Category education

Mumbai, March 23, 2023 – CollegeDekho, India’s largest higher education services ecosystem, has appointed Parag Gupta as Chief Financial Officer. Parag comes with over two decades of rich and diverse experience across all aspects of finance and will be leading the finance department of the company and will provide strategic advice to the CEO and the company board.

Parag Gupta is a qualified Chartered Accountant and has over two decades of experience working in the internet, e-commerce, fintech, banking and telecom industries. Before CollegeDekho, he served as a CFO in various organizations including Housr, PayPal, Nimbuzz, AT&T, Spectra, etc. In his various roles, he was instrumental in advising the board and the senior management in making prudent financial decisions which helped the companies in achieving their financial/investment targets besides ensuring financial health, cashflows and growth for the companies.

Commenting on the appointment of Parag Gupta as CFO, Ruchir Arora, Co-Founder and CEO of CollegeDekho said “We are thrilled to have Parag on board. He has a diverse array of experience in management and leading finance departments across several different businesses. CollegeDekho will benefit from Parag’s deep acumen in business planning and financial management as we move through our next level of growth.”

Commenting on his new role as a CFO, Parag Gupta said, “I am excited to join CollegeDekho in its mission to transform the higher education system in India. As the company embarks on an ambitious future, I look forward to working with Ruchir, Saurabh and Rohit as well as the rest of the leadership in driving strong growth for the company and building CollegeDekho as the leading player in the higher education space in India.”

Parag’s appointment comes at a time when CollegeDekho has led existing investors to double down on their investment by pumping USD 9 million into the company.

New Delhi, March 23rd, 2023: IDP Education, a global leader in international education services, is proud to announce the inauguration of its new offices in Delhi, Khanna (Punjab), and Hoshiarpur (Punjab), taking its India presence to 73 offices spanning 63 cities. It also expanded its offices in Guwahati, Jammu, Trissur, and Calicut. With this, IDP leads the path of the maximum number of physical presence across India in the international education industry.

These offices will be staffed by highly qualified and experienced education professionals who will work closely with students to understand their unique requirements and guide them toward their desired overseas educational outcomes.

“We are delighted to expand our operations in India to cater to the growing demand for international education in the country. This expansion reflects our ongoing commitment to providing study-abroad aspirants with access to world-class overseas educational counselling, and we are confident that our services will prove to be a valuable resource for students in these regions.”, said Piyush Kumar, Regional Director – South Asia and Mauritius, IDP Education.

IDP Education guides students at every level of their international education journey, from selecting the right course and institutions to submitting applications and undertaking visa formalities. Beyond this, IDP also helps facilitate education loans, accommodation, health insurance, money transfer facilities, and more.

Its expansion in India is part of the company’s wider global growth strategy, which aims to strengthen its position as a leading provider of international education services worldwide. With a comprehensive range of services and a network of offices and centers across India, IDP Education is well-placed to continue supporting students in India in achieving their educational goals.

Mumbai, March 22, 2023: Jasudben ML School, a leading educational institution in Mumbai, has taken a significant step towards promoting health and wellness among its students and parents. The school successfully organized a workshop in collaboration with Ms. Shwetha Bhatia, a renowned Registered Dietitian and Founder of Mind Your Fitness.

The workshop was attended by parents of standard XX and aimed to raise awareness and provide guidance on various aspects of health and wellness, including nutrition, physical activity, and mental health. Ms. Bhatia, with her 15 years of clinical practice and recognition by the Indian Dietetic Association, provided valuable insights and tips on maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Expressing her delight, Shwetha Bhatia said, “I am thrilled to have been part of this initiative by Jasudben ML School to promote health and wellness among its parents. I hope that the insights and tips provided during the workshop will help them maintain a healthy lifestyle and lead happier lives.”

The collaboration between Jasudben ML School and Ms. Shwetha Bhatia is in line with the new education policy’s values of promoting the physical and mental well-being of students. The school’s principal, Mrs. Damayanti Bhattacharya, expressed her satisfaction with the success of the workshop, stating, “We are pleased with the turnout and the valuable insights provided by Ms. Shwetha Bhatia. This collaboration has helped us in our efforts to promote health and wellness among our students and parents.”

