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The pros and cons of online education have been a topic of discussion for many years now. The truth is that the pros of online education hardly came out of the boardrooms to be implemented in classrooms. Due to the innate conservatism of our universities, colleges and policymakers, the scope for changes has always been a second priority. Now, when we are all being disrupted by the pandemic, the higher education sector has been forced to change more than any. However, this shift to what is now commonly known as ‘online learning,’ while very exciting, cannot replace the campus experience that many students crave.
Accessibility, inclusion, and engagement are the biggest concerns in India, as most students come from remote places. A year of remote learning has proven that solely hosting lectures as online meetings leave some students behind and keep many yearning for the rich campus
The Repercussions of a Great Disruption
experiences that fostered learning in and out of the classroom. Many faculty members reported a drop in engagement as students struggled to stay focused. Moreover, teachers are concerned about their ability to deliver engaging, high-value learning experiences, as they have been taught to teach traditionally. As we enter into an era of hybrid learning, we need to see educators and institutions embracing changes without compromising the fundamentals of teaching and learning.
In this issue, we have identified a handful of colleges across the country that have performed well during this challenging time. We have recognized them as ‘College of the Year – 2021’ and featured their stories to inspire others to take some bold steps to benefit higher education aspirants. On the cover, we feature Jagran Lakecity Business School, which aims to produce socially and ethically conscious managers, entrepreneurs, and leaders.
Enjoy Reading.
Sarath Shyam
Dr. Kuldeep Nagi, Ph.D, MBA, BSc. Program Director of Ph.D, Recipient of Fulbright Fellowship Award & Dan Evans Award for Excellence and Writer columnist.
Major General (Rtd.) Dr. Sunil Chandra, VSM (Vishishta Seva Medal), Ph.D, M. Phil, MA, M.Ed, PGBDA
Ex-M D Army Welfare Education Society, ExCOO GEMS Education - India, Ex- Addl Dir Gen - Army Education, Mentor - Adventure-Pulse
Shanthi Rajan (MSHRM, FHEA, AMCILT)
Director, Institution Development, University of Stirling, RAK Campus, UAE.
ADVISORY BOARD
Dr. Varughese K.John, PhD, MBA, MPhil, MCom, LLB.
Former Program Director, MS in Management Program, GSATM - AU
Dr. Ajay Shukla, Ph.D, MBA, BE.
Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Higher Education UAE
Mr. Amulya Sah, PGD PM & IR, PG Diploma in PM&IR (XISS Ranchi)
Chief Human Resources Officer, Former Head HR group Samsung R&D Institute India,Transformative HR Leader, Change agent, Digitization facilitator, Engagement architect, Trainer and Diversity champion.
Dr. Venus M. Alboruto, PhD,
Master Teacher, Researcher, Innovator, Trainer.
Mr. Sreedhar Bevara, MBA, B.Com
Former Senior General Manager: Panasonic Middle East & Africa, Thought Leader, Speaker & Author of ‘Moment of Signal’ (Amazon’s International Bestseller)
AMBALA INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT
Setting New Dimensions in Hospitality and Tourism Education
DOT SCHOOL OF DESIGN
Imparting Design Education for the Designers of Tomorrow
GITAM SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
Producing Competent and Ethical Industry Professionals
GOLDEN EPAULETTES
AVIATION
Shaping Careers of Pilot Aspirants
JAGRAN LAKECITY BUSINESS SCHOOL
OFFERING AN UNMATCHED GLOBAL EXPOSURE IN MANAGEMENT
EDUCATION
IMS DESIGN AND INNOVATION ACADEMY
Revolutionizing Design Education in India
INSTITUTE OF INDIAN AVIATION AND ALLIED MANAGEMENT STUDIES
Giving Students Wings to Achieve Great Heights
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JD INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY
Creating New Trends in the World of Fashion Technology
CHANGING DYNAMICS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE POST PANDEMIC ERA
Dr Shauli Mukherjee, Director - School of Education & DeanStudents’ Affairs, Adamas University
PRECEPT OF NEW EDUCATION POLICY 2020
Dr A Arun Kumar, Assistant Professor, Centre for Management Studies, ICFAI Law School
ACADEMIC VIEW
DATA SCIENCE INDUSTRY BECOMING MORE PROPITIOUS FIELD FOR YOUNG MINDS
Dr Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, Dean Academics, Sanskriti University
THE EMERGENCE OF HYBRID LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATIONADVANTAGES AND PERILS
Dr Baishali Mitra, Faculty, EDII
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ACADEMIC INTEGRITY?
INCULCATING INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURIAL CULTURE IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Abhilash R, Founder & CEO, Bloombloom
LEGAL CAREER: HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT LAW FIRM FOR YOU IN INDIA
Anjali Jain, Partner, Areness
HOW TO WIN THE WAR OF TALENT – ATTRACTING AND RETAINING TALENT
Dheeraj Kumar Pandey, Chief Advisor for HR Systems and Processes, Keka Technologies
DO’S AND DON’TS: ENGAGING IN THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTIES
Dr Purvi Gandhi, Occupational Therapist, The Aditya Birla Integrated School
CHANGING DYNAMICS
OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE POST PANDEMIC ERA
Dr Shauli Mukherjee, Director - School of Education & Dean - Students’ Affairs, Adamas University
With a purposeful career in the education space spanning over more than 20 years, Dr. Shauli Mukherjee has dedicated her life towards promotion of childcentric and activity-oriented education. A passionate educationist and a thought leader with a background of setting up and leading new age K- 12 schools, Dr. Mukherjee had been the Founder Principal of Adamas World School and STEM World School, the first STEM school in West Bengal. Under her inspiring leadership, STEM World School had been ranked and awarded as the 2nd best International Day School in West Bengal by Education World. All through her career in education, Dr. Mukherjee had actively contributed to and spearheaded the process of creating a personalized, engaging and stress-free curriculum for children of all age groups.
Conventional and traditional educational norms force our learners to metaphorically colour within the lines – that is, to comply, to conform and to compete
Twenty-first century world is undoubtedly a VUCA world – a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world where we are faced with unique and unheard of challenges almost on a regular basis. Since the turn of the century, the chaotic, turbulent and rapidly changing environments in which we live have become the ‘new normal’. Exploding technological developments, dramatic demographic growth, immigration, ecological disasters and geographical trends disrupt our lives at an ever increasing pace and breadth. These circumstances, accelerated by the global pandemic have caused major breakdown of order in almost all organizations, including education and higher education, as the four VUCA components of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity interact with each other in chaotic and sometimes conflicting ways.
In the past few months since the world has been embroiled in a global pandemic, there have been considerable debates, dialogues and discussions
about how higher education should both cope with its immediate threat while also considering pivots toward new models and innovations for the future. Courtesy to the COVID times which had caused major disruptions to our traditional thought patterns concerning education and on the positive note, had actually compelled us to think and act out of the box and embrace considerable flexibility and adaptability and devise innovative strategies and methods to significantly address the emerging complexities concerning the sphere of higher education.
Conventional and traditional educational norms force our learners to metaphorically colour within the lines – that is, to comply, to conform and to compete. Every learner is given the same amount of time to learn the same thing in the same manner and preferably on the same day. No wonder that the learners struggle miserably to realize their true potential. We must realize that the real world beyond the confines of the fancy physical infrastructure of
About Dr Shauli Mukherjee
Dr Mukherjee ardently believes that the purpose of meaningful education is to develop lifelong learners, creative thinkers and responsible global citizens who are confidently equipped to face the challenges of an uncertain and constantly unfolding future. She has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades including NATIONAL QUALITY EXCELLENCE AWARD, GEM OF INDIA AWARD, PEERLESS ABP PRATIBHA SWIKRITI AWARD, SARVEPALLI RADHAKRISHNAN AWARD, GURUPNISHAD SAMMAN, GURUVARYA SAMMAN, NATIONAL EDUCATION LEADERSHIP AWARD in the category of commitment to excellence in education, (to name a few), WORLD PEACE AWARD 2021. She has also been awarded for being among INDIA’S TOP 50 WOMEN LEADERS IN THE EDUCATION INDUSTRY by the Academic Council of ULektz. She is associated with premiere educational organizations across India as well as globally in senior advisory capacity. As a highly prolific motivational speaker, she is regularly invited in numerous national and international conferences, summits, conclaves and events to share her insights on the futuristic and transformative role of education. She is currently working as the Director of School of Education and Dean of Students’ Affairs at Adamas University, Kolkata.
a higher education institution, rewards those amply who can actually think out of the box and can carve their own path. Moreover, in order to sustain and thrive in the twenty-first century ever increasingly complex workforce, the learners have to be oriented more towards collaboration and cooperation rather than only cut-throat competition. In order to address and challenge the emerging global complexities, the world does not require mechanically trained minds loaded only with a vast repertoire of facts and figures – minds which are systematically formulated to think alike, rather the world needs innovative and creative minds which are capable of divergent thinking and out of the box ideation. We must allow the young learners more time which they can effectively utilize in following their curiosity, creating, sharing, exploring and experimenting with their unique and novel ideas. The educators and the responsible adults have to stop stigmatizing failures and mistakes and realize that they are both essential and integral components of a significant learning experience. If we truly want our present generation to evolve into creative problem solvers, we must give them ample scope to explore the 3 essential Ps:
● Play
● Passion
● Purpose
The teachers and the parents must significantly attempt to develop a growth mindset among the learners
an accomplishment. The passion for stretching oneself and sticking to it, even when things are not going that great is the hallmark of the growth mindset that will allow our young learners to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives. Additionally, we must aim to develop our learners into self-motivated learners as well as life-long learners who will be committed to learning, unlearning and relearning at their own pace in all significant phases of their lives. We all have these three basic and innate psychological needs – competence, autonomy and relatedness. When these innate needs are satisfied, we become motivated, productive and happy. When our inner drive to be autonomous, self - determined and connected to one another is liberated, we achieve more and lead truly fulfilling lives. This is so true and of utmost relevance to our young learners as well.
It is undoubtedly a potent combination of Play, Passion and Purpose that makes a person truly creative. We must allow these creative minds to not only seek innovative solutions to the problems but also to probe and look for inherent problems in the existing solutions. Our young learners must take complete ownership and responsibility of their own learning and in order to turn it into a visible reality, they must be given both choice and voice to determine and ascertain what, where and how they would want to learn. The teachers and the parents must significantly attempt to develop a growth mindset among the learners. It is of no matter what one’s ability is – one’s effort is what ignites that ability and turns it into
In order to nurture such creative minds of our young learners effectively, the educators, the education leaders, the education policy makers – that is the entire educational fraternity needs to redefine and re-imagine their roles in driving this momentous shift towards empowering individual learners by maximizing their learning potential to ultimately evolve into self-motivated life-long learners. Both the educator as well as the learner have to wholeheartedly embrace the benefits of anytime and anywhere learning and have to stay committed to continuous learning, unlearning and re-learning across all significant phases of their lives. In fact, one of the positive offshoots of the global pandemic happens to be the paradigm shift from teaching to learning when it comes to the educators, who, we all presume would continue to inspire, motivate, stimulate and at the same time facilitate the love for life-long learning among the learners as well as among themselves. It is for all of us to realize and appreciate the fact that teaching is not a mechanical task or process of transfer of facts and content from one to another. It is rather the most sophisticated and creative profession which helps to enable the young learners to evolve into more confident, equipped, dynamic and authentic versions of themselves.
