Higher Education Digest – January 2021 – India Edition – Higher Education Institutions in South Indi

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INDIA EDITION

MUST-WATCH HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN SOUTH INDIA

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FEATURING INSIDE

Professor Ammar Kaka, Provost & Vice Principal, Heriot-Watt University, Dubai Alberto Acereda, Executive Director - Higher Education, Global Education Division, Educational Testing Service (ETS)

MUST-WATCH HIGHER EDUCATION

Dr. D. K. Sharma, Professor-Civil Engineering, JK Lakshmipat University, Jaipur

SOUTH INDIA

Dr. Devesh Kumar Singh, Chairman, Noida International University Nitin Vijay, Managing Director, Motion Education Pvt. Ltd. Meena Murthy Kakkar, Design Head, Envisage

INSTITUTIONS IN

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Higher Education Digest January 2021

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Higher Education Digest January 2021

January 2021

Vol - 3 Issue - 1

Higher Education Institutions in South India (India Edition) Editor in Chief

Dr. Manoj Varghese

Managing Editor Sarath Shyam

Consultant Editors

Dr. Johny Andrews Anjana K Anna Elza

Navya Venkatesh Stanly Lui Emma James

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Ajay K Das Manjunath R Rohith Poojary

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MANAGING EDITOR’S NOTE

Start Your Search from the South

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he success of your life depends a lot on the choices that you make. While some choices are inconsequential, selecting a career and a college is not. The programme you want to pursue and the campus you decide to attend will play a large part in setting your future path. Once you determine your career path, you have many ways to choose a college. You could choose one based on where you want to live, where your close relative went to school, or even where your friends plan to attend.

The options are many in India – 967 Universities, 10, 725 standalone institutions and 39, 931 colleges.

However, as per various studies, the southern region is a preferred destination for learning. It has adequate educational institutions, efficient and committed teachers, and infrastructural facilitates for professional education. Over the last few years,

Higher Education’s scenario in the southern region has witnessed a manifold increase in educational activities.

Today, southern states including Tami Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are among top five in terms of the number of universities in India. Further, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of all states in the southern region is better than the national average.

To help students who wish to pursue their higher education in South India, we have come up with a list of ‘10 Must-Watch Higher Education Institutions in South India,’ which are striving hard to give the students an in-depth mastery of the academic disciplines and applied functional areas necessary to make a successful career.

We hope that our efforts will help higher education aspirants across the country to make informed decisions about their study destinations.

Enjoy Reading.

Sarath Shyam

Higher Education Digest January 2021

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ADVISORY BOARD Dr. Kuldeep Nagi, Ph.D, MBA, BSc. Program Director of Ph.D, Recipient of Fulbright Fellowship Award & Dan Evans Award for Excellence and Writer columnist.

Dr. Varughese K.John, PhD, MBA, MPhil, MCom, LLB. Program Director, MS in Management Program, GSATM - AU

Dr. Venus M. Alboruto, PhD, Master Teacher, Researcher, Innovator, Trainer.

6 Major General (Rtd.) Dr. Sunil Chandra, VSM (Vishishta Seva Medal), Ph.D, M. Phil, MA, M.Ed, PGBDA Ex-M D Army Welfare Education Society, ExCOO GEMS Education - India, Ex- Addl Dir Gen - Army Education, Mentor - Adventure-Pulse

Dr. Ajay Shukla, Ph.D, MBA, BE.

Mr. Sreedhar Bevara, MBA, B.Com

Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Higher Education UAE

Senior General Manager: Panasonic Middle East & Africa, Thought Leader, Speaker & Author of ‘Moment of Signal’ (Amazon’s International Bestseller)

Mr. Amulya Sah, PGD PM & IR, PG Diploma in PM&IR (XISS Ranchi)

Shanthi Rajan (MSHRM, FHEA, AMCILT) Director, Institution Development, University of Stirling, RAK Campus, UAE.

Higher Education Digest January 2021 November 2020

Senior Director HR. Head HR group Samsung R&D Institute India,Transformative HR Leader, Change agent, Digitization facilitator, Engagement architect, Trainer and Diversity champion.

Mamta Thakur Former CEO (ASEAN), Arc Skills

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Higher Higher Education Education Digest Digest January 2021 October 2020

Contents

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AGNI COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

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JD INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY

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MALLA REDDY INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES

Making Students Competent for the Industry and Society

Sculpting Fashion Leaders of Tomorrow

Where Creativity and Innovation Meet Quality Healthcare

Higher Education Digest January 2021

MENTOR’S MANTRA

ACADEMIC VIEWS

GLOBAL EDUCATION INSIGHTS

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OUTLOOK FOR 2021: WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE POST-PANDEMIC WORLD OF EDUCATION

DIGITAL REVOLUTION 4.0: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

IMPORTANT ROLE OF PHYSICS IN COMPETITIVE EXAMS

CRACKING THE CODE ON STUDYING PURSUING A MASTER’S DEGREE ABROAD

Professor Ammar Kaka, Provost & Vice Principal, Heriot-Watt University, Dubai

Dr. D. K. Sharma, Professor-Civil Engineering, JK Lakshmipat University, Jaipur

Nitin Vijay, MD, Motion Education Pvt. Ltd.

INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

Alberto Acereda, Executive Director - Higher Education, Global Education Division at Educational Testing Service (ETS)

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STUDY ABROAD

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THE ART OF CREATING LEARNING SPACES

THE MANY BENEFITS OF E-LEARNING: IN CONVERSATION WITH YOGESH MAKKAR, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF KAPDEC

THE POWER AND VALUE OF CREATING TALKS

LOOKING FOR INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES IN INDIA? THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE CHOOSING!

Meena Murthy Kakkar, Design Head, Envisage

Yogesh Makkar, Founder, Kapdec

Eklovey Verma, Founder, Creating Talks

Dr. Devesh Kumar Singh, Chairman of Noida International University and Secretary of Maruti Education Trust

Higher Education Digest January 2021

MENTOR’S MANTRA

OUTLOOK FOR 2021:

WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE POST-PANDEMIC WORLD OF EDUCATION Professor Ammar Kaka, Provost and Vice Principal, Heriot-Watt University, Dubai

10 Professor Ammar Kaka is the Provost of HeriotWatt University Dubai Campus. Within Heriot-Watt University, he holds the position of Vice Principal and the Professor of Construction Economics and Management. In 2008 he was also allocated the title the William Watson Chair of Building Engineering.

Professor Kaka’s contribution to the transnational education in general and to the Dubai’s education hub in particular has been immense. With a student population of 4000 and a growing research culture, the Dubai campus is currently recognised as one of UK’s leading provider of transnational education.

Higher Education Digest January 2021

Upskilling will be required of all leaders in organisations to enable them to take advantage of opportunities created by the pandemic and shape businesses for the future

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ith the vaccine for COVID-19 now being rolled out, I expect that by mid-2021 we will see the start of a global economic recovery. Travel will start to pick up as people are anxious to start to travel again for both business as well as pleasure.

Closer to home, the Expo in Dubai will play a significant role as a large-scale key global event that will kickstart the economy post the pandemic. It will also be an opportunity for the world to showcase what business and society in general will look like in the new normal.

As the economy recovers, we can look forward to job creation. Demand for the right talent and skills will be high. Workers who lost their jobs during the pandemic should prepare for economic recovery and

use this time to invest in themselves through upskilling and reskilling. This is especially important as we expect the job market to be more competitive than ever before, and those seeking fresh employment will have to compete with young and new talent.

Therefore, the onus is on these jobseekers to demonstrate they have the energy, mindset and relevant skills. Experience alone will not be enough.

Higher Education (HE) will be more important than ever before in order to fulfil this need for upskilling, and jobseekers should consider investing in degrees and programmes that help them with this. For example, Heriot-Watt University Dubai now offers post graduate programmes in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and Managing Innovation, all of which have been launched in response to requirements

Higher Education Digest January 2021

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Higher Education will be more important than ever before in order to fulfil this need for upskilling

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Professor Ammar Kaka

Higher Education Digest January 2021

of the job market. In 2021, HE also needs to work with industry, forming partnerships and working together to identify common challenges and come up with solutions either through knowledge transfer, research or talent development.

