Education Views | Insightful Perspectives and Analysis - Edinbox

While India is rejoicing Vijayadashami, in Kerala state, an ancient tradition is being followed in the name of Vidyarambham. It is a ritual that symbolizes the initiation of a child in education and learning formally.

Hundreds of toddlers entered the world of alphabets at temples in Kerala, where 'Vidyarambham' was conducted on Thursday, the culmination of the nine-day-long annually Navratri festival.

Early morning, families had congregated at the Saraswathi Devi Temple in Poojapura in Kerala to undergo this ritual.

Photos that went viral on social media show some of the children -- generally two or three years old -- crying or laughing during the ritual. Others were subdued and curious, as scholars, writers, educators, priests, and other powerful members of society got them to write their first letters of learning, starting with the mantra.

Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar welcomed numerous kids to the world of letters at Raj Bhavan, wherein the ceremony was organized majestically.

"Kerala has the age-old #Vijayadasami festival by introducing children to the world of letters. Raj Bhavan also did not fall back with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar himself conducting the #vidyarambham today," the Raj Bhavan wrote in a Facebook post.

What is the Vidyarambham ritual?

As a part of this ceremony, little children are helped with their very first letters, in the traditional manner of rice or sand on a brass plate under the able guidance of seniors, typically teachers, priests, or elder members of the family.

Vidyarambham is evidence of Kerala's respect for knowledge, as is in accord with Goddess Saraswathi, the Hindu goddess of knowledge and scholarship.

The ritual in the traditional sense involves toddlers drawing the Malayalam alphabets "Hari Sree." This is said to be a charm for prosperity in books.

Vijayadasami is observed as the day of 'Vidyarambham', the initiation of studies, in the southern state.

Temples, even those of Saraswathi, the goddess of learning and fine arts, have a heavy influx on this day. Major temples like the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple and the Guruvayur Sree Krishna Swamy Temple also had a heavy crowd of devotees.

With a backdrop of Swasthya Naari celebration at national level, Shashkt Parivaar Abhiyaan and Poshan Maah, a complete health and awareness programme was conducted in Menchukha Valley Public School, Menchuka campus on 23 September 2025. The event theme, "Healthy Women, Empowered Families – Encouraging Health and Awareness", prioritized preventive healthcare and empowerment at community level being most important.

The initiative began with a Medical and Dental Health Check-up Camp, in which 90 students and 16 school personnel participated. The camp offered mandatory check-ups and health guidelines for oral health, diet, and general health, thereby infusing healthier lifestyle practices among young students and teachers.

One of the Day's most spectacular features was an interactive class and live demonstration by Regimental Medical Officer (RMO) on Basic Life Support (BLS), Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), and First Aid. Students were provided with life-saving instruction, and practical training on CPR and simple first-aid protocols were offered. This session empowered children with necessary knowledge to cope well in medical emergencies.

The session also included a tea discussion with the participants, which cemented the bond between the medical team and the school community even more. The program concluded with a group photo, soaking in the spirit of togetherness and consciousness.

This campaign is evidence of the dedication to building healthier better communities through women and children empowerment and development. By creating awareness on preventive care and teaching the younger generation first aid practices, the campaign aids in building a Stronger Family and a Healthier Nation.

It was carried out under Indian Army command and with local stakeholders recommitting themselves to public welfare, community wellbeing, and national welfare.

Students are not keen on joining the "process industry" and are instead heading towards IT, banking, and consultancy jobs — influenced by "pay packages and job comfort"—a trend that worries IIT Roorkee Director Prof. Kamal Kishore Pant.

Students are no longer opting for hard-core jobs, which is a sort of concern. They consider IT jobs, banking, finance, and consultancy. Initially, they consider the (pay) package, and the job comfort…so, whether they have an office, computer, AC room," Prof Pant said, on the sidelines of the institute's convocation this week.

Prof Pant was answering a question about placements at IITs.

Although we are promoting students to opt for this discipline, they are not willing to join the process industry. Companies are visiting the institute, and we are establishing solid relationships with MSMEs and large-scale companies. Computer, IT…these are the jobs which may provide good pay packages; however, if you consider long-term, then these hardcore industries also provide similar pay scales," he said.

This is the type of lessons or training we have to provide the young generation and their parents when they come to the institute. They must not glance at just one branch; they have to glance at other branches as well…mechanical, electrical, chemical…because these are equally vital," he said while emphasizing that process industries and MSMEs are vital to the progress of the country as far as GDP and development are concerned.

Pressed for the hesitation to enter process industries and whether it was due to pay packages, Prof Pant replied: "Yes, of course…because when you mention multinationals tech firms like Google, Microsoft, etc, their packages differ from core industries. On average, hardcore industry salaries are in the range of Rs 20–25 lakh annually.". But in these firms, the packets can go up to Rs 1–2 crore because salaries are paid in dollars at times though the employee is in India.

