India’s 10 Best Universities for 2018

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Indian Edition

July 2018

India's

10 Best Universities for

2018

UNIVERSITY AOFPioneering Leader in

CALCUTTA:

Educational Excellence

Editorial

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ince independence, the higher education sector in India has witnessed tremendous changes in terms of the growth in number of universities and colleges. The advancement in higher education is spearheaded by universities, which are at the highest level of learning. As of June 2017, UGC enlists 47 central universities, 367 state universities, 123 deemed universities, and 282 private universities.

Indian Universities: Heralds of Education, Research, and Innovation

Universities are the apex institutions of education in India who provide impetus for academic growth and excellence. They offer students with the required technologies and tools to promote research and innovation.

These universities aim at enhancing the skills of students, developing their personality, and to prepare them to face the stiff challenges of life.

Technological innovations have greatly impacted various sectors including education. Leading educational institutions including universities are employing cutting edge technologies and state-of-theart infrastructural facilities to upgrade educational procedures and provide the students a lasting educational experience.

The prominent universities of the nation are implementing a careeroriented educational approach, accompanied by equal importance on extra-curricular and student development activities. They aim at transforming students into responsible and compassionate citizens who would work hard not only to achieve their individual objectives, but would also contribute towards the development and prosperity of the country.

Universities play an ever imperative and fundamental part in delivering seasoned professionals to the society. They will always remain important because they stand as a supportive force towards industries and the nation. T R

Ananda Kamal Das

Ananda Kamal Das

CONTRIBUTORS Aishwarya, Urvashi, Anmol

Shweta Ambilwade Priyanka, Sumit

April 2018

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HONOR CODE

Academic Dishonesty: Challenges and Precautionary Measures

22 Educator’s Viewpoint

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Customized Education for Generation Next

Innovative ways to encourage Active Learning in the Classroom

30 36 ASTUTE THOUGHTS The Importance of Game Based Learning in Modern Education

Tailored Academia

Editor's Pick Team Teaching – An Innovative Step towards an EducationalRevolution

Enlightenment Scope

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Distance Training: Leveraging Distance Learning for Organization’s Vocational Training

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Assam Down Town University:

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Committed to Quality Education and Overall Student Grooming

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Fabricating Globally Competitive Graduates and Postgraduates in Agriculture and Allied Sciences

Committed to Quality Education and Overall Student Grooming

Empowering Students by Achieving Excellence in Education

Central Agricultural University, Imphal

ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education:

Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University

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SRM Institute of Science and Technology Committed to Quality Education and Overall Student Grooming

Exploring the Prominent Universities of India “

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ducation is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”

—Malcolm X, former American Minister and Human Rights Activist

Education is not only the past and present of the society; it plays a major role in structuring the future of the society. It helps us discipline ourselves for the challenges that the 21st century holds before us. An educational institution, right from primary, secondary to higher education is of utmost importance for structuring the right values and making an individual ready for the future challenges. Being a part of an institution teaches you to work in a team, while preparing you to stand alone as and when necessary. It makes you confident and empowers you. An Educational institution is not just a place where people go to further increase their knowledge in a specific area, and/or to acquire a degree; it is the place that is responsible for one’s overall development.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”— Nelson Mandela Throughout the years, the mode of imparting education has developed and become more tech savvy. Many top rated universities, which provide highly competitive world class education to their pupils, have started adapting and providing facilities that make the campus life of the students easy, by adapting these technologies in their daily curriculum and practices. Technology has allowed the universities to allow a more practical approach to subject that were otherwise being taught in a traditional and conventional way. With this in mind, we introduce our latest edition on “India’s 10 Best Universities for 2018”. These universities have proven their worth through their accomplishments and prestigious Alumni.

The Cover Story of the issue features University of Calcutta, a trailblazer in academic excellence and research, offering a unique educational experience that prepares the next generation of students to lead and make a difference in the world.

This issue also includes Assam Downtown University; Central Agricultural University, Imphal; ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education; Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University; and SRM Institute of Science and Technology. It also includes enlightening articles by Ms. Rajshree Jodha and Aarti Dadheech. So, flip through the pages for more information on these top institutions! T R

UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA: A PIONEERING LEADER IN EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE

Cover

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to create &

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is to make the UNIVERSITY

SYSTEM Student

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niversity of Calcutta was established in 1857 as the first modern university in the entire south east Asia; the public funded affiliating university presently has about 0.4 million undergraduate registered students in about 150 affiliated colleges and more than 12000 post-graduate students, with three-fifth females in different academic programs offered in social sciences, literature, commerce, business management, science, agriculture, and technology, in 9 academic campuses named after benefactors, martyrs of freedom struggle, and past Professors and Vice Chancellors who contributed significantly towards growth and development of the university in its formative years during the colonial period.

For decades, the university has been playing a pivotal role in nation building through fulfilling the higher educational aspirations of thousands of young people including females, socially and economically marginalized, members of the minority community, and inhabitants of very remote areas.

There are about 3900 students pursuing Ph.D. and on an average 450 students are awarded Ph.D. degree every year.

University of Calcutta stands for a confluence of tradition and modernity: the University offers teaching and cuttingedge research programmes with state-of-the-art research infrastructure in Nano Science and Technology, Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, Information

Technology, and pari passu.It offers different teaching and research programmes in different Indian and foreign languages, social sciences, business management, and so on. There are many centres for advanced learning in the University. Recently, University of Calcutta received a fund of Rs 25 Crores from Government of India for education in sports science. It is also in the process of receiving Rs 50 Crores for research, innovation and quality improvement under RUSA. The diversity of academic programmes at incredibly low cost ensuring quality is one of the very distinct features of the University.

The academic choice being offered to the students is also being significantly increased in tune with requirements of today’s world. As the University is multi-locational, for ease of commuting, there is free bus service provided to the students arranged at the behest of the University with generous support from the state government.

Percipient Leadership Professor Sonali Chakravarti Banerjee is a renowned social scientist with proven expertise in the broad domain of governance and experience of remaining associated with numerous universities across continents as visiting professor.She is the first woman Vice Chancellor in the more than 160 years history of the university. Under her inspiring leadership, within a very short time, the university has made significant progress in many domains which collectively got reflected in it progressing by six places in latest overall national ranking for higher educational

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nstitutions. The Vice Chancellor Professor Sonali Chakravarti Banerjee, and the two ProVice Chancellors, Professor Dipak Kar (Pro Vice Chancellor – Academic) and Professor Minakshi Ray (Pro Vice Chancellor - Business Affairs and Finance) contributed immensely in turning around the University within a very short span of time.

Renowned Faculties and Alumni In its more than 160 years of journey, for ‘Advancement of Learning’, the university has produced innumerable alumni leaving indelible mark in different spheres of public life.

Several Nobel Laureates have remained associated with the university. The first Asian recipient of Nobel Prize, Rabindranath Tagore (Literature, 1913) not only delivered the Convocation Address for the first time in Bengali, but also remained involved in many of its activities. Sir C V Raman (Physics, 1928) was the first Chair Professor in Department of Physics. Amartya Sen (Economics, 1998) was an undergraduate student. Similarly renowned personalities like Swami Vivekananda, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Satyajit Ray - the acclaimed movie maker, and Sourav Ganguly - the former Captain of the Indian cricket team had also graduated from University of Calcutta.