Finally, upskilling will be required of all leaders in organisations to enable them to take advantage of opportunities created by the pandemic and shape businesses for the future. This applies to all industries including higher education, and will help us come up with best practices on how to operate in a post-COVID world.

Lead your institution through the new normal and beyond Today’s learners and faculty have high expectations, requiring an integrated and flexible learning experience that operates seamlessly and intuitively. By partnering with Blackboard, you can enhance your institution’s brand by providing students and faculty with a holistic and integrated modern learning ecosystem.

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Higher Education Digest January 2021

INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

THE ART OF

CREATING LEARNING SPACES Meena Murthy Kakkar, Design Head, Envisage

14 Meena Murthy Kakkar is the design head at Envisage projects, a multidisciplinary firm that offers design and build solutions pertaining to various platforms of architecture. With her 15 years of design experience, Meena paved a glorious path for Envisage which is embedded with robust design principles and an organised curriculum. As a designer she believes in the glory of human creativity which is inimitable.

Being adept in residential, commercial and retail architecture, Meena can articulate multiple solutions to every given testing situation. In a conversation with Higher Education Digest, Meena talks about the creation of learning spaces, possible changes we can expect in the design of schools and colleges post-COVID, recent institutional projects undertaken by Envisage, and much more.

Higher Education Digest January 2021

As the education system keeps on changing every few years, our designs should not be strictly regimented

What are the key factors that contribute to the creation and development of learning spaces?

There are various factors which influence the development of learning spaces. The foremost one, I believe, is the incorporation of engagement spaces in and around the building. Integrating the landscape with the built environment by including outdoor activity areas, amphitheatre and playgrounds help promote interaction and create a growing environment for the students. Our school days are filled with memories of enjoying with our friends in our favourite spots; We try to create those corners to promote more engagement among students. An important point to remember is never to design the building and the campus separately.

Another critical factor in the design of learning spaces is the integration of natural light and ventilation, as they have a direct link to the mental and physical wellbeing of the students. Coming out of the pandemic, we should be more careful about the spaces we occupy and the kind of impact they have on our health. Schools should also have the possibility of growing more in

terms of infrastructure and functions. As the education system keeps on changing every few years, our designs should not be strictly regimented. The classrooms could be created in a way to combine or divide them according to the need and make them flexible.

What are the possible changes we can expect in the design of schools and colleges post-COVID? As a parent with school-going children myself, and an architect by profession, the apprehension of sending children back to what was once a safe-haven is undoubtedly a question in mind for many of us. Several considerations must be taken into account to maintain safe school operations, and if done correctly, it can promote emotional and physical well-being. Integrating natural light and air into the fabric of the building and lessening the dependency on artificial methods of heating and cooling would now be of utmost priority.

The new classroom design should allow for increased circulation of fresh air indoors, and more classes can

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be held outdoors to reduce contamination. The space standards we were looking at earlier will change, with more inclination towards classrooms with lesser density.

Since technology now plays a more significant role in learning, integrating it into the fabric of the building will be a possible change in school and college design. We should also be more careful about the materials we use for our spaces. Avoid putting stainless steel knobs and other materials which can hold germs and instead replace them with foot pedals, or switch to antibacterial surfaces such as laminates which can self-clean and kill bacteria.

Tell us a bit about the recent institutional projects undertaken by Envisage.

Today, educational institutions and campuses have evolved from being bland and boring boxes to innovative and practical buildings that intend to foster learning in

Higher Education Digest January 2021

a welcoming and uplifting environment. We recently executed the Girls Hostel at Mann School, where the vision for the design was centred on providing facilities to promote learning and all-round development for the students. As a boarding facility, the challenge was multifold - the idea was to create a safe environment for the girls with all the necessary functional requirements and a multitude of outdoor spaces such as gardens and terraces and incorporating greenery within the building.

Another project we have recently completed is the Saraswati Global School. The layout of the building is based on the movement pattern for the kids, with flexible design modules that can be adjusted depending on space requirements. A significant portion of the design is dedicated to multiple open spaces such as the amphitheatre, the playground and the sunken court to bolster interaction and collaborative learning. It also prioritises the use of daylighting

About

Meena Murthy Kakkar

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Meena Murthy Kakkar pursued bachelors of architecture from SPA, Delhi after which started her design quest while bagging accolades in the field as a designer and teacher. Sharing her incredible knowledge with the young aspirants, she has been teaching design at SPA, Delhi since 2008.

In her 10 years of teaching career, she guided seminars on AI and Architecture and held corporate training workshops for final year students as part of the placement session. She designed the India Post Payments Bank for the government of India which was inaugurated by the PM. She is also part of initiating the placement process for B. Arch at School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi. She has also conducted corporate training as well as preparatory workshops for communications with students.

Higher Education Digest January 2021

18 and ventilation by avoiding doubly loaded corridors and opening all circulation areas towards the central open space, thus providing a visual connection throughout the building.

In today’s dynamic education climate, what are the benefits students and education institutions stand to gain from the reconstruction of learning spaces?

Change is the only constant right now. As everything is evolving, our buildings and learning spaces also need to respond and adapt accordingly. The motive is not to tear them down but to reevaluate how we are using our spaces.

Schools and Institutions today are faced with multifold challenges - they need to convince parents that their campuses are safe enough for the students, and at the same time also ensure that they respond to the changing educational systems and are a secure space for the students

Higher Education Digest January 2021

themselves. The need is to reconfigure and recalibrate our learning spaces so that we can benefit from a more cohesive environment which will help the children grow and learn to their full potential.

What are the recent trends in the design of educational institutions in India? Does the increase in collaborative work among students drive up the demand for learning spaces within the campus?

Today, the design of educational spaces in India is undergoing a significant shift. One of the most important design trends will be the inclusion of more open spaces in schools and institutions.

Driven by the pandemic, classrooms which can be opened up and collaborative zones which are either open or semicovered would be preferred.

We can’t keep creating new spaces for every purpose, hence, multi-utilitarian spaces are

We want to help students take ownership of a patch of nature and be responsible for it

needed to cater to the rising demand for more space. Learning has taken a paradigm shift recently and some of the technology and online education is here to stay, thus incorporating it into the system will help bring about the change in the design for such collaborative spaces.

How can Interior and Architecture firms like Envisage promote learning and all-round development of students through innovative design concepts? Share with us any successful projects of Envisage.

First and foremost, the inclusion of natural light and ventilation in the design to provide for a healthy mind is mandatory for all-round learning and development of students. Schools shouldn’t feel like regimented structures, but instead, offer various visual choices in terms of connection with spaces. Every student should have a connection with their school building, hostel or campus and be able to call it their own so that they are comfortable in the environment. This is important to encourage the learning process more.

Built and unbuilt spaces that seamlessly blend together to create a cohesive learning environment is essential.

The scale of these spaces should also keep

19 varying where equal attention is given to larger ones such as the sporting facilities, and the smaller ones like the food court where students can interact and have a conversation.

Focus on the entire campus design is as essential as on the classroom design.

What are the exciting things can we expect from Envisage in the next few years?

Education and its patterns are evolving and moving towards a more tech-driven environment. I believe our future projects may witness a shift in the architectural style to resonate with the time. Incorporating technology into the design is one thing we will be looking into. Another key design element would be integrating greens into the building through vertical gardens and landscaping. Incorporating greenery into the building helps to keep the building cool and also provides cleaner air. Apart from this, we also want to help students take ownership of a patch of nature and be responsible for it. In the cities, the kids are usually far removed from such natural environments, so making designs which enable that connection with nature is high on our list of priorities.

Higher Education Digest January 2021

GLOBAL EDUCATION INSIGHTS

CRACKING THE CODE

ON STUDYING PURSUING A MASTER’S DEGREE ABROAD Alberto Acereda, Executive Director - Higher Education, Global Education Division at Educational Testing Service (ETS)

20 Alberto Acereda is the Executive Director of Higher Education at the Global Education Division at Educational Testing Service (ETS) in Princeton, NJ. He has overall responsibility for the ETS Assessment Solution Portfolio that focuses on undergraduate and graduate higher education, with special emphasis in innovative solutions to the higher education community. Prior to joining ETS in 2012, he worked for nearly 20 years in several universities in the United States, both as a research professor and as an administrator.

Higher Education Digest January 2021

The option to test at home provides students with a solution to allow them to continue to pursue their educational goals without disruption

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tudying at the graduate level abroad can be a life-changing experience for students.

