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In a big move to support Indian students overseas, Indian insurance firms have introduced travel insurance that offers protection against visa cancellation, loss of job, and unexpected emergencies. The insurance is aimed at safeguarding students financially and providing them with peace of mind as they navigate foreign education, reports The Times of India.

Indian insurers have launched student-specific travel insurance policies covering risks such as visa cancellation and unemployment upon study, providing an economic and comprehensive safety net for foreign students.

As increasing numbers of Indian students make a trip abroad for higher education in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, there is growing demand for robust insurance coverage. Traditional international insurance policies are typically pricey and not tailor-made for Indian students. Seeing this gap, Indian insurance companies have joined the race with superior, flexible, and competitive coverages.

Such fresh policy coverages extend beyond ordinary general medical cover, TOI reported. They even cover cases of visa denial, cancellation, and job loss after graduation. Some policies also offer coverage for paying accommodation fees and repatriation costs should a student need to leave the host country in urgency. The introduction of these aspects has been driven by the growing numbers of students whose studies have been disrupted due to policy adjustments and global uncertainties.

Radhika Saran, a 22-year-old student who is studying in Ireland now, talked about her experience with The Times of India, "My medical expenses were all settled, and the settlement process was trouble-free. My policy is much cheaper compared to the global insurances you find here. I purchased a flexible policy and opted for add-ons like access to an emergency fund as well."

Indian policies are another huge advantage in terms of cost-effectiveness. Industry estimates say the price of an Indian student travel insurance policy is one-third of what the global versions cost. For example, a $100,000 health insurance policy purchased abroad would cost significantly more than a similar policy from an Indian insurer.

Kapadia, the head of travel insurance at policybazaar, noticed the rising trend, "At Policybazaar, we've seen much more students and parents taking plans with coverage ranging between $100,000 to $500,000, and in some cases even up to $1 million. That is a pretty new shift from earlier times when students were happy with minimum basic mandatory coverage.".

Insurers such as Bajaj Allianz General Insurance and ICICI Lombard have witnessed an increase in students buying domestic insurance with extended coverage options from the usual basic policies. Aashish Sethi of Bajaj Allianz explained, " Several students are opting for value-added plans with greater medical cover, trip cancellation benefit, and emergency evacuation. Students typically opt for sum insured between 1 to 2 lakh under coverage plans.". But when students take loans for education, the majority of the loan-giving institutions recommend opting for plans with a larger sum insured.

Priya Deshmukh, head of ICICI Lombard's health products, operations and services, added further, "Students can opt for add-on covers such as maternity, cancer screening, alcoholism and drug dependency treatment, and medical coverage for inter-collegiate injuries in 'Plus' plans."

However, aside from the cost advantage and other features, foreign providers' university-recommended insurance remains the choice of some students due to easier claim settlement in the host nation. ForeignAdmits founder Nikhil Jain explained, "For US study, students are opting for insurance policies that cover visa revocation support and unemployment support.". They are also actively looking for assist covers which come handy in case there is a cancellation of the visa etc. Indian insurers are going through extremely rough times comparing themselves with international players on the basis of what they offer and the services."

To have equilibrium, education counselors recommend a hybrid plan. Dilip Oak, founder of an overseas education consultancy in Pune, told TOI, "We have a large number of students going to the US, and if they take a policy that is recommended by their university, then settling too becomes convenient. Indian insurers are offering all kinds of discounts to students."

As more Indian students go abroad, the insurance industry is responding to their needs with appropriate and affordable options. The new products will be part of student planning, reducing the cost involved in going abroad for education.

Strapline- Aldona MLA Demands Probe, Points Towards Potential Insider Role

In a grave charge that has shaken political circles in Goa, Aldona MLA and veteran lawyer Carlos Alvares Ferreira has accused that a ₹5 crore scam has taken place under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), the government of India's flagship education scheme.

Commenting on Monday, Ferreira accused money destined for education development of being diverted from government coffers, implying that the looting would not have been possible without the cooperation of insiders. He insinuated there might be collusion among government employees, bank employees, and people around the transaction process.

