New Education Policy 2020: Paving Way for Transformational Reforms in The Education Sector

“Our progress as a nation is no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.” John F. Kennedy

Education plays a significant role in the growth of a nation. In a country like India education and knowledge have always been given substantial value. In ancient India, the aim of education was to develop the pupil’s personality, his innate and latent capacities as a process of one’s inner growth and self-fulfillment. The education system also needs to transform according to the ever-changing needs of the society and the world. Thus, for the overall development of the education in and the progress of the nation, a proper policy is needed. The National Policy on Education (NPE) is a policy formulated by the Government of India to promote education amongst India’s people. The policy covers elementary education to the colleges in both rural and urban India. The first NPE was promulgated by the Government of India by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1968, the second by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1986, and the third by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2020. The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) brings reform after 34 years, especially in higher education, shifting focus from academic to non-academic activities. An NPE is a comprehensive framework to guide the development of education in the country. Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved the new National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 with an aim to introduce several changes in the Indian education system – from the school to college level. The NEP 2020 aims at making “India a global knowledge superpower”.

The Cabinet has approved the renaming of the Ministry of Human Resource Development to the Ministry of Education.

Key Points:
School Education:

  • Universalization of education from preschool to secondary level with 100% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in school education by 2030.
  • 2 crores out of school children are going to be brought back into the mainstream through an open schooling system.
  • The current 10+2 system is going to be replaced with a new 5+3+3+4 curricular structure corresponding to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years respectively.
  • The uncovered age group of 3-6 years which is being recognized globally as the crucial stage for the development of mental faculties of a child, is also considered under school curriculum,
  • It will also have 12 years of schooling with three years of Anganwadi/ pre schooling.
  • The board examinations of Class 10 and 12 are to be made easier, to test core competencies rather than memorized facts, with all students allowed to take the exam twice.
  • School governance is set to change, with a new accreditation framework and an independent authority to regulate both public and private schools.
  • Emphasis on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, no rigid separation between academic streams, extracurricular, vocational streams in schools.
  • Vocational Education to start from Class 6 with Internships.
  • Teaching up to at least Grade 5 to be in mother tongue/regional language. No language will be imposed on any student.
  • Assessment reforms with 360 degree Holistic Progress Card, tracking Student Progress for achieving Learning Outcomes
  • A new and comprehensive National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education (NCFTE) 2021, will be formulated by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) in consultation with National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).

Teacher Education:

  • By 2030, the minimum degree qualification for teaching will be a four-year integrated B.Ed. degree.

Higher Education:

  • Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education to be raised to 50% by 2035. Also, 3.5 crore seats to be added in higher education.
  • The current Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education is 26.3%.
  • Holistic Undergraduate education with a flexible curriculum can be of 3 or 4 years with multiple exit options and appropriate certification within this period.
  • M.Phil courses will be discontinued and all the courses at undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD level will now be interdisciplinary.
  • Academic Bank of Credits to be established to facilitate Transfer of Credits.
  • Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs), at par with IITs, IIMs, to be set up as models of best multidisciplinary education of global standards in the country.
  • The National Research Foundation will be created as an apex body for fostering a strong research culture and building research capacity across higher education.
  • Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) will be set up as a single umbrella body for the entire higher education, excluding medical and legal education. Public and private higher education institutions will be governed by the same set of norms for regulation, accreditation and academic standards. Also, HECI will be having four independent verticals namely,
  • National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC) for regulation,
  • General Education Council (GEC) for standard setting,
  • Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC) for funding,
  • National Accreditation Council (NAC) for accreditation.
  • Affiliation of colleges is to be phased out in 15 years and a stage-wise mechanism to be established for granting graded autonomy to colleges.
  • Over a period of time, every college is expected to develop into either an autonomous degree-granting College, or a constituent college of a university.

Digitalization of Education:

The new education policy has emphasized the incorporation of technology in all the stages of learning.

  • An autonomous body, the National Educational Technology Forum, is going to be formed for the exchange of ideas on use of technology to enhance learning, assessment, planning and administration.
  • A dedicated unit for the purpose of creating digital infrastructure, digital content and capacity building will be set up in the ministry.
  • Integration of technology will be done to improve classroom processes.

Financial support:

  • Meritorious students belonging to SC, ST, OBC and other socially and economically disadvantaged groups will be given incentives.
  • Private institutes will be encouraged to offer scholarships to students.

Professional education:

  •  Standalone technical universities, health science universities, legal and agricultural universities will aim at  multi-disciplinary institutions.