From enhancing global connections to experiencing new cultures, the benefits to one’s education and career are significant. It is not surprising that the number of students earning a degree outside of their home country has multiplied over the past few years.

Students know that university experience abroad can help them acquire the knowledge to succeed, while providing flexibility to adapt their career path as their interests grow and change. With institutions accepting applications, and people seeking some sense of normalcy, students are still keen to study abroad. One of the main eligibility criteria for getting into universities abroad remains: clearing an admissions test. With several graduate admissions tests available in the market, which tests to go for, where and how, is something that students are trying to figure out.

ETS launched the GRE® General Test at home solution to provide additional testing options for students. The test is identical in content, format and on-screen experience to the GRE General Test offered in test centers, so all test preparation materials are still relevant. The at home test uses artificial intelligence and is monitored by a human proctor online through ProctorU®. The test enjoys the same global acceptability, flexibility and pricing which underscores its student friendliness and adds to its overall appeal.

While other graduate admission tests like GMAT® also offer at home options, there are other intrinsic and unique features which make the GRE General Test more convenient for test takers. For instance, students can take this test five times in a rolling 12-month period while the GMAT can be taken at home only once.

Considering the ongoing pandemic, this flexibility is critical for prospective graduate students looking to improve upon their scores.

Higher Education Digest January 2021

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Alberto Acereda

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Those choosing the GRE General Test will find it offers them the option to use more of their own personal test-taking strategies.

Unlike GMAT and LSAT ®, the GRE test allows students to skip questions, return to them later and change answers. Another key feature of the GRE General Test is the ScoreSelect® service option, giving test takers the ability to send schools only the scores that they want to submit to the colleges of their choice. This gives students control over what schools see and what they don’t see when it comes to their GRE scores.

In contrast, GMAT requires the student to designate score recipients before testing even begins which forces a student to share their scores before they even know how they performed on the exam.

ETS was the first testing company to release an at home graduate admissions exam. The option to test at home provides students with a solution to allow them to continue to pursue their educational goals without disruption. According to data shared

by Harvard Business School , a record 22%

Higher Education Digest January 2021

of enrolled students submitted a GRE score to enter Harvard’s MBA program.

What also distinguishes the GRE General Test from other assessments is that it cuts across disciplines. It is accepted for courses ranging from law to business to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and humanities. This gives prospective test takers the option to choose from a variety of fields and not exclude other career options at the earlier stages of their educational journey. In today’s day and age, the importance of specialization cannot be undermined, taking a dual degree such as an MBA/master’s of public policy is something a lot of students explore. In such cases, the GRE General Test is the better choice as it allows students to take one test to apply to dual-degree programs.

The flexibility offered by the GRE General Test is critical for prospective graduate students looking to do their best on test day and gain admissions into the program of their choice.

The GRE General Test is the better option for students as they pursue their higher education dreams amid the pandemic and beyond!

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Higher Education Digest January 2021

H

igher education in India has expanded rapidly over the past two decades. This growth has been mainly driven by private sector initiatives.

There are genuine concerns about many of them being substandard and exploitative. Due to the government’s ambivalence on the private sector’s role in higher education, the growth has been chaotic and unplanned. Despite, its impressive growth, higher education in India could maintain only a minimal base of quality institutions at the top. Standards of the majority of the institutions are low and declining. Entry to the small number of quality institutions is very competitive, giving rise to high stake entrance tests and a flourishing private tuition industry.

With the highest literacy rates, South India has been churning out some of the sharpest minds year after year.

The Higher Education scenario in South India has scaled new heights. In all spheres of education, the knowledge par excellence being imparted has encompassed generic degrees and vocational and technical education. Several government initiatives, public-private partnerships, and industry-institution collaborations have proved to be the icing on the cake.

The Southern part of India has been the educational hub for students for quite some time. Keeping in perspective the rapid changes taking place in the society, higher education institutes have started inculcating various qualities like confidence and the ability to take responsibility and prepare students to be effective within the circumstances of their lives and work and promote the pursuit of excellence in development and application of knowledge and skills. With the escalation in educational achievements, Higher Education Digest brings to you “10 Must-Watch Higher Education Institutes in South India” to showcase the initiatives they have taken, achievements, and contributions to elevating the standards of the higher education sector in India.

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College Name

City

State

Agni College of Technology

Thalambur

Tamil Nadu

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University

Coimbatore

Tamil Nadu

BMS College of Engineering

Bengaluru

Karnataka

JD Institute of Fashion Technology

Kochi

Kerala

JSS College of Pharmacy

Ooty

Tamil Nadu

M.S. Ramaiah Medical College

Bengaluru

Karnataka

Malla Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences

Hyderabad

Telangana

SSN College of Engineering

Chennai

Tamil Nadu

The Manipal School of Architecture & Planning

Manipal

Karnataka

The Oxford College of Pharmacy

Bengaluru

Karnataka

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Higher Education Digest January 2021 November 2020

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AGNI COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY MAKING STUDENTS COMPETENT FOR THE INDUSTRY AND SOCIETY

Higher Education Digest January 2021

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igital classrooms are going to be the way forward in the post-pandemic world.

Engineering education is not an exception, as it is also becoming increasingly digitized with Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality tools and software. Premier insitions have already realized this fact. Agni College of Technology Chennai, which was established in the year 2001 by Sri Balaji Charitable and Educational Trust to produce high-quality engineers and technocrats, is at the forefront of adopting technology in the teachinglearning process. “We are going to have international companies train our students in virtual labs. We want our students to think and act as global citizens, and this pandemic has made us realize the importance of this to a greater extent”, opines J Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Vice Chairman, Agni College of Technology (ACT).

ACT is a forerunner in Engineering and Technology, dedicating themselves to serving society during the pandemic. “One of

our student’s startup, Garuda Aerospace has helped several states across the country to carry out automated drone-based sanitization projects to disinfect public spaces and contain the spread of the coronavirus. Our students and faculty have worked towards various innovations and patented their products.

Around 20 patents were filed this season”, pinpoints Agnishwar Jayaprakash.

Most colleges have outdated labs and facilities because it is a huge expense to keep updating labs. But here is where ACT is different with 15 industry powered labs run by industrial experts like L&T, TVS, Super Forge, GESTAMP Germany, Siemens Healthineers, FORD, etc. This stands testament to the fact that the college is investing in its students through their topnotch labs. With 15 Centers of Excellence, industry partners are coming in and providing assistance and guidance to their students and even helping them set up their startups. “We are not just creating industry-ready engineers,

Agni College of Technology Chennai was established in the year 2001

by Sri Balaji Charitable and Educational Trust with the objective of producing high quality engineers and technocrats.

Higher Education Digest January 2021

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About J Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Vice Chairman Agnishwar Jayaprakash is a global youth activist, community mobilizer & campaign strategist, driving advocacy & policy on sustainability, youth & human rights, and gender justice. He is currently the Vice-Chairman of Agni College of Technology. He uses his interpersonal skills and experience around collective action to engage citizens at all levels, from grassroots to government (Glocal), to promote progress in the areas of youth, education, climate change and

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gender in particular. Mindful of the need for inclusive campaigning & advocacy, Agnishwar Jayaprakash’s outreach encompasses changemakers stemming from rural, semiurban, and urban areas.

In addition to advocacy & policy, Agnishwar Jayaprakash is a frequent speaker, facilitator, commentator and writer on several issues (youth, education, equality, social inclusion, disability, SDGs, climate etc.) and has tried to contribute to leading international & national media outlets from the perspective of a Millennial Youth. He has contributed to 4 UN publications and authored/ contributed to several articles for The Guardian, Thomson Reuters and other blogs & newspapers.

Higher Education Digest January 2021

but also confident student entrepreneurs who are ready to take on the industrial expectations on their own.

We are the best at what we do, and our engineers are a reflection of this excellent par training because we are continuously working towards bridging this gap between the industry expectations and training we offer our students”, shares Agnishwar Jayaprakash.

ACT campus with well built class rooms, fully equipped laboratories, workshops, modern computer center and a well stocked library can be compared to the best available elsewhere.