Jasudben ML School’s initiative to promote physical and mental well-being among its students and parents is a significant step towards creating a healthier and happier community. With the collaboration of experts like Shwetha Bhatia, the school is sure to continue providing valuable insights and guidance in this regard.

In today’s world, where the importance of health and wellness has become paramount, Jasudben ML School’s initiative to educate and promote healthy living is a commendable effort. The school’s commitment to its students and parents’ well-being is a testament to its dedication to providing quality education that goes beyond academics.

March 21, 2023; Hyderabad, India CSIR- Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Aragen Life Sciences, and Kewaunee Labway India Pvt. Ltd. signed an MOU for conducting a skill development program focused on developing skills in Advanced Synthetic Organic Chemistry and pertinent Analytical Chemistry fields. It is a Finishing School program enabling hands-on training to postgraduate students in chemistry to make them industry-ready by the end of their curriculum. The training will be offered by the scientists of CSIR-IICT in association with teaching assistance from Aragen at the CSIR-IICT campus. The MOU was signed by Dr. D. Srinivasa Reddy, Director, CSIR-IICT, Manni Kantipudi, Chief Executive Officer, Aragen Life Sciences, and Sathyamurthy, Managing Director, Kewaunee Labway India in the presence of Union Minister of Science & Technology
Dr. Jitendra Singh.

India has historically been a major hub for the chemistry talent pool. It is estimated that in the past decade, there has been about 80% growth in demand for chemistry graduates and around 37% for post-graduates driven by the growth in key sectors such as pharma, biotech, and other life sciences and allied industries. With the continued focus on further boosting the life sciences and manufacturing sectors, demand for this talent pool is expected to pick momentum. This tripartite MOU will enable leveraging the power of public-private partnerships in further boosting the chemistry talent pool in the country and will benefit both students and industry.

Dr. Srinivasa Reddy, Director, CSIR-IICT expressed his happiness about the partnership with private industries in developing the skilled workforce and said “Since 2017, under the CSIR integrated skill initiative, CSIR-IICT has been conducting upskilling programs to PG students with hands-on training in the area of chemical sciences and helps enhance their chances of employability. However, the current engagement is going to nurture the students as per the course designed in consultation with the industry to provide industry-ready candidates with increased assurance of placement and thereby help meet the huge requirement of skilled HR by the industry”.

Speaking about the MOU, Manni Kantipudi, Chief Executive Officer, of Aragen Life Sciences, said, “India is well positioned to play a bigger role in the global R&D and manufacturing space which will require access to a larger pool of qualified and trained talent. We are delighted to partner with CSIR-IICT, Hyderabad, and Kewaunee in conducting a skill development program that will enhance India’s scientific talent pool. Senior scientists at Aragen have rich global experience and exposure, and we will be happy to leverage their knowledge in developing the course curriculum and providing teaching assistance.”

“There is an urgent need to bridge the skill gap in youth and aid rural talent get integrated into India’s industrial growth story. Kewaunee has been systemically investing in the promotion of basic science education and research through our numerous CSR projects. W e are excited to partner with CSIR-IICT and Aragen to train aspiring science postgraduates and help them contribute meaningfully to the sector” remarked Sathyamurthy, Managing Director, Kewaunee Labway India.

The three organizations will provide theoretical and practical training as per the agreed course curriculum, conduct screening for selecting students for the program, provide lodging and boarding facilities, conduct evaluations and issue completion certificates to eligible students.

Bangalore, March 20, 2023: Zolo Scholar, India’s largest Student Living platform by ZoloStays backed by Investcorp, Nexus Ventures Partners, IDFC Alternatives, Trifecta Capital, and Mirae Assets has partnered with Manipal Academy Higher Education (MAHE), one of India’s leading academic with a long-standing legacy of over 65+ years, to provide world-class hostel facilities with a learning experience.

With an intention to nurture the student experience, MAHE is refining the student hostel experience, to ensure students are at ease to focus on their studies while the stay is designed to be comfortable and well-equipped. The partnership between Zolo and MAHE is a significant step towards enriching the student experience.