JAGRAN LAKECITY BUSINESS SCHOOL
In the light of rising concerns about the COVID-19 spread, many companies have put a hold on their placement process. Colleges in India are facing a tough year ahead with disruptions in their campus recruitments as the pandemic affects businesses worldwide. While many students have been placed already, some still struggle to find a good job offer. However, due to the prolonged lockdown to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, few companies are deferring the offers made, while some have withdrawn offers made already. Getting almost 100% of the eligible and willing students placed, a few have often walked away with multiple offers. A portion of them, who come from business families, pursue the path of entrepreneurship, and some of them pursue higher education, opting out of placements. “Over the years, our pool of recruiters and job offers are getting better. Last year we saw our students going to a wide variety of companies and sectors. Firms include the new-age firms such as BYJU, MNCs such as S&P Global, banks such as HDB and ICICI, manufacturing firm such as Trident group, etc.”, points out Dr Nilesh Khare, Dean, Faculty of Management and Commerce (FMC), Jagran Lakecity University (JLU).
Several surveys conducted over a long period have determined the shortage of qualified, skilled manpower in the Indian formal sector. The latest figures suggest that only 7% of management graduates are employable, 43% could be employed in nonmanagerial positions, and 50% remain unemployable. “We take pride in producing employable competitive graduates through our four pillars,i.e., internationally benchmarked curriculum, application-oriented pedagogy, industry intervention via guest lectures, internship, immersion, and skill-based interdisciplinary degrees”, says Dr Nilesh.
As the faculty members and students at JLU come from a socioeconomic background where they have reasonably good dexterity with technology, the university was the first to start classes online on March 23rd, 2020, conducted an online exam in April-May 2020, had an online placement fair for final and summer internships, etc. They started the senior batches on time, and the class of 2021 will be graduating on time in May 2021. “It is obvious that all this has been possible because of our staff and faculty, which was constantly innovating, improvising, and adapting content, pedagogy, technology platform, and exams, a transformation from purely online to now hybrid. It is only because of them that we are here with our heads held high”, credits Dr Nilesh.
A Practical Approach to Teaching
JLU prides itself as central India’s global university. Its focus remains on application-oriented teaching. It aims to produce socially and ethically conscious managers, entrepreneurs, and leaders. This was one of the first universities that were established under the M.P. Private Higher Education Act in 2013. The promoters were very clear that only university status would provide freedom to determine, upgrade
About Dr Nilesh Khare
Dr Khare is a strategy professional, academic, higher-ed leader corporate advisor, CxO coach, board member, and startup mentor. He brings more than 25 years of experience in his areas of work from the USA, UAE and India. He earned his Ph. D. in Strategy from Fisher College of Business, the Ohio State University, USA, and taught there. He also taught at two universities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, UAE. Dr Khare also holds PGDBA in Finance and Marketing, CFA from ICFAI Business School Hyderabad, and B. E. (TC & Electronics) from NIT Jaipur. Currently, he is a Professor of Strategy, and the Dean Faculty of Management, Commerce & Economics at Jagran Lakecity University, Bhopal, India. He oversees Jagran Lakecity Business School (JLBS) and JLU School of Commerce and Economics. He serves as a member of the academic council and the board of management of the university. He is leading the transition of the schools and helping the university emerge as an international quality academic institute. He occasionally visits IIMs, IIFM, and other premier institutes to teach in Ph. D. and MBA programmes.
Currently the university is offering 56 degree programmes to more than 2500 students from 8 countries and 27 states of India.
and implement curriculum and pedagogies that help set higher standards. The result of this dedication is that JLU has been awarded the QS IGauge E-Learning Excellence for Academic Digitisation (E-Lead) Certification 2020, India Today and Outlook India, has ranked Jagran School of Journalism and Mass Communication, JLU Bhopal as No.1 in Madhya Pradesh, and top 15 in India in 2020, and the university has been bestowed with several prestigious awards, such as ‘University of the Year’ by Government of Madhya Pradesh for consecutive five years in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2019.
Currently, in their first phase of building a stronger foundation for research, JLU is comparatively a new name in the world of academia. Although it has taken time, the results have already begun to show. The university has set higher standards on a publication like Scopus and ABDC, much before UGC care came up. “We have recently
announced incentives for publications and stipend for Ph. D. There are dedicated courses that encourage UG/ PG students to pursue research independently and in collaboration with faculty”, adds Dr Nilesh.
The board of studies, advisory boards, and leadership at the university boast of international experience and exposure. The JLU family has served with the top global corporation and academic institutions, which has helped them build programs, curricula, adopt pedagogy, train, support, and enrich our faculty to be benchmarked with leading institutes. “How many regional institutes can boast of Harvard cases, internationally professional addon qualifications, Harvard Business Publishing Online Course Certificates ,leading simulation, video lectures from world-leading corporate leaders and academicians? We do all that! And we are unbelievably affordable for that. Hence we proudly say that Jagran Lakecity University’s Faculty of Management and Commerce offers Unmatched Global Exposure in Management Education. We ask ourselves before every action, decision, and step that will it take us closer to being the university we envision to become”, points out Dr Nilesh.
A diverse pool: The culture at FMC is what makes their faculty members unique as they focus on continuous self-improvement. Some come from rich industry experience in India and abroad, others have thorough academic training from institutes such as IIFM and IIT Roorkee, etc., and some with PhD and teaching experience abroad. Some bring both— international exposure in academia and the corporate world. “Having a well-exposed faculty who are
veterans of diverse backgrounds allows the university to create an environment where everyone learns from each other. It uplifts the collective knowledge bar of the faculty. The spirit of continuous improvement has lead our faculty pool to be at a place that is much better today and continues to get better by the day”, opines Dr Nilesh.
Operating via Area Groups, typical academic departments organized around areas of faculty expertise such as HR, Finance,
Marketing, etc. to improve teaching and research on an ongoing basis, the faculty members meet regularly and share new ideas, brainstorm on research and teaching, set new standards for existing practices, and take initiatives for further improvements. FMC’s annual review process follows goal setting at the beginning of the year, where each faculty sets their own goal for the year for improving their teaching and research, which is assessed on a six monthly basis and performance at the end of the year.
The university has 27 partnership with top industries and international universities ensuring the students get great exposure both nationally and internationally.
One of the few institutes across India that offers Entrepreneurship courses in affiliation with the Wadhwani Global Foundation, JLU also has MoU with MP State Incubator B-Nest for accessing resources. Some of the faculty members sit on advisory panels, mentor board, and selection committees of incubators and accelerators, including at IIM Kolkata Innovation Park. Access to such courses, resources, and mentors helps nurture students and create a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Shaping Industry Leaders of Tomorrow
While JLU has over 55 industry and academic partners worldwide, the FMC-specific partnerships are largely in three countries-- UK, Germany, and the USA. They have just begun to expand eastward in Singapore. Most of their partnerships provide students an opportunity for a summer exchange program. “Some of our programmes also offer exchange to UG and pathways for PG program transfers such as 1+3, 2+2 or pathways to PG such as MBA after 3 years of UG with us and without the student having to appear for GRE or GMAT”, adds Dr. Nilesh.
FMC visualizes industry collaboration as the bidirectional flow of knowledge and experience. Guest lectures, co-teaching of courses, internships, and immersion programs are some of the ways industry knowledge flows to their classrooms and students. MDPs, consulting, and flipped classrooms are opportunities where faculty’s knowledge, research, and findings flow back to the industry. The industry visits, Harvard case studies, and lectures from industry titans smoothen the transition of moving from a classroom to the work environment. “We are in the process of intensifying it even more via short-term faculty placement with Industry and industry-specific courses/ programs for our students”, adds Dr Nilesh.
Updating their curricula that would synergize across management, commerce, and economic programs, JLU aims to enhance programs in each of these areas with more electives, industry participation and enable custom experience for students. Programs such as BBA (H)/ B Com (H) in Accounting/ Strategic Finance with ACCA and CMA are great opportunities for those who seek add-on global professional qualification with their UG and a pathway to PG abroad. Deepening international linkages to update students with the global trends and innovations and help them be ready to become global professionals while educating right here in the heart of Bhopal, Dr Nilesh concludes, “We are very proud to say that many students from our campus go back to family businesses or entrepreneurship. They find our courses and programs enriching. We have provided them realistic view and competence necessary to succeed. The research opportunities, hands-on learning, and industry intervention make JLU an enabler, and thus the students choose the best path which will be most suitable for them in the long run”.
INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE
WHAT DO YOU
NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ACADEMIC INTEGRITY?
Chaitali Moitra, Regional Director - South Asia, Turnitin
With over two decades of experience across varied industry segments, Chaitali Moitra has served at the helm of various organizations and steered institutions to excellence in key success metrics - in both a financial and strategic growth capacity. Chaitali is well recognized as a leader in Business Development, Marketing and Learning. She has served in leadership positions at Genpact, The Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Global University Systems, and Macmillan Education. As the Managing Director of Collins Learning, a division of Harper Collins India, she has worked extensively with the education sector in South Asia. She has mentored students of leading management institutes and is often invited by leading institutes to share her knowledge and experience.
Academic Integrity is fundamental in upgrading the quality of education and influencing the future of the country
The Indian government is putting dedicated effort into reshaping education in the country and adding more value to educators, students, and the industry in general. In recent years, major developments have been undertaken in revamping higher education schools and ensuring learning resources are being made available for students and teachers. And that’s not all; semi-government institutions like IITs in India are already embracing technology-driven teaching practices to make learning for students interactive and fun.
With a renewed focus on quality and resultsfocused education, industry regulators are driving integrity in academia and schools. The country is also focusing on a diverse approach to increase integrity and finding solutions to discourage academic malpractices.
Academic institutions are paying more attention to upgrading infrastructure and adopting advanced technologies with a view to improving the quality of education for both students and educators. However, there is also a pressing need to actively promote academic integrity to strengthen the foundation of the education system in India.
Since 2017, academic integrity has been a key focus area in education policies in India. In the Policy and Academic Planning Bureau circular, it has been advised that all AICTE approved institutions should create awareness about academic integrity. There is an expectation they use credible anti-plagiarism software for all their academic and R&D related activities, in an effort to develop a robust innovation ecosystem in technical institutions and to prevent the threat of plagiarism.
Academic integrity is the center of morale in classrooms and lecture halls, and the key to developing competent, capable global citizens of integrity who are equipped with the knowledge and critical thinking skills to contribute positively to society and the future economy. Academic Integrity is fundamental in upgrading the quality of education and influencing the future of the country.
NEP 2020, another step towards highquality education
The National Education Policy introduced last year is set to deliver a sea of reforms to education and change how colleges, institutes, teachers, and parents view its efficacy. It seeks to unify Universities Grants
Commission (UGC) with All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) into one all-encompassing and efficient regulatory body.
The NEP 2020 focuses on core essentials, highlighting key concepts that promote critical thinking and analysis-based learning in children. The NEP will establish an education framework that doesn’t distinguish among ‘curricular,’ ‘extra-curricular,’ and ‘co-curricular’ subjects like arts, humanities, and core academic streams. With more flexibility in the choices of subjects, children will also acquire hands-on experience of vocational crafts.
India’s education system is ready to modernize to meet the needs of the new generation of students and society. The year 2020 brought a lot of learning in itself, and emphasized the need to rethink India’s education framework from a holistic approach.
However, the question remains, are we giving the best to our students?