Emerging Out Strong Despite Trying Times Like any other academic institution, Agni College of Technology did face many logistical issues in organizing classes, lectures, skilling training programs, and exams. A hands-on college that majorly focuses on their students’ industry level training, the labs at Agni College of Technology are powered by industry leaders and trainers from Gestamp Germany, Siemens

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Healthineers, TVS, and L&T, and this training was delayed due to the pandemic. Unlike other academic institutions, the college was quick to adapt to the digital methods of training and development.

ACT’s well trained, technologically savvy faculty members stepped up to the situation and ensured seamless handling of online classes and workshops. “We realized how much we could do through digital platforms and are very thankful for how the management has always been insistent on using digital methods to get things done. We organized many international webinars for students, and alumni meet, online project presentations, and our students even won the AEGIS Graham Bell Award despite the pandemic. Once the lockdown rules were relaxed a little, our students and faculty members immediately got down to resolving many issues the people were facing during COVID19”, states Agnishwar Jayaprakash.

With their students and professors having 10 patents pending development in the lockdown alone, ACT has been extremely active in helping combat this pandemic. With Garuda Aerospace Pvt Ltd, a startup incubated at the college that conducts sanitization operations during COVID across 45 cities and municipalities in India in just 6 months, and Agni’s

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Higher Education Digest January 2021

ACT has set up over 20 labs in its campus powered by leading industries across different engineering streams.

VAAYU, The first of its kind bio-sanitization chamber based on air-velocity technologies that are completely organic, ACT has not been idle despite the trying times.

Helping Students become Industry-Ready From the first semester, the Agni College students are trained in aptitude, communication, and technical skills. This motivates them into understanding how important co-curricular and extracurricular activities are. From the first year, the college tries to identify our students’ dreams and ambitions and nurture them accordingly. AGNI PRIDE is an initiative that is student-centred run by guidance from alumni, industry experts, academicians, and faculty members. Symposiums and project presentations are organized every month for each department to ensure our students are armed with the skills they need to conquer the industry at large and learn and grow! Incubation facilities for business ideas, paper presentations, publications in research journals, etc. are also other activities of AGNI PRIDE that nurture creativity and innovation in the engineers.

Agnishwar Jayaprakash points out, “Some students want a good job with MNCs and if that is what they are looking for, we facilitate training for that. Some students want to become their Bosses and we nurture that spirit of entrepreneurship as well through our 300 startup ecosystem. Some students are undecided, and we give them the chance to test out both through our Earn While You Learn program through smaller entrepreneurship projects, industrial internships, and projects! Our industry powered labs, Centers for Research and Development, and Centers of Excellence are continuously upgraded. We have a technical club for every single department and design activities to push the students into exploring their limits and interests”.

The students at ACT have got placed in reputed companies such as TCS, Wipro, Infosys, Accenture, Super Auto Forge, Malles

The ACT management has also taken all efforts to build a team of committed faculty members, who form an integral part in the growth and development of the college.

Robotics, Worksbot, GH induction Systems Pvt Ltd, TVS, Nokia, Sanmina, etc., achieving more than 90% placements every year, for the past three years.

While covid-19 has spelt doom for most people worldwide, causing mass-scale layoffs and pay cuts, the situation has not been so bleak for engineering colleges. Principals and authorities of several such colleges in the city say that placements have never been better for their final year students. In many cases, the salary package has been higher. “We want to ensure our students are trained by not just the best industry experts in India but also internationally. We are working on tying up with other technical education institutes across the globe, facilitate exchange programs for training and development and placements too”, concludes Agnishwar Jayaprakash.

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ACADEMIC VIEWS

DIGITAL REVOLUTION 4.0:

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Dr. D. K. Sharma, Professor-Civil Engineering, JK Lakshmipat University, Jaipur

34 Dr D.K. Sharma is working as Professor with the Department of Civil Engineering at JK Lakshmipat University, Jaipur. He has received his Bachelor of Engineering (B. E.) in the domain of Civil Engineering from Malviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT), Jaipur. He did his Masters (Transportation Engineering) and Doctorate (Civil Engineering) from MNIT, Jaipur. He has over twenty-four years of teaching (16 years) and construction industries (08 years) experience.

Higher Education Digest January 2021

Digitization in the construction industry has got n plus possibilities with diverse applications

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t the tipping world of digitization, the construction industry is still the least digitized sector compared to other industries. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is about the application of Information Technology that has aspects of communication technologies. ICT in the construction industry includes the adoption of IT tools in design, construction, operation and management of infrastructure projects.

Several software are used for design and construction management such as 3D Civil, AUTOCAD, REVIT for architecture models; STADDPRO for the design of structures; CATIA and SIMULIA for utility services designing using 3D modelling and simulation; OPENROADS for the design of roads; PRIMAVERA, MSP for managing projects and EXALEAD type software for next-level design by capturing

social sentiments. Understanding of such latest software is the need of the hour.

Role of drones and UAV Advanced technology such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and drones can be used to convert 3D from drone data images. LIDAR—Light Detection and Ranging—is a remote sensing method used to examine the surface of the Earth and used for the survey work of Infrastructural projects. There is also increasing demand for automation of construction processes using Information and Communications Technology and Automation(ICTA), off-site manufacturing and pre-fabrication.

Usage of Artificial Intelligence Using predictive analytics traffic artificial intelligent (AI) systems can identify traffic

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At the tipping world of digitization, the construction industry is still the least digitized sector compared to other industries

patterns and prevent road congestion. Smart cities can integrate a traffic AI system with their Intelligent Transport System (ITS) for better traffic management.

Understanding the health of infrastructure with IoT Internet of Things (IoT) cloud-based sensors can monitor the health of infrastructure and analyze the actual load versus target load of the bridges. Computer vision and image recognition can be used to detect defects/cracks in concrete structures. Self-sufficient machines such as 3D printers and robotics can radically transform infrastructure engineering. Unlike old practices, digitization can also be used through responsive cloud-based applications or through Building Information Modelling (BIM) for greater lifestyle collaborations.

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Dr. D. K. Sharma

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Way forward In this digital era, the technologies are changing extremely fast with ease of business, time management, the sustainability of construction with a reduction in cost. It is the need of the hour that every civil engineer should learn latest technologies and their applications. Digitization in the construction industry has got n plus possibilities with diverse applications.

In India, there are low levels of technology integration in construction projects till date. If the construction industry stakeholders are not able to catch up with the emerging trends and changes, the opportunities of tomorrow will become challenging. There is a need to change in the curriculum of the education system so that industry ready professionals can be made available for industries.

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JD INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY SCULPTING FASHION LEADERS OF TOMORROW

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he higher education sector is currently experiencing a significant shift with the transition from offline to online education.

Earlier online learning was taken up as an option as an add-on for certification purposes.

Due to the current scenario, it has become a necessity. However, with life slowly veering towards normal, blended learning has become the key to create a balance during times of uncertainty. This ensures that students get comfortable with the concept of this newage system of education. Both students, parents, and faculties responded well to this change. As an institute, the JD Institute of Fashion Technology has always advocated the need to be adaptable and be prepared for unforeseen circumstances. “From the onslaught of the commencement of the courses, we have ingrained in our students the need to be sustainable, think about the environment and the future”, says Sandra Sequeira, Director – South, JD Institute of Fashion Technology.

Design, be it any vertical or form is influenced by various events. Hence embracing change is important. The students have been encouraged to think about possibilities beyond the realm of offline ventures. The institute has always been at the forefront of viable avenues, with the students also participated in a knowledge session wherein they pitched for ideas on education experienced during this time. “Apart from the quality of education, we also believe that utility in design is important. We also spoke about design thinking as a constructive solution-based ideology. The pandemic was a wake-up call when it came to put into effect responsible behaviour, preparedness and be ready for challenges that we may have to face”, adds Sandra.

Providing a world-class infrastructure with a state-of-the-art facility, well-equipped library, and industry experts to shape their students to upskill their creativity, developing their thoughts, and executing

Established in 1988, JD Institute of Fashion Technology, the multiple award-winning Design Institute with 38+ learning centers across India, is nurturing masterminds from all over India to translate their dreams into success.

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With the aid of a vigorous combination of Research, Mentoring, Practical exposure, and Class-room training, JD Institute of Fashion Technology plays a key role in shaping the students to become the industry experts of tomorrow.

Higher Education Digest January 2021

their imagination, JD Institute of Fashion Technology envisions to change how people perceive design and make India one of the Design Hub in the world. The institute thrives for one goal; to continually inspire and encourage students to follow the three pillars for which JD stands for: Innovation, Sustainability, and Eco-friendly.

