'A BOON FOR THE DISTRICT'

170 years-old Krishnath College is transforming into Murshidabad University which is keeping the college's heritage but bringing modern, globally-linked education to the district.

POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS' DRP WOES

The District Residency Programme has been introduced on the heels of the pandemic, without adequate planning or preparation, complained postgraduate students.

'Every UP district will have at least one medical college by 2027'

Thirteen new government medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh are set to begin their first academic session from 2023, raising the tally of government MBBS seats in the state to 5,128. Alok Kumar, principal secretary, department of medical education, UP, spoke to Careers360 about the expansion, meeting staff requirements, the government's focus on nursing and improving healthcare.

BREAKTHROUGH OR GOING BACKWARDS?

There have been few takers for MBBS books in Hindi. Do they aid comprehension or hold some medical students back?

'WE WANT NRS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST MEDICAL COLLEGES IN THE WORLD'

The alumni of Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College, Kolkata, have stepped in to help the 150 years-old institution develop further.

'WE ARE CONSIDERED OUTSIDERS'

Medical students who returned to India before completing their programmes abroad due to Covid or war have had to pay for internships even in public medical colleges. Frequent policy changes about their future haven't helped.

NEXT WILL HELP STUDENTS 'FOCUS ON THEIR PRACTICAL TRAINING'

The number of medical colleges has grown by 70% in the last 10 years. Both this expansion as well as the new curriculum require more teachers, said Dr Dinesh Kumar, head of medical education, Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi. He spoke to Careers360 about the need for quality teachers, the National Exit Test (NExT), the inclusion of AYUSH subjects in MBBS curriculum and the district residency programme.

'YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STUDY ENGINEERING WITH MUSIC SOON'

Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (SOA) has regularly featured in the top 25 universities in India in the education ministry's National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) lists. Despite being a young university, it had ranked as high as 16th in NIRF's first university rankings in 2016. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, vice-chancellor of SOA, spoke to Careers360 about the university's stellar ranking performance, efforts toward improving research and start-up eco-systems and more.

UAU: AI FOR ALL

Just two months ago Universal AI University, received the green signal from University Grant Commission and Maharashtra Government. With special focus on artificial intelligence and its uses in different fields, its maiden academic year starts this August. Tarun Anand, chancellor and founder of Universal AI University, spoke to Careers360 on the AI revolution and how it's changing education in India.

'BEING OPEN TO NEW EXPERIENCES IS CRUCIAL'

SRM University Andhra Pradesh was set up to offer programmes in three broad academic areas to begin with - engineering, liberal arts and management. These, said P Sathyanarayanan, president and pro-chancellor of SRM University-AP, \"provide a strong foundation for a variety of career paths\" and also address the evolving challenges thrown by industry. Former VC of SRM University and head of several organisations operating in fields as diverse as information technology, media and construction, Sathyanarayanan spoke to Careers360 about SRM University AP, higher education in general, and employment.

OVER 60 NEW UNIVERSITIES IN 15 YEARS

West Bengal has seen the number of universities rise sharply over the past 15 years. Most new institutions are state public or private.

CAMPUSES OF THEIR OWN

Bihar government set up three new universities in 2018. Five years later, they still don't have permanent campuses.

'WE ARE TRYING TO REIMAGINE TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN INDIA'

Aakash Chaudhry is founder and trustee of Plaksha University and chief mentor and co-promoter of Aakash Educational Services Limited. He spoke to Careers360 about what makes Plaksha University different, placements and tech jobs and also regulating the coaching sector.

HOW CHANDIGARH UNIVERSITY ROSE TO THE TOP IN HOSPITALITY

Chandigarh University's University Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management has a \"club system\" that ensures students get hands-on training from the first semester.

