Lecture series
Ashwini Deshpande, Professor and Head of Economics at Ashoka University and Academic Director of Centre for Economic Data and Analysis will feature in the Azim Premji University public lecture series.
When and where: Bangalore International Centre on March 28, 6.30 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.
Topic: Cart before the Horse? Unpacking the pathways between social norms, opportunities and Women’s Work
Details at https://azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/
Admissions and scholarships
Mahindra University invites applications for MA in Journalism and Mass Communication, Master of Design, MA in Education, LLB Hons, and MBA. For details on courses, eligibility, registration, and more, visit https://tinyurl.com/2tkaend6.
Anant School for Climate Action has opened admissions for the 2025 Anant Fellowship for Climate Action cohort. The Fellowship begins on April 14. The application deadline is April 7. Details at https://tinyurl.com/26s552vk.
NIIT Limited will offer gNIIT as a customisable dual qualification programme for UG students; applications are open. The new batch begins on March 31. The fee is Rs. 2.25 lakhs + 18% GST. Details at https://tinyurl.com/3aszps3x
.The Design Village invites applications for B. Des. and M. Des. programmes for 2025-26.
Entrance exam: April 20
Eligibility: Aspirants should have completed class 12 or an equivalent exam with at least 50% aggregate marks in any stream. Candidates who are currently appearing in class 12 or awaiting results can also apply. For M.Des., aspirants must have completed their graduation with a minimum aggregate of 50% from any recognised institution or university. The degree must be from a related creative field or supported with relevant work experience. Final-year graduate students or students awaiting results can apply.
Deadline: April 18
Details at https://apply.thedesignvillage.org/
Istituto Marangoni Mumbai, has introduced new courses: Fashion Styling and Multimedia, and Visual Design.
Eligibility: FashionStyling and Multimedia Intensive, any graduate can apply. For Visual Design, aspirants with a class 12 pass can apply.
Deadline: First-come first-served basis
Details at https://tinyurl.com/mpszhywf and https://tinyurl.com/4ddwtfj6
IIT Bombay has launched the e-Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science and Engineering.
Eligibility: B.E., B.Tech, or BS (four years), or a higher degree in Computer Science and allied fields. In the absence of this, learners with a B.E., B.Tech, BS (four years), or equivalent in any Engineering discipline may be considered.
Details at https://tinyurl.com/46hm2tur
The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, is inviting applications for the MSc Machine learning and Deep Learning course starting in September.
Eligibility: A first-class or second-class honours degree (or international equivalent) in Electronic or Electrical Engineering, or Computer Science. Highly-qualified candidates from other relevant Engineering or Science-related disciplines may be considered; IELTS (Academic): 6.5 overall (no individual band less than 5.5).
Scholarship: Self-funded, international (non-EU) fee paying students starting this course full-time in September are eligible for a £5,000 scholarship.
Details at https://tinyurl.com/26p8sc6u
Excelia Business School has launched a specialisation titled AI, Data and Business Analytics within its Master in Management programme from this September
Eligibility: Students with a minimum of three years of post-High School education or international equivalent.
Deadline: Admissions all year long, but for the September intake, it is June 30
Details at https://tinyurl.com/37xfn6ka
The B-school has also introduced the MSc in Digital Communication, Social Media and New Realities course, currently available in French which will commence this September.
Eligibility: Students with a minimum of four years of post-High School education or international equivalent.
Deadline: Admissions all year long, but for the September intake, it is June 30
Details at https://tinyurl.com/3rcjttc7
The University of Leeds has opened applications from Indian students for its MSc in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Production.
Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 2:1 Honours, or first-class Indian Bachelor’s degree equivalent, in a relevant field such as Biology, Environmental Science, Food Science, Biochemistry, Agriculture, or Crop and Soil Science. English language requirements include class 12 English at 70% or 75% depending on state board, or IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any components.
Deadline: July 31
Scholarships: £6,000 International Masters Regional Scholarships for all Indian students; visit https://tinyurl.com/3sjkf3kt.