The infrastructure and courses at JD have been specially curated to provide a well-rounded experience to its students to gain requisite life skills that are instrumental while facing the professional world. Especially, once the students step outside their college life. The modules offered at JD mould the students to become creative problem solvers. To help students focus on their pursuits, JD also ensures world-class learning centres and provides access to E-Library with books, magazines, journals, and other fashion literature, laboratories, and classrooms. JD students also have access to Digital Pilling Tester, Crease Recovery tester, Air Permeability tester, projection microscope, crokemeter, drape master, digital light fastness tester, Light busting Strength Tester, Digital Tensile Testing

About Sandra Sequeira, Director – South, JD Institute of Fashion Technology Ms. Sandra Sequeira is the Director - South of JD Institute of Fashion and Technology.

She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work (Medical and Psychiatric, Family and Child Welfare and Counseling) from the School of Social Work, Roshinilaya, Mangalore.

She has also attained a Diploma in Public Communication and Fund Raising from Murray Culshaw Consulting (sponsored by Ford Foundation). With an experience of

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5 years in Dalit Microfinance Federations as Regional Training Coordinator and 2 years as a national fundraiser for National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights, she has been instrumental in giving a new dimension to societal responsibilities based on humanitarian grounds.

Ms. Sandra has been in the creative field of Art and Design for the last 10+ years and has significantly contributed to the art and design education system in terms of management and marketing. She is an energetic leader who works on a vision to keep the students at the center of all initiatives. Keeping the industry aspects in mind, Ms. Sandra also introduced varied courses in the field of Art and Design.

Her specialization lies in developing interpersonal relationships, team and leadership management, strategic and risk management, business development plans, and establishing industry connections.

Higher Education Digest January 2021

machine, Washing Fastness tester, Drape Studio, Sewing Lab and many more facilities. Additionally, JD also organizes seminars, talk sessions, and workshops regarding pertinent matters to help students acquire skills and hands-on learning.

Revamping Education to be Student-Friendly JD Institute of Fashion Technology has been at the forefront of innovation and creativity since its inception in 1988. Students are always encouraged to look into their imagination’s crevices to ensure the optimum use of their creativity. The JD Annual Design Awards is the highlight for our graduating students. It provides them with a platform that promotes their thinking and revels in their approach to design and innovation in the form of a Fashion Show and Exhibition attended by key industry experts. Apart from the flamboyant design showcase, JD provides students with the opportunity to get a global perspective through its Imagination Journey. “We have always ensured that our students understand the power of thought to be able to fully engage their design process.

The amalgamation of these elements is extremely instrumental in helping students determine their full potential to bring a product from a mere concept to life.

To provide perspective to their thoughts, we encourage students to do thorough research”, opines Sandra.

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COVID-19 brought with it a feeling of uncertainty and fear amongst students, faculties, and management of JD Institute of Fashion Technology. To restrict crowding and ensure the safety of all, the institute adhered to the government protocol and shut its premises.

Technology and various software that we ideally take for granted as it is at our disposal proved to be a boon. “We did face challenges, however, rather than dwelling over the have not the faculties and management sprung into action to ensure that academics were not disrupted.

We introduced online classes to ensure that classes go on as usual so that portions could be completed in time. Physical seminars and classes gave way to online webinars and online classes”, point out Sandra.

The education sector has an extensive role to play in recovery from the perils of COVID-19.

Education must be made an integral part of forging social and economic factors. We need to brace ourselves to play a full and active role in supporting the wider education sector and our societies in the collective efforts towards an inclusive recovery, building on our critical contribution to the pandemic response. This will help in the approach towards knowledge, education, and technology to improve students’ overall experience to be more adaptable and seek

new opportunities. “Our endeavour as an institute has always been to help students think ahead.

Keeping in mind the current scenario finding smart new educational models is important.

To prepare our students to imbibe design and technology together in their professional life we have introduced new courses that work around the realm of technology, new age thinking, management, and art”, says Sandra.

Shaping Industry Leaders of Tomorrow From the onset of the course, the students are encouraged to think like entrepreneurs. JD Institute of Fashion Technology endeavours to make its students self-reliant so that they can enter their industry as business-savvy individuals. Especially during the lockdown, students have found their entrepreneurial pursuits wherein they identified the gap in the market and created face masks with different fabrics and designs. Their venture has also provided employment opportunities to many.

Sandra adds, “within the campus, we provide them with the tools to think, strategize and think out of the box, which they have successfully implemented in their ventures. Our circle of students has ventured into working as content creators, jewellery designers, marketers, stylists, etc. for well-known brands”.

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JD Institute takes pride in its students, and it is due to their contribution and assessment that we have been positioned as the Great Place to Study by the Great League Institute. The institute has secured the Global Excellence in Design Education 2019 by Times Education Excellence, The 20 Best Higher Education Institutes of India 2019 by Education Brainiac, Leaders in Design Education 2018 by UK Asian Business Awards, and many more accolades.

Trained to be the visionaries of tomorrow, the JD Institute of Fashion Technology students have established

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It is extremely imperative to form industry collaborations as it opens gateways for students to understand the industry’s needs and its actual mechanisms. The major partnerships that JD Institute has formed are with Quess Corp, JLL, Hungerbox, Styling project with CKC Jewelers (C. Krishnachetty & Sons), etc. JD has also partnered for various fashion-based events like Bangalore Fashion Week, Times Fashion Week, Bengaluru by Design, Whitefield Art Collective giving the creative minds a platform to take centre stage and highlight their innovations to the industry professionals. The students of JD have also interned with well-known designers and brands. “ As part of our curriculum, students are expected to pursue internships wherein they are exposed to the workings of a brand/organized sector. During their short stints the students have proved their mettle which has converted into permanent placements”, states Sandra.

85% of the college students have been successfully placed in well-known brands like Marks & Spencer, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Myntra, and H&M. JD takes immense pride to state that more than 200 students received placements through campus placement drive in 2019-20 alone. Apart from campus placements, JD Institute of Fashion Technology’s exclusive job portal, Creative Careers lets companies post their requirements for easy access to our students and alumni.

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To cater to the evergrowing market, JD Institute offers a plethora of courses in the field of Fashion Design, Interior Design, Jewellery Design, Fashion Communication, Fashion and Lifestyle Entrepreneurship, Fashion Business Management, Visual Merchandising, Fashion Photography, and Hair and Make-up Artistry.

themselves in their respective fields. “Shagun Sethi and Parnabi Pal from the Post Graduate Diploma in Fashion Communication have found their niche as a Content Executive at Nykaa Fashion – Mumbai and Fashion Stylist at Myntra respectively. Ms Anamikha Jaisindhani from BSc. in Fashion and Apparel Design used her education to start her entrepreneurial pursuits by starting her eponymous label ‘Anamika Jaisinghani’. Whereas Varsha Surana from BSc. in Interior Design is the Design Partner at Homelane. Ros from Diploma in Fashion Design also started her label, Ros Story. These are just a few of our students who have trodden on the path of their creative prospects, chased their dreams, and brought it to fruition by imbibing the ethos and principles set by us”, points out Sandra.

After the successful innings in undergraduate courses, the college has realized that as an institution, current scenario and keeping an eye on the future needs, JD Institute has introduced Masters programs and cutting edge degrees and help them become confident of achieving their PhD. Courses like MBA in Fashion Business and Event Management, MSc. in Fashion and Textile Design, MA in Fashion Communication, and MA in User Experience and Interaction Design, along with the Bachelors of Visual

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Arts (BVA), B. Des in Graphic Design and BVA/B. Des in Product Design to provide their students with the knowledge and skillsets to confidently undertake positions in the field of fashion, retail, interior, manufacturing firms, publishing houses, NGOs and pioneering design firms. “We want to imbibe discipline into creative education. Curating unique courses by gauging the current requirement and staying ahead of the curve has helped us relate to the aspirants’ needs and direct them into seeking challenges that hone their skills and provide them with an advantage to be smart professionals who are industry-ready”, concludes Sandra.

Higher Education Digest January 2021

ACADEMIC VIEWS

IMPORTANT ROLE OF PHYSICS

IN COMPETITIVE EXAMS Nitin Vijay, MD, Motion Education Pvt. Ltd.