The pursuit of ‘good grades’ and a successful career can often eclipse a commitment to moral values and academic ethics. In turn, this threatens the development of creative-thinking, problem solving, and learning comprehension skills amongst the Indian population, and the time is at hand to correct this.
For India to successfully navigate the ‘new normal’ future, we need to establish a system that guides moral conduct and equitable learning in education, be it in-situ or remotely. The first step to achieve these objectives is to underline the need for academic integrity and how schools, colleges, and teaching institutes can introduce it as part of their curriculum.
Institutions and schools are likely to have a number of questions surrounding the promotion of academic integrity, such as:
● How do they ensure that their students are learning the material effectively?
● How can institutions prioritize consistent, efficient, and fair grading and exam practices across grade levels and subject areas?
● How does faculty establish expectations that cultivate responsible behavior and authentic learning, both in the classroom and online?
To address any of the above, consider first this overarching question: How do you and your institution approach academic integrity?
Academic integrity is the foundational idea that everyone--students, educators, administrators, and researchers--will uphold the high expectations of academia by ethically conducting research, accurately citing sources, and responsibly adhering to the guidelines set forth by institutions when producing and publishing work.
examples include student collusion, and contract cheating, whereby a third party is enlisted to write work that a student takes credit for.
Why is academic integrity important?
Academic integrity protects institutions’ academic reputations. It validates the virtue of a degree by stating, with confidence, “All of the work that this student completed at this institution was their own. They are ready to contribute to our society in meaningful, authentic ways.” Academic integrity strengthens grading practices because it applies the same expectations across levels and subject areas in creating original work.
The pursuit of ‘good grades’ and a successful career can often eclipse a commitment to moral values and academic ethics
Moral ethics and honest behavior are imperative in any academic setting, and the commitment towards these moral ethics is what we call academic integrity. In simpler terms, academic integrity emphasizes giving credit to the owners when one gets inspired by their ideas or uses them. A failure to adhere to academic integrity includes the scenario of someone copying someone’s else’s thoughts or words, and passing them off as their own; otherwise known as plagiarism. Other
Misconduct in a few can discourage the many who are honestly pursuing their degrees. Furthermore, without academic integrity, a pattern of dishonesty can develop early in an academic career. As a consequence, misconduct during school can be a large indicator of workplace deviance later in life. And because dishonesty can be contagious, academic integrity policies must be in place to stymie the growing use of essay mills and plagiarism.
How to apply academic integrity?
Educators and institutions need to clearly define academic integrity and emphasize its importance to their learning community. By posting their academic integrity policy on all syllabi and assignments, as well as on their institution’s website and LMS, schools establish the value of and expectations around original work from the very beginning.
As per BMC study, it is indicated that honour codes to regulate and actively promote academic integrity, can curb the chances of academic dishonesty. Academic Integrity in India is still in its nascent stage. If we want our education system to soar, we must lay a firm foundation and introduce a framework for academic integrity. Institutions need to determine what constitutes academic integrity and how it can help create institutional value and encourage original thinking.
Now is the time for India to take deliberate, meaningful steps towards a comprehensive approach to academic integrity in order to uphold student learning, original thinking, and protect institutional reputation. Our future depends on building a strong sense of academic integrity early on in our students’ learning journey.
Higher education institutions are an important part of our community, as it has a vital role in the overall development of a citizen. Beginning fresh after high school, students look for opportunities to grow and groom in their colleges. Colleges are a place where students look for an ideal learning experience with a perfect balance of studies, learning and fun. While the pandemic has forced shut the colleges, the learning and the teaching community have been severely impacted.
Restricting students from attending classes physically and having a campus life, learners and teachers have been glued to their computer and mobile screens for the past year. The shift from the traditional way of teaching to online classes was very sudden and challenging. Especially in India, where online education was not considered a credible medium, the educational institutes and the students were not prepared for the change. Interestingly, India has one of the largest student populations in terms of higher education. Having around 3.74 crore students, the higher education department in India has been revolutionized by the pandemic.
The challenge to deliver quality education has revamped the whole teaching and learning process for the students and the teachers. Colleges around the country have adopted new techniques to teach and stay focused on their motive of quality education. As the pressure of online learning has impacted students’ physical and emotional well-being, the responsibility of colleges and universities has increased. Many colleges and universities across the nation have taken innovative measures to ensure a smooth transaction of curricular and co-curricular activities.
As the learners’ community enter another academic online education session, Higher Education Digest presents “College of the Year - 2021”, appreciating the efforts made by colleges and universities in the tough times. The edition features insights into the colleges doing exceptionally well for the students’ community and helping them grow.
AMBALA INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT
SETTING NEW DIMENSIONS IN HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM EDUCATION
According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, the hospitality industry accounts for 10% of global GDP and provides 1 in 10 jobs worldwide. However, the industry is now facing massive sales losses and low-capacity utilization throughout the world. “COVID -19 impacted hospitality and its education globally. We were no exception. But we dealt with the situation very calmly yet pro-actively,” comments Yashik Aggarwal, General Secretary. Ambala Institute of Hotel Management (AIHM).
Around December 2020, when the first wave of coronavirus was tapering, the institute decided to send its 3rd Semester students for a mandatory 3-month Industry Training. “All our students came back healthy before the quest of the second wave, and we utilized the gap between the two waves. All the theory components were finished online for batches of students who were not on campus. We conducted back-toback practical classes when students came back to the campus and ensured that they did not miss much concerning the course delivery,” states Yashik.
The Ambala Institute of Hotel Management, a centre of excellence, established in 2019 with zeal to impart education and to meet the needs of the hospitality industry keeping in mind the skill development towards hospitality.
Yashik Aggarwal, General Secretary, Ambala Institute of Hotel Management (AIHM)
Ambala Institute of Hotel Management was set up by experienced hoteliers and entrepreneurs to take the legacy forward in terms of bridging the gap between education, training and personnel development for the industry.
Though the pandemic has led to the closure of the whole world, AIHM was positive during the lockdown period. In fact, unlike many brick-and-mortar colleges that struggled during the pandemic, AIHM took online education to a whole new level. “As hotel management is similar to home science, we offered practical classes for a few subjects like food production, F&B service to our students along with their mothers and sisters. Our chefs gave live food demos to them, and they learned new recipes
and cooking methods. The response was overwhelming as we received a lot of positive feedback towards our study methods from parents,” shares Yashik.
Aiding Overall Student Development
AIHM was established in 2019 with zeal to impart education and to meet the needs of the hospitality industry, keeping in mind the skill development towards hospitality. With a campus area of over 6.5 acres that is pollution-free and well-connected, the institute has emerged as a leading training institution in North India in a short time. Aspiring to be a Centre of Excellence in Hospitality and Tourism studies, AIHM is enhancing the practices of each specialization and preparing students to meet the challenges and needs of global industry.
The institute is committed to being a platform for transformative impact on society through skill development, entrepreneurship, vibrant and responsible education, research, and development with employees worldwide. “We endeavour to be the preeminent research organization that
advances the boundaries of theoretical and applied research for hospitality and tourism academia, students, the global hospitality and tourism industry,” says Yashik.
Dedicated to excellence in student development, AIHM creates a healthy environment for education and disseminating knowledge of the hospitality and tourism industry. The institute prepares individuals with an academic foundation for lifelong learning and focuses on their overall development to help them become global leaders. Besides, AIHM is at the forefront of research, creating knowledge to offer optimal solutions to diverse challenges. “We dedicate ourselves to hospitality research with support to inquiries that are related to tourism and hospitality. We believe that all students must be challenged, secure results, and high performance. In our supportive and secure environment, we aid continuous improvement that yields excellence,” opines Yashik.
AIHM focuses on overall development of the individual which is attained through a perfect blend of academicians, industry experts, communication, language training, practical exposure, in-house competitions and extracurricular activities.
Simulating students for a bright future, which will benefit the students greatly, AIHM opts for OTO personalized feedback system toward their achievement, failures, projects, and clear learning objectives. “We have an inhouse Five-star Training Hotel on campus and culinary art studio through which students can get more live practical exposer In terms of Modern Equipment & Labs. We have routine sessions of motivators / physiological test, along with our ‘AIHM Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation,’” adds Yashik.
Shaping
Industry Leaders of Tomorrow
AIHM has an Industry-Oriented Curriculum that is more focused on research related to the hospitality sector. It increases students’ ability and creative thinking. At AIHM, students actively learn by problemsolving, situation handling, quiz, debate, live practical sessions on social media, and many more. To augment the effectiveness of its curriculum, the institute has
collaborated with several players in the industry. “The collaborations with industry help us in many ways, that include additional development and training for our students. Sometimes companies offer the opportunity in exchange programs, which aids in boosting their career,” states Yashik. AIHM has partnered with Amul Industries, Super Milk Industry, Humane Society International, TAAI, HSRI, HAI, Punjab & Haryana Bar Association, and the Russian Information Center in India.
Despite being an emerging institution in the Indian Hospitality and Tourism Education sector, AIHM has already produced some proud students. While some AIHM students have started their food ventures, many more have received job offers during their Industrial Training in the 3rd Semester. With an active Training and Placement Cell, AIHM is dedicated to train and prepare the students to face interviews at various 5-star hotels worldwide. The placement team is also continuously maintaining professional relations with the Human Resource team of Hotels in India and abroad.
AIHM now plans to start the placement drive for its final year students in early September and continue till March, giving them a platform to seek jobs and ensure 100% placements. “We feel innovation is an ability that comes from thinking. It motivates students to have a positive attitude towards their career goals and help them shape a brighter future for themselves. We aspire to take the legacy of experienced hoteliers and entrepreneurs forward by bridging the gap between education, training, and personnel development for the industry,” concludes Yashik.
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ACADEMIC VIEW
PRECEPT OF
NEW EDUCATION POLICY 2020
Dr
A Arun Kumar,
Assistant Professor, Centre for Management Studies, ICFAI Law School
Dr A. Arun Kumar is Assistant Professor at Centre for Management Studies, ICFAI Law School, The ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education, Hyderabad. He has eight years of experience in teaching and Industry. His area of interest is Knowledge Management and Operations Management. He has published several papers in Scopus, Social Sciences Citation Index and ABDC ranked journals to his credit. He has presented research papers in various international and national conferences organized in India, Nepal and Thailand. He is the associate member from India in International Association for Knowledge Management.
A good education institution is one in which every student feels welcomed and cared for, where a safe and stimulating learning environment exists, where a wide range of learning experiences are offered
Education is elemental for realizing full human potential, developing an impartial and unbiased society and advancing national development. Providing comprehensive access to quality education is the key to India’s continued rise and command on the global stage in terms of economic growth, social justice and equality, scientific progress, national integration, and cultural safeguarding. Universal high-quality education is the most propitious way forward for developing and maximizing our country’s ample amount of talents and resources for the good of the individual, the society, the nation and the world. India will have the highest population of youngsters in the world over the next decade, and our ability to provide elevated educational opportunities to them will determine the destiny of our country.
The new National Educational Policy 2020 revealed on Wednesday, 29 July, solicits to introduce and implement a sea of changes across all levels of education in India, including the basic apprehension of education in the country. It also seeks to effectuate changes in the way the instructors of such education, schools, colleges and teachers are trained and how they approach education.
The purpose of the education system is to develop good human beings capable of rational
thought and action, possessing compassion and empathy, courage and resilience, scientific temper and creative imagination, with sound ethical moorings and values. It aims at producing engaged, productive, and contributing citizens for building an equitable, inclusive, and plural society as envisaged by our Constitution.