AIM

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Major Accreditations University of Calcutta remains accredited by National Assessment and Accreditation Council. Different departments and wings are expectedly recognized by the respective regulators like NCTE, AICTE, and like. There is high demand for admission in each and every programme offered by the University irrespective of the faculties and programme levels be it UG, PG or Research.

Notable Achievements and Recognitions The faculty members of the University in both science and social science has a tradition of being decorated with prestigious Fellowships and Awards through decades; recent examples include Fellowship of IEEE(2017), Knight of Academic Palms, France (2010), Knight of Arts and Letters, France (2013) – just to name a few. Similarly, students

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Three Presidents of the Indian Republic had remained associated –the first President of independent India Rajendra Prasad had been an undergraduate student, the first VicePresident and second President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan had been a Chair Professor in the university. The immediate past President Pranab Mukherjee was both an alumnus and a teacher in an affiliated college. There are alumni of the University in the list of recipients of Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honor of the country and fellows of the Royal Society.

TRAIN & assist

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pursuing research – both pre and post-doctoral levels – receive countless recognition. University of Calcutta has been ranked by QS (rank 10 in India and rank 64 among universities in BRICS countries in 2018) and Times Higher Education in their international rankings. University of Calcutta is a preferred academic destination of students and professors of leading universities from abroad in both science and social science wings. A few recent examples include visit of a team of 19 students of Physics and Astronomy, Radbound University, Nijmejen, Netherlands, led by Professor Peter Klok to the Department of Physics, University of Calcutta on May 3, 2018 for academic interaction and similarly, there is regular academic exchange between Department of History, Uppsala University, Sweden and the University of Calcutta. Also, students from other Indian provinces join University of Calcutta to pursue their higher educational aspirations.

Career Opportunities and Future Prospects Apart from being mentored by highly experienced erudite scholars, working in state-of-the-art laboratories, the students visit other national institutes of repute for diverse exposure. University’s library and information resources, own museum of Indian art, rowing club etc. are worth benchmarking. Students get placed through campus recruitment process particularly in the domain of technology, science, economics, commerce, and business management.Apart from this, a reasonable percentage of students from all other departments qualifies in competitive examinations for joining research programmes/teaching profession.

In addition, conferences and other academic conglomerations are organized regularly by each and every department, with participation from other Indian states and

other countries, and students especially the research students are actively encouraged with reasonable travel support to present their research findings in important conferences. The University of Calcutta has a plan of expansion with focus on making it a preferred destination for the students of other countries in particular those from the south and south-east Asia and setting up new campus and transforming the existing ones into green campuses.

Words of Trust “I am beholden to the University of Calcutta for providing me with the facilities to carry out my research at Institute of Radio Physics and Electronics which in turn has brought in a propitious invitation from the Royal Military College of Canada, Ontario for advanced research on 5G MIMO Antennas.” - Debarati Ganguly “My University supported international travel to Montreal Canada to present my research works in URSI General Assembly, 2017. This gave me a fabulous opportunity to know and meet distinguished scientists. Dr Y. Antar, RMCCanada showed interest and offered me visiting positions in 2017 and 2018 to work in his laboratory.” - Chandreyee Sarkar “I have studied M. Sc. (Rank 1) and received Ph. D. degree from the University of Calcutta. I have benefited in several ways by studying in this university such as published several papers in high impact journals, job of Assistant Professor, awards like National Eligibility Test (Rank 1, 2009), postdoctoral research award of France (CNRS Rennes, 2016), Best Poster Award at the International Conference ICCHD-2018, CrystEngComm (RSC) Best Poster Prize from RSC, London, 2014 and others.” - Saikat Khamarui T R

Name of the Institution

URL

Assam down town University

adtu.in

Sankar Madhab Path, Gandhi Nagar, Panikhaiti, Guwahati, Assam

Central Agricultural University, Imphal

cau.ac.in

Lamphelpat, Imphal West, Imphal, Manipur

Gujarat Technological University

gtu.ac.in

Near Visat Three Roads, Visat - Gandhinagar Highway, Chandkheda, Ahmedabad, Gujarat

KR Mangalam University

krmangalam.edu.in

Sohna Road, Gurgaon, Delhi-NCR

Pandit Dindayal Petroleum University

pdpu.ac.in

Raisan, Gandhinagar, Gujarat

Sri Venkateswara University

svuniversity.edu.in

Gandhi Road, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh

SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Delhi NCR Campus

srmuniv.ac.in/ncr, srmimt.net

Delhi-Meerut Road, Modinagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

SVKM's NMIMS University

nmims.edu

V. L. Mehta Road, Vile Parle, West Mumbai, Maharashtra

The ICFAI Foundation For Higher Education

ifheindia.org

Plot no. 65, Nagarjuna Hills, Punjagutta, Hyderabad

University of Calcutta

caluniv.ac.in

87/1, College Street, Newland,Collegesquare, Kolkata, West Bengal

Location of the Institution

Honor Code

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ny kind of breach outlined in the academic principles is considered as an act of academic dishonesty. Academic dishonesty mostly occurs when students do not know the correct way of doing things, so they branch out for assistance. These breaches include cheating, plagiarism, bribery, deception, impersonation and many more. Cheating is the first and smallest member of the academic dishonesty family. It is the basic form of dishonesty found in students and it has become a frequent thing for decades now. Even the students, which are regular academic performers, engage in cheating. Some students engage in cheating in order to help their friends, without gaining any benefit for

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themselves. The overall rise in cheating can be labeled as lack of ethics in the self-centered society.

These are the habits formed over several years by working cooperatively in exams. Parents and teachers are on the opposite spectrum of this dishonesty. Parents blame the teachers who don’t care if a student cheats and does a poor job in forming a discipline.

Teacher blame parents who refuse to accept their children’s misconducts.

So, a key question to be asked here is whose job it is to teach honesty and integrity in an academic setting.

Motives for Academic Dishonesty As cheating has become a frequent thing, there are numerous reasons behind this academic dishonesty. The

students are in vast peer pressure and when they see other students cheating, they too start cheating. On getting caught they make several types of excuses. They blame their professors for their cheating, protesting they are too difficult to understand and they expect too much. Additional excuses include that the questions asked in exams were not present in their major.

Further, they say as others are cheating, they have no other alternative left.

Several times students can’t cope up with the demanding student life. At difficult times, the inability to manage academic, social life and deadlines can pursue students for cheating. The competitive job market can also be called as a reason for cheating as it places great importance on GPA and

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Academic Dishonesty:

Challenges and

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES students thinks they have to achieve good grades by any means necessary.

Further, if a teacher is not doing an adequate job of a teacher, then students think they are being cheated and then turn to cheat as a turnabout to play the fair game.

Which Students are Likely to Cheat?

Any student is likely to cheat.

Generally, there is a correlation between cheating and students which have formed a commune and are in a fraternity or sorority. Students in exam halls start cheating when they observe theirs follow students cheating.

Further, they believe that as others are cheating, they are also entitled to do the same. Most commonly, cheating is likely to take place between friends The Good One’s Resisting Students resisting academic dishonesty are present in the minority as compared to the ones involved. Hardworking students recognize the fact that cheating is wrong. They desire to earn their grades themselves by showing genuine interest in learning. The value and concern are recognized by such students and they know that cheating will never help them in long run. The necessary mind insecurities also help these students in avoiding such dishonesties. Sometimes the respect for the instructor and classmates can block students from cheating. Additionally, the fear of getting caught, penalties,

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and embarrassment can also prevent students from cheating. Such students are also able to manage their workload as well as their religious beliefs.