Details at https://tinyurl.com/yk7k38ny
JS Institute of Design invites applications to its UG and PG programmes.
Eligibility: Class 12 pass from a recognised board for admissions in UG and graduation from any field for PG programmes. Applicants must take a Creative Intelligence Test (CIT) to assess creativity, spatial reasoning, and general design knowledge, followed by a personal interview. Those with Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED) results are exempted.
Scholarships: Offered to students who have qualified in UCEED; those with a UCEED result rank up to 2,000 are eligible for a 25% scholarship on tuition fees for UG programmes in Design.
Details at https://tinyurl.com/ms52jeuj
Events
Whistling Woods International hosted a masterclass featuring the creative team behind the movie Mrs. It examined the evolution of storytelling across cinematic landscapes. The panel Arati Kadav, director, Prerna Saigal, editor, Sarit Sekhar Chatterjee, sound designer, Harman Baweja, producer, Nishant Dahiya, lead actor, Shray Gupta, assistant director, Neeraj Pandey, lyricist, and Jayesh Ughade, Zee5 Content Head.
Ashoka University launched the Ashoka School of Advanced Computing (ASAC). Apart from traditional Computer Science majors, it will offer programmes that combine Computer Science and Maths; Computer Science, Economics, and Maths; Computer Science and Philosophy, to name a few. For details, visit www.ashoka.edu.in.
IIIT Hyderabad’s Kohli Centre on Intelligent Systems inaugurated the Centre for Digital Technologies in Healthcare on the 101st birth anniversary of F C Kohli, co-founder, TCS. It also hosted the fifth edition of FC Kohli Talks, which included a talk by D. Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman AIG Hospitals, titled AI and Healthcare - Opportunities and Challenges - Why Doctors Don’t Like AI.
The University of Melbourne, in collaboration with the Australian High Commission in Delhi and India’s UGC, hosted an Internationalisation workshop at its Melbourne Global Centre, Delhi. It provided a roadmap for Indian universities to establish dual and joint degree programmes.
The South Indian Culinary Association, in collaboration with RKG Ghee and the Department of Hotel Management, KLE Society’s S Nijalingappa College, hosted its career guidance initiative Stepping Stone – Fuelling Ambitions, Shaping Future for aspiring Hospitality students. The event included panel discussions with industry experts. Speakers included Chef Seetharaman Prasad, Corporate Executive Chef, GRT Hotels; Chef Kashi Vishwanathan, Director of Operations, Bengaluru Café; Chef Bharanidharan, Founder and CCO, Chefs Imprint, and Arvind, Managing Partner, RKG Ghee.
The New Code of Education Summit 2025 was hosted by ETS at IIT Delhi. It honoured the Top 25 impact studies by universities and higher education institutions which are pioneering AI-driven transformation. It also held panel discussions on Digital Divide and AI: Ensuring Equitable Access to Quality Education, and AI in Public Policy and Education: The Role of Government in Building an AI-Ready India.
The third batch of graduates completed the industrial training programme in aerospace manufacturing, conducted by Boeing India and the Learning Links Foundation in Andhra Pradesh. Mathukumilli Sribharat, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, felicitated the graduates, along with Ramakrishna Rao, Deputy Director, Training and Placement, Department of Education, Murali Krishna Gannamani, MD, Fluentgrid, Praveena Yagnambhat, Chief of Staff andCSR Leader, Boeing India and South Asia, Sudha Priyadarshan, Senior Vice President, Learning Links Foundation, to name a few.
The eighth edition of the Chhatra Sansad India Conclave was held at Lovely Professional University. The theme was Vision India 2047: Bharat @ 100. Over 20,000 students participated. Dignitaries included Smriti Irani, Former Union Minister of Women and Child Development, HRD, and Textiles, Ashok Kumar Mittal, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, among others.
Svayam, an accessibility organisation, in collaboration with Shri Ram College of Commerce, launched its sensitisation campaign to drive awareness on accessibility, and diversity and inclusion. Students and faculty members held competitions in speech, and street plays themed Accessibility is a Human Right.
