w w w . b w e d u c a t i o n . c o m Rs 300 MARCH 2023 BRANDS THAT HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE SASMITA MOHANTY THE EDUCATIONAL LANDSCAPE OF THE COUNTRY THROUGH THEIR LENS ABHISHEK ARORA AISHWARYA RAO AK SRIKANTH ALAKH PANDEY ARTI KHUNGAR ARUNA M KATARA BHUVANA SANTHANAM CHAITRA HARSHA DHUMIL JAVERI ELORA BASUMATARY GAURAV GOEL KAMAL SHAHANI KARUNA DAHIYA KAUSTABH KHADE MADHU CHITKARA MAYANK KUMAR MUKESH SHARMA NITISH JAIN NIYATI CHITKARA PRASHANT GUPTA PURVESH SHARMA REEKRIT SERAI SAHIL KAPOOR SHALENDRA GANDA SHANTANU ROOJ SIDDHARTH CHATURVEDI SIMRIN BAKSHI SUDHAKAR RAO SWATI MUNJAL UJJWAL SINGH VITTAL BHANDARY VIVEK KUMAR SINGH VIVEK VARSHNEY SACHIN BAHMBA
IS PLACEMENT THE END GOAL? Luminaries from B-Schools and corporate honchos debate the question of purpose of management education at the ‘Future of Management Education Conclave’ The launch of ‘Pritam Singh Best Director/Institute Builder Award’, in memory of the legendary educationist Dr Pritam Singh w w w . b w e d u c a t i o n . c o m Rs 300 MARCH 2023 Dr. Bhimraya Metri Director, IIM Nagpur Nasir Shaikh Group CEO, The Lexicon Group of Institutes, Multifit & EduCrack Prof (Dr) Lt. General R K Anand Director General, Manav Rachana International Institute of Research and Studie Prof. Ruppal W Sharma Chairperson-PGPGM, Head Delhi Centre-SPJIMR TG SITHARAM Chairperson, AICTE KULDEEP AGARWAL Vice Chairperson, Board of Open Schooling and Skill Education (BOSSE), Sikkim ALBERTO ACEREDA Associate Vice President Global Higher Education, ETS AHN YONG GYU Chancellor Korea National Sport University Dr. Vishal Talwar Director, IMT Ghaziabad Prof S Sreenivasa Murthy Director Institute of Public Enterprise Dr. Manasa Nagabhushanam Director (Academics, Research & Administration), Ramaiah Institute of Management Prof Uttam Kumar Sarkar Director, IIM Calcutta INTERVIEWS
4 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM ANNURAG BATRA [email protected] Innovations Steering New Education Narrative EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S NOTE T he National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) has provided a brilliant blueprint to the country to restructure education and several innovative educators are leveraging this opportunity to mould education and change teaching-learning experience. Pointing out some of the changes being ushered in, TG Sitharam, who has recently taken over as Chairperson of the AICTE at this critical juncture of NEP implementation, says in an interview to BW Education, “In this NEP 2020, the school curriculum has been modified to include financial literacy and artificial intelligence (AI) as part of the roll-out of important NEP initiatives. Given that the mother tongue or regional language was given priority under the NEP, similar measures have been taken, albeit on a trial basis, in a number of states. Additionally, the Ministry of Education has introduced the much-discussed Academic Bank of Credit, a concept that would give college students several admission and exit alternatives.” (Read the interview “Interdisciplinary method promotes critical thinking”) The NEP, along with Covid, gave opportunity to several new-age education entities largely driven by edtech. The challenge is to separate the wheat from the chaff. And the Top Education Brands Awards is an effort of BW Education in this direction. We seek to highlight some pathbreaking initiatives in preschool, school, higher education and edtech segments. The interviews of winners featured in this issue demonstrate the innovative zeal and perseverance, of educators who have started their ventures. They possess the empathy, environment concern and understanding of skills requirement of 21st Century India. It is heartening to see the impact they are making in the student community. BW Education also organised Future of Management Education Conclave, that saw luminaries from B-Schools converge to discuss the criticality of management education beyond placements. This year we instituted Dr Pritam Singh Best Director/Institute Builder Award, named in honour of the late Padma Shri educationist, Dr Pritam Singh. The honour went to Janat Shah, Director of IIM Udaipur. We also had the good fortune to listen to the directors of several leading B-Schools of the country. This issue carries views of these honchos, on where management education is headed. Happy Reading.
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8 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM CONTENTS MARCH 2023 44 VITTAL BHANDARY 45 PURVESH SHARMA 46 AK SRIKANTH 47 REEKRIT SERAI 48 CHAITRA HARSHA 49 SHALENDRA GANDA 50 PRASHANT GUPTA 51 SIMRIN BAKSHI 52 NIYATI CHITKARA 53 ARTI KHUNGAR 54 BHUVANA SANTHANAM 55 AISHWARYA RAO Top Education Brands Event and Awards COVER 56 SASMITA MOHANTY 57 KARUNA DAHIYA 58 MUKESH SHARMA 59 SUDHAKAR RAO 60 ABHISHEK ARORA 61 KAMAL SHAHANI1 62 ELORA BASUMATARY 63 MADHU CHITKARA 64 GAURAV GOEL 65 KAUSTABH KHADE 66 MAYANK KUMAR 67 SAHIL KAPOOR 68 SHANTANU ROOJ 69 NITISH JAIN 70 VIVEK VARSHNEY 71 DHUMIL JAVERI 72 ALAKH PANDEY 73 UJJWAL SINGH 74 VIVEK KUMAR SINGH 75 ARUNA M KATARA 76 SWATI MUNJAL 77 SACHIN BAHMBA 78 ASHOKA UNIVERSITY’S LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES 79 SIDDHARTH CHATURVEDI
WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 9 INTERVIEWS REGULARS At the BW Education Conclave on this theme, directors from leading B-Schools and recruiters deliberate on the role that management education can play in new-age economy. Heads of institutes awarded at the event share their thoughts on the desired direction that B-Schools should take: FUTURE OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION TG Sitharam Chairperson, All India Council for Technical Education Ahn Yong Gyu Chancellor, Korea National Sport University Kuldeep Agarwal Vice Chairperson, Board of Open Schooling and Skill Education (BOSSE), Sikkim Alberto Acereda Associate Vice President, Global Higher Education, ETS Lt General RK Anand Director General at Manav Rachana International Institute of Research and Studies Manasa Nagabhushanam Director (Academics, Research & Administration), Ramaiah Institute of Management S Sreenivasa Murthy Director Institute of Public Enterprise 88 90 92 Ashok Sharma Dean-Academics IMT Ghaziabad 94 28 32 102 104 96 98 100 Nasir Shaikh Group Chief Executive Officer, The Lexicon Group of Institutes, MultiFit and Educrack Ruppal Walia Sharma Marketing ChairpersonPGPGM and Head of Delhi Centre, SPJIMR Bhimraya Metri Director IIM Nagpur 10 CURRENT UPDATES 18 DATA POINT 14 CAMPUS UPDATES 106 QUOTES Dr Pritam Singh Best Director/Institute Builder Award goes to Prof Janat Shah, Director of IIM Udaipur 80 Total no. of pages including covers 108 Covers design by Shivaji Sengupta
10 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM Current Update T he Cabinet has approved a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme named Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) on September 7. 2022. These schools will showcase the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 and emerge as exemplar schools over a period of time. The duration of scheme is from 2022-23 to 2026-27. The Online portal of PM SHRI schools has already been launched on November 3, 2022. Furthermore, the selection of PM SHRI has been followed by a transparent challenge method, wherein schools have self-applied on the online portal. Selection is done through a three-stage process with definite time lines. The information was given by the Minister of State for Education Subhas Sarkar in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on February 13, 2023. Great Learning, global edtech company for higher education and professional training, has released the Indian chapter for the second edition of the ‘Upskilling Trends Report 2023’. The report is based on a profiling and survey of learners across India who pursued Great Learning's programmes last year. For the 2023 Upskilling Outlook, the company surveyed a sample of 1,000 working professionals and recent college graduates in India from different backgrounds. As per the report, the intent to upskill among Indians has increased by 4 percentage points from the previous year. In 2022, 79 per cent of professionals were planning to upskill, while in 2023, that number has risen to 83 per cent. The desire to upskill is slightly higher among men compared to women, with 83 per cent male and 80 per cent female professionals planning to upskill in 2023. The highest proportion of workforce who plan to upskill in 2023, are from IT, Tech and BFSI sectors. The cost of the project is Rs 27,360 crore spread over a period of five years which includes central share of Rs 18,128 crore Great Learning’s report says the intent to upskill among Indians has increased by 4 percentage points from the previous year PM SHRI Schools To Showcase Implementation Of NEP 2020 83% Indian Professionals Plan To Upskill In 2023
WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM B W EDUCATION March 2023 11 Current Update The aim is to bring existing, popular cours- es and skills offered by the industry, into recognition by NCVET using the NSQF A play-based learning-teaching material ‘Jadui Pitara', tailored for children between the age group of 3-8 years, is available in 13 languages SSC NASSCOM, NCVET Announce Industry Courses With Red Hat Edu Minister Floats Learning-Teaching Material S ector Skills Council (SSC) NASSCOM on February 7, 2023, announced a collaboration with Red Hat, the global provider of open source solutions, to offer the first set of six Red Hat Training courses aligned to National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF). Accepted by National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), these courses will be available on SSC NASSCOM platforms. The courses include: Red Hat Linux System Administration I, Red Hat Linux System Administration II, Red Hat OpenShift Development I, Red Hat OpenStack Administration I, Red Hat Linux Automation with Ansible and Red Hat Application Development I. The initiative revolves around bringing existing, popular courses and skills offered by the industry, into recognition by NCVET using the NSQF. With the acceptance of these Red Hat Training courses by NCVET, the Red Hat courses and programmes become nationally recognised in India with the possibility for them to be recognised by universities and colleges for academic credit. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched Learning-Teaching Material for Foundational Stage in presence of Minister of Education Annapurna Devi and Chairman of National Steering Committee on National Curriculum Framework K Kasturirangan in New Delhi on February 20, 2023. ‘Jadui Pitara’, a play-based learning-teaching material tailored for children between the age group of 3-8 years has been rolled out. Pradhan highlighted that ‘Jadui Pitara’ comprising playbooks, toys, puzzles, posters, flash cards, story books, worksheets as well as reflecting the local culture, social context and languages is designed to pique curiosity and accommodate the diverse needs of learners in the foundational stage. He also informed that ‘JaduiPitara’, developed under the National Curriculum Framework, is available in 13 Indian languages.