Zolo Scholar will exclusively manage three MAHE campuses in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, & Manipal, with more than 20,000 beds. The experience is designed to create a comfortable and supportive student living environment, focusing on amenities promoting wellness, learning, and socialising.

Zolo Scholar’s proprietary “Brand 360” program leverages technology, operations & community building expertise to help students thrive and make the most of their college experience. In its student housing hubs, the company provides modern amenities such as well-appointed rooms, sports facilities, a gym, a modern kitchen, professional housekeeping, and 24×7 security.

At this event, Dr Nikhil Sikri, Co-founder & CEO, said, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) and elevate the student living experience.” In the field of education, the Manipal Group has been at the forefront of embracing innovation and technology. In our previous partnerships, we have consistently achieved mutually beneficial outcomes where we not only improved the financial performance but also significantly enhanced the student experience and generated positive word-of-mouth.

Lt Gen (Dr.) M D Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor, MAHE, said,” The Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) is committed to providing students with a supportive and inclusive environment, and this partnership with Zolo scholar aligns with that mission. We understand that a holistic campus experience is essential to a student’s success, and this partnership will help us meet that need,”

Zolo Scholar is India’s biggest Student Living platform. It serves 50,000+ students across 20+ campuses in 10 cities.

Queen’s Award

Left to right: Chancellor Margaret Casely-Hayford CBE, Moroccan Ambassador to the UK HE Hakim Hajoui, Vice-Chancellor John Latham CBE, Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands Sir John Crabtree.

Coventry University’s incredible connections with countries across the globe have been recognised in one of the last awards in the name of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The Queen’s Award for Enterprise, the UK’s most prestigious business award, was awarded to Coventry University for its tireless work building relationships with institutions and companies throughout the world, while also drawing thousands of students from around the globe to its campuses across the UK.

The award was one of the last Her Majesty The Queen would have approved before her death in September last year.

This year The Queen’s Award will be renamed in tribute to her successor and son King Charles III, as the King’s Award for Enterprise.

The Lord-Lieutenant for the West Midlands, Sir John Crabtree OBE, was on hand to make the presentation at Coventry University’s new Delia Derbyshire building – part of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities – on behalf of the monarch.

The award, in the category of International Trade, comes as there were 15,565 international students from over 150 nationalities are studying across the Coventry University Group in 2021/22, making it the sixth largest higher education recruiter for international students in the UK.

Coventry University Group’s global outlook has also seen it establish a network of global hubs, in Brussels, Dubai, Singapore, Rwanda and Beijing, in addition to its campus in Wroclaw, Poland, and branch campus in Egypt, as well as a joint institute with Communication University of China that launched in September 2022.

Sir John Crabtree OBE paid tribute to the late Queen and met Coventry University Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Latham CBE, and the Chancellor, Dr Margaret Casely-Hayford CBE, to present the award to the university.

Sir John Crabtree OBE said: “These awards were introduced in 1966 by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II as she was very keen and determined to support British enterprise.

“Coventry University now has one of the last awards she would have approved.

“This year’s winners will be the King’s Awards for Enterprise which means Coventry University will be in the last batch of The Queen’s Awards, which I think is very fitting.

“It is a real accolade because Coventry University has got this award for an international focus on jobs, skills and work to welcome people to our region.”

Dr Casely-Hayford CBE said: “Sadly we lost our wonderful monarch, the late Queen, last year, so this is one of the last awards that will ever be made and titled The Queen’s Award, which makes it even more special.

“For us, this prestigious award really is something we value as a global education group that is committed to widening access to quality education.

“Our mission is creating better futures and that is not confined to these shores or to the people of this country. We passionately believe in the power of education to transform lives across the world and communities and have five core values that help us achieve that.

“Our international students bring diversity of thought, outlook, their approach to issues, all of which help the university community and the wider community accelerate positive change.”

Coventry University Vice-Chancellor Professor John Latham CBE said: “This is the second time we have won this award and that has happened through innovation, talent, teamwork and determination. This event was a chance to celebrate our international success but also reflect on the legacy of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

“Students from 150 nations study across our group – this is what Coventry is about. We’re a global institution preparing people for a global world as we move forward. We’re so proud to have won this.”