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With vast teaching experience of more than 17 years, Nitin Vijay is the Managing Director of renowned MOTION Education Pvt Ltd and is acknowledged as God of Physics by his faculty members & students. He has transformed the lives of several struggling aspirants into IITians and his passion for teaching knows no bounds!

Higher Education Digest January 2021

No matter which competitive examination you appear for barring some non-science stream competitions, Physics is an inseparable part of the paper

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hen preparing for competition, students go through a jittery phase where they are unsure about preparation and how to go about it.

The confusion that engulfs them relates to the topics or the mode of preparation or the books that they should refer to. Among all the subjects, physics leaves them spellbound through many of the highly specialized topics that need to be mastered – thermodynamics, SHM Waves, Optics, Conductors, etc.

No matter which competitive examination you appear for barring some non-science stream competitions, Physics is an inseparable part of the paper. The study or the in-depth study will depend on the examination you intend to take, for instance, in NEET physics is more about MCQs and in JEE it is both MCQs and descriptive problem-solving.

In NDA examination also, Physics plays an important role.

The first part of preparation irrespective of the examination is the task of finishing the NCERT book. Generally, being frowned upon by many, NCERT book helps in understanding the concepts and simplifies the process of completing the syllabus quickly. You should set a target month by when you have to finish the subject and follow the deadline religiously. Then there are numerous descriptive books available by foreign and Indian authors that can give you in-depth knowledge as they come complete with examples to help you understand better. Without the understanding of the subject from NCERT books, it becomes difficult to grasp the vast knowledge that these books share with you.

NCERT trick After finishing the chapters in the NCERT book, one must attempt the questions given at the end of each chapter. Not an easy task but these questions will

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About

Nitin Vijay Nitin Vijay is an alumnus of IIT, BHU from where he did B.Tech in 2007. At BHU, he received a young achiever award for his dedication and hard work. He is counted as one of the most experienced faculty for Physics and also known for training the young minds for perfection in physics and finalizing them to face any type of exam papers. He is also known to clear all concepts of physics through his simple and logical skills because he believes in not to jump in solving any problem without mastering the concept of the same. He is also a TEDx speaker. He was also invited to share his view at India UAE education summit

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held at Dubai

determine your understanding of the subject; if you find any problem, then do not hesitate to go back and study more. Do not start the next chapter until and unless you understand the current one completely. Take the help of experts, if you find any difficulty as wasting too much time is also not advisable.

Online classes There are online classes available on popular search engines which are provided by the experts in Physics.

Do go through them to have a better understanding. The good part is that you are not bound to a specific time and can access them the moment you encounter difficulty.

Reference books Get help from the teachers, mentors or the students who have cracked competitive exams about the right reference books. The amount of practice that these books provide is phenomenal. The focus of most of these books is to prepare the student for MCQs as well as descriptive answers. These books divide every topic of Physics into sub-topics, and this helps in clearing all the doubts and helps you master the subject.

Finally, Why Physics It is the subject that is the basis of many other sciences.

It helps you understand the universe and the World around you. Physics is required even if you decide to become a physicist, an astronomer, an oceanographer, or a teacher. Even if you do not choose sciences at later stages, the study of Physics will help you broaden your perspective. So, focus on the subject as much as you can.

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MALLA REDDY INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES WHERE CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION MEET QUALITY HEALTHCARE

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new-age medical institution established in 2010, Malla Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences (MRIMS) offers a robust learning and teaching environment to prepare the next generation of healers and transform health and wellness in India and beyond. The institute is recognized by the Medical Council of India, and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India with an intake of 150 UG admissions and recently got approval to start the postgraduate courses in all the disciplines. “We set ourselves apart from other colleges in having an excellent teaching hospital and efficient and highly qualified teaching faculty recruited from reputed Government Medical Colleges like Osmania and Gandhi medical colleges,” opines Dr Bhadra Reddy, Chairman, Malla Reddy Health City.

Dr Bhadra Reddy has excellent administrative acumen, which is apparent in the growth and development of MRIMS and Malla Reddy Health City. From its

inception in 2009, Malla Reddy Health City has grown by leaps and bounds, showing tremendous strides under ten years. He adds, “The uniqueness of MRIMS is its teaching hospital and excess patient overload with bed strength of 1050 that offers a good bedside teaching. Ultimately, a patient is the first teacher for a medical student.” MRIMS is in a sprawling 72-acre lush green unitary campus with all the facilities for the student’s overall development.

“Challenges give new ideas. At MRIMS, we have sprung up with a unique idea to conduct online classes using the platforms like zoom and Google meets, Webex and many more. The educational goals set by the university authorities were fulfilled, and the intending syllabus was completed in the given time and conduction of theory examinations and practical’s including viva were also done,” explains Dr Bhadra Reddy. Helping the institute to offer flawless education even in a challenging time is its excellent pool of

MRIMS campus is vast provided with all the facilities to make the students comfortable while learning.

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MRIMS emphasizes exclusively on the Academic and Sociocultural development of Medical Students and does not tolerate lack of discipline.

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faculty members. Dr Bhadra Reddy shares, “A medical teacher is a lifelong learner. We have excellent faculty development programs organized in concurrence with the medical education unit of the college.”

MRIMS regularly send its faculty across the country for any faculty development programs. The institute also has a Curriculum Implementation Support Program to train the faculty for the new academic protocol directed by the National Medical Commission. In addition to that, MRIMS has set up a one of its kind central research facility in the campus were the faculty members and students have done many research projects in collaboration with ICMR, DBT and CCMB. “We are well equipped with all the research facilities which can help the students of both undergraduate and postgraduate disciplines,” pinpoints Dr Bhadra Reddy. The institute has a well-developed skill and simulation lab facility where the students can practice all the interventional procedures in the bloodless field. Dr Bhadra Reddy adds, “We have a separate Students Research Club where 60 research projects of students are registered.”

The focus on research has helped MRIMS to get many international collaborations. The institute has enrolled in the World Directory of Medical Schools, so the students can pursue their international career in the United States by writing USMLE. Many alumni members of MRIMS are well poised in the United States doing

About Dr Bhadra Reddy Dr Bhadra Reddy Completed MBBS & M.D (Internal Medicine). After Completion of Post Graduation, he went on to achieve recognition in his field. He has earned acclaim so capably running Telangana’s largest Health City – Malla Reddy Health City in Hyderabad, Telangana, established with a mission to provide the finest healthcare facilities at an affordable cost.

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Today Dr Bhadra Reddy ably oversee 400+ Doctors – Specialists & Super Specialists and more than 3000+ employees in Malla Reddy Health City. It is a great achievement that so early in his career, he has established & runs two full-pledged medical colleges, two dental colleges, two multispecialty hospitals, which is known as one of the largest Health City in Telangana.

What makes Dr Bhadra Reddy so successful in his field is his passion for the healthcare industry and his desire to take healthcare in India to the advanced level. His vision is to provide accessible, affordable and acceptable healthcare to all.

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The College and the Hospital are situated in a sprawling campus and has a total built-up area of 8,00,000 sq.ft comprising of 4 buildings.

their rotatory clerkships and residency programs. “Recently, we figured ourselves in the General Medical Council, United Kingdom, where students can write the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) Test. We are also looking forward to the acceptance from VSLO of United States of America where the students’ exchange program can be started across the globe,” shares Dr Bhadra Reddy.

MRIMS not only believes in the academic but also in the physical and sports activities. The institute has a well-equipped Gym, training area and play facilities like Cricket and Football fields, Basketball and

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Tennis courts are available with well-trained physical directors.

“Our students have won prizes in the play activities in the intercollege meets. We also have excellent hostels for undergraduate and postgraduate students are available in the campus with 24/7 security,” says Dr Bhadra Reddy.

Today, MRIMS is thriving forward with a mission to provide quality medical education for all the students. In fact, the institute has always looked forward to its betterment in medical education since its inception. “Our immediate plans are to increase the academic intake of undergraduate student’s from150 to 250 in academic calendar year 2021-2022. We are also looking forward to starting new exclusive cardiology and mother and child units and a state of art Ophthalmology and ENT care units to cater to the needy of the society and betterment of the medical field,” concludes Dr Bhadra Reddy.