He added that these kinds of offers are "quite low" and one should not expect all students in a given branch to receive 100 percent placement with such a packet. "There will always be some kind of Gaussian distribution," he added.

Prof Pant became the Director of IIT Roorkee in 2022. Though the institute came to be known as IIT Roorkee subsequently, it is the nation's first engineering college.

Earlier this year, statistics included in a report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, indicated that in more than half of the nation's 23 IITs, BTech placements fell by over 10 percentage points in 2023-24 from 2021-22.

Statistics in the report indicated that 98.54% of 822 students who appeared for placement in 2021-22 at IIT Roorkee were placed. In 2023-24, 1052 students appeared for placements and 79.66% of the students were placed.

Clarifying the recent dip in IIT placements, Prof Pant stated: "I would not call it a decline, because on average about 85% of those who appear for placements are getting jobs.". If you compare with the entire number of graduating students, the number appears lower, as many of them do not sit for placements. That is the wrong benchmark. The proper measure is how many of the ones who had registered for placements were picked—and that number is well above 85%.

With entrepreneurial and skill development training, students are motivated to start start-ups, he added.

When asked if fewer students are sitting for placements, he replied: "Yes. Students nowadays think differently. Some want to start companies of their own, some are going for higher education—though that figure is now coming down—and a lot of them prefer doing something on their own in the country. They are coming together in groups and starting various types of start-ups, so that trend is also forthcoming."

Fewer than half of pupils, including Indians, felt they were well equipped to take their next step in education, and only 45% felt prepared for life after school, a worldwide survey has found.

Carried out by Cambridge University Press and Assessment, the survey - Preparing Learners to Thrive in a Changing World: The View from International Education - will be published on Tuesday and had responses from 3,021 teachers and 3,840 students in 150 countries including a weighted sample of South-Asian respondents.

Subject knowledge, which was once the unchallenged key to achievement, is now beginning to resemble a short-term commodity. While teachers and students still view it as crucial to pass exams, it was the lowest-priority choice for school-leavers' life after school, as per the report.

Teachers are more upbeat: over two-thirds of them report that their students are ready to proceed and many emphasize leadership and self-management skills.

But complacency is around the corner; an Indian student noted: "As AI expands. memorizing subject knowledge is less important."

Students continue to value subject knowledge for school exams but placed leadership, management and business skills first for life after school. An Indian educator commented that a lot of students "have made short-term plans for next one or two years" but do not know about postgraduation options.

South Asian parents, who previously were concerned with which university their child might get into, now ask if education "will prepare you with the kind of skills that are going to make you successful in a future world," says Rod Smith, head of international education at Cambridge. Self-management shows the gap: one out of four teachers named it the most difficult skill to teach, and roughly 19% of students found it most difficult to learn. Technology makes the challenge greater - two out of three students fear distraction by devices, and 88% of teachers indicate attention spans are declining.

Interpersonal skills are also impacted. Teachers identify fear of judgment and social anxiety as the largest obstacles to the creation of interpersonal skills, and 60% identify reduced social skills as a significant drawback of technology, the poll revealed.

An Indian school leader cautioned that technology unites learners but "has limited understanding in the way it offers solutions," constricting world perspectives. One student explained communication skills are important because "we need to exchange ideas. before it gets out of hand." Experts in the report emphasize that knowledge of the subject is more crucial than ever; without a proper foundation, AI can mislead instead of empower. Smith repeated this, indicating over-reliance on technology "leads you down dead end."

Cambridge aims to aid schools to balance demanding subject knowledge with opportunities to develop self-management, leadership & communication skills.

In India, where parents have spent so much money on education, the results are a wake-up call. Students might underestimate their preparedness, yet teachers notice potential. To provide youth with discipline with technology, confidence to work together and curiosity to continue learning has the potential to convert promise into a strength in the future.

The answer is Yes but with a condition -it depends on how students use it. Online education is powerful when you are self disciplined.You use digital tools effectively.You stay consistent with assignment and practice. So,online can be as powerful as offline,but students must take responsibility for their own learning. 

Education is no longer restricted to classrooms with blackboards and benches.Today learning has expanded into a digital space where one can access knowledge with just a click. There are people who have not completed their education due to family issues,financial problems or the job pressure. Now in the era where technology has given access to everyone to learn to empower with the education from your comfort home.

But a question arises in everyone’s mind -” Can Online education be as powerful as Offline?” Universities like Vivekananda Global University,Amity University,Manipal University are the pilot pillars for offering Hybrid online education that enables and thrives education to every individual who is facing challenges to take admission offline .

 It  has no limitations and no set of learning patterns that makes you a perfect graduate in any discipline. With platforms offering live lectures, recorded sessions, virtual libraries and interactive quizzes,students can now access global knowledge from their comfort home. Online education has become a bridge to opportunities they may never have found in offline classrooms.