Avoiding Cheating & Dishonesty Students should be well aware of dishonesty policies of the institution. In fact, they should seek out instructions and clarification about such dishonesties. Whenever something is not clear, they must consult their instructor and should not rely on classmates for information. Students must improve their management skills to complete their assignments on time.

Being rushed for time is not a good excuse for cheating. Further, these management skills help in completing assignment independently, and students don’t have to rely on other students for assistance. On the other hand, if a classmate develops a query a student must help other, but without sharing his/her assignment.

Faculty Remedies The instructor of a class should be clear from the first day about cheating and other academic dishonesty policies. Instructors should entail the syllabus, information, objectives, and result that they expect. Opening the freeform line of communication should be the first step of any teacher. Tutors should clarify the resources that students can use to complete their assignments. In terms of examination,

they can create a new test every time on the new course, which further helps students in remembering the previously learned objectives as the time progresses. They can teach different ways of completing assignments by preparing a template that clarifies the topics, notions, drafts, format, style, documentation and source links. An instructor should always establish an honor system among the students in a class.

Core Solution at Institution Level The overall approach of an academic institution can play a crucial role in establishing a barrier against cheating.

The students should be well aware of the policies regarding academic dishonesty and its penalties. These penalties can include verbal warning, reporting to the dean, lowering of grade or even suspension. There is a need for the constant vocal support to be present all the time in the concept of academic integrity. The policies regarding academic dishonesty will be most effective when the students, faculty, and administrations are involved. Students must be in front of these policies, and they should be aware of any last minute changes. If an institution/college/university can establish a rock-solid pillar of loyalty, trust, and community, it will be difficult for academic dishonesties like cheating to exist. T R

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ASSAM DOWN TOWN UNIVERSITY Committed to Quality Education and Overall Student Grooming

Assam Down Town University (AdtU) was established through the Assam Down Town University Act, 2010 in the state of Assam, India in 2010. It has coupled the experience of top industry leaders and renowned academicians and fosters a worldly approach. AdtU the largest educational group based in Assam has on its rolls more than 7000+ students and 300+ faculty members. As a commitment towards Clean and Green Campus initiative, the University has set up a 200 kWp Roof Top Solar PV Power plant in the campus under MNRE-Govt. of India scheme.

On campus banking services, health care facility, accommodation facility, and mess are also available. The University campus has seamless Wi-Fi network with more than 20 Mbps leased line with multiple ISP which allows students to be connected on the net anytime, anywhere.

The University was established by the Down Town Charity Trust, which is promoted by Down Town Hospital Limited.

AdTU boasts of a large 60-acres campus with best in class infrastructure. Apart from adequate classrooms, laboratories, and faculty rooms, AdtU has recreational and play areas for students with a football field, basketball court, and other indoor play areas at the hostels and different areas of the university.

Assam Down Town University offers a basket full of unique programs which are not widely available in India like Trauma & Disaster Management, Radiography Technology, and Dialysis Technology in addition to skill oriented programs in Hotel Management, Nursing, and so on. There is an independent Department of Research headed by a dedicated Director to focus in this area. Sponsored Research Projects of DBT & ICMR are being conducted

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Significant Achievements and Accreditations The university is officially accredited and recognized by the UGC, AICTE, INC, PCI, IAP, SIRO, and DST Govt. of India.

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students. Further 100 seats are reserved for BPL students every year. These students are eligible for 100% Admission Fee and Tuition Fee waiver.

Words of Trust The job fair placement drive that is organized by Assam Down Town University is highly recommendable.

Students not only from Assam Down Town University but also from far and nearby institutions come for placements during this event. The University is helping all these students for placements and I think the University is doing an excellent work in this part.

Ms. Reema Rai, MBA (Health Care Management)

The University strives for excellence in application based teachinglearning, research, and outreach programs wherein technology synergizes creativity for nurturing an academic and professional leadership that reaches out in a spirit of openness, inclusiveness, The mighty Brahmaputra flows right besides our University which is a and service to the society. here; and it is one of the few private Universities in the country to get selected for such prestigious research projects. Assam Down Town University is the first private University from North East region being awarded two Mega Network Projects such as (1) on Chemical Profiling of Joha Scented rice Joha and Black rice of NER for nutritional, Nutraceutical parameters and Aromatic compounds and (2) high value phytochemicals of anti-diabetic and immunomodulatory properties in North Eastern banana varieties funded by Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India respectively.

In this short span, the university was ranked #10 among the top private universities in India and ranked #1 in Northeast India by “India Today” among Universities established after 2000.

Noteworthy Alumni The University has produced numerous graduates who have been very successful in various walks of life.

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Some of the renowned alumni include Bishal Bhatta Rai working with Ernst & Young; Tahira Rahman, ITC Fortune Select Global, Gurgaon; Nivedita Nath working with Deenanath Mangeshkar Superspeciality Hospital, Pune; and many more.

About the Chancellor The Chancellor of Assam Down Town University is Dr.Narendra Nath Dutta. He has been awarded The Fellowship of International College of Surgeons in 1982, and got the Service above Self Award of Rotary International in 2000. He was also awarded with The Prof. Dukhan Ram Award in XXIV Bihar State Conference of The Association of Otolaryngologists of India in the Year 2000. He has received the Citation for Meritorious Service from Rotary Foundation 2002.

Financial Assistance AdtU offers the largest scholarship program in Northeast India. The institute offers multiple scholarships to provide benefits to meritorious

natural beauty that cannot be found elsewhere. The students and also my classmates are from diverse background and that makes the environment of our classroom very enjoyable. We take learning as well as extracurricular activities more seriously.

Ms. Sumi Begum, MBA 4th Semester Assam down town University is undoubtedly one of the best university in this region of the country. The University Provides quality education and it actually resembles its motto encouraging success. We have students studying from various parts of the country and also from other countries as well which provides us an opportunity to know and understand the cultures of distant places all inside one classroom. The natural ambience of the university is also very apt for studying. I feel delighted to be a part of this University.

Ms Rita Konwar, Bio Chemistry 2nd Semester T R

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About the Author Ms. Rajshree Jodha, an effervescent educationalist serves as a Assistant Professor in the department of Computer Science, JIET Group of Institutions, India from last more than seven years.

She is a vivid researcher in Data Science. She holds a B.E degree in Computer Engineering from Mody Institute of Technology and Science,Laxmangarh, MBA degree from Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur and M.Tech degree from Rajasthan Technical University. She is entrusted with many responsible Positions such as Academic Audit Member, Anti-Women Harassment Cell Member to the group.

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Educator’s Viewpoint

INNOVATIVE ways to encourage Active

LCLASSROOM earning in the

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n Traditional Model of learning students are passive participants of knowledge from instructor. They sit in classrooms for hours, listen and absorb information presented to them by the instructor. In contrast to it in Active Learning students are engaged actively in knowledge gaining process.

The two important goals of Active Learning are; firstly, to encourage students to think more deeply about the course taught. Secondly, through quick feedback to instructor about the class. It always takes more time than traditional model as student participation is involved in it. Active learning can be executed in any discipline and have various forms. In this students will engage in simple activities like paired or group discussions, problem solving , etc.