'EDUCATION CANNOT BE IN VERTICAL SILOS ANYMORE'

Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda, better known as Sam Pitroda, wears many hats. He served as an advisor to the prime minister during Manmohan Singh's tenure, led the National Knowledge Commission and is credited for contributions to India's telecom industry. Pitroda founded the University of TransDisciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU) in Bengaluru in 2013. The University promotes trans-disciplinary research and education in modern and traditional medicine, biomedicine and life sciences. He spoke to Careers360 about the need for transdisciplinary medicine, the controversies around it and concerns about the current education policies.

'Research funding in this country is absolutely inadequate'

Pramath Raj Sinha is chairman, board of governors, Ashoka University and founding dean of ISB Hyderabad. He is also on the boards several education institutions and helped to set up over a dozen institutions of higher education in India and abroad. He is also a founder of 9.9 group and Harappa Education. He spoke to Careers360 about Ashoka, liberal arts education, online education, and more.

THESE ARE INDIA'S BEST YOUNG UNIVERSITIES

Careers360 ranks the 100 best public and private universities established since 2008. Another 350 have been rated.

Five Changes For Engineering Colleges

The AICTE has relaxed norms for new engineering colleges, courses, seat increase. It has also scrapped mandatory physical visits.

BREAKING THE CYCLE

An IIT Kanpur Students Gymkhana initiative, Prayas, is helping children from poor, marginalised communities around the campus do well in school and join higher education.

PUBLIC loES HAVE RECEIVED LESS THAN HALF THE PROMISED FUNDS

The union government had committed Rs. 1,000 crore for every public Institution of Eminence. Since 2018, it has sanctioned only around Rs 3,400 crore for all eight taken together.

HOW TO ASSEMBLE A STRONG DESIGN PORTFOLIO

Academics, students on what makes a winning portfolio and how to build one. If you're serious about studying design, start at school.

MATHS TOUGH, CHEMISTRY EASY

How has the JEE Advanced, arguably the toughest engineering entrance test in the country, changed over the past decade?

SOLD THE IIT DREAM

In 2022, Karnataka CM announced that some of the state's engineering colleges would be upgraded into institutions \"on par with\" the IITs. One year on, that project has seen little progress.

'INDUSTRY NEEDS PROFESSIONALS WITH CONCEPTUALLY-STRONG, INNOVATIVE MINDSET'

Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Bangalore has recently developed an open-source Aadharlike digital identity for 10 countries, is setting up a system that makes access to mental-health support easy and working on the implementation of 6G in India. Debabrata Das, director, IIIT Bangalore, discussed innovation, collaborations and courses developed. Edited excerpts.

SETTING LIT NAGPUR FREE

The 81-year-old, Laxminarayan Institute of Technology Nagpur, is all set to become a university. With the change will come 14 new courses, 8 new departments, reforms in curriculum and pedagogy.

'OUR DEGREE WILL BE OF NO USE'

Maharashtra's agriculture engineering students protested for 50 days against a change in the syllabus of a government exam that drastically reduced their chances of landing agriculture officer posts.

MINOR DEGREE MAJOR IMPACT

Minor degrees are expected to reduce the number of engineering seats going vacant and equip B.Tech graduates with industry-relevant skills.

A NEW BRANCH OF EE

The All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) recently introduced a model curriculum for B.Tech in a new branch of electrical engineering Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) design and technology - as well as a diploma in Integrated Circuits (IC) manufacturing.

WHAT'S IN A CFTI-TAG? FOR PEC CHANDIGARH, SURVIVAL

In Punjab Engineering College's 60-year effort to be designated a \"central institution\", a tale of neglect and apathy. Once a top-notch technical institution, it is now short of teachers, hostels, labs.

'I WANT TO REDUCE SO THAT STUDENTS THE COST CAN MAKE CAREER CHOICES FREELY'

The Birla Institutes of Technology and Science (BITS) will see changes in the curriculum, set up a diversified financial model, and launch dual degrees in collaboration with foreign universities. Former director of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, V Ramgopal Rao, recently became the group vice-chancellor of BITS Pilani, Hyderabad, Goa, Mumbai and Dubai.