Category education

Bangalore, 29th Mar 2023: Plutus, a creator-first platform building business and financial infrastructure for creators, announced their pre-seed round of funding from Campus Fund and other Investors including CIIE – IIM AhmedBangalore, 28th Mar 2023: Plutus, a creator-first platform building business and financial infrastructure for creators, announced their pre-seed round of funding from Campus Fund and other Investors including CIIE – IIM Ahmedabad, Shruti (Co-founder, ApnaKlub) and Alagu Preiyannan (Co-founder, Bluejeans).

Started by Karata Dasmahapatra (dropout from Dartmouth); Shivanshu Tyagi (student at IIT Kanpur) and Sambhav Jain (student at BITS Pilani) – Plutus focuses on deepening interactions between creators and their fans through a mix of community games both live and hypercasual. They work with over 3k+ creators across India, along with a waitlist of 10k+ creators. The start-up is seeing strong user love with a 35% month over month userbase growth and an 86% Net Promoter Score (NPS). Plutus intends to use the fundraise to deepen partnerships with creators and fans, while also building new tools to expand the monetisation potential.

The creator economy is growing at a CAGR of 25-30% and is one of the fastest growing sectors today. Creators, especially ones that fall in the category of being micro-influencers don’t earn a stable income through ad revenue, since this is largely contingent upon the number of views, followers and subscribers to their content. While social media platforms have evolved, the experience across them remains the same – creators make content, fans consume the content. “This is where Plutus has changed the norm by building a single platform with two-way flow of content via live rooms, group chats, creator led games, integrated payments and analytics. With an innovative pay-as-you-go structure, creators are able to earn more than subscriptions or workshops from their user base, and in some cases more than advertiser promotions. With this fundraise Plutus aims to expand across India and South East Asia, and launch new set of hyper-casual games and features.”, said Karata Dasmahapatra, Co-Founder & CEO, Plutus

With a 35% M-o-M growth in userbase and strong engagement rate, Plutus wants to become the go-to tool for Gen-Z creators. While creators are seeing a significant uptick in their monthly income, Plutus continues to build additional avenues for creators and fans to engage.

Shlok Vora, Student Associate at Campus Fund and part of the Plutus deal team highlighted, “What impressed us most is that the Plutus team has always been nimble in innovating new features for creators to connect better with their fans. The creator economy is at an inflection point and Plutus is positioned really well to potentially become the Shopify for creators.”

abad, Shruti (Co-founder, ApnaKlub) and Alagu Preiyannan (Co-founder, Bluejeans).

Started by Karata Dasmahapatra (dropout from Dartmouth); Shivanshu Tyagi (student at IIT Kanpur) and Sambhav Jain (student at BITS Pilani) – Plutus focuses on deepening interactions between creators and their fans through a mix of community games both live and hypercasual. They work with over 3k+ creators across India, along with a waitlist of 10k+ creators. The start-up is seeing strong user love with a 35% month-over-month userbase growth and an 86% Net Promoter Score (NPS). Plutus intends to use fundraising to deepen partnerships with creators and fans, while also building new tools to expand the monetization potential.

The creator economy is growing at a CAGR of 25-30% and is one of the fastest-growing sectors today. Creators, especially ones that fall in the category of micro-influencers don’t earn a stable income through ad revenue since this is largely contingent upon the number of views, followers, and subscribers to their content. While social media platforms have evolved, the experience across them remains the same – creators make content, and fans consume the content. “This is where Plutus has changed the norm by building a single platform with a two-way flow of content via live rooms, group chats, creator-led games, integrated payments, and analytics. With an innovative pay-as-you-go structure, creators are able to earn more than subscriptions or workshops from their user base, and in some cases more than advertiser promotions. With this fundraise Plutus aims to expand across India and South East Asia, and launch a new set of hyper-casual games and features.”, said Karata Dasmahapatra, Co-Founder & CEO, of Plutus

With a 35% M-o-M growth in userbase and a strong engagement rate, Plutus wants to become the go-to tool for Gen-Z creators. While creators are seeing a significant uptick in their monthly income, Plutus continues to build additional avenues for creators and fans to engage.