12 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM Current Update AICTE, BPRD Jointly Float Hackathon ‘Kavach-2023’ Manipur Students’ Exposure Tour To Maharashtra Flagged Off It’s a 36-hours long event, during which youth from educational institutions across the country and registered start-ups participate Ministry of Education had conceptualised ‘Yuva Sangam’ under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat to strengthen people-to-people connect K AVACH-2023, a national level hackathon was launched on 16 February to identify innovative ideas and technological solutions for addressing the cyber security and cybercrime challenges of the 21st century. Rajesh Kumar, IPS, CEO, Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), said that the grand finale of KAVACH-2023 will be a 36-hours long event, during which selected youth from educational institutions across the country and registered start-ups will participate to find robust, secure and effective technological solutions using their knowledge, technical expertise and innovative skills. Total prize money worth Rs 20 lakh will be awarded to the winning teams, he added. Rekha Lohani, IPS, Director, MoD informed that the concepts so submitted by participants will be evaluated by a group of domain experts and the most innovative ideas will be selected during the second phase which shall culminate with grand finale, selected Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on February 20, 2023 flagged off a team of 30 students of the state along with three faculties on a five-day exposure tour to Maharashtra under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat – Yuva Sangam programme. The chief minister flagged off the 'Visit of youths of Manipur to Maharashtra' from 20 February to 26 February 2023 from chief minister’s secretariat, Imphal. During their visits, the students will have a multi-dimensional exposure under five broad areas – Paryatan (Tourism), Parampara (Traditions), Pragati (Development), Prodyogik (Technology) and Paraspar Sampark (People-to-people connect). It’s a youth exchange programme where 70 students with 5 faculties will also be visiting Imphal on 27 February 2023 and will tour in Manipur from February 27 to March 3, 2023. participants will be expected to demonstrate their solutions for ascertaining technical feasibility and implementability of their solutions. Best ideas will be declared winners by the jury.
14 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM Campus Notes I ndian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) organised the First G20 Education Working Group Meeting on ‘The Role of Digital Technologies in Education’ from January 31 to February 2. The Education Working Group, under India’s Presidency of G20, has a key objective to identify areas/themes to promote possible research and academic collaboration among educational institutions in G20 member countries. The G20 Seminar was held at IIT Madras Research Park (IITMRP) as part of ‘Sherpa Track – 1st Education Working Group Meeting’. An exhibition with 50 stalls was organised as part of this grand event at IITMRP. These stalls showcased some of the research, innovation and cutting-edge technologies. Delivering the inaugural address, India Chair, K Sanjay Murthy, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India said, “We will be organising four meetings of the Education Working Group in the coming months at Amritsar, Bhubaneswar and Pune. The four priority areas for deliberations are issues of foundational literacy and numeracy, tech-enabled learning, future of work and research and innovation collaboration.” The participants of this seminar included Members of G20 Education WorkG20 Conference on ‘The Role of Digital Technologies in Education’ The event, organised by IIT Madras, saw participation of Members of G20 Education Working Group from each G20 member country, guest countries, and international organisations ing Group from each G20 member country, guest countries, and international organisations besides representatives of select academic institutions in G20 member countries that are engaged in initiatives for promoting the use of digital technologies for ensuring quality learning opportunities for all and improving learning outcomes. Representatives of international organisations such as UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank, and OEC D, among others were also taking part alongside representatives of knowledge partners from India. V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras and Chairman, IITMRP, said, “We have Sustainable Development Goal #4 in front of us, which talks about quality and equitable education for all. We all dream that due to these efforts which have been in place for some time, we will have a world where every child will be, at least, a graduate.” A number of invigorating sessions took place, on themes like ‘Provide accessible and equitable education for K-12 learners, and ‘Emerging technologies to provide skill education and training’.
WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 15 Campus Notes Technology To Tackle Plastic Waste IISER Bhopal Researchers Develop Organic Crystalline Materials IIT Roorkee researchers led by Director KK Pant developing sustainable technologies These materials are environment friendly and can be used in designing flexible electronic devices in healthcare, intelligent systems, wearables, and self-powered devices A research group headed by KK Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee is working on the development of sustainable technology to tackle the ever-growing menace of plastic waste and e-waste along with the generation of wealth via a zero-waste discharge concept. The researchers have developed e-waste recycling processes that are in accordance with Indian ‘Smart Cities’ and ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ initiatives via a zero-waste discharge concept. The adopted methodology is divided into two steps: i) Pyrolysis of e-waste and separation of metal fraction, and ii) Individual recovery of metals. The proposed closed-loop recycling process can potentially be scaled-up and used as a viable environmentally benign alternative to traditionally used acid-leaching techniques posing immense hazardous risks. Elaborating on the importance of such research, Pant, said, “It is important to develop sustainable processes to handle plastic and e-waste, which are being generated in huge quantities in India, especially with the exponential increase in the use of electronic devices. If such processes are not developed and implemented across the country at the earliest, the e-waste could lead to longterm ecological and environmental degradation.” The research group is working on several initiatives on ‘circular economy,’ a model of production and consumption, which involves utilising and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. Such initiatives are being supported by several major Government organisations and industries. I ISER-Bhopal researchers have successfully developed a new, flexible organic crystal that shows great potential for use in highly sensitive pressure sensors. These crystals were developed in IISER Bhopal, and the understanding of the response of these crystals to mechanical deformation was done in collaboration with researchers from the University of Queensland and the Queensland University of Technology. The device fabricated with this material has a high sensitivity to pressure, when compared to existing materials, making it a promising component for the future development of the technology of pressure sensors. The findings of the research have been published in the prestigious journal Small in a paper co-authored by Deepak Chopra, Mitradip Bhattacharjee, and their research scholars Avantika Hasija and Lakhvir Singh from IISER Bhopal along with Amy J Thompson, Jack K Clegg, John C McMurtrie from The University of Queensland, Australia and Megha SN and Kiran SRN Mangalampalli from SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chennai. There is a growing interest in the use of organic materials for electronic applications. The flexibility of organic materials makes them ideal for creating flexible electronic devices such as displays and sensors that can be bent or curved, providing a new level of design freedom. Organic crystals, in particular, have immense potential in the field of electronics, due to their few defects and minimal grain boundaries. These materials can be made without harmful chemicals or high-energy conditions, making them better for the environment. Apart from the applications of touch screens, such materials will be of great use in the design of flexible electronic devices, such as those used in healthcare, intelligent systems, wearable devices, and self-powered devices.
16 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM Campus Notes University of GlasgowIIM Indore Collaboration Centre for Mathematics and Computing Set Up The two institutions celebrate India’s G-20 Presidency and Adam Smith’s 300th Anniversary: jointly launch the ‘Adam Smith Around the Globe Lecture Series’ Axis Bank, signs an MOU with IISc Bengaluru for establishment of the centre I IM Indore is celebrating the 300th birth year of Adam Smith, the Father of Economics, with its international partner, the University of Glasgow. This is part of a series of events that the institute is organising during India’s G20 Presidency. The institute had signed an MoU with the University of Glasgow, the fourth oldest university in the UK, in August 2022 to offer various joint programmes and dual degree proT he Axis Bank Centre for Mathematics and Computing is India’s first comprehensive Academic Research Centre on Mathematics and Computing. It will play a vital role in building the nation’s future as many contemporary and futuristic areas such as Artificial Intelligence and Data Science rely on the foundations of mathematics and computing. Spread over 1.6 lakh square feet of space, the Centre will have state-ofthe-art labs and programmes that will benefit faculty and students from more than 20 departments of IISc. The Centre will host the new IISc BTech programme in Mathematics & Computing and the ongoing Interdisciplinary PhD programme in Mathematical Sciences. It is expected that over 500 engineers and scientists will benefit from the Centre every year. grammes, and is now collaborating on multiple fronts. As part of celebrating the 300th birth year of Adam Smith, who was alumnus of the University of Glasgow, the very first lecture series, titled ‘Smith Around the Globe Lecture Series’, was held at IIM Indore on January 10, 2023. The series is to be conducted in 20 nations, and thus, this event being held at IIM Indore made India the first nation to organise this event. The series was inaugurated by Himanshu Rai, Director, IIM Indore. The series witnessed V Anantha Nageswaran, the Chief Economic Advisor of the Government of India, interacting with the community online. The galaxy of speakers included John Finch, Professor of Marketing and Head – Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow; Alex Thomas, School of Arts and Science, Azim Premji University; and Subhasankar Chattopadhyay, IIM Indore.
WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 17 Campus Notes IIT Jodhpur Organises NAiBS-2023 Australian Students at Chitkara University ‘Next-gen AI: Inspiration from Brain Science’ conference saw participation of 100 delegates from across the world Law Students of Western Sydney University celebrate Republic Day of India and National Day of Australia I IT Jodhpur conducted NAiBS-2023 international conference from January 26-28, 2023. The conference aimed at bringing together researchers across domains for discussions on the common goal of designing AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) systems - drawing inspiration from individual sensorimotor computations leading to multimodal processes in the human brain. The conference also envisioned being of interest to a vibrant network of early-career scholars engaged in the transdisciplinary inquiry on the origins, nature, and future of human and artificial intelligence. The conference was sponsored by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB). The conference hosted renowned academicians like Tomaso Poggio, Nancy Kanwisher, Susan Goldin-Meadow, Subbarao Kambhampati among others. A total of 100+ participants participated from different institute's including IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, Imperial college London, Friedrich-Schiller-UnivetsitatJena, University of Petroleum Studies Deharadun, AIIMS Delhi, and IIIT Hyderabad. Some of the models of brain functions discussed during the conference were language development, gestures, communication, contemplation, learning, memory, decision making, visual perception, object recognition, perception, attention, ageing, multi-sensory processing. C hitkara University hosted 20 law students from Western Sydney University (WSU), Australia, who were invited to jointly celebrate the Republic Day of India and the National Day of Australia. On the occasion, Madhu Chitkara, Pro Chancellor, Chitakara University, said that India and Australia cherish strong bilateral ties. “Chitkara University had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Western Sydney University, Australia, in 2017 which has aided in engaging diverse faculties and international offices of both the universities for proactively promoting the strategic collaboration,” she informed. The MoU has been facilitating faculty visits, exchanges, joint research, post-doctorate fellowships and active participation in conferences, seminars and training workshops.
18 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM Data Point T he Economic Survey, released a day before the annual Budget, comes at a time when schools and colleges have been running in physical mode for about a year now, following two years of Covid and lockdown. It helps assess improvement and losses in education pan India. The report PROGRESS CARD FOR EDUCATION The annual Economic Survey helps gauge gains and losses in education as the sector regrouped itself post-Covid By Team BW Education will help the education sector to plan their strategy accordingly. SCHOOLS School Enrolment The year FY22 saw improvement in Gross Enrolment Ratios (GER) in schools and improvement in gender parity. • GER in the primary enrolment in class I to V as a percentage of the population in age 6 to 10 years - for girls as well as boys - has improved in FY22. • GER in Upper Primary (enrolment in class VI to VIII as a per cent of the pop-
WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 19 Data Point ulation in age 11-13 years), which was stagnant between FY17 and FY19, improved in FY22. • In FY22, a total of 26.5 crore children were enrolled in schools and 19.4 lakh additional children were enrolled in Primary to Higher Secondary levels. School Dropouts The report states, “School dropout rates at all levels have witnessed a School Gross Enrolment Ratios School dropout rates Improving school infrastructure (in per cent) (in per cent) (Schools with basic facilities as a percentage of all schools) Source: Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE+)35 Notes: 1. UDISE+ data comes with more than one-year lag, hence data is available up to 2021-22 2. GER greater than 100 per cent might represent the presence of over or under-age children in a particular level of education. Source: UDISE+ * Due to Covid, schools were closed physically. Hence, fewer medical check-ups were done. Source: UDISE+ steady decline in recent years. The decline is for both girls and boys.” Giving the reason for improvement, it says, “The schemes such as Samagra Shiksha, RTE Act, improvement in school infrastructure and facilities, residential hostel buildings, availability of teachers, regular training of teachers, free textbooks, uniforms for children, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya and the PM POSHAN Scheme play an important role in enhancing enrolment and retention of children in schools.” School Infrastructure “The education infrastructure in the form of schools, amenities, and digitalisation has been steadily promoted along with a focus on pedagogy,” the report states, adding, “The basic infrastructure facilities in schools – both in terms of the number of recognised schools and teachers’ availability re-
20 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM Data Point flected in the Pupil-Teacher Ratio, showed an improvement in FY22.” Some improvement areas are: • Toilets (girls or boys), drinking water, and hand-washing facilities are now available in most Government schools. • Under the Information & Communication Technology (ICT) component of the Samagra Shiksha Scheme, there is emphasis on ICT labs in schools, including support for hardware, educational software, and e-content for teaching. • Availability of teachers, measured by pupil-teacher ratio, has improved at all levels continuously from FY13 to FY22: - from 34.0 to 26.2 at Primary, - 23.0 to 19.6 at Upper Primary, - 30.0 to 17.6 at Secondary, - and 39.0 to 27.1 at the Higher Secondary level. HIGHER EDUCATION The Survey points to the improved infrastructure in higher education. Following are some of the pointers: • Number of medical colleges in the country has increased from 387 in 2014 to 648 in 2022 • Number of MBBS seats has increased from 51,348 to 96,077. • Number of Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) has increased from 16 in 2014 to 23 in 2022 2016-17 3.0 3.6 3.7 3.7 3.9 4.1 3.5 4.0 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-20 Total enrolment (in crore) Total students’ enrolments in higher education • In the same period, the number of Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) has increased to 20 (as against 13 in 2014) • The strength of Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) is 25 in 2022 against 9 in 2014. • The total number of universities has increased from 723 to 1,113. • The total number of faculty/teachers is 15,51,070 of which about 57.1 per cent are male and 42.9 per cent are female. Enrolments in higher education The report says, “The GER in higher education, based on 2011 population projections (revised), was recorded at 27.3 per cent in FY21, which is an improvement from 25.6 in FY20. GER for males increased from 24.8 in FY20 to 26.7 in FY21 while GER for females has also shown improvement from 26.4 to 27.9 during the same period.” • The total enrolment in higher education has increased to nearly 4.1 crore in FY21 from 3.9 crore in FY20. • Since FY15, there has been an increase of around 72 lakh in enrolment (21 per cent). • The female enrolment has increased to 2.0 crore in FY21 from 1.9 crore in FY20. Students’ enrolment in higher education Source: AISHE report 2020-21 (in per cent)
22 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM In Focus Budget 2023 A rise in the budgetary allocation on education notwithstanding, only 2.5 per cent of total expenditure has been provisioned for education sector. To improve the education system in India, not only is budgetary allocation important but also NEP 2020 should be implemented with no time lapse
WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 23 In Focus By Upasana Budget 2023 Upskilling Education On the social infrastructure front, India’s position in human development is alarming which is visible through one of the globally accepted indicators like Human Development Index. India’s rank in HDI 2021 stood at 132 which is even worse compared to its HDI rank in 2020 which was 130th. Although HDI does not incorporate higher education, nonetheless the situation of higher education is worrisome. India’s expenditure on school education as well as higher education is not sufficient enough to take a leap forward. The Economic Survey 2022-23 lays emphasis on ensuring quality education for all and highlights the importance of education by quoting Late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam: ‘learning gives creativity, creativity leads to thinking, thinking leads to knowledge and knowledge makes you great’ by. While the Economic Survey as well as the Budget 2023-24 attribute the importance of education, however the situation of education and skill development is debated time and again.The plight of higher education of India is manifested through the position of Indian institutions in world rankings like THE and QS; no Indian institution or university is in the top 100 list. Budget Focus The Union Budget 2023-24 which was tabled by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 1 February 2023 hopes to build on the foundation laid in the 2022-23 Budget and the blueprint sketched for India@100. Given the importance of human capital, the
24 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM In Focus two pillars viz health and education demand more allocation compared to previous years. In this regard, the Budget 2023-24 allocates 1,12,899 crore for education sector which is marginally higher than the previous year’s allocation of 1,04,278 crore. The sectoral breakup is 68,804 crore for school education and 44,094 crore for higher education. However, the allocation for Education Ministry's flagship scheme Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan has dismally increased from Rs 37,383 crore to Rs 37,453 crore. There is a need for higher allocation for this programme since there is a challenge for the stakeholders to recover learning that has been disturbed due to the lockdowns induced by Covid-19. "Union Budget 2023 allocates Rs 44,094.62 crore for higher education which is 7.9 per cent higher than the previous year's allocation, to overcome the learning losses of the Covid-19 pandemic and inject more digital technology into higher education for more access and equity," tweeted MamidalaJagadesh Kumar, Chairman, UGC. "Increased fund allocation will accelerate the implementation of NEP 2020, bringing further dividends to the students to make them employable and strengthen our efforts in making India a knowledge-based economy," Kumar added. Major announcements Further, the Budget envisioned to recruit 38,800 teaching and support staffs for the 740 Eklavya Model Residential Schools, which serve 3.5 lakh tribal students. For realising the vision of 'Make AI in India and Make AI work for India', three centres of excellence for Artificial Intelligence will be set-up in top educational institutions. Leading industry players will collaborate in conducting interdisciplinary research, develop cutting-edge applications and scalable problem solutions in the areas of health, agriculture and sustainable cities. This will galvanise an effective AI ecosystem and nurture quality human resources in the field. Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan lauded the budget as being people-centric, inclusive and growth-stimulating. "Giving a boost to education, skill development, entrepreneurship, R&D, digital infrastructure, green growth and job creation, the Budget draws a meticulous blueprint for India@100," he said. The Budget plans to establish 157 new Nursing Colleges in nearby existing 157 medical colleges established since 2014. Teachers’ training will be re-envisioned through innovative pedagogy, curriculum transaction, continuous professional development, dipstick surveys and ICT implementation. The District Institutes of Education and Training will be developed as vibrant institutes of excellence for this motive. Long Walk to Go The 2021 budgetary provision of 50,000 crores in R&D was expected to revamp the higher education ecosystem in the country. The 2021 Budget accentuated innovation and research but struggled on the digital education front, given the mammoth challenges posed due to Covid and lockdown, that massively disrupted teaching and learning and also for implementing NEP 2020. Comparing the allocation on education, in 2020-21, the total outlay was 99,312 crores out of which 59,845 crores were allocated for school education and literacy and rest 39,467 crore were allocated for the higher education sector. In the budget 2021-22, total outlay on education was 93,224 crore; for school education, it was 54,874 crore and for higher education, total outlay was 38,350 crore. Post-Covid Needs The Covid-19 crisis has not only hit normal learning and teaching but also widened the digital divide in education. This called for higher allocation
WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 25 In Focus of funds for the education sector on various fronts including, but not limited to, creating and fostering digital infrastructure for smooth online education, skilling teachers for learning and adopting new methods of imparting education through digital mode, training for students and providing smartphones/laptops etc. and providing mobile learning facilities at the doorstep. The Budget 2023-24, overlooks the inimical effects of the pandemic on education and also lags behind in terms of measures to recoup teaching and learning on track. The immediate opportunities have been missed; however, we can anticipate more positive initiatives for the education sector in future. Although there is a rise in the budgetary allocation on education, however only 2.5 per cent of total expenditure has been provisioned for education sector. The Kothari Commission (1964) recommended 6 per cent spending as a percentage of GDP on education which still remains a 'pipe dream'. Even though the NEP 2020 also recommended public spending on education to be 6 per cent of GDP, India lags far behind. The United Nations through its Sustainable Development Goal 4 clearly signifies the importance of education and ‘ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all’. India needs to spend more on education and skill development to revive its capsizing education system. The budget remains silent on curving the regional disparity in education and transforming the research ecosystem in the country. The roaring Asian Tigers and the success of the Scandinavian countries and the East Asian Miracle are largely attributed to the human capital formation through rigorous improvement in health and education. To revive the education system in India, not only is budgetary allocation important, NEP 2020 should also be implemented with no time lapse. The Ministry of Education has been allocated Rs. 1,12,898.97 crore. The sectoral breakup is 68,804 crore for School Education and 44,094 crore for Higher Education. 100 Labs are to be set up in engineering colleges to develop apps using 5G. 38,000 teachers and support staff are to be recruited in the next 3 years, for 740 Eklavya Model Residential Schools serving 3.5 lakh tribal students. 157 new nursing colleges will be established in colocation with the existing 157 medical colleges established since 2014. Facilities in select ICMR Labs will be made available for research by public and private medical college faculty and private sector R&D teams for encouraging collaborative research and innovation. A National Digital Library for children and adolescents will be set up for facilitating the availability of quality books across geographies, languages, genres and levels and device-agnostic accessibility. 30 Skill India International Centres will be set up across different States, to skill the youth for international opportunities BUDGET AT A GLANCE
26 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM In Focus Budget Quotes While it is heartening to see libraries going digital and increased attention on Eklavya Schools, a lot more was expected from the sector to address faster execution of NEP 2020. The education budget is still far from the desired 6 per cent of GDP, no SOPs yet in place for digital devices that are to be used to enhance the learning experience and the impetus to set up labs and AI COEs should have gone up by encouraging more Public Private Partnerships. VINESH MENON CEO - Human Development & Social Impact Services, AMPERSAND Group In my opinion, the budget for 2023 is focused on making wise digital investments across all sectors, not just education, and we wholeheartedly welcome this initiative. However, it would have been ideal if the government could reduce the interest rates on education loans as Indians are the largest population who studies abroad. It is expected that in 2024 the number of Indian students studying abroad will go up to 1.8 million. PIYUSH KUMAR Regional Director- South Asia and Mauritius, IDP Education One highlight for me was the talk of the National Data Governance framework. Through this framework, it will allow us to get access to a lot of non-personal, anonymous data. Research-intensive institutions will benefit greatly from this because one of the biggest hurdles one needs to overcome during the conducting of research is the lack of data. DR AJIT PARULEKAR Director of Goa Institute of Management (GIM) Driving synergies is at the heart of this budget- new nursing colleges collocated with medical colleges is a thoughtful project with several potential benefits.The Indian Council for Medical Research Labs being made available for research by public and private medical college faculty and private sector R&D teams will unlock the potential for research and collaboration. KAMLESH VYAS Partner, Deloitte India around Education & Skill Development The Union Budget, 2023 deserves a sure thumbs up given its foresight in addressing the existing skill deficit and thereby empowering the youth through a two-pronged approach of employment generation and simultaneous upskilling The introduction of labs in engineering institutions shall surely catalyze more research centricity and help strengthen innovation. RUDRA PRATAP Founding Vice- Chancellor of Plaksha University.
WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 27 In Focus The Union Budget 2023 focuses on education and skilling as key growth drivers for inclusive development; this is being addressed not only through the deployment of R&D and tech but crucially through teacher recruitment and training, and increased access to books and material to all corners of the country through the National Digital Library. Foundational literacy and access to education provided through skilled teachers have been highlighted as a priority in the NEP 2020, for India to effectively prepare its growing young population for the future. We are confident that these developments will accelerate the implementation of the NEP 2020, and we remain committed to partnering with the government and education sector in India to enable young Indians. ALISON BARRETT MBE Director India, British Council The much-needed focus on the MSME sector, coupled with efforts of mobilising resources, and facilitating access to government schemes, will help create entrepreneurship opportunities and better livelihoods, especially for women from the marginalised communities. Furthermore, the focus on building a strong AI ecosystem in India and training skilled AI professionals will assist new businesses in acquiring the right talent. NIDHI BHASIN CEO, Nasscom Foundation It is a disappointment that there were no specific announcements for the higher education sector. Research in the higher education sector needs the government's support which in turn can act as a catalyst for India's growth. We hope the government opens channels for collaborative working with private institutions as well, to create global managers. VAIDYANATHAN V CFO, Great Lakes Institute of Management The emphasis on education and employment is progressive. Since the pandemic, the education ecosystem has seen major transformation, and now with the introduction of 30 Skill India international centers, education will further witness the much need skilling integration that was required. The government's focus on skill development and preparing students for the future is also evident through the initiative to open 100 labs in engineering institutes for building 5G service capabilities and augmenting the digital infrastructure for medical sciences; among other similar initiatives. LT GEN MD VENKATESH Vice Chancellor, MAHE Manipal We appreciate the decision to deepen the focus on teacher upskilling, through innovative pedagogy, curriculum exchange, continuous professional development, dipstick surveys, and ICT implementation. The announcement of hiring 38,800 teachers and support staff for the 740 Eklavya Model Residential Schools, which will serve 3.5 lakh, tribal students, is significant as it will be critical for these teachers to have digital and other new-age skills in order to properly equip these students for a bright future and reach out to children and youth in the tribal areas. This is significant for the nation’s growth. DR NEERJA BIRLA Founder and Chairperson Aditya Birla Education Trust
28 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM Interview A ll India Council for Technical Education has a critical role to play in steering technical education and in the implementation of National Education Policy in its true letter and spirit. TG Sitharam, who has taken over as the chairperson of the organisation at this critical juncture, delineates the task that is cut out for him. Sitharam, earlier Director of IIT Guwahati, provides an overarching understanding of the imperatives of higher education. Excerpts: You have recently assumed charge at the helm of AICTE. Drawing from your vast academic experience in leading engineering colleges, culminating with being the director of IIT Guwahati, what for you are the key priorities for technical education institutions? At AICTE, a significant genre of activities is spearheading an industrial co-innovation network while concentrating on diverse research fields in cooperation with international institutions and research centres in order to meet the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In sync with Prime Minister Gati Shakti Scheme, AICTE is dedicated to create better opportunities in the field of employment generation and entrepreneurship. TG Sitharam, Chairman, AICTE, provides an insight into how the organisation is enabling the implementation of NEP By Meha Mathur “Interdisciplinary Method Promotes Critical thinking” “Interdisciplinary Method Promotes Critical thinking” Furthermore, AICTE establishes an ecosystem for co-innovation and start-ups and providing incentives and awards to students and faculty job-specific abilities. In addition, AICTE suggests switching from building Towers of Excellence to a Network of Excellence with Collaborative Value Positions incorporating other prestigious institutes and universities of the country. What are the strengths of our technical education institutions, and where are they found lacking? How do you propose to further improve their quality? The technical educational institutes
W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 29 Interview in the country are transforming in the era of disruptive innovation. Their strength lies in the lap of innovation and modern technologies. Yes, there are some challenges but our sincere efforts are thriving at establishing an entrepreneurial ecosystem and providing youth in India with employment prospects. AICTE institutions can produce a lot of innovations and new start-ups with more advanced research at all of its institutions, which can open the door for a fantastic job creator. This calls on AICTE to act as a facilitator for all stakeholders by evaluating the potential impact of sustainable development using the right tools and methodology in line with the Ministry of Education's goal. You have assumed charge at a time when NEP is being implemented in higher education institutes. How does NEP promise to be a game changer for the youth of today? And how can it be implemented in the true spirit? What are the challenges that you see in its implementation? National Education Policy-2020 is a landmark document and a guiding source to bring reformative changes in the Indian education sector. The NEP 2020, India's first major policy since 1986, has various challenges of tackling many questions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "We are approaching the 75th year of Independence. In a way, NEP implementation has taken on importance in relation to this event. A new India and young people who are prepared for the future will be made possible by this". AICTE has charted out the modalities for phased implementation of the Policy at various levels, and broadly earmarks the short-term, mid-term and long-term goals which will be assessed and reviewed periodically. The school curriculum has been modified to include financial literacy and artificial intelligence (AI) as part of the roll-out of important NEP initiatives. Given that the mother tongue or regional language was given priority under the NEP, similar measures have been taken, albeit on a trial basis, in a number of states.