Other changes:

  • An autonomous body, the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), will be created to provide a platform for the free exchange of ideas on the use of technology to enhance learning, assessment, planning, administration.
  • Creation of a National Assessment Centre- ‘PARAKH’.
  • It also paves the way for foreign universities to set up campuses in India.
  • It has also put emphasis on setting up of Gender Inclusion Fund, Special Education Zones for disadvantaged regions and groups.
  • A National Institute for Pali, Persian and Prakrit, Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation is to be set up.
  • India spends around 4.6 % of its total GDP on education. The new Education Policy plans to increase the public investment in the Education sector to reach 6% of GDP at the earliest.

Thus, NPE has geared itself for the challenges of the 21st century. The flexibility to choose the subjects according to the interest of the student is an amazing initiative. The existing 10+2 academic structure has also been replaced with a new 5+3+3+4 pedagogical curricular structure. The experiential learning is focused upon which will help in the holistic development of a child. Our education system is now similar to the education system of the western developed countries. A ten-day bag less period with the emphasis on Vocational study is a step towards the right direction. Top 100 institutes have been given permission to set up their campuses with in India. Undergraduate courses with multiple exit options are welcomed by the educationists. Appreciating the New Education Policy our Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi said that “ The New Education Policy aims at changing ‘intent’ and ‘content’ of education system.” The NPE is also lauded by the academicians, Byju Raveendran, Founder and CEO, BYJU’S: “India is home to the world’s largest K-12 population and the universalization of early school education, the push to improve gross enrolment ratio and a renewed focus on new life skills such as coding will help create a stronger pipeline of future leaders in India.” The NPE will begin a new era in the field of education.

What is the World of the Internet of Things (IoT)?

“The IoT is big news because it ups the ante: ‘Reach out and touch somebody’ is becoming ‘reach out and touch everything’.” — Parker Trewin

Why is IoT so Important?
In recent years, IoT has been one of the 21st century’s most influential innovations. We can link everyday objects such as cars, cooking appliances, thermostats, baby monitors, etc. to the internet through embedded devices. Seamless communication is possible between people, systems, and items. Physical things can share and gather data with minimal human intervention by low-cost computing, the cloud, big data, analytics, and mobile technologies. In this irreducible world, digital systems can record, track, and modify any interaction between the items related.

What Technologies Have Made IoT Possible?
While the principle of IoT has been in existence for a long time, it has become a reality through a series of recent developments in many different technologies.

Low-cost, low-power sensor technology available. Inexpensive and reliable sensors allow manufacturers to use IoT technology.

Signing in– A host of internet network protocols have made connecting sensors to the cloud simple for efficient data transmission.

Systems for Cloud computing– The growth in cloud platform availability allows both companies and customers to access the resources they need to scale up without needing to manage it directly.

Analytics and machine learning– Businesses can gain information faster and easier with advancements in machine learning and analytics, along with access to diverse and large volumes of data stored in the cloud. Publication of these allied technologies continues to expand IoT’s limits, and IoT’s generated data also feeds these technologies.

AI (Artificial Intelligence)- Advances in neural networks have introduced natural-language processing (NLP) to IoT devices (such as Alexa, Cortana and Siri digital personal assistants) and made them appealing, affordable and feasible for home-usage.

How is IoT for Industry? Industrial IoT (IIoT) refers to the implementation of IoT technology in industrial environments, in particular concerning instrumentation and monitoring of sensors and devices participating in cloud technologies. IIoT is also called Industrial Revolution Fourth Wave, or Industry 4.0. Some specific uses of IIoT are as follows:
Smart manufacturing
Preventive and predictive maintenance
Smart power grids
Smart cities
Connected and smart logistics
Smart digital supply chains

 

 

What are the Top IoT Applications? IoT’s ability to provide sensor information and allow device-to-device communication is driving an extensive array of applications. The following are some of the most popular features and what they are doing.

Establish new manufacturing efficiencies by control of the equipment and the product quality. Machines can be tracked and tested continuously to ensure that they work within the appropriate tolerances.
Enhance monitoring of physical properties and “ring-fencing.” Tracking helps businesses to identify the position of the stuff quickly. Ring-fencing allows them to ensure high-value assets are secured from theft and removal.
Use wearables to track environmental and human health analytics. IoT wearables enable people to understand their health better and allow doctors to monitor patients remotely.

Drive efficiencies in current processes and new possibilities; One example of this is the use of IoT to make fleet management effective and safer. Companies can use IoT fleet monitoring to guide trucks to boost performance in real-time.

Allow changes to business processes. One example is the use of IoT devices to track remote machinery’s health and cause service calls for preventive maintenance.

What Can Industries Benefit from IoT?
Organizations best suited for IoT are those that would benefit from using sensor devices:

Manufacturing- Manufacturers can gain a competitive advantage when sensors detect an imminent malfunction by using production line monitoring to allow take-over maintenance on equipment. Manufacturers may quickly test equipment for quality, or withdraw it from output until it is fixed, with the aid of sensor warnings.