The future of learning lies in hybrid education - A balance of both indeed. Imagine attending a live lecture online and later participating in a workshop on campus. Or watching recorded classes at your convenience while also enjoying group discussions offline. This combination gives students the best of both experiences. 

Advantages of Online Education

Online learning gives students flexibility of learning. You get freedom to learn  from anywhere anytime.Whether you are night owl or an early bird,online lecturers can match your peace.

Global Exposure- Students can attend courses from international universities without travelling abroad. This opens the door to global networking and a broader perspective.

Cost effective- Online courses often cost less than offline degrees.Additionally , you save on transport ,hostel and food expenses.

Technology Driven Learning - Interactive videos,gamified quizzes and AI based feedback make learning more engaging. This is something a traditional chalk and board class may not always provide.

In today’s digital world,education is no longer about choosing only online or only offline.It’s about using both smartly. Online education brings flexibility ,affordability and global exposure. Offline education adds discipline, real world practice and personal connections.

For students the real power lies in adapting to both worlds. The future belongs to those who can blend online opportunities with offline experiences. So, don’t limit yourself,don’t feel that time has passed and now nothing can be done. Be ready to learn from anywhere, anytime.Be a learner. Offline online doesn't matter.only matters how quick and smart a learner are you?

Union Education and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan ended a high-impact visit to the United Arab Emirates with an emphasis on further strengthening India-UAE collaborations in higher education, research, innovation, and globalisation of institutions.

His participation is a strong boost towards making India a global education hub and a stronger people-to-people contact on the basis of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations.

Bilateral Meeting with UAE Education Leadership

In a historic bilateral session, Pradhan and UAE Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Dr Abdulrahman Abdulmannan Al Awar deliberated on increasing synergy between the education sector and reaffirmed their interest in reinforcing cooperation in the domain of innovation, scientific research, and knowledge.

Business on the agenda included collaborative research in emerging technologies, capacity building, and cultural and inter-academic exchange. Pradhan also expressed gratitude to the UAE a second time for hospitality in receiving hospitality for Indian centers of learning and generosity in accommodating further state-of-the-art Indian institutions in the region.

IIM's new campus embodies the "Indian in spirit, global in approach" ethos, and makes Dubai a strategic entry point for Indian education institutions to reach international students and business economies. It is one that other Indian institutions must emulate to spread their wings internationally and foster international mobility of education.

Pradhan on Wednesday inaugurated the Atal Incubation Centre at IIT Delhi Abu Dhabi campus. The first-ever Atal Incubation Centre in an overseas Indian university, the minister tweeted on microblogging site X. He added that he had gone to the Abu Dhabi campus of IIT Delhi and interacted with the students.

Welcoming the inauguration of Atal Incubation Centre at IIT Delhi Abu Dhabi campus as a historic milestone, the first overseas AIC at an Indian university ever. IIT Delhi Abu Dhabi AIC will develop co-developed start-ups along with research-led start-ups of Indian and UAE innovators and facilitate bilateral co-operation in deep tech, AI, clean energy, healthcare and other interest areas." The AIC with state-of-the-art incubation facilities will also be the gateway to middle-east markets for Indian start-ups and innovators, education minister tweeted on X.

Roundtable with Indian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Dubai

Pradhan also facilitated a roundtable with Indian HEI leaders in Dubai. The agenda included institutional strategy, pedagogic innovation, and shifting from printing academics to commercializing research produce—a priority of the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

He urged "Brand India" to be created as a reflection of faith in world-class education, entrepreneurial culture and innovation and appealed to HEIs to take the lead in bringing together traditional Indian knowledge systems and solutions available today with a market orientation.

Cultural Diplomacy: #EkPedMaaKeNaam in UA

As a sign of environmental and cultural diplomacy in symbolic language, the minister lent her hand to the #EkPedMaaKeNaam campaign by planting the UAE national tree, Ghaf, at the Indian Consulate in Dubai. The Ghaf, the symbol of stability, strength, and peace, is now a living embodiment of Indo-UAE friendship.

The campaign is a follow-up to India's commitment to environmental awareness and respect for motherly heritage in green action.

Strategic Importance

 With India aspiring to host 1 million foreign students by 2030 under its Study in India initiative, such two-way steps like venturing out campuses abroad are at the core of India's soft power outreach.

Apart from this, the NEP 2020 also facilitates internationalisation of Indian higher education, and the present one is empowered to enable the best institutions such as IITs and IIMs to have campuses abroad. The second is the IIM-A Dubai campus, while the first is the IIT Madras Zanzibar campus in Tanzania.

India's Educational Diplomacy

The Dharmendra Pradhan's trip to UAE is a seal of approval on education diplomacy, international outreach, and bilateral innovation linkages. It goes with India's vision not just to sell high-value education but co-produce knowledge clusters outside the world.

Since India is transforming its research and education ecosystem, such action is most needed to drive an era in which Indian institutions are involved at the frontier—locally, globally, and ideationally.