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INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

THE MANY BENEFITS OF E-LEARNING:

IN CONVERSATION WITH YOGESH MAKKAR, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF KAPDEC Yogesh Makkar, Founder, Kapdec

56 Yogesh Makkar is the Founder and Director of Kapdec, a leading online portal that delivers high-quality supplemental education at an affordable cost in mathematics and science.

Enthusiastic about education, an ardent explorer, and a culinarian, his zest to create high-quality content to assist students in preparing for advanced mathematics competition and eliminating the fear of mathematics paved the way for developing an e-learning academy like Kapdec - a reliable team of 30+ employees. “Given our unique approach of combining technology, expert teachers, and compelling content in one offering, we offer a unique solution that is powerful enough to stay ahead of the competition,” says Yogesh. In a conversation with Higher Education Digest, Yogesh talks about Kapdec’s journey so far, its unique offerings, e-learning market in India and much more.

Higher Education Digest January 2021

Online learning can improve productivity and lower the cost of education

Please tell us about Kapdec, its journey and how it is aiming to become one of the leading e-learning platforms in India?

Kapdec is an academy for e-learning, helping students receive advanced supplemental study material and private coaching through online teaching, in the mathematics and science stream for K-12 students, Kapdec saga began on October 10th, 2017, the day we began to draw the mission’s skeletal framework and the niche we wanted to be in. After we drafted the initial blueprint, the hard and smart work began to put content, technology, and expert teachers’ knowledge in one bundle to create one unique portal that could offer all that our educators and learners are looking for. After approximately three years, we were able to launch a beta version of the portal. Soon enough, we received a lot of positive validation, and the journey goes on.

Two critical gaps: first, the lack of validated content and guided coaching, and all of it at affordable prices making it hard for everyone and

the second, the lack of a communication portal that could connect a learner with an educator.

These critical and foundational level gaps in the educational system fueled our idea of creating ONE unified portal that could eliminate two keys issues: providing a communication channel between learners and educators and second by providing premium quality content.

Given our unique approach of combining technology, expert teachers, and compelling content in one offering, we offer a unique solution that is powerful enough to stay ahead of the competition.

Our mission is to make Kapdec an e-learning portal of choice. We are on a journey to address the most common issues surrounding educational content and delivery methods and connect educators and learners through technology.

Today, Kapdec’s niche is in mathematics and science that offers adaptive and advanced study content and guided and personalized learning support to students. The portal provides a way for teachers to

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use the content, teaching tools, and a wide array of features at their disposal. This is what is going to make us unique and stand above the competition.

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What is the industry market size of the segment that you operate in? Who are your direct competitors?

E-learning is a thriving industry, and the Covid-19 pandemic forced people globally to stay home and find alternate means of studying. It raised awareness in academia worldwide, and the importance of e-learning was realized more than ever.

Some of the key statistics that can give an idea of the market size of the e-learning industry are stated as below: 1. E-learning in India alone is growing fastest compared to anywhere else globally, and it is projected to unwind following a CAGR of over 46%. Such a growth rate is unprecedented, and no other industry reflects such exponential growth.

2. The prime reasons why India is slated to grow fastest in the e-learning space are – • The volume of users - India has 280 million student’s population (the largest in the world) • Internet Growth – the vehicle required for e-learning. India has witnessed the fastest growing internet users, 100% growth in internet users from 2015 to 2021, and is expected to hit internet users crossing the 500 M mark.

• And India offers the cheapest internet market.

As big as the market we see in the above projections, many small and big players provide many educational resources. Just in India alone, there are some good players in the ed-tech sector, such as Byju’s, Vedantu, Meritnation, etc. Even though they are providing good services, but still the services provided, are not complete enough to cater to the entire market’s needs. We will impact the e-learning market by offering a unique blend that is not yet available nor is provided by the current players.

Kapdec operates in the K-12 segment, in the math and science supplemental market delivering all the course offerings at very affordable prices and offering guided coaching through a unique platform designed to provide ease of use for educators and learners.

How are e-learning platforms preparing Students for the Corporate World via a technological approach?

In many ways, the use of technology helps learners be prepared for the corporate world. If we look at the skills required in any organization – whether a small or a big

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organization, the employees must have two necessary skills irrespective of their functions: • Ability to use a computer, use of various software and have necessary primary computer skills usage, AND • Ability to communicate with teams situated globally or, if not globally, are sitting across different locations in different cities.

Early on in their learning journey, students adopt e-learning methods. It will force and prepare them to use computer and use of networking technology and tools and learn all around computers and mobile devices.

Clear evidence of the above statement can be given that – children in the current generation learn the use of technology much faster than people who are not exposed to computers as much.

Another advantage students gain is the development of communication skills. Students will have to quit fears and speak up while learning remotely to present their point of view. Critics may argue that communication skills are best learned when we interact face to face. However, on the flip side, when students cannot clearly show their body language, they are forced to select the words, sentences and speak effectively to communicate their point effectively. Participants will have no choice but to learn how to collaborate with teams remotely. This is a new skill – not yet described in the interview process but it will surely become a skill that employers will soon start asking.

So, using e-learning right from early on, will enhance a student’s ability to communicate more effectively in remote collaboration events in the corporate world in the future. Whether brainstorming with-in a team or whether presenting an idea.

Indeed, e-learning always prepares students to gain a hidden benefit of communicating effectively using technology with people who are working remotely. And hence be successful in their ongoing corporate journey.

What kind of experiential programs for students will help them to grow better?

In simple words, Experiential learning is “learning by doing.” Experiential learning applies theory and academic content to real-world experiences, either within the classroom, within the community, or the workplace. The learning programs which force students to practice what they have learned will help students grow.

Some examples – 1. We learn the use of fractions and simple and compound interest early on in elementary schools.

However, just watching videos and reading text,

and practicing quizzes will only help gain theoretical knowledge.

The real growth will be when students apply those fundamentals in their daily life, such as – using fractions to solve how to find the unit price while shopping to gain the best deal while shopping—applying the discounting factor to calculate net worth after discounts, and then selecting the best deals.

2. Applying the interest knowledge students gain in using how to save money and put it in a bank (instead of in a piggy bank) will teach students how to make a wise choice in money matters.

Above simple applications in real life help students grow.

About

Yogesh Makkar Yogesh, who began his career as an engineer and climbed up the corporate ladder as a senior executive in the corporate world in the US for over 24 years, the entrepreneurial journey took a turn for Yogesh as he encountered a lack of quality supplemental education for kids and realized a need for transformation in the education sector. Yogesh believes that the best leadership skills involve hiring people who have a positive and productive attitude towards work. He spotlights that while skills can be taught, attitude cannot be. Attitude and philosophy characterize individuals, what their identity is, and what they can accomplish. He envisions the e-learning industry to grow at least five times from the current scenario, and the global business will cross USD 1 trillion by 2027, which is 6.25x times as of 2019 market situation. Yogesh accepts that simplicity in the delivery methods and quality of world-class content make them stand out unmistakably from the rest of their contenders.

What are your thoughts on e-learning?

Why should students be exposed to it?

E-learning is the future of education. There are many benefits in the e-learning methods – summarized as below: No Boundaries - Access to quality teachers: A student’s chances of attending a quality school with excellent teachers largely depend on where she lives, shaped by her parents’ financial means. Online learning could give all students, regardless of where they live, access to the best teachers. Anytime, anywhere model eliminates all boundaries.

Improved teacher’s flexibility: Also, online learning provides teachers with new career options and increasingly give teachers more freedom to instruct students in more productive ways.

Improved productivity and efficiency: Online learning can improve productivity and lower the cost of education, thereby reducing the financial burden on parents.

Other points, if any.

Integrating Learning Management Systems in schools’ way of modern teaching may soon become the norm. A school Learning Management System can offer all the tools students love about learning —social media-like features, video integration, gamification, or mobile support— as well as many, many more.

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INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

THE POWER

AND VALUE OF CREATING TALKS Eklovey Verma, Founder, Creating Talks

60 Eklovey Verma, who was a part of Super 30’s one-year special residential program, is a young entrepreneur. Possessing outstanding leadership and agile thinking quality, Eklovey founded Creating Talks a career-accelerator platform where industry experts share their, insights, hacks, and tricks in the form of a recorded video. “Creating Talks is an experiential learning platform where we have different domainspecific talks of industry experts. We stream these talks for Free to our audience on a specific day and time,” says Eklovey. In a conversation with Higher Education Digest, Eklovey talks about USPs of Creating Talks, his journey as an entrepreneur, key trends of e-learning to follow in 2021, and much more.