In Grunert words, “When students participate in learning process through practice, review or application, they tend to learn more.”

By integrating activities into teaching, it prepares students for future opportunities and skills required at work place. Some of the active learning approaches are – 1. Think – Pair-Share In this approach a problem is given to students and then they are asked to think for a couple of minutes individually about their answers. After some time they are then asked to pair up with someone to discuss about their solutions for next few minutes and then these pairs are asked to share their ideas with the whole class.

2. Role Playing Students are asked to take a role of a character like role of a lawyer, a design engineer, an industrial engineer and think like them to solve problems by using their skills.

3. Problem Based Learning A problem is given as a challenge to the students on which they apply their studied course content to find out the solution. High order thinking skills are required. This approach encourages students to brainstorm solutions and evaluate effectiveness of them.

4. One – Minute Paper The summary of the lecture discussed is written in a short written exercise in

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which students use short paper after the class. This approach is the best way to review the contents.

5. Word Cloud Guessing Before introducing a new topic in class to students, show them a group of related words on that topic and challenge the students to guess the topic. This will increase their thinking ability 6. Fishbowl A student unfolds their ideas and thoughts on a topic in front of others, who then take notes and then write a response to their idea.

7. Pictionary For vital concepts and especially terms, have students play Pictionary: one draws images only, the rest must guess the term.

Use of those approaches within the schoolroom is very important due to their powerful impact on student learning. Therefore, a thoughtful approach to proficient teaching wants that faculty become intimate with the many ways within which Active Learning with success used across the disciplines.

In hindsight, it seems that earlier classroom initiatives and activities written materials concerning about active learning have been old and splited. Hence, the goal of interactive classrooms has remain unfulfilled. To make Active Learning a success the coordinated efforts of individual faculty member, academic administrators and educational researchers is required.

A Chinese proverb says, “I hear, and I forget. I see, and I remember. I do, and I understand”. T R

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Customized

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ducating a growing mind is one of the most challenging tasks today. Children and youngsters these days have everything on their fingertips which makes it difficult for a formal education to settle into their minds. In this case, it requires patience, understanding and support of the educational institutes so that the children are shaped in the right way.

Education as a Priority A child first becomes a part of the world, when they step out to get a form of education. This aspect is very important in any individual’s life as it helps them live amongst a group of people and learn new things.

There can’t be enough stress upon the fact that, basic education is an absolute necessity. For a country to develop to its best potential it’s necessary that the skills and talents of every individual are put to full use.

Education is one of those aspects that helps provide a person with employment.

It helps create awareness and also builds the personality of individuals. When a person is capable of reading and writing, they also become capable of deciding between the good and bad, right and wrong. It builds the ethical part of their personality. This results in wiser decisions which promote a positive thought process.

Literacy Scenario – Today and Tomorrow

India as of 2017 had 1.5 million schools and the number of students were 260 million. Alongside this, India has 751 universities and 35,539 colleges. With the number increasing every single day, the value of the education market is calculated to be $100 billion. It is estimated to rise to $180 billion by 2020. This makes the education system of India the largest in the world. These figures show how necessary it is to have quality education which benefits the students as well as the country.

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The numbers aren’t the only important aspect of it. The way education is imparted on hopeful students is also very important. The Indian system typically uses the scores of a student to term their eligibility into a particular stream, the most popular ones being engineering and medical. As per a study 1, 50,000 engineering students who graduated in 2015 are unemployable. This implies that India produces 25% of the engineers in the world. This scenario can be changed by giving other subjects a chance to flourish. Apart from this, pertaining to the medical field, there were 52,715 graduates in 2016.

Over time, there have been a host of other careers that have emerged. Although the intentions of the education system seem right, the interests of students also need to be considered.

Pursuing Profitable Progress The journey of finding where ones interests lie, is an interesting one. It consists of failures, hardships, crossroads and a lot of tough decisions to be taken. The building up of decision making starts all the way in

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Tailored Academia

school. Students are sent to school and given a set of subjects to learn that are compulsory until high school.

Mathematics, Science, Social Sciences and Languages are the subjects that are given maximum priority. Over a certain period of time, students find a couple of subjects, all subjects or just one subject to be their forte.

And sure enough, these are the subjects that they excel in. But, on the flipside, there may be a subject they are weak in due to which they don’t get the same grades as the other subject. This can become an issue when the students will need to choose a career path. Some of them find the right one; the others end up making compromises. This can in turn cause a major loss in productivity.

Due to this, students who are genuinely skilled in something lose out on a lot of good opportunities in life.

The way to addressing this issue is a slight tweak in the education system, which will help in propelling it positively even further.

Setting up the Right Path In order to revamp how children and youngsters are shown the way, the system needs to have an open minded approach towards change. Focusing on aspects such as smart classes – where students can learn in an interactive atmosphere using videos and audio clips, practicality – which will help students implement what they’ve learnt in real time and mainly skill based learning – when students are provided courses that will hold their interest or something they’re passionate about, will help in creating an individual who is wiser and capable of deciding the ideal career choice.

Customizable Learning In our country where majority of the educational focus goes to the medical or engineering field, it’s essential to promote various other sectors or subjects that can make learning even more fun and proactive. As the students are promoted from one year to the next, a few subjects start becoming redundant. For example, a person who would probably want to pursue a career in literature or media won’t require the intricacies of mathematics. Similarly, a person interested in making a career in the technological field, wouldn’t require the intricacies of all the dramas that Shakespeare wrote. In both these cases, the basics of a few subjects can suffice while elaborating more on the subject they truly hold their interest in.

The best way to implement this is to give the students a choice of subjects. This will help them focus on those topics that they’re interested in, and can further excel in. It works to the advantage of the students as at a younger age, as they learn and veer towards their ideal career choices. The proper time to place this choice would be between the 7th and 10th grades. At this age, students have had quite a bit of experience with all the subjects and with a little assistance from the teachers and parents, one can make the right choice.

Change is Good With these changes, we can expect an upward rise in the availability of various jobs and since particular skills are focused upon, a person is more efficient in their work. With efficiency, there is a rise in productivity which can help in giving a boost to the country's employment and economic sectors. T R

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CENTRAL AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY,IMPHAL Fabricating Globally Competitive Graduates and Postgraduates in Agriculture and Allied Sciences

The Central Agricultural University was established on 26th January, 1993 with its headquarters at Imphal, Manipur under the Central Agricultural University Act, 1992 of the Parliament (Act No. 40 of 1992). It has a unique feature of diversity having jurisdiction all over North Eastern Hill States. The University has thirteen constituent colleges viz.,the College of Agriculture (Iroisemba, Imphal, Manipur), College of Fisheries (Lembucherra, Agartala, Tripura), College of Home Science (Tura, Meghalaya), College of Horticulture & Forestry (Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh), College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry (Selesih, Aizawl, Mizoram), College of Agricultural Engineering & Post Harvest Technology (Ranipool, Gangtok, Sikkim), College of Post Graduate Studies, (Barapani, Meghalaya), College of Food Technology (Lamphelpat, Manipur), College of Agriculture (Kyrdemkulai, Meghalaya and Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh), College of Horticulture (Bermiok, Sikkim), College of Horticulture (Thenzawl, Mizoram), and College of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry (Jalukie,

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Nagaland) to carry out teaching, research, and extension education programmes in agriculture and allied disciplines in the NEH region.It is equipped with well-established laboratories including well advance biotechnology laboratory, research, and demonstration farms (500 ha), 6 Krishi Vigyan Kendras, 6 multi-technology testing centres, and 6 vocational training centres distributed in 7 states of north east India.