A good education institution is one in which every student feels welcomed and cared for, where a safe and stimulating learning environment exists, where a wide range of learning experiences are offered. However, at the same time, there must also be seamless integration and coordination across institutions and across all stages of education.
The cardinal precept that will mentor both the individual and education institutions at large, are accepting, associating, and nurturing the distinctive potential of each student, by sensitizing teachers as well as parents to promote each student’s holistic development in both academic and nonacademic spheres.
Pliability, so that learners have the ability to choose their learning trajectories and programmes, and thereby choose their own paths in life according to their talents and interests.
There is no strictly imposed divisions between arts and sciences, between curricular and extra-curricular
activities, between vocational and academic streams, etc. in order to eliminate harmful hierarchies among, and silos between different areas of learning.
Interdisciplinary and a comprehensive education across the sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities, and sports for a multidisciplinary world in order to ensure the unity and integrity of all knowledge.
Prominence on notional understanding rather than rote learning and learning-for-exams; Innovative and evaluative thought process to encourage logical decision-making and innovation; Morality, individual and fundamental standards like empathy, respect for others, cleanliness, courtesy, democratic spirit, spirit of service, respect for public property, scientific temper, liberty, responsibility, pluralism, equality, and justice.
Encouraging multilingualism and the power of language in teaching and learning. Life skills such as communication, cooperation, teamwork, and resilience; precisely defined developmental analysis for learning rather than the summative assessment that encourages today’s ‘coaching culture’. Large-scale operation of applied science in teaching and learning, removing language barriers, increasing access for Divyang students, and educational planning and management. High regard for diversity and respect for the provincial context in all curriculum, pedagogy, and policy, always keeping in mind that education is a concurrent subject; complete fair play and incorporation as the cornerstone of all educational decisions to ensure that all students are able to thrive in the education system. Collaboration in curriculum covering all levels of education from early childhood care and education to school education to higher education. Teachers and faculty as the core of the learning excersie of their recruitment, continuous professional development, positive working environments and service conditions. A ‘light but tight’ normative structure to ensure integrity, transparency, and resource efficiency of the educational system through audit and public disclosure while encouraging innovation and out-of-the-box ideas through autonomy, good governance, and empowerment. Magnificent research as a corequisite for outstanding education and development. Steady exploration of progress based on sustained research and regular assessment by educational experts; Considerable speculation in a strong, spiriteds public education system as well as the encouragement and facilitation of true philanthropic private and community participation.
Amelioration in Structure and Curriculum of School Education
Among various other things, the NEP 2020 suggests a set of reforms to school education, with a focus on pliability
Among various other things, the NEP 2020 suggests a set of reforms to school education, with a focus on pliability of subjects and eliminating the gap between streams of learning
of subjects and eliminating the gap between streams of learning. Another goal of the NEP is to achieve 100 percent Gross Enrolment Ratio in preschool to secondary level by 2030.
Firstly, the NEP changes the existing 10+2 structure of school education to a 5+3+3+4, covering children between the ages of 3-18.
This structure, when split up into corresponding grades, is:
Three years of anganwadi or preschool + two years in primary school in grades 1-2 covering ages 3 to 8 years.
1. The ‘preparatory stage’ covering ages 8 to 11 years or grades 3-5
2. The ‘middle stage’ covering ages 11 to 14 years or grades 6-8
3. The ‘secondary stage’ covering ages 14 to 18 years in two phases – grades 9-10 in the first and grades 11-12 in the second
The New Education Policy 2020 focus to reduce the curriculum content to its core essentials, focussing on key concepts and ideas in order that children are able to practice more critical thinking and among other things, more analysis-based learning.
The NEP also states that there will be no rigid separation among ‘curricular’, ‘extra-curricular’, or ‘co-curricular’ areas, among ‘arts’, ‘humanities’, and ‘sciences’, or between ‘vocational’ or ‘academic’ streams. During grades 6-8, students will be required to take a course which will provide hands-on experience of numerous amount of important vocational crafts as well. In fact, children will also be given increased flexibility in the choices of subjects they wish to study, especially in the secondary stage.
Reforms to Examinations & Spotlight on Multilingualism in Schools
The policy also aims to promote multilingualism and a learning of native languages. According to the policy, board exams will be made ‘easier’, testing ‘primarily core capacities/competencies’ rather than rote learning. There will also be the possibility of taking the board exams twice in a year, once for the main exam and once for improvement, if a student so wishes.
In addition, the NEP will implement standardised school exams to be taken in grades 3, 5 and 8 in order to track progress of education throughout school years rather than just at the end. The policy will also implement the three-language formula, but with some flexibility and without imposing any language on a state. Essentially, it means that students will learn three languages, based on the states, regions and the choice of the students themselves, as long as at least two of the three languages are native to
India. The reference to Hindi and English in this regard in the draft NEP has been dropped after a protest from political parties.
One of the languages offered in this three-language formula will be Sanskrit. The latter will be offered at all levels of school and higher education, as will other classical languages such as Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Pali, Odia, Prakrit and Persian. Foreign languages such as French, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Thai, German, Russian and Portuguese will also be offered at the secondary level, the policy states.
Reforming Training of Teachers
The policy not only aims to transform education but also to improve the skills of those facilitating that education who are none other than teachers.
In order to ensure that, the policy seeks to institute a large number of merit-based scholarships across the country for studying quality four-year integrated B. Ed programmes. It also states that TET will be strengthened to inculcate better test material and the scores of the same will be taken into account for recruitment purposes.
Teachers will also be offered local, regional, state, national, and international workshops as well as online teacher development modules so that they are able to improve their skills and knowledge and will be expected to participate in at least 50 hours of such continuous professional development opportunities in a year.
The policy states that by 2030, teacher education will be moved into multidisciplinary universities, and by the same year, the minimum degree qualification for teaching will be a four-year integrated B.Ed. It was stated that the rule will, however, not include those who have already obtained a bachelor’s degree or a masters degree, for whom there will be different requirements. Additionally, teachers will be expected to avoid participating in activities such as campaigning, so that they are able to better devote their time to teaching.
Reforms in the Higher Education System
The NEP naturally brings about a sea of changes in the system of higher education as well, aiming to improve it with the goal of “creation of greater opportunities for individual employment.” A goal of the NEP is also to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education, including vocational education from 26.3 percent as of 2018 to 50 percent by 2035. One of the main aims of NEP is to rebuild the fragmented nature of India’s existing higher education system and instead bring together higher education institutions (HEIs) into large multidisciplinary universities, colleges, and HEI clusters/knowledge hubs.
The NEP naturally brings about a sea of changes in the system of higher education as well, aiming to improve it with the goal of creation of greater opportunities for individual employment
The policy states that, single-stream HEIs will be eliminated over time.
One revision that the NEP brings about is that the undergraduate degree will be of either a three or four-year duration, with multiple exit options within this period, with appropriate certifications for those dropping out at a certain point in the course. HEIs will also be able to offer masters courses of different designs, based on the undergraduate degree of the student.
Interestingly, in keeping with the multidisciplinary approach to education, a new system that the NEP is seeking to implement is an “Academic Bank of Credit (ABC)”, which will be able to digitally store academic credits earned from various recognised HEIs. As of now, while the NEP states that a system of granting graded autonomy based on accreditation will be adopted for colleges, eventually, the aim is to transform them into an autonomous degreegranting college, or a constituent college of a university.
A change has also been made to the regulatory system, with the National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC) set to serve as one single regulator for the higher education sector, including teacher education, but excluding medical and legal education.
Benefits of New Education Policy 2020
● The New Education Policy will give prominence to students’ pragmatic knowledge instead of just impelling them towards rote learning.
● It will support students to develop scientific character from a young age.
● The NEP aims to make it easier to set up brand new quality of higher educational institutes which will be on par with the global standards.
● Since NEP will make it easier for foreign colleges to set up their campuses here, many students who are unable to go abroad due to multiple reasons will be able to experience it and get global exposure.
● This will glorify and promote value-based education.
The new education policy has a laudable vision, but its influence will depend on whether it is able to effectively merge with the government’s other policy initiatives digital India, Skill India and the New Industrial Policy to name a few in order to affect a coherent reconstruction. For instance, policy linkages can ensure that education policy speaks to and learns from Skill India’s experience in engaging more dynamically with the private sector to shape vocational education curricula in order to make it a success. There is also a need for more evidence-based decision-making, to adapt to rapidly evolving shifts and disruption. NEP has encouragingly provisioned for real-time evaluation systems and a consultative monitoring framework. This shall enable the education system to constantly reform itself, instead of waiting for a new education policy every decade for a shift in curriculum. This, in itself, will be a remarkable achievement.
The National Education Policy, 2020 aims to shift towards more scientific approach to education. It will help to cater ability of the child in different stages of development. This includes cognitive development, social and physical development. Learning systems like online learning and digital courses are also being encouraged. Lastly, it also lies emphasis on learning and preserving traditional languages like Sanskrit in India which are losing fast.
E-start India is the professional tech-based online business and legal services providing a platform that helps the clients to simplify the procedures of all kinds of registration, implementation, tax concerns, and any other compliance and services related to the business in India.
It is an exemplary policy as it targets at making the education system flexible, multidisciplinary, aggregate and aligned to the needs of the 21st century and the 2030 sustainable development goals. The intent of the policy seems to be ideal in many ways but it is the implementation process where the key to success ultimately lies.
DOT SCHOOL OF DESIGN
IMPARTING DESIGN
EDUCATION FOR THE DESIGNERS OF TOMORROW
The new norm has opened the doors to global education opportunities. More students and faculty can be reached out to than ever before. Teachers can now take sessions for their students from anywhere in the world. Resources from all over the world are now right in front of our devices. The new norm has brought in new opportunities for global connections and has made education more accessible. Teachers have now equipped themselves with technology and are working towards making education better despite the situation. With the blend of home environment and work, everyone is working at a pace and place that is comfortable for them, which has notably increased productivity. “Despite the situation, the need to educate better has become an unflinching goal for us. Our faculty, management, non-teaching staff, students and their parents have come together and emerged stronger during the pandemic”, says AR R Raammnath, Chairman, DOT School of Design. Keeping the safety of the students a priority, DOT School of Design announced online classes and ensured a safe transportation of their hostel students to their homes before
DOT School of Design now stands as a platform for students to explore their design interest in alignment with creating a solid career path in the design field.
ABOUT AR R RAAMMNATH, CHAIRMAN, DOT SCHOOL OF DESIGN
DOT School of Design’s Chairman, AR R Raammnath, started his career as a practicing architect having an affinity towards conservation and preservation of geographically ethnic buildings. He has also been trained under Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Pondicherry, on several renovation and revitalization projects. Leadership has always been his strong forte as a Manager, Leader and an Executive in renowned architectural firms. He also found his passion for journalism and writing which led him to explore his line of work as sub-editor for ‘Buildersline’. He has always believed that ‘when provided with the right learning environment, any child or person is capable of excellence’. This drove him to craft a creative environment for the students to learn design. He started an educational platform for all the creative and design enthusiasts to meet, explore and learn mutually, irrespective of their educational background and age. Which has now grown into DOT School of Design.