Higher Education Digest January 2021

The Indian education market is growing at a significantly faster rate. Today, we see many unicorns in India are emerging from the EdTech industry

The Indian EdTech sector is currently booming due to the pandemic. As a career-accelerator platform and a bridge between being skilled and experienced at the same time, how is Creating Talks helping learners during this pandemic?

Many people have lost their jobs during this pandemic.

Many of them are freshers, and they want to know about industry insights. Being an online platform, Creating Talks helps them get these insights from the experts and domain leaders. We are keeping Free Live Streaming of the talks of experts regularly on our platform. This is helping the youth to make wise choices in their career and help them excel in their fields.

What are the unique services Creating Talks offering to the education sector? How does the company intend to stand out from the crowd?

Creating Talks is based on the unique concept of experiential learning. We are exclusively providing insights, hacks, tricks, and expertise of domain leaders

in the form of a video. We are actually creating an OTT platform, not for entertainment, but for learning.

As per our knowledge, we have become the first OTT platform to stream all its premium content for Free to our non-subscriber during our Live Streaming sessions on specific days and times. Moreover, the subscription amount we kept is also very nominal and affordable for anyone.

Generally, we see that other platforms are inviting domain leaders to prepare lessons, and then they sell courses. We, at Creating Talks, are trying to change this scenario by asking domain leaders to share their professional journey in the form of a maximum of 20 minutes video, which is even more impactful and useful for the audience.

What inspired you to start Creating Talks? How have your objectives and goals changed since the company has grown?

When I was in college, I formed this venture - Creating Talks. My team and I realized the power of talks.

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Eklovey Verma

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We conducted offline events in some prestigious colleges of India like IIT, DTU, SRCC. We started inviting prominent names in those events to share their journey with our audience.

However, we were quick to judge that these motivational talks are subjective in nature. If we really want to impact and empower the youth, then we have to be specific. That is why we came up with an idea of this Experiential Learning OTT Platform that talks about different career domains through videos by experts.

Experts in the education and industry say that many of the present jobs and skillsets will soon become redundant. What are the major changes that we can expect in future jobs?

If we compare the past years, we can find that many things we did offline now turned digital—for instance, our

Higher Education Digest January 2021

shopping experience. E-commerce is completely ruling today’s retail market.

Future is virtual. The workforce is going to be different, where digital literacy will be a must requirement.

Moreover, there will be a lot of job opportunities in domains like Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning, Data Science, and Blockchain.

As a youth-centric Ed-Tech platform, what are the opportunities Creating Talks sees in the Indian education market?

The Indian education market is growing at a significantly faster rate. Today, we see many unicorns in India are emerging from the EdTech industry. EdTech in India has great potential, and Creating Talks is working on an idea that is not tapped yet, i.e., experiential learning from domain experts talks.

We are extremely optimistic about future opportunities in the Indian

Creating Talks is based on the unique concept of experiential learning. We are exclusively providing insights, hacks, tricks, and expertise of domain leaders in the form of a video

education market, as it has high scope.

Nearly for the last 30 years, there is no significant reform in the country’s education system. Small changes were definitely there, but the system was very constant for years. This pandemic hit it poorly. People then realized that they need to change the education market.

So, when I am saying great market opportunities, then it is not just for Creating Talks but all other platforms that can bring revolution in education in India.

What are some of the most innovative technologies in EdTech right now? What are the key trends of e-learning to follow in 2021?

The concept of online learning, including one on one interactions, Live Classes, recorded classes, online assessment, etc., are some of the excellent examples of

a blend of tech and education. When we look at 2021, AI and machine learning in education will lead to customize learning. It will enhance the experience of online education in a significant way.

What are the exciting things can we expect from Creating Talks in the next 12 months? What are your plans for expansion?

We are looking forward to creating an online community in the future. It will be like an online place where youth can interact with each other, experts will be there as mentors, and the content will be centric to professional domains and different career options.

The number of available talks on the platform is definitely going to increase in the future. Though I firmly believe that the community has power and value, so launching it is definitely there in our expansion plans.

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STUDY ABROAD

LOOKING FOR INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES IN INDIA?

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE CHOOSING! Dr. Devesh Kumar Singh, Chairman of Noida International University and Secretary of Maruti Education Trust

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Dr. Devesh Kumar Singh is the Chairman of Noida International University and Secretary of Maruti Education Trust. He works tirelessly to pursue his belief to upgrade and improve the standard of living for his fellow youth and countrymen. His persistent drive that his children should and must get the right to equal education and healthcare – to become responsible leaders of tomorrow.

Higher Education Digest January 2021

One way that school decisions can influence an individual’s vocation is through profession arranging openings offered by the college

P

utting three years of your life in decent school matters a great deal as to how productive you spend this significant period will decide to an enormous degree how effective your life will be. While inquiring about a college, it’s basic that you don’t make rankings your chief basis. You have to begin early and make the official university site your Bible. Invest energy in making sense of how the data you have accumulated from sites/ pamphlets gets critical to your scholarly objectives and self-improvement.

Here is a short rundown of measures to remember while looking into universities: 1. Courses and majors offered Invest time in doing research at the various types of majors the colleges offer, center prerequisites otherwise known as central subjects, the blend of majors and minors, and chances to increase reasonable

introduction by methods for concentration abroad or understudy trade programs. For example, keeping the current scenario of Covid-19 in mind, the need for medical and para-medical courses has increased manifold as the health industry is facing a shortage of resources. Hence, choosing this line as your career is both lucrative for you along with helping you in contributing to nation-building. Noida International University has a long list of paramedical courses. Not just that, they also have an in-house hospital that goes by the name, Noida International Institute of Medical Sciences or NIIMS. Having an in-house hospital opens the medical students not only to theoretical knowledge but also to practical knowledge that prepares them to be future-ready medical practitioners.

2. Campus size and the life College is your shellfish, and its assorted variety and size are significant factors also. Huge universities

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for the most part have more assets like scholarly fixations and majors, examining offices, personnel, culture, amusement, etc.

Little universities for the most part spend significant time in human sciences training and the general experience is typically progressively close.

3. Location and climate: Though college is an extraordinary chance to investigate the new and obscure, location is one of the key aspects of choosing

4. College rankings More significant than the general rankings would be the reputation of the department in which you may decide to major. You must research exhaustively about the college rankings of the institution along with the domain and course the college has been awarded. You must also ensure to check the bonafides of the bodies granting the awards.

5. Career possibilities and graduate Alumni give you a brief look into the ethos a college encourages and permits you to decide which school resonates more with you and your professional objectives. In the event that a school has an eager graduated class, they can assist understudies with securing temporary jobs or even positions. One way that school decisions can influence an individual’s vocation is through profession arranging openings offered by the college.

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Dr. Devesh Kumar Singh

the right college. Some important facets while considering an institution are the proximity of airports, railways stations and other modes of transport to travel, availability of corporates and industry in the specific areas for training internship and future job prospects, location of other institutions for cross-institutional dialogues and interaction, along with the availability of places of leisure for students. Knowledge Park, Greater Noida is the biggest knowledge hub of India and houses universities and institutions of international acclaim.

Higher Education Digest January 2021

6. Overall cost Other elements might be increasingly critical to you actually, however at long last, the cost may best them all. Tuition based schools are normally more costly than open schools and state colleges. Be that as it may, tuition-based colleges will in general have bigger enrichments and offer more awards and grants. Every year, colleges offer scholarships to bright and deserving students. In the wake of the current situation, some institutes have introduced a scholarship, COVID Warrior Scholarship where it grants scholarships to children of field workers who are fighting against COVID like, health practitioners, policeman, etc.

It is very noticeable that students are canceling their plans to go abroad for studies. Dreams of students having acceptance letters from their dream colleges abroad are now shattered due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The parents and the students to0 fear to go away from their families when the times are this tough. To all those students, I just want to say that this is not the end and India too has many reputed colleges that you might want to get into. There are many international universities here that offer your courses, the cream faculty, facilities, the best campus, and yes, that ensure industrial training too! I feel students should not be disheartened and they should also consider the options available in India.

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NORTONLIFELOCK.COM Higher Education Digest January 2021

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