Automotive- Industry stands to realize significant benefits from the use of IoT software. The benefits of applying IoT to production lines, sensors can also detect nearing equipment failure in vehicles already on the road and can alert the driver with details and advice. IoT-based apps, designers and manufacturers will be able to learn more about how to keep vehicles going and car owners updated.

Transport and Logistics- Transport and logistics services are benefiting from IoT applications. Thanks to IoT sensor info, motor vehicles such as cars, buses, ships and trains carrying inventory can be re-routed according to weather conditions, driver availability, and vehicle availability. The product itself may also have sensors for track-and-trace and temperature-control.

Retail- IoT applications allow retail companies to control inventory, enhance customer service, optimize the supply chain and reduce operating costs. Smart shelves with weight sensors, for example, can collect information based on radio frequency detection and send the data to the IoT network for warnings and automatically monitor when the inventory of items are running low.

Public sector- The advantages of IoT are equally considerate in the public sector and other service-related environments. For instance, government-owned utilities may use IoT-based applications to alert their users of mass outages and even smaller water, electricity, or sewer service interruptions. IoT systems may gather data about the severity of an outage and deploy resources to help utilities recover more quickly from outages.

Monitoring of healthcare- IoT assets provides many benefits for the healthcare sector. Doctors, nurses, and an attendant also need to know precisely where patient-assistance devices like wheelchairs are stored. When the wheelchairs of a hospital are fitted with IoT sensors, they can be monitored from the IoT asset tracking program, so that the nearest accessible wheelchair can be identified easily by anyone searching for one.

General safety in all sectors- In addition to tracking physical property, IoT can be used to enhance safety in the workplace; for example, employees in dangerous environments such as oil and gas fields, mines, and chemical and power plants need to know about the likelihood of a dangerous accident that could impact them. They can be informed of incidents or saved from them when they are linked to IoT sensor based applications. IoT implementations also refer to wearables that can monitor human health and environmental conditions. These kinds of apps not only help people better understand their health, but also allow doctors to monitor patients remotely.

Why does IoT change the world? IoT reinvents the car through the development of connected vehicles. Vehicle owners may use IoT to operate their cars remotely — like preheating the car before the driver gets into it, or calling for a vehicle remotely by phone. With IoT’s ability to allow device-to-device communication, cars will also be able to book their service appointments where necessary. The connected automobile allows manufacturers or dealers to transform the idea of car ownership on its heads. Earlier, producers had an arms-length relationship with individual clients (or none at all). Car manufacturers or dealers may use connected vehicles to maintain a continuous relationship with their customers. Instead of selling vehicles, they can charge drivers user fees, providing a “transportation-as-a-service” through autonomous cars. IoT lets manufacturers constantly upgrade their cars with new technology, a break from the traditional model of car ownership in which vehicles depreciate both in performance and value at once.

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AI – the backbone of robotics, nanotechnology and future gadgets

“The science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs”
Artificial Intelligence is one of the world’s highly advanced topics. The AI research firm OpenAI is working hard these days to help us acknowledge AI’s ability and the issues that society needs to address on this fascinating topic. They are trying to ratify the road to secure artificial general intelligence, a significant shadow. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an informatics branch. It involves the creation of computer programs that would require human intelligence to complete tasks otherwise. AI algorithms can tackle learning, cognition, problem-solving, language and logical reasoning, digital data processing, bioinformatics, machine biology, etc.

In the contemporary world, AI is used in several respects. AI algorithms, for example, are used in Google searches, Amazon’s recommendation engine, and route finders for GPS. Many Robot Control AI programs are not included. By using AI to control robots, AI algorithms are just part of the broader robotic network, including sensors, actuators, and programming other than AIs.

AI has become such as integral part of our life, we cant imagine our life without it. We using AI well driving to the office searching for restaurant, news updates, shopping online and even for recommendations on social media. Accorning to a Gartner report AI estimated to paved the way 2.3 million opportunities by the year 2020. Also vancies in the field about AI have doubled over the last 3 years. And the career opportunities existing in private companies, public organizations, health care industy, education and govt. Institutions.

Applications of AI (Robotics)

The most exciting area of robotics is arguably artificial intelligence (AI). Robotics is a technology branch that specializes in physical robots. Robots are programmable machines typically capable of performing a series of actions autonomously or semi-autonomously.
AI helps to save the movements that a robotics system makes, while improving them continuously, making installing and moving robotics systems simple enough for anyone. Robots are now being used in retail stores and hotels around the world, in a customer service capacity. AI provides a computer vision for the robots to navigate sense and calculate their reaction accordingly. Robots learn to work by machine learning from humans there, which is again part of computer programming. It’s time to set it right once and for all.