Arihant Publication has launched the IGNITE Series, a collection of books for UPSC aspirants to master concepts. It comprises seven books covering History, Geography, Environment, Polity, Ecology, Art and Culture, and Science and Technology. The series is available in English and priced between ₹275-₹525
IIM Nagpur held the inauguration for the 2025-27 batch of its Executive MBA (Hybrid) programme for the Nagpur and Pune campuses. Hemant Sharad Pande, Director, Personnel at WCL, was the chief guest and delivered the keynote address.
The University of Southampton Delhi hosted a panel discussion in which industry leaders and academic experts came together to deliberate on the evolving dynamics of education and workforce alignment. It focused on two key themes, Redefining Global Talent: Aligning Education with Industry Needs and The Future of Work and Education: A Transnational Perspective.
The recently unveiled Unstop Talent Report 2025 analysed key hiring trends, GenZ’s workplace expectations, and shifts in talent engagement, among others. Key findings include — 83% of E-school graduates and 46% of B-school graduates remain without a job or internship offer; 51% of GenZ professionals seek multiple income streams through freelancing and side hustle, with the number rising to 59% among B-School students, to name a few.
NIIT University appointed Amitabh Kant, former NITI Aayog CEO, as its new Chairperson (Chancellor).
Mohan Babu University hosted its 33rd annual day celebrations. Gold medals were presented to meritorious students across various disciplines. An array of cultural performances, including devotional, folk, and western dance sequences were held.
ARCH College of Design and Business organised a masterclass on Intellectual Property Rights under the ARCH Design Incubator. It featured Megha Harshwal, an intellectual property attorney from SHMA and Associates, who shed light on the legal aspects of design protection, trademarks, copyrights, and patents.
KLH Hyderabad hosted Kala Utsav 2025. It featured competitions in dance, arts, filmmaking, photography, music, literature, and debate. Thousands of students, artists, and performers from across the country participated.
ITM University, Raipur, through Club Koshika, School of Life and Allied Sciences, organised the Celebration and Cervical Cancer Awareness programme. It aimed to educate the community about cervical cancer prevention while celebrating women’s contributions to society. Speakers included Aditi Patel, I.A.S., and Saurabh Jain, oncologist.
Noida International University organised an Educators Meet and felicitation ceremony in which over 80 educators and academic professionals participated. It also organised a five-day educational trip to Malaysia for 30 students of the MBA Elite Batch 2023-25.
BITS Law School celebrated its second Foundation Day. Legal professionals, academics, and members of the media discussed socio-legal issues. Hima Kohli, Former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, spoke on the evolving role of women in the legal profession.
IIM Kashipur and the Snyder Innovation Management Center, Syracuse University, the U.S., concluded the International Conference on Digital Transformation. It was inaugurated by Prof. S.P. Raj, Chair of the Marketing Department and Distinguished Professor at Whitman School of Management, Syracuse University. Forty research papers were presented, covering critical aspects of digital transformation, including fintech, AI, and more.
Greenwood High International School donated 100 desks and 100 chairs each to two government primary schools in Sompura and Tindlu, Anekal Taluk.
Cos Sphere 2025 was organised by ABBS Group in collaboration with the Institute of Cost Accountants of India, Bangalore Chapter. Competitions included case study analysis, ad wars, paper presentations, and more. The Cochin Chapter were declared the overall winners.
Noida International Institute of Medical Sciences organised an orientation programme to welcome the new batch of students.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, in collaboration with the District Institute of Education and Training, concluded its Rural Teacher Training Programme aimed at equipping teachers with strategies to integrate museum-based learning into their classrooms; 35 teachers from eight districts across Maharashtra participated.
Sree Balaji Medical college and Hospital celebrated its 16th convocation where over 860 UG and PG students received their degrees. Paramasivum Pillay Vyapoory, former vice president and acting President of Mauritius was the chief guest.