Noteworthy Accreditations and Educational Facilities The University offers a wide array of courses including 9 Undergraduate courses, 38 Master’s degree courses, and 21 Ph. D. Degree programmes in different subjects/disciplines through its 13 constituent colleges.

The National Agricultural Education Accreditation Board (NAEAB), ICAR, New Delhi granted accreditation for various academic programmes (UG/PG/Ph.D’s) to the Central Agricultural University, Imphal (Manipur) and its constituent colleges from 28th March, 2016 to 27th March,

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Departments, Private Sector Units, Entrepreneurs, and many of the students opted for Post-Doctoral Programmes in foreign Universities.

Every college has Student Welfare and Placement cell through which the students have been trained to skill development, communication skills, personality development, experiential learning, in plant training, entrepreneurship development, and so on. Besides, regular career counseling, placement, and coaching classes have been undertaken for various competitive examinations.

Prof. M. Premjit Singh Vice-Chancellor

The University aims to be a Centre of Excellence in Teaching, Research, and Extension Education in the field of Agriculture and Allied Sciences.

2021.Students of the university have been performing excellence in JRF Exam conducted by ICAR, New Delhi and secured 2nd position twice (during 2012 and 2014) in All India Ranking in ICAR-JRF examination and also 2nd position in ICAR-Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) Award for the year 2016 under the programme category of Horticulture and Forestry.

About the Vice Chancellor Prof. M. Premjit Singh, ViceChancellor, is the key personality behind the success of the University.

He has worked in the University in different capacities as Professor, Registrar, Research Co-ordinator, Director of Research, and Director of Extension Education for more than 2 decades. He has been working as ViceChancellor since March 2015. Dr. Singh also brought four Mega Extension Projects and three KVKs for enhancing socio-economic status and livelihood security of poor farmers of North-Eastern Region. Recognizing his contribution for the development of the University, Dr. Singh was bestowed with Young Scientist Award, 1992 of DST. He also received Life Time Achievement Award, 2017 by MOBILIZATION and Education

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Leadership Award, 2018 by DNA & Stars of the Industry Group.

Accomplished Alumni Since its inception, the University has produced 2328 graduates, 765 postgraduates, and 15 Ph.Ds, out of which 109 passed out students are working as Agricultural Research Scientists (ARS). Number of graduates employed in government sectors and private sectors are 1691 and 269, respectively which constitutes 73% and 12% respectively. Moreover, 12 passed out students got selected in All India and State Civil Service Exams including Indian Forest Service.

Career Opportunities, Exposures, and Future Plans The University offers 9 Undergraduate, 38 Masters, and 21 Ph. D. degree programmes in different subjects/disciplines through its 13 constituent colleges. The students of the University have the opportunity to join in prestigious Agriculture Research Service, Assistant Professors in various Universities, All India and State Civil Services, Probationary Officers in nationalized banks including NABARD, Development Officers in State Agriculture and Allied

Marching ahead, the University plans to become a Centre of Excellence in Hill Agriculture and Organic Farming in the country while promoting education and research in agriculture and allied sectors.

Words of Trust “I am highly indebted to CAU, Imphal for making me a person of what I am today. The perfect logistic support and guidance extended to me during my course of study at CAU, Imphal will forever be remembered ” –Mrs. L. Debala Devi (IFS-2011), B.Sc. Agri, M.Sc. (Agronomy).

“The guidance given by my teachers and the facilities provided by the university especially the coaching classes for the national exams has contributed a lot for my success. I hope CAU, Imphal will continue to inspire and help the students in shaping their future” –Mrs. Henuka Rai (All India Civil Service Exam 2016, 931 Rank), B.Sc. Horti, M.Sc.Horti.

“The valuable logistic support, guidance and motivation from the teachers of College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal over and above the teaching helped me to get success in competitive examination”– Mr. Ajit Uchoi (IFS 2013), B.Sc. Agri, M. Sc. (PGR). T R

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Team Teaching An Innovative Step towards an

E d u cat i o n a l Revolution

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ducational systems have undergone drastic changes with the passage of time. Every passing day, we witness the emergence of new educational technologies and procedures. Educational institutions are coming up with innovative teaching techniques and methods to make the education procedure interactive and interesting.

They are not only trying to enhance the quality of education, but also provide a worthwhile educational experience.

One such innovative educational technique is ‘Team Teaching’, which is being widely used in many educational institutions. In this procedure, a group of instructors cooperate and work together regularly with the purpose of helping a group of students to learn. Teachers work together and set objectives for a course. They design the syllabus, prepare lessons for individual students, teach them, and analyze the results. They share their ideas and opinions with each other, come up with new techniques, sometimes argue and debate with each other and also challenge students to choose the better approach.

In team teaching, there can be single-discipline, interdisciplinary, and within school teams that work together with a common group of students over a certain period of time. It may so happen that new teachers are teamed up with veteran teachers. Team teaching encourages innovations, and also modifications in class size, location, and time. It brings together different personalities from different backgrounds, voices, values, and approaches. It creates room for productive interactions which spark interest, keeps them devoted, and prevents boredom.

Team teaching provides a broader scope of interaction between teachers and students. Students get the opportunity of evaluating the teachers based on their teaching ability. Teachers also asses the students’ performance based on how

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Editor’s Pick

the students are achieving the learning goals. This procedure lays more stress on both student and faculty growth, sharing responsibilities, specializations, and expanding their horizons. It also gives importance on clear and interesting development of content, student development, independent participation, and so on. Team teaching is a combination of analysis, synthesis, critical thinking, and practical applications. While working as a team, teachers resolve their differences, develop a sense of respect for each other, become interdependent, and also develop conflict-resolution skills.

Advantages of Team Teaching Team teaching provides many advantages to the students and teachers alike. Every student doesn’t have the same pace of learning. Some students cannot cope up with the class proceedings like their classmates. Equal length classes are not appropriate for all learning situations. The education system is gradually evolving which calls for breaking from the traditional way of teaching and adopting innovative and out-of-the box teaching–learning procedures. Educators are no longer dealing with the top-down form of education.

Nowadays, each student is considered as a valuable asset because if trained and educated properly, they can contribute towards the growth and development of the society at large.

Team teaching can help in improving the quality of teaching as experts from various fields can approach the same topic from different angles, theories, practices, gender, and ethnic backgrounds. Each teacher can learn from the other; they can combine their strengths and eliminate their weaknesses.

The performance of poor teachers can be observed, assessed, and improved by the contribution of their team mates. Working in teams will also help the teacher in becoming more responsible. It will encourage creativity, strengthen the bonding, and build a community among the teachers. It will help them in working together as one team and in providing the best possible educational experience to the students. In team teaching, teachers can observe and critique each other’s work, in a way improving each other’s performance in a supportive and non-threatening way.