There are three main factors which make up a robot:
1. Robots interact with the physical world through sensors and actuators.
2. It’s programmable for robots.
2. Generally, robots are independent or semi-autonomous.

The link between robotics and AI is that of artificially intelligent robots. These are robots powered by programs running AI. If you want to let the robot perform more complex tasks, AI algorithms are required.

To travel around the warehouse, a robot in warehousing can use a path-finding algorithm. If the battery is about to run out, a drone could use autonomous navigation to return home. A self-driving car may use a combination of AI algorithms to identify potential road hazards and avoid these. Those are all examples of artificially intelligent robots.

Applications of AI (Nanotechnology)
Although nanotechnology incorporates physics, chemistry, and engineering expertise, AI has relied heavily on biological inspiration to create some of its most successful patterns, such as natural networks or evolutionary algorithms. Bridging the connection between current nanoscience and AI can boost research in these disciplines and provide a new generation of information and communication technologies that will have a significant impact on our society. Nanotech powered computer hardware could surpass the GPU and lead to breakthroughs in today’s Deep Learning press. Imagine nano-enabled hardware with capabilities beyond the development by IBM of the world’s first artificial phase-change neurons, or the Nervana acquisition by Intel.

AI may be using nanotechnology to create foods, including substitution and restoring human organs. This may have drastic consequences for life-extension, for all humans or the wealthy.
The intersectional analysis Marshall is pursuing through his posts is an excellent example of deriving the foresight needed to navigate this emerging future. The instance of nanotechnology shows us how one aspect of innovation accelerates, steers and amplifies another’s effect. This trend is one of the driving forces behind the rapid development we are seeing.

In 2017, and 2018, artificial intelligence was among the most hype-up. Many cool AI devices can change our lifestyle. These are:

Virtual co-driver Chris is the very first remote driver assistant. It is a smart mobile app that can connect you while driving with your digital life. Mycroft is an adorable and smart home device which responds to verbal commands and communicates with other devices so you can quickly manage your home. Ambi climate application senses and gives users live data, which helps create a custom comfort profile, to change your environment optimally. Another example is Tapia, a household contact robot with a height of about 25 cm, is very compact. It is implemented with a camera, speaker, microphone, touch screen display, built-in battery, and so on. Besides speech recognition, voice synthesis, and face reorganization, you will enjoy communication with Tapia every day.

Mastery of AI: Artificial Intelligence ( AI) helps us reduce the error and the probability of achieving accuracy with greater precision. Artificial intelligence can be used in mining and other processes of fuel discovery. Artificial intelligence is commonly used for data processing and management by financial institutions and financial companies as well as banking institutions. The artificial intelligence can carry out repetitive jobs which are monotonous in nature. Artificial surgery finds a huge application to diagnose and control neurological conditions as it can mimic the activity of the brain.

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The role of Data Scientist in 2024

Data is a precious thing and will last longer than the systems themselves” – By Tim Berners Lee, inventor of the world wide web

Do you know Recommendation Engine is the most common use case of Data Science which has crept into your daily life? Every time you’re on Amazon or Flipkart, do you see these custom suggestions saying “Things you might like”? Well, that’s a perfect example of monitoring and recognizing user search and purchase habits from Data Science algorithms, and then preparing custom recommendation lists.

Thanks to Data Science, new and exciting possibilities are opening up, constantly changing the way we see the world around us. The contribution of Data Science in transforming human lives for the better has been enormous.

Online shopping has become so much simpler thanks to sophisticated algorithms that can recognize individual users’ tastes and interests, and create recommendation lists for them. Online financial transactions have never been that safe, courtesy of Data Science’s Fraud and Risk Detection algorithms.

Not just these, Data Science has also made an enormous contribution to the healthcare field. Algorithms and applications in data science can be used in Drug development, Medical Image Processing, Remote Monitoring, to name a few.
Because data is the omnipresent force that governs our lives now, jobs are booming like never before in this arena. Machine Learning Engineers, Data Scientists and Big Data Engineers rank among the top emerging jobs on LinkedIn. Since 2012, Data Scientists’ job positions have increased by more than 650 per cent, making Data Science currently one of the hottest career sectors.

What is Data science?
The basic concept states that data science is an aggregation of data, which is organized and evaluated in a way that will have an impact on business. A data scientist, according to Google, can analyze and interpret complex data and can make use of a website’s information and assist in business decision making.

Future Scope of Data Science
Data science has emerged as one of the world’s hottest careers today. Being a data professional will broaden job opportunities and offer more options today to get lucrative salary packages. Let’s look at a few points which describe the bright future of data science.