30 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM Interview Additionally, the Ministry of Education has introduced the much-discussed Academic Bank of Credit, a concept that would give college students several admission and exit alternatives. Aside from these, there are a number of important initiatives, including the NIPUN Bharat Mission, which aims to improve students' reading, writing, and math skills by the end of third grade, the Vidya Pravesh school readiness programme for first-graders, the DIKSHA teaching-learning content repository, and the NISHTHA teacher training programme for secondary-level educators. A few states have started the programme's rollout. On August 24, 2022 Karnataka became the first state to implement NEP. A series of NEP initiatives recently undertaken by Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh are giving this massive project the much-needed boost it needs. India has done an outstanding job of building a vast infrastructure throughout the nation to provide engineering education to thousands of candidates in every state each year. However, in order to meet the demands for the next generation of engineering skills, we need to scale up high-quality technical education. We have researched the existing state of engineering education in order to assist the reforms that are being taken for training and employment of engineering graduates and AICTE is working towards it. Standing of Indian institutes in global rankings is a point of discussion in academia now. Do you think these rankings truly reflect the work that our institutes are doing? And if so, how can we improve our standing? Universities that don't rank highly on these global ranking list experience persistent concern. They may experience a sense of "lagging behind" because of this. It causes people to stigmatise them. We are focused with the ranking system that is "value-neutral." Most of us will lose the moral fortitude to rethink the scale of the university's ties to the outside world throughout this process. Global Universities are more focused on using figures, calculations, and tables to illustrate their points. Citations per paper, papers per faculty, the percentage of international students, the prestige of the employer, the teacher-student ratio, and the global research network are some examples of these statistics. Even though these studies were published in "international" publications, statisticians are unable to comprehend their relevance, despite their ability to quantify the papers by faculty. It is hard to discern whether these tools are actually fostering the growth of novel, exciting concepts in the natural and social sciences while also raising global awareness of ethical issues. Professors have perfected the skill of partaking in the practise of producing papers in this academic competition for publications, citations, and global networking. They have the ability to control the carefully designed networking circuits in order to increase citations. But we need to do more on patents and Intellectual property filings. Then, what should we do next? Awakened intelligence and knowledge need to be equated in global "AICTE suggests switching from building Towers of Excellence to a Network of Excellence with Collaborative Value Positions incorporating other prestigious institutes and universities of the country"
W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 31 Interview "AICTE has charted out the modalities for phased implementation of the Policy at various levels, and broadly earmarks the short-term, mid-term and longterm goals which will be assessed and reviewed periodically" universities and colleges. It should strive to bring together relevant research and development-led innovations to transfer technologies and develop products. Learners who are empathetic and sensitive must be fostered. These students ought to hone their academic abilities in the fight against social issues like racism, casteism, and religious bigotry; and it ought to connect wisdom with knowledge. In order to work toward a future that is egalitarian, environmentally conscious, and spiritually exalted, the wisdom must reframe what study in science, technology, economics, and sociology means. Moreover, to be noted, seven IITs opted out from the THE World University Rankings in 2020—Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras, and Roorkee; and, raised questions about the rankings' integrity and criteria. They had said in a joint statement that ‘this year's list will not include the seven IITs. If Times Higher Education is successful in persuading them about the guidelines and transparency in their ranking procedure, they will re-evaluate their choice the following year. However, since 2020, several IIT’s have not participated in “THE Ranking” until now. What is your view on making our youth job-ready versus developing their entrepreneurial acumen? It is a question better to be left for the youth to decide. We can only guide them towards their ideas. Whatever they choose, being a self dependent entrepreneur or a manager of a firm who leads a team, it totally depends upon them. AICTE builds a neutral environment for both. One things which should be noted that all cannot be entrepreneurs. But, if one sincerely works hard to develop skills in multiple areas, one can develop entrepreneurial acumen. Most higher education institutes are now focussing on research (especially interdisciplinary work) and incubation. What are the factors behind a successful research ethos in an institute? Focusing on creating a multi-disciplinary educational environment is a crucial step that will benefit the students and have a lasting impact. Research and innovation is key for successful educational institutes. Students will have a wider range of subjects to pick from without the limitations they encountered earlier thanks to the flexibility to choose subjects from the sciences and humanities with the option to also learn fine arts and sports. Additionally, this method will promote critical thinking, self-reflection, research, leadership, collaborative abilities, a sense of dedication, professionalism, and a greater awareness of one's socio-cultural surroundings. One of the cornerstones of the NEP 2020 is to train the faculty and mentors for research and innovation through a targeted procedure and planned way. The teachers must receive training immediately in order to improve their abilities in conducting research. They must be knowledgeable about cutting edge research and development; innovation to transform their ideas into products; and, teaching through effective approaches to provide topnotch content. Another innovative measure is 'National Credit Framework', which allows vertical and lateral mobility. This will have a positive effect on encouraging more interested aspirants to choose academia as a career. India needs to open up the more PhD applications to those with a Master's degree or a four-year undergraduate degree students and it is key for the nation. I am optimistic that there will be a noticeable improvement in the high-calibre faculty numbers in higher education.
32 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM Interview Kuldeep Agarwal, Vice Chairperson, Board of Open Schooling and Skill Education (BOSSE), Sikkim, on how the Board is empowering students of the region by providing them relevant, quality education and skilling With what objective was the Board of Open Schooling and Skill Education set up and what role is it playing in the empowerment of future generation? The provision for open schooling facility to school children in the State of Sikkim has been one of the high priorities of the Government of Sikkim. Recognizing the due importance of providing open schooling facility, the Board of Open Schooling and Skill Education Act (Act No. 14 of 2020) was passed by the Sikkim Legislative Assembly on 21st Sept. 2020. Subsequently, Gazette Notification was published on 8th October, 2020. BOSSE was established to identify “out of school children” and to enrol them with the Board as per their eligibility. The objective was empowerment of the future generations in the region. There are three National Boards and most states have their own Boards. Sikkim did not have its own School Education Boardtill BOSSE was estabK uldeep Agarwal, Vice Chairp e r s o n , B o a r d of O p e n Schooling and Skill Education, Sikkim, started his career as English Teacher fromModern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi in 1983. Thereafter, in 1986, he started teaching at Delhi University Department of Education (popularly known as CIE). Later, he was also Director (Academic & Open School), Board of School Education Haryana, Govt. of Haryana for two stints.He retired asDirector (Academic), NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling), Govt. of India in 2016, where he had two stints. An alumnus of St Stephen’s College and Department of Education, Delhi University, Agarwal is a Ph.D. in Education.He has a deep understanding of education in general andopen learning in particular.Agarwal describes the need of an Open Schooling Board in the North East, and the role BOSSE is playing. Excerpts: “We Emphasise Indian Knowledge Systems In Curriculum” lished. Theschools in the State, even Government Schools, are affiliated to CBSE. Now, the need for a Board of their ownwas felt. There was also the realisation that Open Schooling System will benefit the out of school children in Sikkim, asthere is a dropout rate of more 25 per cent. While the formal schools in the State are already running well, the out-ofschool children would be benefitted by an Open Schooling Board. There was also a perceived need to combine academic education with vocational or skill education. This has also been emphasised by the NEP (National Education Policy), 2020. Thus, the Board of Open Schooling andSkill Education (BOSSE) was started with these objectives in mind. The Vision of BOSSE is: “To contribute to the universalisation of school education, by providing inclusive flexible, quality school education for life and livelihood, imparting vocational skills along with academic education
W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 33 Interview We encourage students to take up vocational courses, rather than imposing it by making it compulsory. It’s not practical KULDEEP KUMAR for sustainable development of nation and society.” Open Schooling stands for ‘Freedom to Learn’, ‘Learning to Learn’ and ‘Lifelong Learning’. In this spirit, we provide utmost flexibility for learning – no upper age limit, bringing education to the doorsteps of the students, who can learn at their own place, own pace; and study subjects of their own choice, etc. What has been the reason for such a high dropout rate? This is the case allover the country, not onlyin Sikkim. According to a recently reported survey (NFHS-5 Survey), the net attendance ratio has fallen from 83 percent in primary school to 66 percent at the secondary school level. The dropout rate is more than 25 percent in Tripura, Sikkim, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh. In fact, four states have registered a dropout rate of more than 30 percent.According to the survey, the most common reason reported for children dropping out of school was "lack of interest in studies".Other major reasons found were: Costs too much, Required for Household Work, Lack of Proper Facilities and Marriage.As far as Sikkim is concerned, another reason can be that the region is hilly and so there may be issues of accessibility. So since starting of the Open School Board, what perceptible difference has been made and what kind of success stories have come to light? As we have seen, BOSSE is still in its infancy;it came into being under an Act in October 2020. Within this short span, we have been grantedequivalence by Association of Indian Universities (AIU); the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), Govt. of India have also recognized BOSSE; and we have also acquired Membership of COBSE (Council of Boards of
34 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM Interview School Education). We have also got ISO certification within this short span. And to add some success stories, two students/pass-outs of BOSSE have cracked the NEET exam for medical education. The Nursing Council has granted us recognition and some students are doing nursing after passing out. Similarly, Pharmacy Council of India has also granted us recognition. So, our students are getting into various fields. Open education has greatly deployed technology to impart education. During Covid, how did open schooling platform leverage the already existing digital infrastructure, and did these platforms extend assistance to brick-and-mortar education institutes? Yes, actually. We ourselves decided to embrace technology fully. We have online examinations,for which wehave tied up with AON, an international company that has ahighly effective, user-friendly online platform for exams. And we also provide online classes in all subjects,on Jio meet. Now that Covid has ended, what will your format be now? Will you be tying up with schools to impart education? We already have study centers. Just like NIOS, the process is the same, with online classes and facilitators at study centres who are there to help students. The National Education Policy envisages far-reaching changes in school and higher education, with due emphasis to skills development and instruction in one’s own language. To what extent is the Board already aligned with what NEP espouses, and what changes are being brought in to further bring the Board in sync with NEP? Name of the Board itself has ‘Skill Education’ in it. We offer a variety ofvocational courses also at secondary and senior secondary level.Learners can opt for one vocational subject. We encourage them to take up vocational courses, rather than imposing it by making it compulsory. And students are going for subjects like Computer Science and trades in culinary sciences, like Baking & Confectionery. Till now, we have online assessment, which is in MCQ format and the question papersare set by experts ineach subject. Teachers from Universities, Colleges, Schools, and other institutions like NCERT andNIOS have been involved in setting the questions. In future, we may plan to have some descriptive questions also because the EON platform that we are using for assessment has a provision for that. Examinees can type or write by hand and upload their answers. As far as study materialsare concerned, we have started using NIOS curricula and study materials, with their permission. But soon, we are going to launch our own curricula and study materials. We have already developed our own curricula and study materials in 22 subjects. Work in more subjects is going on. It is an ongoing process. And in designing the curriculum, we have kept in mind the recommendations of NEP 2020. NEP 2020 lays emphasis on India-centred education as well as current concerns like Sustainable Development. In every subject we have tried toincorporate sustainable development as well as Indian knowledge systems, e.g. Vedic Maths. We emphasise on Bharat/India Centred Education, incorporating Bharatiya Knowledge, Wisdom and Valuesin the Curricula and Study Materials.In every subject, we have given its origin and evolution, which brings out the contribution of knowledge and wisdom of ancient Bharat in all subjects. For instance, India gave the mathematical system to the world. But our students are not aware of that. India centered education is an important keyword of NEP 2020, and that is what we have triedto do. Finally, what are the challenges that you are overcoming at this stage? We are still in infancy and challenges will be there. We have got recognition from NIOS,AIU and COBSE.We have written to all the universities and Boards to recognize our certificates. However, they are taking their time to recognize our certificates, in spite of the fact that BOSSE has been established by an Act of the State Government. It takes time, but within such short period we have already got recognition from nearly 80Universities and Boards. Once all the Universities and Boards recognize us, potential students will be aware of what BOSSE stands for and will see the opportunity for continuing their education. We are trying tocontribute towards the cherished goal of ‘Quality Education for All’. We want to contribute towardsUniversalisation of School Education,tap the out-ofschool children and bring them into the fold of education.