Shlok Vora, Student Associate at Campus Fund and part of the Plutus deal team highlighted, “What impressed us most is that the Plutus team has always been nimble in innovating new features for creators to connect better with their fans. The creator economy is at an inflection point and Plutus is positioned really well to potentially become the Shopify for creators.”

Mumbai, 29th March 2023: Bloomingdales Pre-Primary is excited to unveil our new uniform for the upcoming academic year. We are proud to introduce colourful t-shirts for our students, featuring the image of an endangered animal on the front. Our goal is to instil in our young learners a sense of responsibility towards our planet and its inhabitants. By wearing these t-shirts we hope to create awareness among our students about the importance of being environmentally conscious and the urgent need to conserve and protect endangered species.

Our new school uniform includes t-shirts in three vibrant colours, each featuring an endangered animal that represents the three essential elements of our planet – Air, Water and Earth. The Red Panda represents Earth, the Forest Owlet signifies Air, and the Blue Whale symbolises Water. The School Mascot, AWE, is a reminder of the interconnectedness of these elements and the importance of taking care of our planet. By wearing these t-shirts our students will not only look great but also be reminded of the need to protect and conserve our environment.

Mrs Damayanti Bhattacharya, Principal of Jasudben ML School and Bloomingdales Pre- Primary, said, “The new uniforms reflect the school’s theme of the year – Happy at School. We believe that a happy school environment begins with creating a sense of belonging among our students towards the environment at large. By introducing the new uniforms, we hope to create a sense of unity and responsibility among our students while also making them environmentally conscious, which will contribute to their overall well-being as well as happiness.”

She further added, “We understand that parents want their children to feel comfortable and confident at school but also conscious of the world beyond its school gates since their early years. And the new uniforms are designed to be comfortable and practical while also being unique, relevant and meaningful. We believe that this change will be appreciated by parents and contribute to their happiness and satisfaction with the school. With this new uniform, we hope to inspire our students to become ambassadors of change and make a positive impact in their communities and beyond. ” The school is excited to begin this new chapter and looks forward to seeing its students wear the new uniform with

GD Goenka University has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Edu Brain Overseas to provide the best international internship and overseas placement opportunities for its students. The MOU was signed in the presence of GD Goenka University Registrar, Dr. Dhirendra Singh Parihar, Director Training and Placement, Akhilesh Chandra, and Edu Brain Overseas Asst Director, Supria Rai among others.

“Edu Brain Overseas and GD Goenka University will aim to provide the best-suited paid international internship programmes and overseas placement opportunities in to GD Goenka University students in France, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Germany, and United States (US),” Supria Rai said.Edu Brain Overseas UAE will help students with the smooth application process, help them with visa paperwork and timely submission of documents, and offer career counselling.

Edu Brain Overseas provides international internship programs in Dubai, Singapore, France, Australia, and New Zealand. It assists young professionals to acquire personal and professional skills, helps to obtain global standard training, build up a global network, and develop industry-related skills like time management, effective communication, learning of new language, culture, and adapting to the office environment. One of the largest international internship consultancies in India,

The ability to use English competently is critical for the study and practice of medicine in an international setting. As written by the Institute for Healthcare Communication, “extensive research has shown that no matter how knowledgeable a clinician might be, if he or she is not able to open good communication with the patient, he or she may be of no help”. When a student applies to an international medical school, with the view to practicing medicine in an English-speaking country, they should be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English. This is commonly done by passing a language test, such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). With over 3.5 million IELTS tests taken each year and an increase in the number of students looking to study medicine abroad in English-speaking countries such as the US and UK, St. George’s University (SGU) School of Medicine, Grenada, in the Caribbean shares what aspiring medical students need to know about this test and its importance in international medical education.

What is the IELTS?