Data science is still an evolving technology.
To stay relevant in the Industry, professionals must upgrade themselves to the latest technologies. Over the coming decade, data science is growing to provide an array of work opportunities. Because the supply is low, this is the right call for professionals seeking skills in this area.

Organizations are facing a challenge using data that is generated.
Realizing the amount of data that is to be developed in the next decade is unimaginable. It is getting difficult for an enterprise to access the value of such data. Being a professional in data science, one can help organizations make progress with the data being gathered to gain positive insights.

In-demand skill-set
Many data scientists possess the in-demand skill set that the new Industry needs today. Skills like Machine Learning, R and Python programming, Predictive Analytics, AI, and Data Visualization are the most popular skills employers are seeking from today’s candidates.

Advancement in career
The data scientist is the most promising career of 2019, according to LinkedIn. The main reason for this job to be ranked the highest is that people were being paid enormously. The study also predicts that there are high chances of winning promotion as a data scientist, giving a career development score of 9 out of 10.

Experts in data science are required in virtually every field of employment — not only in technology. There is not only a massive demand but also a significant shortage of trained data scientists. . If you have a passion for computers, math, and discovering answers through data analysis, then earning an advanced degree in data science might be your next step.

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Online learning- making way into the education system.

“We need to bring learning to people instead of people to learning.” – Elliot Masie

“Online learning is not the next big thing, it is the now big thing.” – Donna J. Abernathy

An online technology revolution is bringing about fundamental changes in the way education is delivered and received. With the digitization of education, the outreach of educational programs is improving day by day. This offers new opportunities for both teachers and students to teach and to learn, thus ensuring greater involvement in the overall cycle of learning.

With the introduction of modern technology-aided learning platforms such as smart boards, MOOCs, tablets, and laptops, etc., the way education is provided in schools and colleges has been changed. The Internet of Things (IoT) is proving to be one of the most cost-effective ways of educating young minds. Incorporating a world-class learning experience to everyone is also a robust system. The educational technology companies are actively trying to find new ways to improve access to education for people who are currently struggling to get proper educational facilities.

Online surveys show that the population of youngsters from all over the world, taking online courses in the past is gradually growing. The best part of digital education is that you can build tools only once and make endless use of them for future generations. You are, therefore, saving on lots of resources and effort. At the same time, online education empowers teachers to customize educational items based on individual learners’ unique needs.

Why Digital learning is the Future of Learning?

Online learning will be the main facet of the subcontinent’s future education. It is fascinating to see how smart innovations improve the country’s overall educational system. Penetration of online education system into the rural market is rapidly growing. The affordable high-speed internet and direct-to-device technology allow rural students to take online courses and develop their knowledge and skills.

Trends in online learning

Social media as a learning tool has made tremendous progress. Many teachers and students today make use of social media as an integral part of the whole e-learning experience. These days, it is a crucial forum for sharing knowledge on essential issues. In addition to being able to exchange knowledge everywhere, social media resources are also a fantastic source of creating networking opportunities for cost-effective developing future jobs and social activities.

Interactive Learning Resources: Training is no longer limited to a conventional classroom environment with the introduction of interactive technologies such as flipped classrooms, smartphone phones, etc. For such ground-breaking digital aids the millennials learning cycle is being re-wired. Interactive learning platforms are being developed by different educators, using the best of technology.

Combined learning and digital systems are being improved. Sitting at one location, people can collaborate on assignments and projects with others spread all over the globe. Likewise, the teaching spectrum is not restricted to a specific region or location only. This is no longer a national affair but tracks developments around the globe. Educational institutions believe that providing online learning is crucial for their survival and growth in the long term.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCS): MOOCs platforms make self-learning crucially feasible.

MOOCs help a lot of the country’s young people to develop their skills and qualifications. It allows millions of people who have no access to affordable education by gaining access to a variety of skill-based courses to boost their employability.

Learning MOOCs allows students and working professionals to learn from anywhere and at any time, at their convenience. In addition, some of the courses offered under these programs include a valid credential that is appropriately accepted as a step in the right direction by the Institutes and the businesses.

The need of the hour is to know at one’s own pace. In this regard, MOOCs have been a positive trend in achieving self-learning goals by giving one and all equal access to high-quality online learning material & digital content.

Advancement in Visual Learning Aids: Learning based on audio-video is picking up speed in India. Learning based on videos is very common among school-goers because it blends learning with fun. Such an educational-learning platform is highly interactive. Not only this form of teaching technique is restricted to audio-video, but it also includes educational software, podcasts, ebooks, etc.

Interactive Software – Game-based learning: Game-based learning is the next big thing that will redefine India’s digital education future, especially in the K12 sector.

It is already creating an environment where the learners can relate easily to what is being engagingly taught. Game-based learning will certainly revolutionize educational world goods by changing the k-12 field and help to create a healthier self-trained workforce for the future.