The Moroccan Ambassador to the UK, His Excellency Mr Hakim Hajoui, also attended the ceremony as the university prepares to open a branch campus in Casablanca with The British Schools Educational Services Prives.

India, March 17: As part of their joint venture to offer a value-added learning experience to students preparing for medical and engineering entrance exams, Edtech platform Physics Wallah and Jodhpur-based test prep company Utkarsh Classes have announced the launch of the Physics Wallah-Vidyapeeth Centre for offline NEET and JEE preparation in Jodhpur.

The joint venture will bring together the capabilities of both institutions to help secure the future of millions of students. Utkarsh Classes and Physics Wallah will work together leveraging tech and offline solutions to help students achieve their goals.

Dr Nirmal Gehlot, Founder and CEO, of Utkarsh Classes, said, “We are thrilled with this partnership. The Physics Wallah Vidyapeeth will be managed by Utkarsh Classes in Jodhpur. This is part of our mission to provide quality education to students at a nominal fee with experienced and excellent teachers and a technology-enabled hybrid education model.”

Dinesh Vaishnav, head of the Vidyapeeth Jodhpur Centre, pointed out that the admission process for entrance exam preparation such as NEET, JEE, and Foundation batches have started at the Jodhpur centre.

It will also see NEET preparation classes for English medium students in Class 9 and 10, science students in 11/12 and 12th pass start in the first week of April. Students can avail of up to 90% scholarship for admission to upcoming offline batches by clearing the PWSAT scholarship test.

Alakh Pandey, Founder and CEO, of Physics Wallah, said, “PW and Utkarsh Classes connect with the students at a personal level. With our combined effort, we can serve the students in Jodhpur in medical & engineering exams and enrich the learning experience at affordable rates.”

Students preparing for NEET-JEE can check their preparation level at the All India level and clear their doubts through Physics Wallah’s doubt-solving interaction platform – PW Saarthi.

India, 17 March 2023: PrepLadder, one of India’s leading online medical preparation platforms, announced that 8 of the top 10 AIR rank holders in the recently concluded NEET PG 2023 exam are from PrepLadder. These top 8 rank holders include AIR 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10. NEET PG, conducted by the NBE (National Board of Examinations), is a national-level qualifying and ranking examination for MBBS graduates aspiring to pursue post-graduation courses in government and private medical institutes in the country.

The results announced by the NBE saw 8 PrepLadder Learners who secured the top 10 AIR ranks and over 700 marks in the exam. Further, despite the immense competition, 30+ Learners scored top ranks under AIR 100.

Among PrepLadder’s top scorers are Dr. Aarushi Narwani (AIR 1 ) from Jaipur, scoring 725, Dr. Prem Thilak Palani (AIR 2) from Vadodara, and Dr. Rupesh Tholia (AIR 3) from Charkhi Dadri both scoring 721. This is followed by Dr. Akash Sethi (AIR 4) from Vadodara, scoring 718, Dr. Machave Ameya Prasad (AIR 5) from Mumbai, scoring 717, Dr. Keshav Garg (AIR 6) from Ladwa, scoring 716, and Dr. Sagar Lamba (AIR 10) from Delhi scoring 711.

Some of the key highlights of PrepLadder’s NEET PG 2023 Exam result:

• 5 PrepLadder Learners secured the top 5 AIR
• 8 Learners secured positions in AIR 10 with scores above 700
• 30+ Learners are among AIR 100

India’s top medical faculty extensively tutor PrepLadder’s Learners through online video lectures, self-explanatory digital notes, high-yield QBank Next Edition featuring 70% clinical-based questions per the latest exam pattern, and a rigorous All India Mock Test Series. The effectiveness of these learning resources was also evident from the stellar strike rate of 96% from their content. PrepLadder’s Learners’ exceptional result is a testament to the platform’s effective study content and teaching methodology. The successful Learners will now be included in the merit list prepared by NBE for qualified candidates.

PrepLadder offers a simplified learning experience through engaging video lectures and study content for Medical PG aspirants. In January 2023, PrepLadder announced Dream Team Next Edition comprising top faculty members across different medical specializations who will prepare aspirants as per the NExT exam pattern. Dream Team Next Edition will feature a specialized faculty for medical exams. Through this, PrepLadder aims to stimulate a next-gen learning experience for postgraduate medical aspirants in compliance with the latest exam pattern.