"How does one siphon off ₹5 crores quietly without the department knowing? There is no way this would have occurred without the help of someone in the system—a government official, a bank representative, and an accomplice," Ferreira said.

He also disclosed that the scam was exposed only because another bank officer behaved responsibly and brought out the irregularities to the notice of the public. The episode has given a handle for questioning the system of government fund disbursal oversight and the responsibility of the SSA's local implementation.

Ferreira, who has consistently addressed issues of public concern in the Assembly, demanded that a transparent and immediate investigation be conducted. "Someone from the government must be involved," he stated, and said that he would not relent in his demand for action until the complete details are known.

The Department of Education is yet to come out with an official statement regarding the issue.

More developments are being anticipated as demands increase for an investigation into the alleged SSA fund abuse—an action intended to improve school infrastructure, teacher training, and inclusive education nationwide.

A principal supervisor and two others who were booked for allegedly abusing an assistant teacher with casteist words in 2012 were acquitted by a special court, terming the evidence as 'vague' and 'ambiguous'.

The complaint was made by a teacher who had been working at the school since 2000 as an assistant teacher, teaching English and Social Studies. She had complained that the women accused, from the year 2010 until the FIR was lodged in 2013, kept abusing and insulting her regarding her caste on a regular basis and used abusive, casteist and insulting words to abuse her.

She stated that in December 2012 during a teachers' meeting, the principal mentioned to her that the complainant, a Scheduled Caste member, had joined only because of reservation and was not suitable for the job. The complainant stated that the supervisor had mocked these remarks. The principal once more in March 2013 went into a class where the complainant was conducting a class and insulted her using derogatory casteist terms.

In her FIR, the complainant had also provided examples of abuse from the principal and had lodged a complaint under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities)Act, 1989. The complainant had also claimed two other employees deputing at the school had also humiliated her before other teachers.

The defense lawyer asserted that the school administration had sent notices to the complainant as her behavior while working there was not 'appropriate. He had further contended that to term something an offence under the Act by suggesting that a person has got a job due to their caste cannot be termed an offence under the Act.

The court held this argument of the accused to be true."The aforementioned alleged derogatory words also fall short specifically clearly falling under the definition of insult and humiliation, merely with specific ill-intention to perpetrate the impugned crime," the court held.

The court added that although the complainant had mentioned that she was subjected to the insults from the year 2010, she hadn't approached any authority until 2013. "It has to be weighed that the complainant has not made any complaint/objections before any police authority, district magistrate or anybody else. But she simply raised and directly raised the written complaint before the SC/ST commission. In such context, she has not given any substantial explanation," the court observed in its order on May 8, questioning the delay in the FIR. It also stated that the statement made by the complainant finds no corroboration from other evidence. It also stated that the prosecution had failed to make any efforts to comply with verification of the caste certificate of the complainant.

The Gujarat University has decided to set up a new medical college amid a 300-bed hospital. The decision was taken in a joint meeting of the board of management and executive council of the university that took place on Tuesday. Apart from this, the university also decided to open a five-star hotel and an affiliated hotel management institute.

The proposed medical college and hospital will be constructed either at the GMDC ground or some other place in the western side of the city. The hospital will also have an outpatient department and a helipad for facilitating air ambulance services in the future. The objective is to improve healthcare accessibility in the city's western region and offer up-to-date medical education as per municipal models such as the NHL Medical College. Interestingly, a member of the medical faculty who was appointed to the university board could not attend the meeting that was convened to make the decision about the new hospital and medical college.

GU vice-chancellor Nirja Gupta said the land survey of different plots owned by the university will be carried out, and the decisions will be finalized after consulting specialists. The project will be granted 25-35% of the GMDC ground. Budget has already been reserved for the proposed projects.

Apart from the medical project, GU is also going to open a five-star hotel and a hotel management institute on a land adjacent to Blind People's Association. Plans for these projects were laid out before the meeting, and the approval is to come soon.

