of the related problem: 'treadmill learning', or the feeling that one always needs to catch up with the rapidly changing technologies, leaving little room either for reflection or for joy. The American Academy of Pediatrics too supports the standpoint that technology for younger children should be collaborative, guided and limited in duration. 

So, what does 'responsible AI education' for an eight-year-old look like? Educators advise small and playful steps. Instead of heavy coding, stories, pattern games or visual tools such as Scratch Junior or Lego-based projects can explain how machines 'learn'. Schools must treat technology as a supplement, not substitute, says Dr Aggarwal. "Technology should enhance and not replace learning," she says. "Activities like digital storytelling or creative design tools build curiosity, but children also need unstructured play, outdoor time and the arts to stay emotionally grounded," she further adds. Teachers will need to be trained so that such lessons can be effectively taken care of to help students question algorithms and biases and not merely memorize the way they work. Rollout by the Ministry of Education will especially depend on this readiness for rural and small schools. 

The challenge with-and opportunity for-India lies in bringing up an entire generation of digital natives who are empathetic, ethical and creative. The solution lies in the balance-blending AI literacy with storytelling, empathy, collaboration and curiosity.  Rushed, they risk creating young coders who understand logic but not life. Crayons may share space with coding blocks in India's classrooms of the future. Whether this ushers in an era of innovation and entrepreneurship or merely sows the seeds of overworked learners depends not on algorithms but on how wisely we teach them.

Did you ever think that Human Resource can also require AI ? It is understandable how people and systems need to evolve with it, not stand still. Where most leaders think of AI as a quick fix, the reality is that AI reflects all the strengths and weaknesses of an organization's culture. It reflects quality in data, depth in inclusion, and consistency in leadership.

Digital transformation can never be complete or successful without cultural transformation. One gap is in reskilling.

Too many companies create training programs that don't connect with real business needs. Effective reskilling starts with a rather straightforward question: what is the problem we are trying to address? Learning should be connected with productivity, agility, or innovation.

The most credible models couple assessments, AI-driven learning paths, coaching, and real workplace projects.

When capability drives results, learning turns into leadership.

Randi Zuckerberg, during the SHRM MENA Annual Conference 2025, stated that leaders of today need to "give clear stage directions" for people and AI alike to get the outcomes they want.

Then, there is the issue of bias. AI doesn't create bias; it inherits it. Correcting bias means data transparency, human intervention, and ethical controls.

This forms the foundation of "responsible AI in HR." AI brings speed and insight; people bring trust and context.

The future of work is not man versus machine. It's shared ownership. AI accelerates. People anchor.

Today, four generations work together in an organisation, each with their work style and motivation. Hybrid workplaces give more flexibility but also more isolation.

That's where the opportunity is: creating cohesion through mentoring and shared purpose. Studies have demonstrated that intergenerational learning raises engagement and teamwork.

It's not about one generation teaching the others in the leadership of today; it's cross-learning.

Employees also expect more from work. A purpose-driven EVP needs to offer growth, belonging, and impact. Purpose should be measurable, not a slogan.

It needs to be matched by skill commitments from the employees. Work is meaningful when both sides give and get.

Women in leadership require more than policy support.

There has been a start at structural progress, but there are still cultural barriers. Bias often comes through in tone or feedback or in networks.

Programs such as SHRM's leadership journeys at Indian Oil Corporation and SAIL show what works: assessment, coaching and community. These journeys create confidence and long-term peer networks.

HR is shaping socio-economic progress in today's times. It fosters employability, youth skilling, and inclusion.

SHRM links international standards to regional requirements through programs like Mission Karmayogi and cooperation with the B20 India Task Force.

The key to the future of HR in APAC and MENA is striking a balance between local practices and global principles. Capability, engagement, and business outcomes will be used to gauge the impact. Future skills, diversity as a national advantage, and AI readiness are three areas that urgently need attention in order to prepare future workforces. The message is clear: organizations that view people and technology as equal partners in progress will be the ones doing the next phase of work.