Why online learning is the way forward for real education

With the internet becoming much more affordable and accessible, the integration of digital and conventional teaching-learning media will increase. The education industry will witness the rise of small, medium, and large-scale educational technology companies that will shortly be offering academic institutions a range of innovative digital products.

In addition, the government is taking ambitious measures to implement policies that will further improve the country’s online education industry. To help promote the use of creative educational technologies, it is making efforts to enhance the quality of digital technology across the region.

Like all other professions, online learning will see significant changes in the way Universities and Colleges provide education in the coming days. We will experience a host of opportunities arising from online education that will empower this country’s youth.

Advance Learning Management Systems (LMS) with its proper knowledge management tools will help improve the design and delivery of Universities and Colleges in India, offering educational courses.
Furthermore, emerging technology allows for resolving all language barriers. Learning content can now also be made available online in regional languages. Students and teachers can access the vast pool of information content through e-learning and m-learning initiatives supported by government and private players.
Online education helps students to interact with a wide variety of freely accessible research content on the internet, thereby building a self-learning environment.

Living in a globalized world, Indian youth are preparing themselves for Business 4.0 learning needs and challenges. With the digital transition, the country’s education system is bound to deeply re-adjust both for how we learn and what we know. The young population of our nation will undoubtedly prove to be a demographic dividend if the advantages of technology are made accessible to every household doorway within the country.
Online education will also inspire young people today to learn and participate in the vast sea of information that is increasingly made accessible to them through the digital revolution in a number of ways.

Academia vs Industry by Nazuk

BRIDGING GAP BETWEEN MARKET AND ACADEMIA BY NAZUK ENDLAY

India, the nation of growth is considered to be one of the emerging superpowers of the world with approximately 1.5 million engineers trained for the job market every year. With the growing economy, India is also witnessing the growth of educational sector. However, Indian industry is still looking for reforms for betterment of job-readiness of the graduates.
There is an urgent need that the industry and academia come together and address some of the underlying challenges. Though educational institutions are preparing millions of students for the corporate requirements with new and innovative internships and training programs yet there lies a question over the existent gap between the corporate requirements and the academia.
The intersecting requirements and jointly inter-reliant relationship requires identifying means of further improvement in academia-market partnerships.

Major Points of Concern:

Syllabus:
Engineering courses in India are still tuned with the traditional way of teaching. Although, new teaching methods and programs are improving things at the grass-roots level, but further reforms are required to improve the employability of candidates.

Faculty Requirements:
The traditional way of teaching engineering doesn’t let teachers to evolve. It is true that basics are important, but in this fast-pace world it is important to gain some pragmatic experience before entering the job market. Teachers need to impart this side of academia and for that, they will require training beforehand to improve the overall situation.

Improvement in Innovation and Research:
Our students think more about the result rather than fun learning. They are taught technologies that are not relevant in the 21st century which makes engineering boring. They are high on potential and talent but, lack the “out-of-the-box” thinking attitude with no inclination towards innovation and research. The things are improving on this horizon with Government of India and corporate houses providing funding for research and ensuring a brighter future for the scientists in India.

Skill Based Learning:
Education in India is still majorly theory oriented. We have observed some breakthroughs in Indian engineering academia with several competitions such as go-karting, robotics etc. But, students are still not aware of on how to apply theory in day-to-day life. They lack skills to get employed.

Soft Skills:
One the major problem arising is the continual ignorance of soft skills which are major factor when it comes to corporate employability. Students focus only on the result of placement; they spend all their time focusing on subject curriculum.

Panacea:

Aligning Curriculum with Industry:
The imperative need to re-structure the existent educational system is to address the varied needs of the dynamic industry. The curriculum needs to be regularly revised and developed in accordance with the market needs.

Shift to Practical Learning :
The classroom methodology and theory inclined approach needs to be reoriented with making the entire approach more dynamic with the help of practical hands-on learning.

Workplace Exposure :
Need to increase exposure of students to industries and market by simultaneous practical implementation through internships, live projects and corporate interactions.

Channel Industry Challenges:
Channeling some real-time industry challenges and problems to students as add-on to the curriculum; can help students to crack interviews and big jobs in the future.

Focus on Soft Skills :
Besides learning of core or technical knowledge, academia should also focus on the overall development of the student including soft and behavioral skills such as leadership capabilities, attitude, professional communication and interpersonal skills.

Its high time now for us to recalibrate the Indian education system with modern methods of teaching and training. Collaboration of industry and academia will play an important part in tapping the gap between what is given to what is actually needed.