36 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM Top Education Brands 2023 B uilding an education brand is no child’s play. There lies a thin line between business for money and business for wealth, where the latter connotes the wealth of the nation. The 2023 edition of BW Education’s ‘Top Education Brands’ initiative cum awards came as keeping with the company’s commitment to recognise the best practices and facilitate the endeavour of India’s ethical education led entities working each day towards building this wealth. Held in New Delhi, the day-long conference and awards brought together top industry veterans and experts to discuss the pressing issues in building these brands and facilitating good practices in the education sector, including panel discussions, presentations, Q&A with the audience, fire side chats etc. around the theme, ‘Top Education Brands In India’. The award ceremony was a culmination of a comprehensive assessment and performance review of various key stake holders by an eminent jury, comprising of personalities known for their exemplary contribution to the sector. The jury comprised: Shiv Shivakumar, Group Executive President, Aditya Birla Group; Dr Pankaj Mittal, Secretary General, Association of Indian University; Dr Rajan Saxena, Ex Vice Chancellor, NMIMS; Dr Prafulla Agnihotri, Director, IIM Sirmaur; Dr SS Mantha, Former Chairman, AICTE | CEO, MSKC-MAHAPREIT | Adj Prof, NIAS, Bangalore and Emeritus Prof, VJTI (AI and Robotics); Ritesh Vohra, The Making Of A LEADER IN EDUCATION Top industry veterans and experts converge at BW Education’s annual event to discuss the pressing issues in building these brands and facilitating good practices in the education sector Partner and Head, Real Estate Investcorp India; Prof Janat Shah, Former Director, IIM Udaipur and Dr Annurag Batra, Chairman & Editor-in-chief, BW Businessworld & Exchange4media. The initiative came at a time when the country is witnessing a surge of ‘educational brands’ and franchise based schools as well as the group led educational institutions that have converted education into a much more commercialised space. Having analysed and discussed about the various issues aligning the education sector in the country with a special emphasis on today’s ‘educational brands’, the conference concluded with facilitating the winners spanning across various education categories.
W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 37 Top Education Brands 2023 Main Category Sub Category Rank Winner Awardee Name Preschool Regional Preschool Franchisor of the year Winner Little Elly Sidharth Pande, CMO Innovation for Curriculum for Pre-school Silver Foot Prints Purvesh Sharma, COO Leading Pre-school in India Gold Klay School A.K Srikanth, CEO Silver Foot Prints Purvesh Sharma, COO Gold Klay School A.K Srikanth, CEO School Academic Excellence in K-12 Winner Satluj Group of Schools Reekrit Serai, MD Emerging School in India BrOnze National Public School ITPL Dr Chaitra Harsha, CEO Silver ODM Group of Schools Shalendra Ganda, Principal Gold Foot Prints Purvesh Sharma, COO Gold Sharda World School Prof. Ranganathan, Director, Strategic Division Green School in India Winner Vedanaya International School Simran Bakshi, Chairperson Innovative School Infrastructure & Learning Spaces in India Winner Chitakara International School Niyati Chitkara, Director Innovative School in India Bronze Happy English School Arti Khungar, Principal Silver Shri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Guru Kulam Group of Institute Bhuvana Santhanam, Director - Outreach Gold The Vivekalaya Group of Institutions Aishwarya Rao, Director - Academics and Adminstration Leading Residential School in India Winner Sanjay Ghodawat International School Sasmita Mohanty, Director School of the Year Silver Indraprastha International School Karuna Dahiya, Head- Administration Gold Prometheus School Mukesh Sharma, Chairman Higher Education Outstanding Institute for Innovative Academic Delivery Winner ICFAI Group Sudhakar Rao, Director Emerging Higher Education Institution in India Winner Shri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Guru Kulam Group of Institute Bhuvana Santhanam, Director - Outreach Institution with excellent Training and Placements Bronze NIIT DigitaL Abhishek Arora, EVP & Businesshead Silver Cliniminds Kamal Shahani, Founder & MD Gold Hope Foundation's Finolex Academy of Management and Technology Aruna M. Katara, President Winners Of Top Education Brands Awards 2023
38 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM Top Education Brands 2023 Main Category Sub Category Rank Winner Awardee Name Higher Education Institution with Innovative Infrastructure & Learning Environment Bronze BML Munjal University (BMU) Swati Munjal, President Silver Universal Business School Elora Basumatary, Director- MBA Programme Institutions with Quality Industry-Academia Interface Winner Cliniminds Kamal Shahani, Founder & MD Leading University in India Bronze Rabindranath Tagore University Siddharth Chaturvedi, Pro-Chancellor Silver Chitkara University Madhu Chitkara, Pro-Chancellor Gold Ashoka University Somak Raychaudhury, Vice-Chancellor Ed-Tech Solution Best Education ERP of the Year Winner Top Rankers Gaurav Goel, Co-Founder and CEO Best E-Learning/ Online Tutoring Company of the Year Bronze Spark Studio Aunshree Goneka, CEO Silver Great Learning Mohan Lakhamraju, Founder and CEO Gold Upgrad Mayank Kumar, Co-Founder & MD Game Based Learning Company of the Year Winner Matific Sahil Kapoor, Chief Business Officer Innovative Technology Solutions for Higher Education Provider Silver Team Lease Shantanu Rooj, Founder and CEO Gold S P Jain School of Global Management Nitish Jain, Founder & President Innovative Technology Solutions for School Provider Bronze Space Technology Sachin Bahmba, Co-Founder Silver Speed Labs Vivek Varshney, Founder Gold Klassroom Edutech Alka Javeri, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder STEM Education Solution of the Year Winner Physics Wallah Alakh Pandey, Founder EdTech CEO of the Year Bronze Top Rankers Gaurav Goel, Co-Founder and CEO Silver Infinity Learn Ujjwal Singh, CEO Gold Physics Wallah Alakh Pandey, Founder Edtech Company of the Year Winner Careerera Vivek Kumar Singh, Co-Founder and CEO Winners Of Top Education Brands Awards 2023
SUSTAINABLE TO REGENERATIVE #BWFOD2023 APRIL 06, 2023 REGISTER NOW 4th Edition SUMMIT 2023 For Registration Scan the QR Code SPEAKERS ALL ABOUT DESIGN AJAY JAIN Head of Global Design Strategy Tata Motors PALLAVI UTAGI Founder & CEO SuperBottoms HIMANI MEHTA DEHLVI Costume Designer PERNIA QURESHI Creative Director Saritoria RAHUL VOHRA Actor GAUTAM SINHA Founder & Creative Director Nappa Dori ANUJ SHARMA Founder Button Masala SONALI RASTOGI Co-Founding Partner Morphogenesis MITU MATHUR Director GPM Architects and Planners AMIT KHANNA Design Principal AKDA | FIIA DARSHAN GANDHI Global Head of Design Godrej Consumer Products PEARL UPPAL Founder & Creative Director Talking Threads FOR NOMINATIONS Ashish Kumar +91 97179 22747 [email protected] FOR SPEAKING OPPORTUNITY Jyotsna Sharma +91 9899353746 [email protected] CELEBRATING INNOVATION 4th Edition AWARD 2023
40 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM Top Education Brands 2023 Conclave Highlights T he National Education Policy 2020 envisions building vibrant communities of scholars and peers, breaking down harmful silos between disciplines and enabling students to become well-rounded individuals. How to implement the NEP in its true spirit came up for discussion at the Top Education Brands event, organised by BW Education. At this juncture, when primary, K-12 and higher education institutes are in the midst of implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the discussion on the theme ‘Vision 2030: transforming Higher Education in India’ was bound to centre around the merits of the policy and challenges in implementation. Madhulika Kaushik, VC, Usha Martin University, Ranchi, said that the right ecosystem was falling in place for educational transformation. Kaushik, who has spent more than two decades in Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), added that a lot of measures as envisaged in the NEP were already intrinsic part of open learning. The learner has to be guided for self-directed learning, for Industry 4.0, she said. Sangeeta Shah Bharadwaj, Acting Director, MDI Gurugram, pointed out the areas where technology will play a key role in educational transformation: EdTransforming HIGHER EDUCATION In India Experts discuss that teaching-learning has to be linked to life, community the world of work and environment - across all disciplines and fields of study, including By Team BW Education
W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 41 Conclave Highlights Top Education Brands 2023 ucation planning, teaching-learning assessment, management and administration, and compliance to regulatory requirements. Dr Prafulla Agnihotri, Director, IIM Sirmaur, Former Professor, IIM Calcutta, Founder Director, IIM Tiruchirappalli reminisced the time when India was known as the hub for global education as we had knowledge creative centres called universities. Vishal Khurma, CEO, Woxsen University, Hyderabad emphasised India’s growth trajectory in the name of increasing educational institutions in India since the time of independence. “At the time of Independence, India had 30 universities and 600 colleges. In the year 2000 we had roughly 215 universities and 11,000 colleges. And as per the latest record, we have roughly 1000 plus universities and 45,000 colleges." Industry experts like SC Sharma, Director, ICFAI Business School (IBS), Gurugram; VC Vivekanandan, Vice-Chancellor, Hidayatullah National Law University, Chhattisgarh, and Afrozul Haq, Vice-Chancellor, HA University Imphal, Manipur were also of the view that teaching-learning has to be linked to life, community and the world of work, including the environment across all disciplines/fields of study, including STEM education. Sustainable Classrooms "Sustainable development of our planet is the most important challenge for all of us and therefore it has to be at the core of education also. We cannot do our job well if we don't develop citizens who have the mindset for developing a more sustainable earth," said Allan Andersen, Director, Chaman Bhartiya School, Bengaluru at the session on ‘Sustainable Classrooms: The Future of Learning’. For Anderson, this is the main reason why we need innovation in education. Srilakshmi Reddy, Founder and Director, Keystone International School, Hyderabad was the moderator for the session and she stressed on the need to be careful about the environment that we create for children because the environment around them and the experiences that they gain from it, leaves a last longing impact on their mindset. Highlighting what sustainability means to her, Anju Chazot, Founder and Director, Mahatma Gandhi International School, Ahmedabad, said, "Sustainability means development of human society, human potential and an understanding that resources - our rivers, our forests, people - are to be respected. This understanding needs to be brought into our curriculum." Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Trustee, Vidyayan Trust & Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation, Udaipur, explained why sustainability has to be an integral part of our education system. He said we as humans need to be aware that what we are creating today is going to be there for the generations to come. "If we want to bring change then we need a tool to impact the sustainable change and to measure what impact has been created. In my view, technology is the right tool," stated Ujjwal Singh, CEO, Infinity Learn, talking about the role of technology in sustainability. Establishing A Successful Education Brand “There are schools who do not focus on branding and yet they are the most reputed schools across India,” said Nirvaan Birla, Founder and MD,
42 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM Top Education Brands 2023 Conclave Highlights Birla Open Minds Education and Birla Brainiacs, addressing a session on 'Is There a Blueprint to Create a Successful Education Brand'. The panellists discussed whether or not an education institution needs branding. Some of the commonalities in the views of panellists pertained to the principle of trust, institutional values, constructive alignment of strategies, adapting to change, skilled training of teachers and creating a resourceful environment for all students. The moderator of the session, Manjula Pooja Shroff, MD & CEO, Kalorex Group pointed out that branding in an education sector is an oxymoron because education is treated like a social responsibility and brand comes with commercialism. “Trust is an important factor in building an educational brand. Every business, every organisation needs to reinvent itself and adapt to changing times,” stated Roshan Gandhi, Strategy Adviser & Ex-CEO of City Montessori School, Lucknow. Vijay Datta, Principal of Modern School Barakhamba Road, New Delhi stressed on critical thinking, communication and problem-solving skills for students. He underlined that successful brand needs to make sure that the Birla. "Skill development, financial literacy, blogging, soul science to counter stress management and develop leadership abilities are also a part of our multiple intelligence curriculum," he said. The experts briefed that if you get the basic elements right such as principles, ethics, trained staff, resources, upgraded study material, then marketing is just an add-on post the activities, literacy workshops and word-of-mouth. Education Starts Early Learning to learn, should be a hobby and not an occasional occurrence and that’s what we are here for, said Dheeraj Mehrotra, Principal of Kunwar's Global School, Lucknow addressing the ‘Education Starts Early: Progress, Challenges and Opportunities’. He added that learning today is not restricted to A for Apple, B for Ball and C for Cat. It is more about A for Android, B for Blackberry and C for Cloud. Vikram Sahoo, Director, Research and Innovation, SAI International Education Group, said, "Today, education needs to start at an early age and requires a sensory-trained approach that includes linguistic, visual and kinaesthetic teaching." environment is stress-free. Reekrit Serai, Managing Director of Satluj Group of Schools, North India added to the discussion by saying that educational institutions want to be perceived as a legacy and not just a brand. “We have to be really discreet about considering ourselves a brand despite the fact that the platforms are the same. There's a lot of ambiguity in terms of the relevance and also the structure of education in India,” he said. The topic of entrepreneurship and microfocus was also brought up by Mukesh Sharma, Chairman and Director of Prometheus School. Teacher training has an important role in the education sector, shared
W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 43 Conclave Highlights Top Education Brands 2023 work for the betterment of youth. She said that organisational leadership needs to guide the staff and steer them towards their professional goals and career while they create profound learner experiences with technology that are aligned to the future of work and ensure that the employability is the desired outcome. Tarun Anand, Founder and Chancellor of Universal AI University, emphasised on experiential learning, immersive learning and action learning. He said, “There is a skills gap in students, while statistics from the US show 55 per cent of American companies look at skills first not your degree and qualification.” "For employability, knowledge, skills, attitude and behaviour are a must. But knowledge is no more a distinguishing factor today and the technical skills you are learning may be irrelevant after some time, but the skills like critical thinking design thinking and logical skills and soft skills would remain relevant for a longer duration," suggested Vikas Singh, VC, Geeta University, Panipat. - With inputs from Sugandh Bahl, Upasana, Shilpa Chandel, Suchita Sail and Md Zakariya Khan As early learning is not just restricted to private Montessori, Kuldeep Agarwal, Vice Chairperson, BOSSE, Sikkim & Former Director (Academic), National Institute of Open Schooling, Gol, said, with regard to early learning, the Anganwadis are no more lagging behind; today all government Anganwadis provides a structured education as directed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) guidelines. "The mindset of parents and teachers plays a key role in the early learning phase of children," underlined Simrin Bakshi, Chairperson, Vedanya International School, Gurugram. The session provided great insight into the early educational phase and was moderated by Chaitra Harsha, CEO, Edufrontiers Educational Institutions, National Public School, ITPL and North Branches, Bangalore. She maximised the engagement, through a highly effective Q&A session and added, happy learning and happy space a need for early learning Experiential Learning "Students are lacking in social and intrapersonal skills; it is needed to build intrapersonal skills among them through various programmes," said Prof Nagarajan Ramamoorthy, Director of IIM, Amritsar. He was speaking at the session titled ‘Experiential Learning Can Prepare Indian Youths For Global Market’. Experts discussed almost every aspect of preparing Indian youth for the global market, from addressing the technical skills gap to encouraging social skills in students, from immersive learning to experiential learning and making youth employable for the international market. Rupa Vasudeva, Founder and Chancellor, Bhartiya Engineering Science and Technology (BEST) Innovation University, Andhra Pradesh, commented on how organisations should
44 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM Top Education Brands 2023 Vittal Bhandary, Founder, MD & CEO, Little Elly Chain of Preschools, stresses on having the right thought process and attitude to flourish in the education market and prioritising kids' interest simultaneously. Excerpts from an exclusive interview PRESCHOOL Regional Preschool Franchisor of the Year By Upasana While Bhandary and his wife Preeti became parents to a girlchild in 2004, they were searching for a topnotch preschool for their little one. While there were a few excellent playschools and nurseries in the area, none of them seemed to provide the kind of comprehensive early education that they wanted for their little one. Bhandary states, “Preeti and I made the decision to conceptualise and dream up a pre-school, since Preeti is an enthusiastic kindergarten teacher with a flair for innovation. ‘Little Elly' was born, as a flagship brand of Learning Edge India, an entity synonymous with education in Bangalore.” Passion and patience are the two key traits that they inherit as an early childhood educators. About engaging with children, parents and teachers, Bhandary shares, “We regularly interact with our centres and parents on numerous occasions and according to predetermined frequencies. Establishing consistency in our deployments helps maintain a continual connection with the children, parents and our centres.” “Our zonal coordinators go to the centres to observe the employees and offer guidance,” Bhandary adds. Little Elly recently won 'Regional Preschool Franchisor of the Year' award. Expressing his feelings on reOur Children, Our Future Education industry places a strong emphasis on honesty and integrity while keeping children's best interests in mind; business will follow if you have the appropriate attitude and thinking WINNER ceiving this award, Bhandary states, “The team is thrilled to receive this honour. Our curriculum is our greatest asset and the combination of the Montessori and Steiner approaches distinguishes our methodology and this made us outperform other players in this category. “To ensure that every child, regardless of the centre they attend, receives the same value as elsewhere, we invest significantly in our training and coaching programmes with our partners,” he further says. Bhandary believes that business will follow if you have the appropriate attitude and thinking. He suggests, “This industry places a strong emphasis on honesty and integrity while keeping children's best interests in mind.” There are numerous opportunities in education and India is recognised worldwide. With such a large number of young people, there is enough pie for everyone to enjoy. Our children are our future, he says.