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Working as a team, teachers can reduce burden and boost morale. They can also support each other during any problem, for example, in case of an emergency; a teacher can attend to the situation, while the other takes the class. It will help in increasing the quality of education. Working as a team, the teachers may also feel that it has helped in improving the teaching–learning procedure, boosting their self-esteem, and happiness.

Disadvantages of Team Teaching Although team teaching provides many advantages, it also comes with its own bag of disadvantages. Some teachers may have a rigid personality and may be used to a single method of teaching or teaching on their own. They might find it difficult to work and teach with others. Some may not support team teaching because of the fear of failure, humiliation, or discouragement. Some may also be afraid that they may have to do more work for less salary. There might be others who are unwilling to share their spotlight or their ideas with others; they might want total control of the teaching procedures.

Team teaching demands more expenditure on time and energy. Teachers have to agree to work as a team and spend time and resources in research and planning.

Inconveniences may occur if teachers decide to rethink the courses for making team teaching possible. Students, parents, teachers, and administration may also oppose changes of any sort. Some students have the habit of studying in a repetitive study environment. Introduction of a variety of teaching procedures, which may include confusing opinions, may be confusing for some students.

Habit formation may be hindered by too much variety education.

Team teaching comes along with a mixed bag of advantages and disadvantages. In order to successfully implement team teaching methods in educational institutions, all the pros and cons of the method should be considered carefully. If successfully implemented, team teaching can work wonders for educational institutions. T R

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ICFAI FOUNDATION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION Transforming Education into an Unforgettable Learning Experience

The ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education (IFHE) is a pioneer and trailblazer in promoting higher education in the Private Sector. It was started with an aim to groom young students who had the will to learn but unable to gain entry into the premier institutes for a variety of reasons.

The University offers value based education, industryfocused curriculum and employable skills. It is also known for its case-based learning, in-house case development, unique & rigorous PhD Program and state-of-the-art infrastructure. It strives to build excellence in higher education by adopting the very best practices and ideas from every corner of the globe and deliver unmatched value to the student.

The Internal Quality Assurance Cell of the University has the single minded pursuit of sustaining the education quality and aim at improving the same year on year. It meets regularly at quarterly intervals.

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Academic and Infrastructural Facilities The campus is located in a 91 acre eco - friendly campus in the city of Hyderabad. It is a fully residential campus and is equipped with all supporting facilities like, dining halls, indoor and outdoor sports facilities, recreation facilities (Gym and cultural clubs). It has own transport facility; clinic round the clock with beds and 4 doctors with 2 ambulances.

IFHE is equipped with the best of facilities to enhance the quality of teaching and learning process. Lecture theatres and classrooms are designed to facilitate the case pedagogy.

All class rooms are networked and ďŹ tted with audio visual tools to enhance the teaching - learning experience. The IT infrastructure and library provide the necessary support to the faculty and students to update their knowledge for learning, research and consultancy. The campus is equipped with latest state-of-the art technology of high speed computer network and security. The library is fully

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the careers of their students through a Career Management Center. This interaction with the industry equips the career management team to provide suitable career planning to the students.

It also helps to increase recruitments and maintain strong industry contacts.

There has also been a steady increase in the compensation and the number of companies recruiting every year.

Prof. J. Mahender Reddy Vice Chancellor

The University aims at developing a cadre of professionals possessing specialized skills having a sense of social and moral responsibility and the ability to address problems from a broader perspective. supported by IT infrastructure. It is equipped with the latest software packages, CDs, Videos, Indian and International journals; magazines and research reports relating to management, science & technology, law and allied subjects.

The University offers a wide variety of professional courses including MBA, BBA, B.Tech, BBA-LLB (Hons.), BALLB (Hons.), LLM, B.Arch, M.Tech, Ph.D. Program [Full-Time and PartTime], and Certificate Courses.

Success Story of ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education has achieved numerous landmarks throughout its illustrious journey. The Case Research Centre of the University is among the top three contributors to the Case Center, UK, the largest repository of the cases in the world. They are next only to Harvard and INSEAD. Their cases are taught in more than 870 B-schools across 75 countries. Moreover, 7% of the best-

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selling cases of Case Center UK are from IFHE. Also, 46 papers of the university have been published in A*/A journals listed in ABDC. About the Vice Chancellor Prof. J. Mahender Reddy is the Vice Chancellor of the University. As Vice Chancellor of ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education, Prof. Reddy has contributed significantly to the development of a research culture and good leadership at the University, enabling it to secure the ‘A’ grade from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). He has guided 14 Ph.Ds and 9 M.Phil scholars in Osmania and ICFAI Universities and published forty research papers, and ten books, in the areas, of foreign trade and investment, business and economic forecasting and applied economics.

Career Opportunities The University has adopted a very systematic approach towards building

The University prepares students to be industry-ready by getting them groomed by faculty mentors, alumni and recruiting consultants throughout the year. The University has been successful in placing more than 95% of the students over the past 3 years.

Words of Trust “ICFAI Business School (IBS) has distinguished itself with a rigorous and challenging curriculum. The desire for collaborative learning is reflected in a shared understanding of the core values that are inculcated through professional and personal bonds at IBS.” – Mayur Tibrewal “The 2 most valuable years spent at IBS has indeed sharpened my knowledge and helped a lot in shaping up my future in this highly competitive corporate world. Also helped me in growing as a person with strong analytical ability and with the capability of facing the situations ethically.” – Anindita Ghosh “The program at IBS has given me good exposure not only into my IT stream but also into Finance and Marketing. A well-blended curriculum with cases studies boost confidence to face corporate world and its challenges. Overall I would say 2 years in IBS was a roller-coaster ride and I enjoyed every bit of it.”

– Hemant Pardesi T R

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ASTUTE THOUGHTS

The Importance of

Learning

Game Based

in Modern Education

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he learning approach is a way more global and is gaining pace nowadays. Modern teaching aids are important and most preferred in the technological age. A modern education system uses technology to impart education. The growing usage of digital games and applied sciences into learning environments has affected both the teaching of educators and the learning of students. Game-Based Learning (GBL) can be successfully used to improve both learning and teaching. It simply means including games in your instruction. One of the greatest challenges for educator is with-success teaching giant groups of students, all of whom having totally different personalities, different capabilities and different learning preferences. With high expectations of everything digital, students wish variety of activities, rewards, surprises and humour to stay up their interest in learning. Finding new ways to grab the attention of learners and engaging them in the learning process is one of the main issues nowadays. Learning is not just rote memorization. Students won’t be able to gain any information and skills out of dull learning process but they understand the application of skills and

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knowledge to solve real-life problems with help of effective learning process.

The knowledge and skills acquired through game-based learning are retained longer than information from other learning methods. Effective learning process is one in which you are fully involved in what you are doing. In order to make learning effective, game-based learning requires games that are well designed and have well implemented learning tasks. A well-designed educational game could combine the learning objectives of the educational system with the fun, finished product of a commercial game and custom built games. Games designed specifically for the purpose of educating children can motivate self learning and problem-solving skills to a great extent. Game-Based Learning simply means including knowledge matter of subject into games. All types of games are learning processes, be it casual gaming for fun, or something serious. There are three approaches for embedding games and activities into the learning process. The first approach is based on learners designing and creating their own games according to their requirements; the second focuses on teachers, trainers or developers designing educational games from

scratch according to learners’ knowledge level; and the third one is to integrate commercial prefabricated games into the classroom activities for effective learning. Game-Based Learning plays important role in teaching by making students to collaborate, communicate, interact and work in teams. Strategic games improve the functioning of brain.