Importance of Employability Skills

“Unemployment” became the hottest topic of discussion after our honourable Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi gave the statement about Pakora Selling. “More than 60% of the eight lakhs engineers graduating from technical institutions across the country every year remain unemployed, according to All India Council for Technical Education”, says a report published in “The Times of India” on March 18, 2017. The most popular explanation given for this is the lack of jobs. But, are there really only few jobs, or is it something else which is breeding this problem?

95% of engineering graduates lack basic coding skills, 67% of engineering graduates are not fluent in English and nearly 61% of them possess grammar skills no better than an eighth standard student as stated in a recent survey by Aspiring Minds. According to experts of industry and academia, only 3.84% of fresh engineering graduates are employable.

WHAT IS EMPLOYABILITY?

“The skills and abilities that allow you to be employed”, this is the basic definition of employability as per the Cambridge Business English Dictionary. Prof. Mantz Yorke defines employability as a set of achievements-skills, understandings and personal attributes-that make graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupation, which benefits themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy. Employability is not about simply getting a job, it is an ongoing success in your career for now and in future. It is not a list of skills that can be taught, it draws on a wide range of skills abilities and attributes and can vary from individual to individual.

To be geared up with employability skills is more important now than ever before in the light of world graduates are entering.

IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYABILITY

Nowadays graduates cannot rely on their degree to get themselves assured a satiating future career as recruiters are looking for work-ready candidates equipped with profound skills to meet the demand of market and industry. So to keep themselves a step ahead in this competitive job market, employability skills must be developed by the students in their graduation time.

Employers complain that neither graduates have adequate knowledge in their areas of study, nor conversant with current technology and advancement in their fields. Lack of innovation, communication skills, notably inability to express themselves clearly orally and in writing, as well as poor command in English language is mainly found these days within the candidates. These factors further lead to lack of confidence at work leading to delivery of poor service by graduates. The significant causes behind lack of employability skills in graduates are inappropriate curriculum, outdated syllabi, inadequate facilities & infrastructure. At the technical institution level, it is noted that academic incompetency and poor background incapability based training of students is a critical factor impeding technical graduates from realising employable skills at technical institutions. Moreover, candidates in technical education institutions have been brought up in knowledge based system and ideally trained to pass exams rather than building competencies. While academics equip an individual for future career, they focus a little on honing and refinement of personality aspects essential for effective functioning in an organisation. Simultaneously, students are also required to be familiar with rules of etiquette and protocol critical to success in corporate setting.

To bridge this gap, Noida Institute Of Engineering & Technology, Greater Noida has come up with Pyramid Finishing School (PFS) where students are first assessed on their various skills. For these assessments, NIET sponsors various assessment programs, in association with Aspiring Minds (Amcat), Cocubes.com, Mettl and many others. After these assessments, particular training is being organised accordingly by PFS on soft skills, technical skills, aptitude, verbal/non-verbal communication, corporate/social etiquettes which results in industry-ready professionals. Some other prominent features of PFS are; Pearson Test Centre (PTC), certification from ICICI Direct, CISCO Network Academy, Cambridge English Language assessment, Microsoft Innovation Centre and tie-up with CDAC Pune.

Inadequate supply of teaching and learning resources in technical institutes is yet another impediment to internalizing job skills by technical education candidates, the institutes are further confronted with the lack of competent instructors in the area of competency based training and required infrastructure, but NIET doesn’t let its students feel the lack of any learning resources or infrastructures. At NIET, we have various innovation labs under expert supervision; Smart Manufacturing Lab (under PTC Centre of Excellence), Mercedes Benz Academy for Diploma in Advanced Mechatronics, Applied Robotics Control Lab in association with APS, Industrial robotic establishment at European Centre for Mechatronics Germany and a virtual lab at NIET Campus with expert supervision from European Centre, Cloud computing research and training lab in association with Microsoft Cloud Services and Amazon Web Services, Internet of Things (IoT) using Raspberry Pi in association with IBM, Centre of Excellence for mobile application development on Android Platform, Big Data Systems Lab in association with DELL EMC, Advanced Lab for Product Design and 3D printing in association with PTC, Centre of Excellence for Embedded & VLSI Technology, Centre for Clinical Research and Bio-informatics and Centre for Process and Design Control.

Another factor is inadequate industrial attachment for both technical education instructors and trainees that denies them hands-on-experience. To overcome this issue NIET organises various industrial talks by Genpact, Amazon, ICICI, Indian Army and many more. It also organises industrials visits to Gulf Islamic Investments (Dubai), Yakult, SOFCON, NEWATER (Singapore) and more.

Also NIET hires instructors who have industrial experience; recently NIET has done a tie-up with Pega Systems. Under this program, 100 students will be trained to work on Pega Platform directly by Pega Systems itself.