W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 45 Top Education Brands 2023 SCHOOL Emerging School in India PRE-SCHOOL Leading Pre-school in India And Innovation for Curriculum for Pre-school Education helps to prepare a human for life, not only to do a job for a living but also to develop a human being to be happy and fulfilled in life, says Purvesh Sharma, COO, Pragyanam, a K-12 school of Footprints, The focus should be more on activities like music, dance, sports, theatre, visual arts and reading these are primary channels of developing human beings comprehensively By Himanshu Ojha Can you describe your journey with Foot Prints? Foot Prints started in 2013 with the vision to get the world's best practices to Indian preschools and the journey was tremendous. We got an overwhelming response from parents and from all the franchises across India. Of course, Covid was a roadblock but there was tremendous growth too. How can we shift our education system from rote learning to innovation? There are multiple ways, and the first thing is the primary curriculum. In Foot Prints, we got HighScope curriculum from the US. It is the world's best curriculum which focuses more on active learning where children engage in different activities to stimulate their growth and development in all dimensions. The second thing is the focus should be more on activities like music, dance, sports, theatre, visual arts and reading. These are primary channels of developing human beings comprehensively and not everything can happen in the classroom. What role can NEP play in increasing innovation among students? We support National Education Policy and the changes the government is suggesting. It gives more freedom to students wherein they have the option to choose subjects. But during our time there was very limited scope. Now students have room to express themselves and their creativity. And the government's plan to promote entrepreneurship will give a big boost to students. What is your philosophy on education? The purpose of education is to prepare a human for life, not only to do a job for a living. It is to develop a human being to be happy and fulfilled in life. “Purpose Of Education Is To Prepare Human For Life”
46 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM Top Education Brands 2023 A K Srikanth’s journey with KLAY started in 2017 as the Chief Operating Officer, following which in 2020 he was elevated to the role of the CEO. As he says, “The journey has been an exhilarating one, that has taught me a lot even though I came into KLAY with over two decades of experience. This is not just a workplace where I have seen the company triple its turnover and turn profitable during my tenure, but also one where I sensed a camaraderie that I have seldom seen in other companies.” In terms of facilities, care and learning atmosphere, KLAY provides a wholesome experience and Srikanth shares, “Our wonderful facilities, the quality of care and development that we provide, the scale of our operations, all of this has a magic mantra that is difficult to replicate: the bond that the employees share amongst themselves, with the brand, the children and the parents.” The consistent efforts at KLAY in keeping the child at the centre of all the decision-making has helped structure a robust curriculum that assesses children across all developmental milestones. "Providing children the right environment to grow and nurturing each child’s unique personality, ensures that parents can place their unwavering trust in our safe hands," he says. What Kids Want Describing the process of engagement with children, parents and teachers, Srikanth says, “The joy and pride our staff carries into work goes a long way in ensuring that our children are happy and therefore their parents are happy. My monthly visits at the centre help me understand what motivates our facilitators and caregivers to come to our classrooms every day.” He also believes it’s important to keep an ear to the ground in terms of what parents are saying about the team, both good and bad. “Our feedback mechanism comprises NPS surveys, consolidating Google reviews and parent sentiment analysis. These useful exercises help us work upon areas of improvement.” As regards the most important thing one needs to keep in mind when interacting with young children, Srikanth says young children are quick learners and easily impressionable. They learn from their surroundings and the people closest to them. “Hence, I think it is important to create a stimulating environment where the child wants to be and foster social, cognitive and emotional development that is conducive to their capabilities,” he states. Moulding Young Ones, Like A Skilled Potter AK Srikanth, CEO, Founding Years Learning Solutions, KLAY Preschools and Daycare, describes how the playschool fulfils the learning needs of toddlers in a wholesome way It is important to create a stimulating environment where the child wants to be and foster social, cognitive and emotional development that is conducive to their capabilities By Upasana PRESCHOOL Innovation for Curriculum for Preschool Leading Pre-school in India
W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 47 Top Education Brands 2023 Reekrit Serai, Managing Director, Satluj Group of Schools feels that a huge change in society can be brought through education & innovation and teachers have a significant role to play. Excerpts from a recent interview with BW Education By Upasana I n the 1960s and 1970s, Late S Pritam Singh Serai, Founder & Chairman,Satluj Group of Schools, was a Professor of Education at top universities in the UK, USA and Singapore. He was invited by the Government of Punjab to open a school in India’s newest city, Chandigarh. Thus, in a one-room rented apartment, with three students, Satluj Public School took birth on the 12 January, 1976. The school grew to 3,000 students until 1979. Over the next 48 years, Satluj Group of Schools blossomed into an education tradition carried forth by thousands of Satlujians studying in 15 independent, autonomous campuses across North India. Recently the group was awarded for 'Academic Excellence in K-12'. “Hardwork, grit, innovation, a relentless focus on imparting quality education to our students and our vision of creating global-minded citizens are some of the facets that have contributed towards our success in this category,” shares Reekrit Serai, Managing Director, Satluj Group of Schools. “It’s a matter of great pride for us to have been bestowed upon this honour,” he adds. Serai applauds the efforts of all schools and education leaders whose collective efforts is helping India in becoming a globally-renowned educational hub. As communication and building relationships with parents is crucial, Serai states, “ We have always keenly worked hand-inhand with parents for the holistic development of our students.” “We have regular interactions between teachers and parents and a robust feedback mechanism where we take up even the smallest points of concern for the benefit of our students,” he goes on to say. Serai believes that if school is a temple of education, then the teachers are living Gods. Hence the school constantly strives to empower the teachers by constant trainings, peer assessment and interaction. Education is the only weapon to bring about change in society and Serai believes in imparting a futuristic students so that they stand to compete in a globalised world. This can be done by constant up-skilling and innovation, while developing and encouraging curiosity via applying their academic learnings in real-life settings. “Education isn’t only about including 21st century skills in students, but showing them how to apply these skills so that they succeed in every endeavour of their lives, all the while focussing on developing a strong moral compass so that they are able to distinguish between what is right or wrong for them without any intervention,” he suggests. Teachers Are Living Gods It’s very gratifying to work in education. It’s a great business opportunity and a great opportunity to create impact at scale. But it does take the heart of an educator and patience to build a long-term trusted and loved brand WINNER SCHOOL Academic Excellence in K-12
48 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM Top Education Brands 2023 SCHOOL Emerging School in India Education should enable a child to up skill themselves and take wonderful personalities out of them, says Chaitra Harsha, CEO, National Public School ITPL, in an interaction with BW Education As a scientist, I want to bring experiential learning in science and maths. These are two subjects where children lose interest as they find these subjects difficult By Himanshu Ojha What has been your journey with the organisation? I'm a Scientist PhD from the Indian Institute of Science and an entrepreneur. The opportunities within the education sector attracted me to be part of this and I have been part of a lot of edtech companies for a decade, mentoring them and trying to integrate them with mainstream education. What is the role of NEP in increasing innovation among students? NEP can bring about a structured education system in India which is very scattered. Now, students want to have a global outlook and they want to have the best education. Basic education till XII matters a lot. So, NEP will bring in that kind of foundation in the early years. NEP will enable this framework of education till grade XII. So, children get different exposure to different fields. How can we shift the mindset of a student from rote learning to innovation and skills? Experiential learning should start from an early age. Nowadays everyone is talking about skill-based learning. As a scientist, I want to bring experiential learning in science and maths. These are two subjects where children lose interest as they find these subjects difficult. What is your philosophy on education? Every child should be given an opportunity to explore himself till grade XII. After the age of 16 children stop exploring and that's the biggest problem. So, education should enable a child to upskill themselves and take wonderful personalities out of them. "Experiential Learning Should Start From Early Age"
W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 49 Top Education Brands 2023 SCHOOL Emerging School in India Shalendra Ganda, Principal, ODM Group of Schools, lays emphasis on imparting skills that are relevant today Everyone is talking about experiential learning. But irrespective of quality services you offer to students, if the hunger is not there, it will be of no use By Himanshu Ojha T he ODM group of schools believes in giving opportunities and holistic development of our students. And when we give more and more exposure to students it helps them to learn things. Our classroom is not limited to four walls as we believe in the concept of a global classroom. NEP & innovation Time is changing fast. The skills that were required earlier and the skills that we need in today's time are very different and we need to train our children in a way that they learn the skills which are relevant. So, we designed our curriculum according to the skills that are required for students and are aligned with the NEP. For instance, effective communication skills and the knowledge of students should not be limited to books. Earlier students use to learn only for examination but now they are also extending their knowledge to the communities. They are also making websites and applications which help them to connect to the outer world. We also bring educators from different parts of the world so our students can experience quality education without going anywhere else. Rote learning & experiential learning If the person is not hungry, irrespective of how great the food is, the person will not be able to take it. Everyone is talking about experiential learning. But irrespective of quality services you offer to students, if the hunger is not there, it will be of no use. Nowadays, parents are providing every facility to their children, but students do not appreciate the importance of those things. But if we are able to make them appreciate how fortunate they are to have quality education as there are many kids who do not get such facilities, they will develop a sense of gratitude. Philosophy on education I believe we are the change makers. We need to understand that our society is going through tremendous change. The value system is going down, but opportunities are increasing. If we take care of that value system, we will be a great country. “Our Curriculum Aligned With NEP”
50 B W EDUCATION MARCH 2023 W W W.B WEDUCATION.COM Top Education Brands 2023 SCHOOL Emerging School in India With the core ideology of nation-building and nurturing brilliant brains, S h a r d a W o r l d School (SWS) is backed by 25+ years of an educational legacy by the founders of Sharda University and the Sharda Group for developing a conducive environment and knowledge among young learners. SWS started its journey of primary and secondary education to enhance students' character, physical and mental development at the right adolescent stage, which is sidelined with the western education practice in India. “We are the ‘Panchamahabhuta School’, the first Indian school to incorporate five elements of life; Earth (Prithvi), Water (Jala), Fire (Tejas), Wind (Vayu) and Space (Akasha) in the learning philosophy,” Prashant Gupta, Chairman at Sharda World School proudly says. SWC has the winning combination of nature-based infrastructure and highly qualified faculty with innovative teaching freedom. The institute also monitors students’ health with yearly medical check-ups and ensures the young future adapts to a healthy ayurvedic diet for their well-being. The unique model of the ayurvedic diet among students helps the school to set up a six months diet plan based on the expert’s assessment that ensures the exact nutrition required by him or her at the initial growing stage that in turn helps to achieve the right trajectory for the physical development of the students. SWC believes as the school is outside the main city, students can focus on their academic and personal growth without getting distracted by the day-to-day activities of the fast-paced cities enabling the students to establish an equilibrium with nature. The classrooms, campus and library at Sharda are designed in a transformative system that balances both technology and Indian teaching values, certainly maintaining quality learning in faster and better ways. The school has even collaborated with American School Districts Education Association (ASDEA) and the Finland Education Hub which helps to inculcate international practice with the CBSE curriculum followed by the school. Incorporating Nature In Learning Prashant Gupta, Chairman at Sharda World School, describes how the school has developed nature-based infrastructure and an innovative environment We are the ‘Panchamahabhuta School’, the first Indian school to incorporate five elements of life; Earth (Prithvi), Water (Jala), Fire (Tejas), Wind (Vayu) and Space (Akasha) in the learning philosophy By Suchita Sail