Gaming creates a dynamic that can inspire learners to develop skills and build an emotional connection to learning and subject matter. Games can be customized to individualize teaching which assist students to become more confident and independent thinkers. One of the key aspects of game-based learning is that each student receives immediate feedback on their performance, with suggestions on how they might improve. Care should be taken while using Game-based learning approach as it can be difficult to align learning objectives with educational model in game dynamics. It must meet the objectives and achieve proper alignment with curriculum.

Game-based learning has shifted focus from learning with lectures and written tasks to learning with games and it has become an indispensable part of modern education. To be a wellintegrated member of contemporary society requires more than just the mastery of the basic skills of reading and writing. It allows learners to discover new methods of working towards achieving goals and objectives in an interactive manner. Let’s hope that the latest trends of game-based learning will contribute for the betterment of students’ learning and to the quality of knowledge and skills they gain. May this type of assessment help to receive better results of the students. T R July | 2018

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR T H E

Aarti Dadheech, an educationalist serves as an Assistant Professor in the department of Computer Science and Engineering, JIET Group of Institutions, India. She is an evocative researcher in Data Security and Cryptography. She being a Computer Science Engineer (Honours) also holds a Master of Engineering degree in Computer Science from MBM Engineering College, Jodhpur.

She is entrusted with a responsible position such as Proctorial Board member of the group.

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PANDIT DEENDAYAL PETROLEUM UNIVERSITY Empowering Students by Achieving Excellence in Education

Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (PDPU), Gandhinagar, was established by the Government of Gujarat and the Oil & Gas Industry, in 2007 following public private partnership (PPP) model with the most important objective of working towards ensuring energy security in the country.

Exceptional Educational and Infrastructural Facilities The university provides extraordinary educational and infrastructural facilities to the students. They offer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programmes in engineering & technology, petroleum technology and petroleum management, and liberal studies. They emphasize on renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, and so on. They focus on research and development of petroleum and natural gas exploration and development, and research on efficient power system management. Moreover, PDPU conducts research on nuclear energy and engineering with the idea of developing

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non-power applications, especially for food and agriculture.

PDPU collaborates with prominent universities abroad and institutions of student as well as faculty exchange system.

For this purpose, an office of International Relational Relations has been established. They have established wellequipped laboratories and seven highly specialized centers of excellence in partnership with industry for providing high quality exposure to the students. They have wellstocked libraries with print, audio, video, and data resources.

About the Director General Dr. C. Gopalkrishnan is the Director General of the University. He has over 35 years of rich experience in industry, teaching, and administration. He was also Director at the School of Petroleum Management. He was formerly Director, Professor of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship, and Dean of Faculty of Doctoral Studies

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prefer to go abroad for pursuing their higher studies with prestigious fellowships and scholarships. The students preferred area of career mobility for students is media and entertainment industry and banking and marketing.

The University aims to be an internationally renowned and respected institution imparting excellent education and training based upon the foundation of futuristic research and innovations. and Research at Nirma University. He was also on the Board of Governors of Nirma University.

Accomplished Alumni The university has produced numerous alumni who have made it big in various walks of life. Some of the noteworthy alumni include Mr. Kishlaya Misra, Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank, Beijing; Sahil Nair, Asian Development Bank, Manila, Philippines; Ashwini Srinivasan studied at John Hopkins and worked with American Chamber of Commerce Singapore as an intern; and Shashank Shreedharan, who is currently working with IFMR LEAD in the field of evidence-based policy research and design, working on migration, financial inclusion, and women’s empowerment.

Landmarks Achieved PDPU has made many noteworthy accomplishments throughout its illustrious journey. The University was given “A” (3.39 out 4) in the rating exercise by National Assessment and Accreditation Council in 2016. In 2018, MHRD declared PDPU as one of

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the two private Universities in India to be conferred Graded Autonomy.

Career Opportunities and Exposures PDPU provides a variety of career opportunities and exposures to the students. It has an industry-ready orientation program; top companies have been visiting PDPU year after year to recruit engineering and management students. The Centre of Continuing Education (CCE) trains students for Preliminary and Mains (written and interview) stages of UPSC Civil Services Exam. The university also has Innovation & Incubation Centre (IIC); it also provides internships and training and International Exposure Program for the overall career development of the students. PDPU’s School of Management maintains 100% placement. The students join large energy majors (both Indian and foreign), national and international consultancy organizations and IT companies in general. About 80 per cent of the technology students have been placed in energy sector as well as in other engineering organizations. The Liberal Studies students generally

Words of Trust “My experience at PDPU ... Working round the clock, grappling through exams, submissions and club activities, you hone the fine skill of time management here. Besides having the best faculties from industry teaching you tricks and trades of business, a lot of learning happens through peers.

Interacting and being connected to people from different parts of the country with quality opinions adds to the richness of experience. To sum it up, MBA is not just a degree but rather a rich realization of what you are, what you can be and what you eventually want to become. And the journey continues….”

–Nimesh Shah, PDPU. “PDPU provides a student-driven culture which is why it is a great platform to grow in every aspect -be it academics, sports or culture.

Days at PDPU are akin to a roller coaster ride trying to learn from everywhere around -be it classroom learning or participating in cocurricular activities like Conclaves, Annual Fest; through committees, seniors, and alumni experiences.”

–Jinal Rajesh Lad, PDPU. “PDPU has helped me evolve greatly as a person, given to the focus on driving Projects/Events through student groups, Interaction with the Industry/Academia leaders, Faculty initiated Research and Contemporary teaching.”

- Divya Kale, PDPU. T R

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Distance

Training

Leveraging Distance Learning for Organization’s Vocational Training

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Enlightenment Scope

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raining and development of employees is a very crucial aspect in any organization. Training for the new employees as well as the old workforce expands their knowledge base, targets continuous development, and helps the employees to remain up-to-date with the new market trends. However, this process of training and development is quite expensive for the employees as well as the organization. The training management professionals as well as the employees have to spend a lot of time and miss out on their work for the same. Cost and time are the two luxuries that many organizations cannot afford. What if the organization is provided with a solution, which will help deliver the training effectively, reducing the cost and time required for it sufficiently?

Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is that solution. Not only does it make the process less expensive and time-saving, but also introduces possibility of new training pedagogies which are way better than the traditional methods, improving the quality of training and development.

Time-Saving and Flexibility Distance learning provides flexibility to the employees as well as the management. A person does not have the constraint of attending the ‘classroom’ at a particular time; the training material is available with him/her all the time. It facilitates learning from the comfort of one’s home or in the employee’s free time in the company, removing the restriction of being physically present at a particular place and time. Also, the personnel conducting the training, does not have to conduct the same sessions again and again. They can record it once and then distribute the recordings further. As distance training fits around the already existing responsibilities, it helps in reducing disturbances in the work, saves time, and maintains the employees’ social life as well.

Reduced Budget for Company as well as Individuals Cost cutting is effective when the organization leverages distance learning for coaching sessions. The cost of training material and resources is brought down to a great extent. The travel and stay expenses required in the training period of the new employees can be totally eliminated. With the introduction of online learning, expense of training can be lessened furthermore. Today, not just the organization, but also the individuals have recognized the need of developing their knowledge base regularly. ODL makes it easier for them to invest in their own training. Along with that, the industry-tailored vocational training can be provided to them by the company, promoting the development of the specific needed skills.