The other topic of discussion during the meeting was the pending request from Ahmedabad Education Society (AES) for a plot owned by the university close to the hostel. Even after repeated pleas and discussions, including the proposal to construct a hostel in lieu, legal limitations on the utilization of donated land have come in the way of transfer of the land. Both sides will meet to find solutions to the problem.

Further, the university also resolved to christen its future Research Park 2 as Vidyagauri Nilkanth, in commemoration of the great educationist.

In a dramatic diplomatic move against growing geopolitical tensions, Haridev Joshi University of Journalism and Mass Communication (HJU) - a government-sponsored journalism university in Rajasthan - has temporarily suspended its academic tie with Turkey's Afyon Kotechnology University. This comes on the heels of Türkiye's strong support for Pakistan in recent Indo-Pak showdowns, during which some Indian universities had proclaimed a collective boycott of Turkish universities.

The June 22, 2024 memorandum of understanding (MoU) was centered on academic collaboration and institutional engagement. HJU Vice Chancellor Prof. Sudhi Rajeev explained unilaterally putting the agreement on hold in the national interest.

Recollecting the pro-Pakistan and anti-Indian policy of Türkiye and open support to Pakistan, we have formally written to the suspension of our MoU with Afyon Kocatepe University, said Prof. Rajeev. "It has been done in the spirit of national sovereignty and security. The MoU will automatically lapse after three months unless it is renewed.".

This move by HJU is part of a comprehensive Indian academic movement, with the majority of universities now starting to disaffiliate from Turkish universities. The boycott is based on Türkiye's alignment with Pakistan and alleged interference in internal affairs when it comes to Indian domestic security matters of local concern.

This action is a dramatic departure from Indian academic diplomacy, indicating how global political interests are finding their way to influence knowledge exchange programs and institutional linkages. Whereas such MoUs have so far enabled international academic interaction, the recent episodes alert us to the fragility of geopolitical compulsions to upset these collaborations.

With school institutions increasingly focused on national interest in forming alliances across the world, suspension of the HJU-Türkiye MoU is one step in the direction of a world in which education will be more intertwined with diplomacy than ever.

Mizoram has achieved 100% literacy rate. A total of 292 volunteer teachers, including students, educators, resource persons, and Cluster Resource Centre Coordinators helped educate the illiterate people. Know details here.

On Tuesday, Chief Minister Lalduhoma declared Mizoram–country’s 1st fully literate state.

The decision was announced in the presence of Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary at a Mizoram University (MZU) function.

"As we commemorate this success, we reaffirm our commitment to maintaining literacy through on-going education, access to the digital age, and vocational skills training," the CM's Office quoted him as saying in an X post.

"Let us now shoot higher: digital literacy, financial literacy, and entrepreneurial skill for all Mizos," he added.

Chaudhary congratulated the state govt and people on the milestone.

"Today, we proudly announced Mizoram as the first completely literate state under visionary Ullas Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram. Congratulations to the people of Mizoram and Hon'ble CM @PuLalduhoma for this feat," he shared on X.

"Special thanks to Hon'ble Education Minister Dr. Vanlalthlana for pushing this agenda. The Chief Minister was kind enough to appreciate the contribution made by earlier State Governments as well in the historic journey of development Mizoram has embarked on. May the Northeast continue to lead the march towards a Shikshit, Kushal, and Atmanirbhar Bharat," he stated.

Based on the 2011 Census, Mizoram is at 91.33 per cent literacy rate, 3rd in the nation.

Building upon this base, the ULLAS -- Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society -- and Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram were put into place to locate and educate the last non-literate persons.

According to estimates based on the 2011 census figures, surveys were carried out and 3,026 illiterates were identified. Among them, 1,692 were identified as potential learners.

292 volunteer teachers, comprising students, teachers, resource persons, and Cluster Resource Centre Coordinators, were at the forefront of this endeavor, officials added.

The combined efforts, commitment, and mobilization of the community have led to Mizoram becoming totally literate, they added.