Institute of Management Studies (IMS) Noida, organized DEC-Excellence 2023. The program was mainly organized to felicitate the faculty members who have worked for the last 10 years. Dr. Kulneet Suri, Senior Director of IMS Noida, was presented during the event along with other faculty members.

During the program, the institute’s faculty members Naveen Kumar and Bittu were honored with the title “DEC-Excellence 2023”. Although some other members also received recognition for their dedication and selfless service, Furthermore, a vibrant cultural program was also presented by the students.

Inaugurating the program, Dr. Kulneet Suri, Senior Director of IMS Noida, said, “We are pleased that this year our two talented faculty members have completed 10 years of service. Currently, we have more than 50 employees and academic members who have worked for the organization for at least ten year. No organization could grow without the contribution of its workforce. Avoiding them will not allow you to succeed.

She further added, “A strong work ethic is a combination of working hard and smart. Organizations with employees who value moral principles like discipline, dedication, integrity, humility, and cooperation THRIVE. Organizations with employees who value business traits like organizational skills, teamwork, highest standards of work THRIVE. The key to moving your organization from the status quo to achieving excellence builds up the work culture in any organization. When you build a culture of Excellence you create organizational capacity and a structure that empowers focuses and engages employees-thus is born Service Excellence.

Equipping teams with the right mindset and skills necessary to focus on creating the desired results contributes to people-centric organizations and thus is born Dec-Excellence.

Bhubaneswar, India – March 16, 2023 – Samsung India’s flagship CSR program Samsung Innovation Campus concluded the Coding & Programming, AI and IoT courses for its first batch of 88 students in Bhubaneswar, reiterating Samsung’s commitment to being a strong partner of India and working alongside the Government in its mission to empower the country’s youth and #PoweringDigitalIndia.

The students, who were mentored and trained at Central Tool Room & Training Center, Bhubaneswar, were presented with certificates at a ceremony held on Thursday.

ESSCI, which is a National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) approved entity, is executing the program through its nationwide network of approved training and education partners.

Student teams from the Coding & Programming course participated in the 3-day Hackathon in which they developed codes based on problem statements given to them.

The problem statements included topics such as developing a chatbot for e-governance support, an e-commerce website for handicrafts and artisan-based industries, a machine learning model to predict housing prices, a loan approval system, a plant leaf disease detection system using image classification, a home automation module and a social media platform for senior citizens. The teams presented their prototypes to a jury from Samsung R&D Institute, Noida, and Central Tool Room & Training Center, Bhubaneswar.

“Our global citizenship initiative, Samsung Innovation Campus, is in alignment with India’s development agenda. Through this initiative, we want to empower the youth and create opportunities for them in future tech domains, further boosting India’s growth story and strengthening our commitment to Powering Digital India,” said Mr. Partha Ghosh, Head, CSR and Communications, Samsung Southwest Asia.

Samsung India launched its Samsung Innovation Campus program at eight campuses across the country with the aim of upskilling 3,000 less-privileged youth in future tech domains such as AI, IoT, Big Data and Coding & Programming and helping them get relevant job placements.

Samsung Innovation Campus aims to upskill youth aged 18-25 years in future technologies and enhance their employability. These are key technology skills for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

During the course of the program, participants receive instructor-led classroom training through approved training and education partners of ESSCI across the country.

Youth enrolled in the program are undergoing classroom training and complete their hands-on capstone project work in their selected technology areas from among Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Big Data and Coding & Programming. They will also be imparted soft skills training to enhance their employability and provided job placements in relevant organizations.

Those opting for the AI course will undergo 270 hours of theory training and complete 80 hours of project work while those doing the IoT or the Big Data course will undergo 160 hours of training and complete 80 hours of project work. Participants opting for the Coding & Programming course will do 80 hours of training and be part of a Hackathon.

Samsung Newsroom India: First Batch of Students of ‘Samsung Innovation Campus’ in Bhubaneswar Graduate with Certificates in Coding & Programming, AI & IoT; Flagship CSR Program Aims to Make Students Job-Ready with Future Tech Skills