Enhanced Training Experience With the extensive development in the technology today, providing distance education is gradually becoming easier. It also allows interactivity in online sessions. With increase in communication between the two parties, the learning

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experience can be more personalized. Distance learning allows the trainees to learn at their own pace, which, if analyzed, is a very important quality missing from classroom-type sessions. Technological enhancements have made distance training affair more immersive, easy, and highly engaging in addition to providing targeted content.

Accessible, Interactive, and Analytic Content It is necessary that while providing distance-learning materials and resources to the employees, the organizations check the quality of the content and try to make the learning experience better and better. There are a few vital elements to take care of, while designing the distance learning course. The content should be easily accessible to all the employees, and on their demand, that is whenever and wherever they want it. To make the content more engaging, interactive aspect of the training should be strong. Learners will always have questions, and providing proper communication to convey and get the answers to these questions is very important. Adding quizzes and periodic tests will help in measuring the learning abilities and development of the employees.

Micro-learning: A Potent Quality Additional to these qualities, an organization can develop micro-learning sessions. An average person cannot concentrate for more than ďŹ fteen to twenty minutes effectively. So, to increase the proďŹ ciency of training, microsessions, which last not more than 15-20 minutes, can be provided. The session can be anywhere between 60 seconds to 20 minutes. This can help the employees to learn in their free time at the job or during the breaks, without having to separately make time for the training sessions.

Enhanced Innovative Pedagogies Distance learning today, provides various pedagogy options that can make the training and development process far more efďŹ cient and interesting.

The employees can be provided with virtual projects online and instructed to complete the projects according to some set of rules. This can help in assessing and improving their research, investigation, decision-making, timemanagement, and many more skills that are required while managing a project. The managers can form groups of people and assign them a group project as well, to develop the team-work, and bring out the leadership qualities in the employees. The best part is, all the group members can work on the virtual project from different geographical areas, without physically being present at a single location. This will also help the employees to make ties and improve communication with the fellow workers.

A real problem raised by a real customer, which has already been solved previously, can also be given to the trainees. With a deadline, the trainees can learn to solve real business problems in a virtual environment.

Games and simulations are an interesting way to engage the employees in training. Role-playing and competition can be incorporated in the games. This again creates a real-world scenario virtually, helping the employees to learn more and more about the business and how to manage the responsibilities.

Training and development is the key to improve the skills of the employees in a workplace. Its need is not just recognized by the organization, but also by the individuals of personal growth, today. Using distance learning to provide vocational training can be a powerful method for the companies as well as easy and affordable option for the employees, themselves. Along with reduction in the training budget and time, it can enhance the development and training methodologies to make the training more effective and immersive. With the face-paced, continuous technological developments, it can be expected that the distance-training methods will enhance more and more in the future. T R

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SRM

DELHI-NCR CAMPUS, GHAZIABAD (U.P.)

INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (Deemed to be University u/s 3 of UGC Act, 1956) Delhi-NCR Campus, Ghaziabad (U.P.)

Disseminating Knowledge in a Rigorous Academic and Research Environment

SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRM IST) is one of the top ranking deemed to be universities in India established under section 3 of the UGC Act 1956 with over 55000 students and 3000 faculty members, offering a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs in Engineering, Management, Medicine and Health Sciences & Science and Humanities spread over four campuses. The institute is accredited with the top most ‘A’ grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Board of India (NAAC).

SRM IST, Delhi NCR Campus, was established in the year 1997. The campus has more than 5000 students pursuing their career in Engineering, Management, and Hotel Management. The institute has more than 300 faculty members with excellent academic records.

The location of the campus is serene and provides right environment for innovation and creativity. Spread across 25 acres of land, with lush green surroundings and

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modern infrastructure like centralized library, well equipped technical labs, separate hostel facilities for boys and girls, AC class rooms and labs, banking facility, and Wi-Fi connection around the campus.

Promoting Research, Development, and Innovation Research is a top priority at SRM IST. It has a research institute which aims at attracting talent from across the world to focus on research in emerging areas of Science, Technology, Medical, and Health Sciences. The institute also has a Nanotechnology Research Centre, and SRM STRATUS Medical Simulation Center.

About the Chancellor Dr. T.R. Paari Vendhar is the Founder Chancellor of SRM IST. He is an eminent Indian educationist, businessman, and politician. He is the founder of The New

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Words of Trust “I am excited to have got transferred to the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee at the end of my third year at SRM. Will be completing my BS and MS at the US in just two years, saving cost and time. Many thanks for opening up this world of opportunity for me. I never dreamt of this, even a year ago.”

The institute aims at emerging as a world class institute in creating and disseminating knowledge, and providing students a unique learning experience in Science, Technology, Medicine, Management, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve for the world for the betterment of mankind Generation Media Corporation. Dr. Paari Vendhar is also the founder of 'SRM Institutes for Medical Science' (SIMS). He has been awarded honoris causa from Birmingham City University for his contributions in the field of engineering and technology education. He is a qualified chartered engineer and an associate member of the Institution of Engineers.

Noteworthy Accolades SRM IST is one of the top ranking institutes with more than 50000 students and 3500 faculty members across all campuses in India.

Throughout their illustrious journey, the institute has achieved many landmarks. SRM Institute of Science and Technology is one amongst the 31 Indian Universities that have made it to the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Ranking this year. It is placed in the 801+ category. It is placed No.1 in top 50 Private Engineering Institutes ranking in 2017.

The institute is placed No.2 in Top 100

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Engineering Institutes ranking in 2017.

Career Development Initiatives SRM’s Corporate Resource Centre keeps up a steady interaction between the students and the doyens of the corporate world. An on-going interaction ensures a high profile for the students as well a as variety of opportunities to showcase their talents.

The institute also has a Career Development Centre which aims at enhancing the confidence and developing the right attitude in the students. The main focus of the Career Development Centre is to provide the best of minds to the society thus enhancing not only the students’ attitude but also in enriching the nation with the right kind of citizens. The institute also provides extensive training to the students right from the first year of Engineering keeping in mind the career oriented progress. The personality development classes focus on all fronts of placement related to training like quantitative & qualitative verbal training and special training to improve the soft skills.

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Taran Bedi (EEE) at UWM, USA

“Coming to Warwick as a part of the Dual Degree Programme was perhaps the best decision I ever made! I shall be getting both my B.Tech and M.Sc degrees in just 4 years, ahead of my peers. And, we will be allowed to work 2 years after graduation here. Warwick has the best research labs and many eminent scientists - and has opened up exciting opportunities for SRMites.

– Sanjana (Genetic Engg) at Warwick, UK “The Semester Abroad Program has greatly helped me improve and sharpen not just my academic skills but has also benefited my future career prospects and has given me the right direction to streamline my efforts.

Getting accepted for Masters in Computer Science at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, after completing a year as a transfer student is a great example in itself for the success of the Semester Abroad Program at SRM University. Also, being offered a Project Assistantship position this summer’09 to financially support my studies and gain knowledge with research, amounts to the huge success of SAP.” – Omar Mehta, SAP Transfer to University of Wisconsin, USA

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