“To be employed is to be at risk, to be employable is to be secure” –Peter Hawkins

So next time when you think of getting employed, first think about having employability skills.

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Choosing the Perfect College

It’s almost time to make your big college decision! But after you’ve spent so much time visiting and researching colleges, what are you really looking for in a future college? Is it enough that your dream college offers your intended major, or should there be more to your decision?

The students’ strongest motives for entering higher education are instrumental. They are largely associated with their desire to improve their employability skills and to fulfil their career or entrepreneurial aspirations. Many others further want to continue learning and go for Choosing a college is a big decision. There are many aspects of the college to consider and how they relate to your personal preferences. And, it’s easy to get caught up in certain aspects of a college — like the really fancy dorms or the fact that your best friend goes there – and loses sight of the big picture (Is this the right place for you to learn skills for your career?). Believe it or not, there are many other factors that you should consider when choosing a college!

  • Placements

Knowing the cold, hard facts about how many graduates in a particular field find a job, and how quickly, will help you evaluate a potential college. Many colleges publish data about the percentage of students receiving a job offer within six months of graduation. Some colleges will offer more assistance to graduates seeking employment than others. Finding out the job placement rate will help you make sure that your tuition fees will be well spent and can influence your decision regarding the institution you choose to attend, as well as your area of study.

The placement record of Noida Institute of Engineering & Technology, Greater Noida, has been outstanding. It has been acknowledged many times in the past for providing Best Placement in the region consecutively for four years. Some of the companies visiting for campus are TCS, Accenture, Microsoft, ICICI Bank, HCL, Aditya Birla Group, Headstrong, IBM, Union Bank of India, Sahara Computers (South Africa), Blackberry, Indian Army, Evolution Consulting Ltd. (Canada), Tech Mahindra, HDFC Bank, etc. offering a highest package of INR 30 lpa for 2014 batch.

  • Finishing School

College can open your eyes to careers you never knew existed, and the finishing school can be instrumental in preparing you for your professional life after graduation. This includes interview preparation, counselling, resume reviews, job placement support, and much more. A graduate needs not only excel in academics, but need a 360 degree improvement, in the areas like soft skills, life skills, technical skills and etiquettes. The Institute should also be exposing the students to time management, team-work and project management.

In order to address this, NIET boasts of a ‘Pyramid Finishing School’ to increase employability skills amongst fresh graduates, imparting world-class business skills for sustained performance and career success and to meet the ever-growing industry demand for suitable talent at the entry level. The students from all walks of life have gained tremendous confidence and have polished their personalities to be readily employable. This has resulted in NIET achieving the award for Visionary Minds – 2015 & 2016 and Most Employable students – 2014 & 2015 in the region.

  • Industry Tie-ups

There is a huge gap existing between industry and academia. To ensure that students passing out of the college are ready professionals, it is very important to bridge this gap through industry tie-ups. Colleges having these tie-ups help the students in being regular touch with the companies, have their manager visit the campus frequently, interact with the students and impart their own curriculum if needed, while students are undergoing training.

NIET has made tie-ups with MNCs like Microsoft, Cisco, Apple, Amazon, PTC, KPMG, ICICI Direct, etc. These tie-ups not only promises to enhance student employability by manifold, but also takes the lead in encouraging ‘innovative’ learning like never before.

  • Entrepreneurship Development Cell

It takes more than just early stage risk-capital to get a company off the ground. Entrepreneurship has an unmatched ability to bring about disruptive change in society and engage with ventures across technology. The Entrepreneurship Cell should help budding entrepreneurs turn ideas into viable businesses.

NIET has set up a Technology Business Incubator which is approved by DC-MSME, Ministry of MSME, Govt. of India to provide financial assistance to innovators and entrepreneurs for bringing innovations and ideas to life which will create economic opportunity and jobs for the country. In partnership with the mentors, corporates, development agencies, community and investors, the Institute cultivates a rare breed of entrepreneurs by incubating, accelerating, mentoring and funding innovative start-ups. It ensures a conducive ecosystem critical to promoting entrepreneurship.

  • Support for Higher Education

Access to higher education has become increasingly essential to obtain economic independence and success in today’s world. Students opting for further studies need outreach, professional development, advocacy, and networking opportunities for the right career path.

NIET conceptualizes academic support to include academic advising; student academic transitions; academic preparedness; and developmental education among other forms of support. The Institute also trains students for the GATE / GRE/ GMAT, etc. We have devised the most effective modules which have been responsible for the outstanding results that our students have produced on these tests. NIET also has in-house Test centres like Prometric & Pearson which further enables students to give these exams within campus and at discounted prices.

While deciding where to apply is often a stressful experience, knowing what things to consider when choosing a college can give you the confidence to apply wisely and end up at the institute that best meets your needs.

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