IELTS is a standardized test that measures English language abilities. It is widely recognized for medical students and healthcare professionals who wish to study or practice medicine in English-speaking countries. The test covers four key language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking.

The test is available in over 140 countries and is accepted by over 10,000 organizations, including universities, professional bodies, and government agencies. It is recognized by many medical schools in English-speaking countries, including the UK, Australia, the United States, and the Caribbean, as a required part of the admission process for international medical students.

What is considered a ‘good’ IELTS score for medical school?

IELTS scores are reported on a nine-band scale, with scores ranging from 0 to 9, with higher scores indicating a higher level of proficiency. For admission into most international universities, including St. George’s University School of Medicine, students need to achieve a 7.0 overall and 7.0 on all bands. This indicates that the test taker has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriate usage, and misunderstandings in some situations. They generally handle complex language well and understand detailed reasoning.

What if I don’t meet requirements?

Check what support your medical school can give. SGU offers language support programs including Pre-sessional English programs, the English for Medicine Pathway (EMP), and Medical Academic Communication (MAC) for students who do not meet direct entry English requirements. These programs support the development of communication skills for studying and practicing medicine in an English-speaking context.

Communication and International Medical Education

The communication skills and tasks required both for the study and practice of medicine are dynamic and complex. “Our students need to do more than simply have conversations or write papers in English. The study and practice of medicine requires students to be able to synthesize, analyze, and apply evidence from multiple sources – key critical thinking skills and foundational for Evidence-Based Practice – clearly and concisely document notes for patients’ medical records, show empathy during the medical interview, and actively engage in collaborations with colleagues. These are just some of the many key communication skills needed,” says Kasey Larson, Director of the Specialized English Language Programs (SELP) Unit at St. George’s University.

A high level of English competence is required to engage effectively and learn in the interactive context of a medical school, and it is necessary to demonstrate competence on the course and standardized licensing exams.

Students are now more aware than ever that the journey isn’t over once they earn their degree. They need to consider where they would like to practice medicine once they graduate. While language proficiency tests can appear daunting, they are a straightforward – and critical – step in foreign students’ educational paths. The IELTS provides a springboard from which non-English speakers can launch their medical careers, granting them the necessary qualification to succeed in English-speaking countries regardless of their geographical location.

As no other medical school in the world provides more new doctors to the US healthcare system*, St. George’s University is well-versed in supporting aspiring doctors with their journey to a career in medicine and appreciates the importance of equipping these students with a well-rounded skill set.

* As the medical school graduates the largest number of students annually, SGU places the largest number of graduates into residency programs each year, based on internal SGU graduate and residency placement data as of May 2022.

BriBooks and Education World announced the successful conclusion of India’s National Young Authors Fair, the first of its kind event which inspired over 100,000 students to publish their first book and experience a journey of entrepreneurship.

The fair provided young authors with a lifelong souvenir of their published works, an opportunity to speak, a writing experience, an entrepreneurial journey, and hundreds of hours of reading and writing. Schools from across the country participated, with Cambridge School – Indirapuram, JBCN International School – Parel Branch, Apeejay School NOIDA, Modern Public School – Shalimar bagh, Birla Vidya Niketan, The Shriram Millennium School, Bal Bharati Public School, and The Heritage School Vasant Kunj winning multiple awards.

In conclusion of the event, Ami Dror, founder at BriBooks said “We are thrilled to have organized the National Young Authors Fair and given an opportunity to young authors to publish their first book. We hope that this experience has provided them with a lifelong love for reading, writing, and entrepreneurship.” Bhavin Shah, CEO of Education World said “As the curtains close on the National Young Authors Fair, we can’t help but feel a sense of pride and awe at the incredible stories written by the children who participated. We believe that writing has the power to transform lives and communities, and we are honored to have been a part of this transformative event. We thank BriBooks for their expertise and passion in making this event a reality.”