Orchids The International School launched a paper recycling initiative to reduce paper waste and promote environmental responsibility. Students, teachers, and staff came together to reduce paper waste on campus.
FLAME University hosted the DigiNiti Conclave which brought together policymakers, thought leaders, academia, and young scholars. They explored the intersections of governance and technology in India. The theme was Tech in Policy: Technological Innovations and their Integration into Policymaking and Implementation.It also hosted the FLAME Undergraduate Research Day 2025 at its Pune campus themed Boundaries and Bridges in the Age of Disruption. UG students from universities and institutions across India presented their research through oral and poster presentations.
BIMTECH organised the India Study Programme 2025, in which students from FH Vorarlberg, Austria, participated in interactive sessions, cultural immersion activities, and field visits to significant locations. Academic sessions included lectures on sustainable business practices, the role of Ayurveda in holistic wellness, and more.
Excelia Group has introduced AI courses across its three schools, Excelia Business School, Excelia Tourism School, and Excelia Communication School, to equip students. The 15-21-hour module is structured into three parts: experiential learning through the Exceliaprime platform, in-person workshops on responsible AI usage, and the role of AI in enhancing creativity and productivity across various professions.
The Vivekanand Education Society’s College of Architecture hosted the third Hashu Advani Memorial Lecture themed Ekistics, Life, Nature, and Practice. Chief Guest Ar. Narendra Dengle explored Ekistics and the Fragmentation of Life, and stressed on the need for architects to integrate nature into design for a more holistic approach to urban living.
Central University of Tamil Nadu’s Department of Horticulture and the Department of Microbiology, in collaboration with the ICAR-IARI Rice Breeding and Genetic Research Centre, Aduthurai, organised a national symposium on proteomics’ pivotal role in advancing sustainable agriculture and climate resilience. It was titled Proteomics for Life: The intra and interplay of the proteins in plants and microbes.
Sharda University organised the eighth North East Cultural Fest 2025. Students, academicians, and dignitaries participated. Conrad K. Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya, was the chief guest.
SP Jain School of Global Management’s Bachelor of Data Science programme recently achieved 100% placements for the Class of 2024. Recruiters included Greenstone Financials, Telstra Corporation Limited, TAL Australia, to name a few.
Fortune Institute of International Business hosted Samavesh 2025, its cultural and management fest. Over 2,000 students from across Delhi-NCR participated.
Research
IIT Guwahati researchers have analysed Panitenga, a traditional fermented food from Assam, to identify beneficial bacterial strains with potential industrial applications. The research findings were published in the Food and Bioproducts Processing (https://tinyurl.com/3mnde4w3), in a paper co-authored by Prof. Lalit M. Pandey and his research scholar Smrity Sonbhadra. Also, its researchers have developed a sustainable and cost-effective method to remove toxic pollutants from industrial wastewater using biochar made from fruit waste. The findings have been published in Chemical Engineering Science (https://tinyurl.com/3jeutjhy), in a paper co-authored by Prof. Gopal Das along with his research scholar Neha Gautam, and Deepmoni Deka, Senior Technical Officer, Centre for the Environment, IIT Guwahati.
Researchers from NIT Rourkela and the University of the Philippines Los Baños, have developed an IoT-enabled smart device to monitor the quality of ingredients in processed food. The study was led by Kunal Pal, Professor, Department of Biotechnology and Medical Engineering, NIT Rourkela, along with Deblu Sahu, Ph.D scholar, Sirsendu Sekhar Ray, Assistant Professor, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, Sivaraman Jayaraman, Assistant Professor, NIT Rourkela, Bala Chakravarthy Assistant Professor, NIT Rourkela, and Floirendo Flores. Professor, Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of the Philippines Los Baños. The research findings were published in the Journal of Food Engineering (https://tinyurl.com/sbnxsa9u).
Awards, honours, rankings
Team CaseWizz comprising Siddharth Asthana, Sanyam Jhuria, and Ayush Sikarwal from IIT Kharagpur, were declared winners of Techathon 5.0: Harnessing AI to transform Bharat organised by EY. Team SE827 comprising Dastageer Siddiqui and Arun Bhattachrya, from Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, were the runners-up.