DOT School of Design is equipped with stateof-the-art infrastructure in learning spaces designed to train and inspire students.
the lockdown started, being quick in acting to ensure all the students were safe in the comforts of their homes. The college was closed shortly afterward and hence began their tryst with Online classes and Different Mediums of education. Both the staff and the students were supportive of the change, which helped them adapt swiftly to the new norm of classrooms. “After the government relaxed the lockdown, we resumed offline classes with minimal students. Only Masters and B.Sc students were asked to resume sessions offline. The campus is sanitized every day. And social distancing and masks have become compulsory. Entry to our college was restricted and the temperatures of the guests were screened before entering”, points out Raammnath.
DOT School is now more prepared for such an emergency. They are expanding their technological infrastructure to support impactful online learning. Immediate assistance was extended to teachers and students to continue classes online. Research is going on for more virtualfriendly classrooms which are interactive, intuitive, and effective. “Along with the digital preparedness, we are also working towards expanding the physical workstations at the campus, ensuring socially distanced classes, immediate medical attention, and better interactive spaces where the students can collaborate while staying safe”, adds Raammnath.
DOT’s pedagogy helps the students, respect the history of design, learn from the pioneers, work with the craftsmen, equip for the industrial world & prepare them for the digital future.
Promoting Design Education
As the Design Sector started gaining more importance, designers were consigned with progressively complex and critical challenges. The growing voice from the industry about the lack of skill set in graduates and the lack of awareness about the importance of design when developing products led to the formation of dSchool in
2014. The institute provided a foundational design course for the design enthusiasts. Around this time, a branch of this school, Vista Institute of Design was providing certificate programs for career-driven courses to bridge the gap in design education and industrial experience. “The updated syllabus was designed around real-life projects that provided their students with hands-on experience in the design industry. The syllabus and the curriculum of Vista Institute of Design were University accredited for providing diplomas in disciplines such as Interior design, Fashion design, Textile design, Graphic design, and Illustration design”, adds Raammnath.
In 2020, dSchool and Vista Institute of Design came together and formed DOT School of Design intending to bridge the gap between industry requirements and academia. By channeling the voice of the industry through working professionals and designing a structured syllabus in an academic environment, DOT School of Design plays off the strengths of dSchool and Vista institute of design. The school now stands as a platform for students to explore their design
interests in alignment with creating a solid career path in the design field. “We create design awareness among everyone and offer world-class design education to students passionate about design and bring our institute as one of the foremost multi-disciplinary institutes of Design Education and Research Field”, states Raammnath.
DOT School of Design is equipped with a state-of-theart infrastructure designed to train and inspire students. Students are instructed in open classrooms, furnished with technologically rich resources that facilitate digital innovation and enhance the learning experience. Laboratories and research facilities are the backbones of hands-on design education and each department is uniquely furnished to serve their distinctness. They conduct a lot of activities, workshops, industry connections, collaborative activities, comprehensive jury panels, constant review, and many cultural and academic events which compound their passions. Along with these, the students are supported with all types of facilities and infrastructure which facilitates them to
experiment and explore all mediums of design. “We are fully aware of the demands of an ever-evolving design field and are well prepared to adapt to those changes. On the whole, our infrastructure is meticulously assembled to provide students an environment that influences them to experiment on ideas, innovate on the design and ultimately advance their scholastic practices”, opines Raammnath.
Firmly believing in student exposure to the industry requirements and challenges as early as possible, DOT School of Design house Industry Connect Cell (INCO) and Incubation and Research Centre (IRC) in their campus as they feel it is important to have a strong presence in the industrial scene for mutual growth of both the industry and to improve the quality of graduating students. Exploring and facilitating the connection between Industry and Academia, DOT has established INCO to create design professionals who are industry-ready with technical skills and practical knowledge by advancing the quality of design education in India to international standards. Raammnath remarks, “Along with INCO, our IRC Cell
helps new startups to develop by providing services like mentorship, management training, office space, and seed funding. Our goal is to provide a platform for innovation and incubation of ideas and concepts for the development of society through art, design, and technology”.
Creating an Environment of Growth for Students
The students of DOT have always been a surprise package, who have risen above expectations. Their passion and curiosity have also inspired us to keep improving ourselves
DOT educates artists and creative professionals to be responsible contributors to society instilling cultural understanding, aesthetic judgment, professional knowledge, collaborative skills, and technical expertise in their field.
to give them the best standard of design education possible. Their innovative project concepts and how they tackle the jury panels, the collaborations they are a part of, and the sheer growth they have shown over their terms have been inspiring and are things the institution is proud of. We are glad to be to be working along with these young minds and the next generation of innovators.
One of the best in design education in southern India, the open classrooms at DOT was intentionally set up to be changed according to the nature of the class or session. As the design is an open-ended course, it is reflected in the design of the classroom itself. Their collaborative open classroom atmosphere ensures that constructive feedback and creative discussions are a part of the sessions. This facilitates innovation and improves creativity. The vast interactive spaces within the campus allow the students to collaborate, create a safe space for the students to share their constructive criticism of each other’s works, and expand their knowledge. Good design comes from a lot of deliberation. The students are provided with ample opportunities to do so.
The faculties of DOT are extensively trained professionals who are very passionate about design and have never failed to inspire the students. Most of them are
alumni from notable institutes such as NID, NIFT, NIT, etc. All of them are exceptional in their respective streams of expertise. DOT also has a rich source of academic advisors from the industry and many visiting faculties who bring in their unique teachings to the students.
The institutional gallery at DOT School of Design poses as a celebration of art amidst the design and creative community. The beautifully designed gallery is beneficial for both the art society and for common purposes. It can be used to showcase various types of art forms, from performance to fine art and across genres and mediums, traditional to contemporary. DOT Gallery aims to create a platform for holistic knowledge sharing and a space for creative expression. The gallery aspires to blur the distinction between the art community and the common people and create an opportunity for the common people to get exposed to the art world and the beauty it possesses.
Looking Ahead!
Aiming to spread design awareness among school students, DOT School of Design has started an outreach program, CLAP, to imbibe design thinking into education programs and ensure that the next generation of designers become better problem solvers and creative innovators. The program also finds scholarships for suitable candidates who want to pursue a career in Design or any creative field. “We are planning to create a design hub in the city and spread design awareness among school students, especially government school students. We also want to increase our global connections and make global standards of education accessible to our students. The aim is to increase the visibility of design and designers within the city, to make resources accessible to everyone and a hub for all the designers to network & grow as a community”, concludes Raammnath.
INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE
INCULCATING INNOVATION
AND ENTREPRENEURIAL CULTURE IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Abhilash R, Founder & CEO, Bloombloom
Abhilash has over 20 years of entrepreneurial experience in India and is the Founder and innovator of several pathbreaking transformational ventures such as E-Toilet, Shetaxi, inE Safecity, Bloombloom, B-HUB and many more. His ventures have bagged more than 100+ national and international awards including Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation Award, CNBC Young Turk Award, NASSCOM Award, MIT, TiE US and Sankalp Award.
Entrepreneurship and innovation is a culture, a culture combining enterprising mindsets, a culture of repeated failures and successes, a culture of queries, that of curiosity and inquisitiveness, empathetic and ethical leadership, challenge-taking and problemsolving, and to top it all, imagination
There is a requirement now more than ever for entrepreneurs and innovators who think differently, or better say, the world needs more “cuckoo heads”. As we evolve and categorize generations, it is to note that there is a concise but greater advancement in the knowledge economy. As much as this is the era of the Industry 4.0, this is also the age of innovation, one where repetitive jobs can easily be replaced by the many components of automation. Each and every corner of the current world has boiling pots of ideas that soon turn into establishments. Unfortunately, this self-driven, experimental model that is creating waves across the economy, is turned a blind eye by the mainstream curriculum that is followed by the educational institutions of the country. It is time that we critically analyse and provide practical solutions to the situation. For instance, we can clearly recall from our school days, the innumerable moral
science or value-ed classes- perhaps a few many motivational and discipline oriented lectures as well. Let’s take a count. How many business people or entrepreneurs have passed our school gates to engage with us? Or say, how many of our peers’ parents were invited to talk about their occupations? Where was the collaborative, entrepreneurial niche situated in our schools?
Entrepreneurship and innovation is a culture, a culture combining enterprising mindsets, a culture of repeated failures and successes, a culture of queries, that of curiosity and inquisitiveness, empathetic and ethical leadership, challenge-taking and problem-solving, and to top it all, imagination. A few days back, one of our co-workers recalled how a teacher of hers completely negated the idea of an automobile exhibition as art. That’s exactly where the problem lies. Innovation is art, and that is imagination. The world that we are creating this
The world that we are creating this very second is innovation driven
very second is innovation driven. Aspects such as learning, sharing and collaboration are the essences of that revolutionary concept. We are all aware that schools of yesterday and today are alcoves that embrace standardized and uniform outcomes. However, this understanding is not to be projected as blame-games, instead, it showcases how most of us are unaware of the significant role that entrepreneurship and innovation plays in this century. So, the idea is to break open the protocols to support collaboration, and shatter the figures of authority to modify classrooms to learning spaces. Institutions should transform into avenues like the Stanford model which built enterprising skills through collaborations which generated employable assets who satiated their risk appetite by transforming into entrepreneurs we see ruling the Silicon Valley today.
In order to cultivate such a culture, it is necessary that we enable working in an environment that unites aspiring entrepreneurs and successful business leaders who appreciate micro failures that may become the most impactful discoveries in the pursuit towards success. In addition to that, our curriculum should bind activities that evoke ownership and self-direction upon real-life challenges instead of concentrating solely on the theoretical aspects underlying a topic. Most of the time, students are troubled with the question and purpose of why they are being educated on something. Challenging pupils with real-world problems neutralizes this query, and builds in them a need to find alternatives and solutions, which is the basis of entrepreneurial thinking. Furthermore, the NEP’s decision to include internships in the mainstream curriculum is in a way, a groundbreaking move, but one that should be implemented responsibly and properly.
Most importantly, the understanding of the school system as pockets of innovative ideas, and the womb of future entrepreneurs, should enable educators and fellow peers to accept nouveau concepts rather than negating it for its impossibility or idealistic nature. It should drive itself to cultivate a biome for constructive criticism by providing the students with necessary resources, tools and skill sets that would empower the propagator to understand the faults in his/her/zie system.
GITAM SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
PRODUCING COMPETENT AND ETHICAL INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS
Higher education institutions have a long history of operating in environments that are unstable, disruptive, and unpredictable. A change in the higher education sector is needed now more than ever. In what is likely an upcoming global recession, proper education and training will be indispensable parts of the key to recovery. The actual fight against COVID-19 is being driven by countless university laboratories around the world. The collapse of higher education systems would prove detrimental to public health and many other sectors. At the moment, every institute is being affected by this crisis. While existing government support may help, some won’t apply to many institutions. Futuristic trends are already emerging, having been accelerated by the pandemic.
By the end of this crisis, colleges will be in more critical demand than ever as they push research forward and contribute to the larger community as significant employers. By preparing its students by giving them proper training on the usage of online resources, Gitam School of Pharmacy is using virtual classes to enhance their knowledge along with completion of
Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management, popularly known as GITAM, was founded in 1980 by an inspired group of eminent intellectuals and industrialists of Andhra Pradesh led by Dr. M. V. V. S. Murthi, former Member of Parliament and popular philanthropist.