An awards ceremony was held on March 25th to recognize jury award winners and best-selling authors. The awards ceremony was attended by 500 people, including jury members, young authors, and esteemed guests. The jury included renowned personalities like Pulitzer Prize winner journalist Dele Olojede, bestselling author (of Start-Up Nation) and columnist Saul Singer, and Edesia Nutrition founder & CEO Navyn Salem.

Jury member Saul Singer shared that “I am truly impressed by the talent and creativity of the young authors. It is inspiring to see the next generation of writers and entrepreneurs take charge and showcase their work. I wish these budding writers all the luck and hope to hear more of their stories in the coming years.”

Winners of the Jury Award included Tara Kumar for ‘The Dead Alive and In Between’, Advik Yambalada for ‘Lessons from The Animal Kingdom’, Dia Shangbag for ‘Emotional Well-Being’, Utsa Banerjee for ‘Riki and Her Dream’, and Tvarita Guliani for ‘Princess of Beauty Island’. Tara Kumar, author of ‘The Dead Alive and In Between’ and winner of the jury award said that “Winning this award is a dream come true. It has encouraged me to write more and continue to share my thoughts with the world. I heartily thank BriBooks for giving me and all the other authors this opportunity to tell our stories to the world.”

After the books were printed and published, young authors promoted their work through social media, public readings, and school events. Some authors sold over 1000 books in just 30 days. The best-selling authors included Dhairya Sudarshan with ‘Savi Our Saviour’, Keya Hatkar with Dancing on My Wheels’, Kshipra Moreker with ‘Learning From the Jungle’, Kunwar Vikram with ‘Nature Teaches Love’, Rudraang Goenka with ‘The Rise of The Great Insane’, Subasree Bharathi with ‘My Talking Cat’, Roohi Sharma with ‘Memories Miracles Magic’, Hiyansh Joshi with ‘The Rescue Rabblets’, Tania Boya with ‘The Journey’, and Tvarita Guliani with ‘Princess of Beauty Island’.

New Delhi: Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, US, announces scholarships worth up to $25,000 per year for undergraduate programs starting this Fall 2023. These scholarships are designed to support and reward academically exceptional students who are seeking to pursue higher education in the US.

To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria: a minimum SAT score of 1230, an IELTS score of 7.0 or equivalent, a GPA of 3.25, and submission of a compelling essay. Augustana University is highly regarded for post-graduate employment and ranks among the top 10 in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report 2022.

Augustana University offers a diverse range of undergraduate programs, including popular fields of study such as computer science, software engineering, data science, business, and hard sciences. The university is committed to providing students with a well-rounded education that combines technical skills with the liberal arts approach, to help students develop critical thinking, communication, and interpersonal skills.

“At Augustana, we believe in quality over quantity. Our small classrooms provide ample opportunities for students to receive individual attention and focus on their learning,” says Ben Iverson, Director of International Programmes & Enrollment at Augustana University. He further adds, “In Spring 2023, we are expecting nearly 50 international students from 17 countries to join us, and around 10% of them will be from India. Currently, we have 9 Indian students studying at Augustana, and we are looking forward to welcoming more students from India and around the world.”

The scholarships offered by Augustana University present a cost-effective opportunity for students to fulfill their dream of studying in the US. With its outstanding reputation, diverse range of programs, and focus on quality education, Augustana University is an excellent choice for students seeking to further their academic and professional careers.

AU Recognition and Awards: AU was listed among the top 650 colleges in the US according to Forbes’ ranking of “America’s Top Colleges 2017.” Augustana ranked 98th out of all the Midwest-based universities. In addition, Augustana University boasts a 97% employment rate for 2020 graduates in their major or chosen field, is ranked as the best regional university in the Midwest (in the Top 10) by U.S. News & World Report 2019, and has a 12:1 student-to-teacher ratio in its classrooms due to its emphasis on quality.

A quick glimpse into scholarships at Augustana University for UG courses:

Who may apply?

