SENSING TROUBLE

Dhananjaya Dendukuri, founder of Achira Labs, a Bengaluru-based startup, studied chemical engineering at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and the University of Toronto. He earned his PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Dendukuri was awarded Infosys Prize 2022 for his work on microfluidics. His research work involved making "colloidal particles in fluids" that can detect "anomalies" in blood, including bacteria and viruses, Dendukuri told Careers360. Edited excerpts below.

A FUTURE IN MEDTECH

Over the past few years, several IITs have started research centres and separate schools that marry medical science with technology.

ANOTHER SET-BACK

Medical students in Jammu and Kashmir already faced delayed processes, shortage of seats and resources. The introduction of the AIQ this year was the final straw and led to protests.

'NORMALISE ASKING FOR HELP'

Long hours, exam stress, facing death and trauma at work have affected the mental health of medical students. It's time they started seeking help.

SHOULD ‘EXTERNSHIPS’ BE ALLOWED?

A blanket ban on ‘externships’ makes acquiring essential training after MBBS difficult for many students. The older system allowed the local administration to decide and it worked, they said.

A BREWING CRISIS

The number of medical colleges has increased by a third since 2013-14, but there are not enough teachers.

THE NExT PROBLEM

Since announcing the introduction of the National Exit Test and saying it will be held in 2023, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has kept mum about it, causing widespread confusion.

NO MORE 'ACCIDENTAL TEACHERS'

Inaugurated in March, Delhi's first-of-its-kind university, Delhi Teachers University, is aiming to train new generation teachers. In line with New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the university will offer new-age integrated teacher education programmes to students right after Class 12 and begin its academic activities from this academic year, 2022-23. Delhi Teachers University Vice Chancellor Dhananjay Joshi spoke to Careers360 about how India can no longer afford to "sell literacy in the name of education". Edited excerpts below.

REIMAGINING ENGINEERING

Plaksha University in Mohali, Punjab, seeks to “reimagine” engineering education. Its first Vice-Chancellor and former director of Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, Rudra Pratap, spoke to Careers360 about what that means, why Plaksha has no conventional departments, what it is doing to avoid ‘silos’ and help Punjab. Edited excerpts below.

THE NEW PLAYERS

Gujarat government paved the way for 11 new private universities in the state this year. Activists fearing rising cost of education and seek better regulation of private institutions.

GOING GLOBAL

Private universities focussed on creating a world-class academic and research environment are actively recruiting teachers from abroad.

BREAKING FREE

Allowing choice and variety, liberal arts education is letting students explore, grow more creative, become more employable.

THE NEW BSc

Several universities are recasting the traditional BSc into richly multidisciplinary programmes with research embedded into the curriculum and teaching.

HOW KERALA DIGITAL UNIVERSITY TOOK OFF

The newly-formed Digital University of Kerala has made some rapid advancements over the past year. Since admitting its first batch of students in 2021, it has set up two centres of excellence (COE) with three more in the works. The university has also made a major leap in becoming financially self-sustaining, raising funds through digital transformation projects and consultancy. Vice-chancellor Saji Gopinath spoke to Careers360 about the transformation of Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management Kerala (IIITM-K) into Digital University Kerala which, in just one year, did "six to seven times" the activities IIITM-K did. Edited excerpts below.

BECOMING INDUSTRY-RELEVANT

The past decade has seen the rise of skills universities. Connected to industry from the start, they emphasise courses in high demand and on-the-job training.

MAKING IT IN SPORTS

Sports are not treated as "extracurricular" activities anymore. About half a dozen sports universities have come up in the past decade and several more are in the pipeline.

'THINK BEFORE SPENDING A SINGLE PENNY'

The declining value of the rupee and rising costs globally have put Indian students studying abroad, or planning to, in an exceptionally difficult position.

Interns Are Often Considered ‘Free Labour'

A student who interned with a law-firm during the pandemic writes about working long hours without a stipend and what they learned from mistakes.

THE LLM PROBLEM

In January, the Bar Council of India issued a notification putting an end to the one-year LLM programme, leaving students and teachers perplexed.

‘WE MIGHT TAKE A CLUSTER UNIVERSITY APPROACH'

The National Law School of India University (NLSIU) Bengaluru doesn’t need a change in law or court cases to become more diverse, said Vice Chancellor, Sudhir Krishnaswamy. He spoke to Careers360 about how NLSIU, caught in a court case related to reservation of 25% seats for Karnataka students, is working on a system to make it more diverse; expanding to accommodate more students and courses; exploring collaborations with other state universities; and planning to raise funds from alumni.

NOT CROSSING THE BAR

There are dozens of career avenues beyond litigation that do not require a law graduate to qualify the bar exam. Many do not qualify the exam and many choose not to write it.

THE DOMICILE DEBATE

Over the past few years, most states have introduced domicile quotas of varying sizes in NLUs. Students, alumni and former administrators continue to oppose this policy.

SISTERHOOD OF LAWYERS

A forum for women lawyers started by a Symbiosis Law School graduate is helping students and graduates find their feet in the profession.

OUTSIDE THE LAW

India’s premier law schools, the National Law Universities, are discussing ways to implement the new National Education Policy. They will need more of everything – funds, infrastructure, teachers.

LAW OF ANOTHER LAND

The largest number of foreign universities whose law degrees the Bar Council of India recognises is in the United Kingdom. What can you do with a foreign degree in law?

GAINING A PRACTICAL APPROACH

Online courses train lawyers in newer branches of law, help students gain practical experience and keep other professionals updated on the regulations that govern their sectors.

COVERING NEW TERRAIN

Law schools offer a range of short-term diploma courses for both lawyers, other working professionals and students. Several cover emerging areas of concern such as bioterrorism, GIS and remote-sensing.

Tech Rescue For Engineering Courses In Covid-19

Public engineering colleges, including the IITs, had to organise fundraisers, use online labs and reorganise teaching to hold a semester online due to COVID-19.

THE COST OF CLOSING DOWN

Shutting engineering colleges has cost cash-strapped state universities large chunks of revenue.

NEW IDEAS, OLD PROBLEMS

What happened to the projects that won prizes in the Smart India Hackathon?