ABOUT
M SRI BHARAT, PRESIDENT, GITAM DEEMED-TO-BE UNIVERSITY
M. Sri Bharat holds an undergraduate degree from Purdue University, West Lafayette in B.S.in Industrial Engineering Class of 2010. He also completed a joint degree MBA / MA Education Class of 2016 in Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA USA. After returning to India from Stanford in 2016 he established a 3.5MW solar power plant and led the company’s foray into Solar Power generation. He is also diversifying into Hydro energy and Chemical Waste treatment. He is deeply passionate about utilizing his knowledge and skills to develop renewable energy, sustainable growth, and waste management solutions.
Mr. Bharat currently serves as Board Member of TiEAmaravati and Board member and Learning Chair of EO Andhra Pradesh. He is an active member of Hyderabad Angels and Andhra Angels. He is an investor and advisor of a select group of promising startups. His past experiences include commissioning of a 460MW Gas based power plant, quality control and operations in Lia Sophia Inc. Chicago, Investment banking at KARVY Financial services, Hyderabad, Telangana. His most recent stints during his MBA were in the Innovation Delivery team of the Atlanta Mayor’s office, USA, and a marketing immersion in Sheraton Hsinchu, Taiwan.
curricular requirements. Proper online training are being given to students related to prevention and cure at the time of such pandemics and at the same time, not affecting their regular works.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected educational systems worldwide, leading to the near-total closures of schools, universities, and colleges. Gitam School of Pharmacy, in its pursuit, to ensure the safety of students, faculty members, and other personnel, made a thorough study of the signs and symptoms, conditions favoring the active spread of the disease, and controlling factors. Thereafter, all the stakeholders were properly communicated about these, and following WHO recommendations regarding the need for social distancing along with state government directives, temporarily discontinued the regular classes and office proceedings till further communications regarding the same.
The lockdown period triggered the need for alternative sources of imparting education and enabling students and
faculty members to develop expertise using online tools. Apart from arranging online classes and examinations using platforms like Zoom, Co Cubes, etc., the institute also initiated the concept of enrolling in various courses given by Coursera, an online platform for skill development. Further, the institute has organized three international webinars.
The institute is committed to enhance the potential of human resources and enrich academic performance and research innovation as well as expand the frontiers of knowledge through interactive and collaborative pedagogy.
The faculty members have attended various national and international webinars, faculty development programs, workshops, and short-term training programs. “The experience with online resources will definitely enhance the skills and knowledge of students and faculty members not only in their fields of expertise but also in various other dimensions which will further enhance their competency”, remarks M Sri Bharat, President, GITAM Deemed-to-be University.
Educating Global Leaders
Gitam School of Pharmacy was established in July 2017 to impart quality education and training in the domains of pharmaceutical sciences to develop students into competent personnel of the healthcare system. The institute imparts global quality education to future pharmacy professionals by empowering them with knowledge and skills and facilitating their professional, intellectual and moral development to meet the challenges of the competitive world. An innovative center of excellence in learning and research, Gitam School of Pharmacy is achieving the highest standards of intellectual, educational, and research productivity through continuous improvement of the infrastructure and industrial relationship.
Industrial collaborations are of utmost requirement in Pharmacy institutes to educate and train students in the knowledge and practice of pharmaceutical sciences and to contribute to the improvement of the health of the society, through education and research programs. “Major developments in the health care sector like formulations of new vaccines, development of new drug delivery systems, etc. can be well understood by such
GITAM has state-of-art infrastructural facilities, modern laboratories and student support services coupled with dedicated and experienced faculty.
collaborations. The institute has initiated communication with all the leading pharmaceutical industries in Hyderabad and other places for active collaborations”, said Professor G. Shiva Kumar, Principal, Gitam School of Pharmacy. Students get actual exposure to the current happenings and technical know-how in the pharmaceutical industries to develop the required competency to get placed in suitable
Professor G Shiva Kumar Principal
pharmaceutical industries. With 100% placements, the students at Gitam School of Pharmacy have been placed in reputed companies like Vimta Labs Pvt. Ltd. and MSN Laboratories Pvt. Ltd. “The total strength of the final year students is 14. Out of these, 10 have been selected for industrial jobs. The remaining students are interested in pursuing higher studies and have qualified entrance
examinations for the same”, claims Prof. Shiva Kumar. Shaping a Bright Career in the Industry
Students at Gitam School of Pharmacy undergo industrial equivalent internship programs in various pharmaceutical industries where they will be doing project works with them. Various workshops are conducted in which industry personnel trains the students in handling equipment and formulation aspects. “We organize various guest lectures offline and online are in which industry personnel from India and abroad share their expertise about the recent technological advancements in the pharmaceutical industries”, adds Prof. Shiva Kumar.
Along with this, GITAM Deemed-to-be University has started Venture Discovery Classes which is a unique strategy to develop entrepreneurship skills among the students. Well-experienced and trained faculty members are taking classes for all the semester demonstrating theoretical as well group-based activities that lead to the development of skills and expertise among the students to become successful entrepreneurs.
Students are motivated to work diligently and focus on their careers and pursuits by arranging interaction sessions with industry and academic personnel from reputed pharmaceutical industries and institutes in India and abroad as well. To date, the institute has organized thirty guest lectures. Along with the regular theory and practical classes, faculty members are also allocated library hours for proper monitoring and guidance to the students. The institute continuously encourages students for innovations and develops creativity among them by giving examples about the recent developments in the field of pharmaceutical sciences. During regular theory and practical classes, industrial applications of the topics taught or experiments performed are clearly explained to the students. Major achievements in the healthcare sector including the development of new drugs and delivery systems are discussed with the students. Further, plans have been made to develop a Pharmacy skill development center to engage students in research areas. Regular guest lectures and workshops are organized in which industry and academia personnel impart training about recent developments in pharmaceuticals. “We are planning to establish an industry-academia cell, Student Research Committee, research collaborations with foreign universities, and Pharmacy Skill Development Centre. With our proper training, we are all set to make competent professionals who will make a positive change in the industry as well as the society”, concludes Prof. Shiva Kumar.
ACADEMIC VIEW
DATA SCIENCE INDUSTRY
BECOMING MORE PROPITIOUS FIELD FOR YOUNG MINDS
Dr Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, Dean Academics, Sanskriti University
Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Sharma has a vast experience of 23 years in Computer Science. His research interest includes Design and Analysis of Algorithm, Cloud Computing, Operating System and Cyber Security. He had published more than 60 research papers/ articles in international/national journals and conferences. Right now, he is holding the position of Dean Academics and Professor in Sanskriti University Mathura. Before that he has worked in DIT University Dehradun, JP Engineering college Meerut and Chitkara University Punjab.
Being a data scientist covers a range of professions which include engineers, computer scientists, statisticians, physicists, operations researchers, actuaries, and machine learners
The Scope of Data science has emerged as an attractive career option for freshers and professionals as well. Almost every industry, whether it be Retail, healthcare, IT, telecommunication or finances and insurance, all have opened their doors for the role of data analytics professionals.
Data has become an essential part of our life even the google map is wholly dependent on Data to commute you to your destination. Data is one of the fast-growing and valuable commodities. It is the future oil. Today’s most jobs are focused on data from social media to apps that we use on a daily basis. All over the world, organizations are focusing on methods to organize and harness the data for their strategic goals. Advertising, product designing, and implementing strategy are powered by data. The jobs related to data are growing across the globe.
Career Scope
A career in Data Science is promising and it is one of the growing industries. Rising demands of data scientists in the current landscape, is being considered as the hottest job of the century. Scope of Data science is very wide and alluring. Being a
data scientist covers a range of professions which include engineers, computer scientists, statisticians, physicists, operations researchers, actuaries, and machine learners.
Skills Required
To opt data science as a career option, students could get a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Statistics, Computer Science, Physics, Applied Mathematics, Social Science and Engineering. The degree of any of these courses will help students. After Completing the bachelor degree students need to enrol in a master Programme which is related to Data Science.
In Addition, one can bring:
● Knowledge of Good Statistical and data mining Techniques
● Command over programming languages, and good knowledge in machine learning and advanced analytics.
● Ability to analyze issues, identify causes, and recommend solutions quickly
● Creativity to invent new techniques.
In the Current Scenario Companies across various countries and regions are offering a handsome package to hire skilled and well-qualified data science professionals. Almost all industrialized countries are
utilizing data science in some amount, shape or form and data scientists are in demand in most countries. Top most countries who pay the most to Data Scientists are USA, Switzerland, Norway, Australia, Canada, Germany, South Africa, France, Netherlands, and UK.
Almost all companies are using data analysing tools to draw meaningful insights for their Future Growth
According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics the job outlook for computer and information research scientists, data scientists is projected to grow by at least 19 percent by 2026. List of the top data science companies across the globe in which every aspiring learner should apply are Microsoft, Facebook, IBM, Amazon, Google, Apple, Oracle, JP Morgan, Fractal Analytics, and Crayon Data. India is also not lagging behind to promote the job of Data Scientists and the five biggest companies in India that tremendously demand data Scientists are Fractal Analytics, Accenture, IBM, Absolute data, and Genpact.
Data is a very much reliable tool for various sectors. Almost all companies are using data analysing tools to draw meaningful insights for their Future Growth. If a company uses their data well then data science definitely can add value to their business. As the demand for Data Science professionals in the coming years grows tremendously and mostly both new and old companies are starting to invest in this field without limits on the right professionals. So, begin your career today and be a part of a highly desired talent pool.
GOLDEN EPAULETTES AVIATION SHAPING CAREERS OF PILOT ASPIRANTS
Every industry is experiencing profound changes in times of Covid-19. All kinds of training either regulatory or otherwise have seen fundamental changes. In the current circumstances, traditional methods of imparting training have had a huge setback. Today people are more interested in technology-driven hybrid kind of training program with the right balance of virtual & physical training. A quite difficult time for all sectors of the industry, the Aviation Sector faced the brunt of this situation. The complete industry faced severe turbulence & tailwind during this period as hundreds of aircrafts were parked on the ground than being in the air. Although going through such trying times, Golden Epaulettes Aviation was extremely prompt in adapting innovative mechanisms to train their future pilots by reorganizing their entire training program and adapting remote lectures, assignments, and tests.
The institute evolved quickly and provided a complete training solution as a package in an integrated manner by tailoring their training modules according to the specific needs of individual candidates. Capt. Archit Gupta, Spokesperson,
Golden Epaulettes Aviation is a pilot training institute based in New Delhi, Institute offers multiple course from the start till the cockpit of commercial jet airliner.
ABOUT
CAPT. ARCHIT GUPTA
Capt. Archit Gupta, a commercial pilot himself has been serving in aviation for the last 14 years. He has flown more than 2000 hrs as an airline pilot. He has been an integral part of Golden Epaulettes Aviation from the beginning and is acting spokesperson for the last two years.
Golden Epaulettes Aviation, points out, “The aviation industry is highly dynamic, so each and every training institute is doing its best to prepare itself to deal with the pace of it. We have also put in place a mechanism of periodic performance assessments & Quality check to ensure Gold standard of training”, adding, “We have also paid equal attention to the mental health of our students during these testing times, and have regularly organized online calls and get-togethers of old and new students to keep their spirits high”.
A leading pilot training academy in India for a decade, Golden Epaulettes Aviation is committed to develop and train a pool of professionals to fulfill the need of the industry courtesy of the growing demand for competent, skillful professional pilots in the industry. The institute’s commitment and dedication towards training are evident through their use of modern methods and technology by their experienced team members. “We endeavor to train pilots not only for theoretical knowledge but also practical line flying experience where we try & explain our candidates with aviation Safety, managing resources and adapting the culture”, states Capt. Archit.