Indian students and young professionals can apply for undergraduate scholarships worth up to $25,000 during four years of education in fields including business, computer science, physics, math, accounting, and more. The organization states that to be eligible for the minimum $ 20,000 scholarship, applicants must have a SAT score of 1100 or an IELTS score of 6.5 or equivalent, a GPA of 3.0, and submit an essay. IELTS score of 7.0 and an average of at least 75% grades in classes 10 and 12 are required for the scholarship, which has a maximum value of $25,000.

Important dates to remember

Admissions open: For Fall 2023

Last date to apply: April 30, 2023

Bengaluru, 24 March 2023: One of India’s first and largest media and communication festivals, ‘Article-19’ is back this year and will be held at Manipal Institute of Communication on the 24th and 25th of March, 2023. This two-day event has time and again served as a platform for promoting the very principle behind the said article of the Indian Constitution – Freedom of Speech. Inspiring and invoking the spirit of expression while intermingling ideas, interests, and passion, the fest is an embodiment of what media and communication stand for.

The panel includes Mr. Rohit Gandhi, the Editor-in-chief of Democracy News Live, Founder and former Editor-in-Chief of World is One News (WION); Mr. Viswanath Venkatraman, an alumnus of MIC’s first graduating batch in 1997 and the co-creator of some of the most iconic events for leading Indian & International brands and special feature shows in media groups like Network18; Mr. Shiv Aroor, journalist, author, editor, and anchor at India Today and a renowned defense correspondent who has done conflict reporting from defense zones such as Kashmir, Sri Lanka, and Libya.

“We at MIC started Article-19 with a coherent goal, to harness the power of ethical media, the power of students, and the power of freedom of speech and expression. After hosting more than 20 successful festivals, we strive to ensure that the same spark is alive and we hope to make a bigger and better impact with each passing year” says Dr. Padmarani, Director at Manipal Institute of Communication.

Article – 19 is a platform created by the students for the students. This year’s organizing committee is guided by the faculty coordinator, Ms. Shruthi V Shetty. One can witness a melange of creative media-based events, games, and learning experiences spread across fields like journalism, advertising, film making etc. This includes an extremely insightful workshop called, “Pitch Perfect” by Ms. Ann Kurian, Founder & Creative Director of Talking Tree Media, Bengaluru. The chosen theme for this year is, ‘MIC through Metaverse.’ The Metaverse is anticipated to be the next great revolution in the field of media and internet technology. Thus this year’s Article-19 is very intrinsically woven around it.

Students across Manipal will be testing their bounds of creativity and communication through various competitions like student TEDx Talks and Mad Ads. The 2-day conglomerate will be closing with an award ceremony and a fun fair making it a perfect blend of education and entertainment. Manipal Institute of Communication was established in 1997 by MAHE as a benchmark of holistic education in the burgeoning media industry. Since its inception, MIC has conducted Article-19 for over 20 years making it one of India’s first-ever media festivals. It stands for people’s right to Freedom of Speech and Expression and demonstrates it in an innovative and educative manner each passing year.

Zell Education has been announced as the recipient of the “Company of the Year 2022” award by Business Connect. This prestigious recognition highlights Zell Education’s Admirable growth, exceptional performance, and contribution to the Finance & Accounts industry in education. The award reflects the company’s commitment to excellence and dedication toward achieving its goals.

“We’re absolutely delighted to receive this award recognizing our outstanding growth in the EdTech sector for finance and accounting. It’s a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our team, who are committed to delivering cutting-edge solutions that help our clients succeed.”, said Anant Bengani, co-founder & Executive director, Zell Education.

“We would like to thank our students, faculty, partners, and clients for their trust and support, which have enabled us to achieve this feat,” added Partham Barot, Co-Founder & CEO of Zell Education. “We are glad to be part of a community that values education and is committed to our goal of creating innovative educational solutions that have a positive impact on society.”

Zell Education’s award-winning products are available on its website, and the company continues to expand its
offerings to meet the growing demands of the EdTech industry.

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.