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Chennai, was awarded the Best Clean and Green Campus Award 2024 at the 54th Indian Society for Technical Education National Annual Convention.
Jeffrey Ho, a 24-year-old from Taiwan, was declared winner of CodeVita, TCS’ coding competition. Martin Andrighetti (24 years) and Ignacio Munoz (22 years) from Chile were declared runners-up while Ankitha Varma (20) from India was declared Top Woman Coder, and Zhou Jingkai (19) from People’s Republic of China, the Top Emerging Coder.
IIM Jammu was ranked 22 in the Best B-Schools (Government) overall category in the IIRF rankings.
Academic MoUs and partnerships
The John Cockerill Group signed an MoU with IIT Bombay, to drive innovation in steel decarbonisation technology, green hydrogen value chain, and defence products development.
A NZ $2,60,000 partial scholarship package under the New Zealand Excellence Awards 2025, and a Virtual Internship Programme for 30 IIT Delhi students to intern remotely with New Zealand companies, was announced at an event at IIT Delhi chaired by Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister, New Zealand. Indian institutions and New Zealand are set to sign a series of MoUs to further strengthen collaboration in student mobility, joint research, and academic exchange.
KL Deemed to be University has signed an MoU with Wayne State University, the U.S., for joint research and academic exchange programmes.
Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR, has signed an MoU with the National Remote Sensing Centre, an arm of ISRO, to accelerate research in space technology and AI.
NSDC has signed an MoU with Axim Collaborative, to enhance the Open edX open-source software Platform and drive innovation in education and skill ecosystem to empower youths.
Manav Rachna University has signed an MoU with Google Cloud and L and T to enhance learning opportunities, integrate industry-driven curricula, and equip students with future-ready skills.
Capri Loans Car Platform Private Limited has partnered with the Confederation of Indian Industry to drive skill development and employment opportunities. It aims to equip students with industry-specific expertise.
Movate Technologies Private Limited and The Ma Foi Foundation launched the Generative AI Lab at Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru. It aims to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world AI applications.
Zamit partnered with Medhavi Education and Skills Solution, Nepal, to drive innovation in education by equipping teachers and students with future-ready learning solutions, and skill development opportunities. They will jointly introduce AI-powered educational tools, personalised learning experiences, and upskilling programmes to empower educators and learners across Nepal.
Snowflake has partnered with FutureSkills Prime, to enroll student learners onto its free, entry-level data and AI skills courses over the next two years. Snowflake’s training courses will be integrated into the university curriculum as either mandatory or optional programmes and are available to UG and PG students. Details on courses and more at https://tinyurl.com/39zthe67.
Avantel Limited has partnered with Andhra University, GITAM University, and Velagapudi Ramakrishna Siddhartha Engineering College to introduce a two-year MTech programme in Signal Processing and Communication Systems. It also includes a Financial Incentive and Career Progression plan, offering interns a monthly stipend of Rs. 25,000. On course completion, graduates will secure a full-time position at Avantel.
Roinet has signed a three-year MoU with the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer at IIT Delhi. They will co-develop and implement AI and ML-powered solutions to improve access to financial services for underserved communities and small businesses.
Medicaps University has signed an MoU with Aivancity School of AI and Data for Business and Society, Paris, France, to enhance student learning experiences, facilitate academic exchanges, and provide global exposure. Apart from academics, the collaboration will pave the way for internship and career opportunities in Europe and India.
PrepInsta partnered with AICTE’s NEAT 4.0 initiative to empower Indian students with industry-relevant skills. The former’s courses are now accessible through the NEAT 4.0 portal.
University Living and Acumen have partnered to offer up to Rs 2 crore worth of ‘Living Scholarships’ for Indian students who are admitted to their partner universities in the U.K., Ireland, Australia, the U.S., and Canada. Eligible students will receive up to one month of free accommodation.
Published - March 27, 2025 02:20 am IST