Offering Affordable Training
Golden Epaulettes Aviation has forcefully knocked the door of the market and became the institute of par excellence.
Based in New Delhi, Golden Epaulettes Aviation is a pilot training institute that offers multiple courses from the ab into the cockpit of a commercial jet airliner. The institute was started in 2009 and it was conceptualized over lunch. “It was around the aftermath of 2008 economic slowdown. We were young pilots waiting for vacancies in the airline but the situation was as such that most airlines were making heavy losses so recruitment was a distant dream. We thought of joining some aviation academies to prepare ourselves for future airline induction exams but unfortunately, there was hardly any institute that had such expertise. There was one which was offering a course but its fee was skyrocketing & unaffordable”, recalls Capt. Archit.
This led them to realize that they can provide an affordable solution for themselves
Airline Preparation Classes are professionally managed by highly trained and committed instructors who ensure that the environment and content of courses exceed the expectations of students.
and other young aspiring pilots, and bring this idea to life. The institute was started with a room the founders got rent-free from their friends to conduct classes, where they invited their friends who were waiting to be hired as airline pilots and conducted these classes for free. “We would study topics the entire night and teach them in the morning. This went on for a few years, after which, Golden Epaulettes Aviation found its own way by forcefully knocking the door of the market and becoming an institute of par excellence”, says Capt. Archit.
Envisioning to among the top education and exercises institutions in strengthening the finest through education by their specialized faculty members in the field of aviation, Golden Epaulettes Aviation aims to assure detailed training and keep continuous watch to improve results frequently. Ensuring the trainees are trained with the highest safety safeguards, the institute adapts its courses to match the needs of each applicant and helps them be the best.
Delivering Excellence
The students of Golden Epaulettes Aviation represent the institute as they go out there in the industry. They are spread all over the world and flying various types of aircraft as First Officer/Captain and Line Training Captains. “It is an absolute honor to find one of ours manning the cockpit whenever we travel anywhere and we are highly proud of all those achievements of our students”, says Capt. Archit. The instructors at Golden Epaulettes Aviation have years of experience in imparting training as well as practical flying, which has enabled them to prepare their candidates for all kinds of challenges while going through various pilot (cadet or conventional) induction processes. The institute’s glorious past and success stories all over the country are
a testament to the excellence of the faculty members at Golden Epaulettes Aviation.
Organizing guest lectures regularly by airline pilots and industry veterans where they share their experiences and stories to the aspiring pilots in the institute, Golden Epaulette Aviation does its best to encourage students to work hard to fulfill their dream of becoming successful airline pilots. “The desire for a successful career as a commercial pilot in one of the leading airlines itself the biggest stimulus one can think of. Currently, we have many systematic performance assessment mechanisms in place such as Weekly online assessments along with full test series. We have separate faculty for taking up all kinds of doubts & clarification. Individual performance data is
Golden Epaulettes Aviation has created a vibrant community where students can enjoy the time at the academy and make the most of every minute.
linked to the dashboard where Students can continuously monitor their performance and scope for improvement”, says Capt. Archit.
Golden Epaulettes takes absolute pride in being the number one institute in the country to have the maximum number of its students flying as commercial pilots worldwide. Capt. Archit explains, “Our students have been placed in many airlines such as Air India, IndiGo, Air Arabia, Vistara, Emirates and others worldwide. For example, if we take the results of our last airline Induction preparatory course in which we had 98 % success rate and candidates were placed in indigo and Air Asia”.
Ensuring to serve the industry more efficiently, Golden Epaulettes Aviation has collaborated with top quality flying training institutes in the USA, South Africa, and India for flying training, to enable its students to streamline the whole process from the very beginning till they achieve their ultimate goal. “We are planning to provide a digital solution so we can increase our reach to remote areas as well. There is a lot of work going on by the team at the back. We are further trying to expand and already in conversation with some TRTO abroad for type rating of various types of aircraft. We are looking to increase our digital presence massively”, concludes Capt. Archit.
INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE
LEGAL CAREER:
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT LAW FIRM FOR YOU IN INDIA
Anjali Jain, Partner, Areness
The huge pandemic which the world is facing right now, has affected almost every industry including the legal one too. India features a pool of around 1.4 million enrolled advocates across the country. A report prepared by the Bar Council of India analyzes the impact, the trend the entry of foreign firms would wear the legal sector. Taking this under consideration it seems that the approaching times there shall be plethora of options within the legal arena for the freshers in every area of practice. At an equivalent time once the foreign firms pave their way in India there shall be sudden surge in competition which can significantly impact the new entrants also.
Law: Unity in Diversity
Law differs from other professional courses such as Chartered Accountants, Company Secretaries, etc. since the subject and domains which fall within the
Even if they choose to join a law firm, it isn’t easy since there are hundreds of different niche practice areas besides the traditional general practice
ambit of law are endless and countless. And this itself can be highly confusing for any law graduate without any proper counselling or mentoring. Also, now more and more students from Arts and Commerce in their Higher Secondary are opting for law right after completion of their schooling since 5-year law courses save one year from the traditional 3+3 law degree concept.
Changing Trends
Choosing from a nursery school to a law firm, mindset perhaps doesn’t vary much. Everyone would always have an unsaid wish to study/work with the industry leader, but then, it is easier said than done. What also makes life more difficult for law graduates in choosing a career is the availability of countless career options now. Even if they opt to choose to join a law firm, it isn’t easy since, there are hundreds of different niche practice areas besides
the traditional general practice. However, it seems that law schools have come to the rescue of their students with specialised placement and recruitment cells guiding and counselling their students through mentorship programmes, special sessions with industry experts and also making compulsory internships in their course curriculum.
Benefit of Internships
Though it is highly cliched that internships merely add to the Resume of a candidate, however, a law student has good 8-10 opportunities in his 5 years law to have a first hand experience and cursory knowledge of any specific field of law which may guide him in the long run in pinpointing his chosen area of practice. One can easily find at least 5-7 internships mentioned in any CV of a law graduate these days. However, what the candidate has learnt and the exposure during the internship
One can easily find at least 5-7 internships mentioned in any CV of a law graduate these days
will always depend from firm to firm as well as the zeal to learn of the law student.
Choosing how to start your career
Though placements in law firms take through all industry practices, however, still reference model does play a predominant role in placement of law graduates, especially the 0-2 PQE ones. If learning is the priority which all veterans would always recommend, it is better to go for a Tier -3 firm or individual practitioners since the exposure would be much more compared to the Tier-1/2 firms where prudence demands that considering the huge stakes of clients, inexperienced advocates cannot be assigned tasks of high responsibility. But then, in case one is looks at numbers, undoubtedly, Tier-1/2 firms will compensate a fresh law graduate equivalent at times to those in other sectors such as IT or Business Management, especially, if one is from a top ranked law college. Another determining factor is the specialisation of a law firm or a specific team or a Partner in a law firm and if a law student has made up his mind to work in a specific field only, he should prefer such boutique/ niche law firm or practitioner only. Similarly, working hours, work environment, growth in seniority can also be determining factors. Nevertheless, though it typically depends on individual priorities such as family/ financial/ territorial circumstances, but still choosing the right place to work for a law student can at times be a very tough call.
IMS DESIGN AND INNOVATION ACADEMY
REVOLUTIONIZING DESIGN EDUCATION
IN INDIA
IMS-DIA was established in 2005 to nurture and train design professionals with the right expertise, attitude, and creative thinking skills. Since then, IMS-DIA has been unique, fostering a design education revolution in India. The institute envisions to inspire, motivate, nurture and empower creative young minds with relevant transferable skills to be able to become successful design practitioners, creative leaders, or design entrepreneurs in the global Design Industry. “Our curriculum provides greater opportunities for self-directed learning, crossdisciplinary collaboration, and exposure to academic areas beyond the traditional boundaries of art and design”, says the chairperson of IMS-DIA, Ms Shilpi Gupta.
IMS- DIA has always imbibed the spirit of innovation amongst students. To ensure that students are encouraged to innovate and be creative, IMS-DIA takes adequate steps in that direction, such as taking them for industry and site visits, site excursions, enabling their interaction with the craftsmen, labourers, and site workers. The number of opportunities for explorations and tools required before innovating a product is
IMS Design & Innovation Academy was established in 2005 with a vision of nurturing and training design professionals with the right calibre, expertise, attitude and creative thinking skills.
also provided by the college. Field studies also help them to enhance their observational skills which ultimately helps them to innovate. To ensure their creative side gets fed from time to time, they are given various opportunities to participate in national and international competitions.
During such trying times such as this COVID pandemic, it is necessary to keep students motivated, stimulated, and excited. Keeping this in mind, IMS Design and Innovation Academy (IMS-DIA) introduced many design competitions like designing masks, designing new clothes using deconstruction of clothes they had at home, designing jewellery and fashion accessories from waste, designing posters, styling themselves, and sending their selfies, making short video clips using their mobile cameras, designing posters, body painting competition, where they submitted their entries by sending their selfies. The institute also organized story writing competitions for their students who were ardent writers.
In times where virtual classrooms, assignments, and new evaluation methods are prevailing, one can say
IMS-DIA plays a significant role in spreading awareness of design through various workshops and seminars delivered at school and other campuses.
ABOUT
MS. SHILPI GUPTA, CHAIRPERSON, IMS-DIA
A creative Fashion Brand Management
Graduate from UCLAN, UK. A charismatic leader, Shilpi Gupta is the founder and the visionary behind the establishment of IMS - DIA in 2005 to impart quality education in the field of Design Education. She is the CEO of a highly successful venture ‘Surkhab Exports’, a women’s wear couture brand, known for meticulous craftsmanship, design sensitivity & sophistication. Her work has been showcased in Milan, London, Dubai & La Villa. She has recently launched her own label, SHILPI GUPTA COUTURE, a collection promoting Indian culture and textiles through contemporary design.
Shilpi Gupta has put immense efforts to make DIA a world-class design college by providing intensive international exposure to the students through student exchange, international participation in workshops, conferences, exhibitions, study programs abroad, and global internships. Her goal is to produce design ‘gurus’ and innovators who write their own success stories in the world.
ABOUT KRIPAL MATHUR, DEAN ACADEMICS, IMS-DIA
A Design Professional of high repute & Alumnus of the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, India. Prof. Kripal has a UNDP fellowship from Central Saint Martins, London.
Prof. Kripal established the Textile Design Department at NIFT in 1994. She has been a senior design educator for almost 3 decades at NIFT, New Delhi. She has held many portfolios like, Head of the Textile Design Department, Knitwear Design Department & the Foundation Department, Registrar at NIFT & Link Dean, NIFT, during her tenure.
As a successful designer & textile artist, Prof. Kripal has worked on design projects with UNESCO, International Wool Secretariat, Indian Railways, developing trend forecast for DC Handloom, Hyundai, UNDP carpets, Indian Airlines, amongst others. As a textile artist, she has exhibited her textile art works at a number of exhibitions in India and France.
Prof. Mathur has presented many research papers at prestigious conferences and institutions in India and abroad. She has a number of research publications to her credit.
Dean Academics Prof. Kripal Mathur carries with her the legacy of three decades where her students are at leading positions in companies like Amazon Fashion, Louis Phillippe – Aditya Birla Group, ITC Wills Lifestyle, H & M, Zara, Royal Enfield etc. Many of her students have gone on to open their fashion labels like Raw Mango, Charcoal, Pebbles etc.
the Higher Education Sector is all set to be revamped. Initially, it was challenging to engage the students online and get the required response out of them. But as people were spending more time on remote education in the lockdown, everyone realized that this is the new normal, and everyone will have to adjust and work with the system that has been set up. Yes, it was difficult for some students to adapt to this learning system due to the unavailability of resources like internet connection and computer system. Still, with extra help, smartphonefriendly learning material, and support from faculty, students could resume learning.
The future has been and will always be unpredictable. However, IMS-DIA was built on the ideology that students should be able to derive design solutions for future challenges that the industry might face. “Since we live in an uncertain world, one skill that always helps one is design thinking, that is to be able to question the solution and mould it according to the given challenge. This skill has been the basis on which, IMS-DIA can proudly say that it has been preparing the students for the future”, opines Prof. Kripal Mathur, Dean Academics, IMS-DIA.
Encouraging the Creative spirit in Students
The institute has incorporated various mechanisms to achieve creative outputs from students. On-the-spot competitions and recycling and upcycling workshops are held to challenge their creativity from time to time. Encouraging them to participate in annual fests of other institutions and competitions is also done to ensure that they continue to give creative outputs. Extracurricular activities are also encouraged as they play an important role in the overall creative development of an individual. “Whether it be dance or music club or a Film and Drama Club, we give importance to all and help our students to think creatively. Various inspirational and motivational movies, documentaries, and TED- Talks are screened in the college to help them to develop their creative instinct. IMS - DIA provides the platform and variety of opportunities to students to develop the creativity”, says Prof. Kripal Mathur, who has taught in NIFT for more than three decades.
Adjusting to the “New Normal”
With a sudden change in work and lifestyle, COVID-19 changed everything drastically in IMS-DIA. The faculty
All the programs at IMS-DIA provide international exposure to commercial, retail and industrial centres abroad along with linkages to various international institutes and universities.
at IMS-DIA took up the challenge and gave their full support and contribution in facilitating the smooth working of the institute. All the faculty were assigned tasks and responsibilities for the day to be carried out and, in the end, submit a daily report of the work status. This helped in maintaining a transparent system of performance evaluation and monitoring the workflow.
A lot of faculty were already comfortable with using digital mediums, for ‘work from home or ‘teach from home’, but for many, it required some training and
technical assistance, which the IT professionals immediately provided at the institute. So, one can safely say that the challenges that this situation gave rise to were dealt with perseverance in IMS-DIA.
Having adapted to Remote Education quite well, everyone is well acquainted with video calling software like Zoom and Google Meet. Students are receiving their lessons via mail, and assignments are designed considering the restrictions and unavailability of resources during the lockdown. Ms Shilpi Gupta explains, “Practical assignments on garment construction for Fashion design students included repurposing a garment available in their homes- a project that mirrors the reality in which everyone is learning to make do with limited resources.”
Exam papers were also designed according to the current situation. The question papers were very precise, objective in nature, and tightly time-bound. The time duration of the examination was also reduced to prevent wasting of time, malpractice, and prompt submission of answer sheets online, and students were asked to click a photograph of themselves holding the first page bearing their roll numbers, which was sent across to the faculty to ensure that they have finished at that particular time. “All this has made us future-ready and even made us realize that the future education will not be limited by distance; it can be made available to a student who does not live nearby”, Ms Shilpi Gupta adds.
Ensuring Smooth Transition from Academia to Industry
Stimulating students to work harder is an ongoing process at which one keeps on getting better with experience. IMS-DIA has taken various steps to do so, such as organizing seminars with leading designers, site excursions, inspirational talks, and speeches. Various site visits also inspire students to work for their dreams by seeing the industry work being done. To help them focus on their careers, a plethora of workshops and activities are being done in IMS-DIA to help them to learn about the real and practical knowledge of the design industry.
The institute has taken various steps in this direction by hiring a team of dedicated faculty from national and international institutions such as NID (Ahmedabad), NIFT, Delhi School of Art, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi, LDT Nagold, GIA (Gemology Institute of America). Prof. Kripal Mathur, Dean-Academics, IMS-DIA mentions “The faculty bring with them a plethora of industry connections through their work, design projects, years of experience, and their distinguished alumni, who have worked with top designers like Tarun Tahiliani, Satya Paul, Manish Arora, Sabyasachi, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Raw Mango, Charcoal, Reliance, Van Heusen, Arvind Mills, etc. Our faculty have also worked with prestigious names like STUP Consultants, Royston Hanamoto Alley and Abey, Kiran Nadar Museum, Township Art Project, DMRC Art Installations, Tanishq, Mine of Design, PC Jewellers, D’Damas, etc.”
Since 2005, IMS-DIA has been providing professionals with Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Fashion Design, Interior Design and Painting. Currently, IMS-DIA is been offering diploma in Exhibition and Set Design, Interior Design, Textiles for Fashion and Fine Arts. IMS-DIA is also providing short term certificate programs, namely, Design Basics, Fashion Design- Women’s wear, Fashion Illustration and Interior Styling.
96% of the students at IMS-DIA are placed in renowned design firms such as GAP, Arvind mills, Scarlett India, Impulse, Myntra, Jabong, Tommy Hilfiger, Nida Mahmood, Calvin Klein, etc. The interior design students got placed in firms like
IMS-DIA library is an expansive source for research and is one of the best in the country.
The Fine Interiors Galaxy Corporations, Studio Praxis, Innerface Designers, Vistaar Design, Prayog Shala Manifesto, Asian Paints, etc. “Despite the challenges faced by the students who graduated last year, due to COVID -19, they managed to mark their presence in the design industry by getting placed in renowned design firms such as Lemon Tree Hotels, Regent Lightings, Studio Praxis, Raheja Developers, Satya Paul, Fabindia, Pantaloons, Clovia, Shoppers Stop, etc.”, adds Prof. Kripal Mathur.
Paving the Road to Excellence
IMS-DIA has always strived to progress in design education and will continue to do so in the future. Various plans are being worked out to enhance the design education in the college, such as formulating the Design Incubation Centre where young designers can start up their idea under the guidance of experienced mentors, so that they can start
up the same outside in the industry and gain the confidence that students, sometimes, lack after graduating from the college. This center will help the students to be able to set up their business and the opportunity to build a prototype of the idea/product with appropriate guidance.
A continuous effort to revamp and refresh the interiors and built environment of IMS-DIA is also one of the plans that are being undertaken currently. Green initiatives continue to be the need of the hour, and Social responsibilities as designers too are an important part of the plans of IMS-DIA. “Although Craft Cluster Initiatives have always been the part of IMS-DIA, we are planning to increase the efforts being done in this direction. As one of the worst-hit communities by COVID- 19 is the crafts sector, we are aiming to be the backbone of the design industry and serve as inspiration for various designers globally”, concludes Prof. Kripal Mathur.
ACADEMIC VIEW
THE EMERGENCE OF
HYBRID LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATIONADVANTAGES AND PERILS
Dr Baishali Mitra, Faculty, EDII
An educator in the areas of Business Communication, Organizational Communication, Corporate Communication, with over 18 years of experience in academia, Dr. Baishali Mitra holds expertise in grooming budding entrepreneurs, training post-graduate students, and corporate executives. At present, she is engaged in research in the areas of Women Entrepreneurship, and Development Communication. Her research in mobile-enabled language learning under the UGC Grant has helped students in anytime, anywhere learning. She is a qualified Business English Certificate (Cambridge English) Trainer and certified in Corporate Communication. She specializes in Communication for Professional Success, Effective Persuasion and Negotiation Skills.
The flexibility of online learning is beginning to raise issues like whether a long-term residential experience holds its past laurel anymore
The Unforeseen
With a severe threat to public health, an extremely high level of contagion, a noticeable mortality rate, and an absence of a preventive vaccine, COVID-19 became a global pandemic that is unprecedented in nature, compelling every country for a ruthless emergency. As a result, changes in behaviour were summoned to ‘flatten the curve’. Though the primary concern was public health yet the ‘stay at home’, ‘lockdown’, ‘social distancing’, ‘hourly curfew’, ‘weekend curfew’, etc. have borne a humungous effect on the socio-economic domain. And, the education landscape has been one such sphere that is impelled into abrupt changes by being forced to embrace emergency remote teaching-learning. All of a sudden, the entire student-body got shifted from face-to-face classrooms to remote learning via digital technology. Faculty members needed to adapt to remote teaching with almost no time for any training. There was a sudden shift to the technology-based medium and the entire course materials were shifted to online learning. This has been a forced migration to Digital Learning, almost without any proper planning, and the educational institutions are still struggling to cope with this unforeseen push. India has almost 37 million students enrolled in higher education, and this sudden interruption has caused a disruption whose effects might be palpable even in the future.
The Assertion
Now, in the second phase of the pandemic, when the initial panic has subsided, colleges and universities, though still not very candid are gradually opening up for face-to-face classes, the Hybrid Learning scenario appears to be the best choice. Previous research has indicated amply that blended learning will give better outcome-based results. However, faculty members or parents have always been skeptical about online learning, and hence, despite authentic research data results, it could never trump the face-to-face. The cost-benefits of the courses had made MOOCs, such as Khan Academy, Coursera, Udacity, edX extremely popular making researchers wonder if these will eventually disrupt traditional learning, but as mentioned earlier, they could never become a substitute for traditional learning. For many years, especially in higher education, online learning has existed alongside traditional teaching models. According to the study of Inside Higher Education and Gallup 44% and 38% of higher education instructors had taught an online course and blended learning course respectively.
In this context, we must note, now that we are compelled to accept remote-teaching, the mind-set and perspectives for online education are also gradually transforming towards better acceptance. We are already
forced into global experimentation with remote teaching, and it is time we devour the outcome and the feedback because the colleges and universities need to reassess their roles, re-imagine their strategies, by embracing the Hybrid Model and validating it, both for their survival and for catering to the educational need of the students effectively.
The Unease
We cannot ignore the fact that the progress of remote teaching during the initial emergency period has raised a few alarm bells amongst academia already. During the pandemic enrolments were unpredictable and education institutions had already faced tremendous financial pressures. In addition to that, there are cases when students have preferred algorithms as their teachers rather than human professors. Huge content videos were already available online and hence that created doubt amongst students’ fraternity regarding the justification of the course fees. The flexibility of online learning is beginning to raise issues like whether a long-term residential experience holds its past laurel anymore.
On the other hand, in a country like India where the digital divide is a significant concern, and IT infrastructure is yet to be completely reliable in semi-urban and rural areas, remote learning for many is a serious struggle. The digital divide in developing or under-developed society has never been so glaringly obvious as it is now.
With both this unease running parallelly at present, the Hybrid teaching-learning model combining both faceto-face sessions and remote learning, physical set up, and the digitised one appear to be the steady choice. Moreover, we realise that similar health crises or climate issues may enforce the same emergency on us all over again, anytime in the future. Hence, along with the traditional infrastructure, it is advisable for Indian Universities and Educational Institutions to build stronger and foolproof digital capabilities and a technological, ready-to-change mindset that will have the resilience to effortlessly swivel through any crisis, whether that’s a prolonged Covid-19 eruption or any other challenges in the future.
The New Era to Build Back Better
Integration of online learning and traditional learning can be a big winner and promising possibilities beyond the COVID-19 era. We will come out of Covid-19 with a much more extensive understanding of the digitised, online learning. And this definitely will strengthen the clear focus for the future learning landscape.
Adaptation, as and when needed to changing conditions encourages the emergence of a blended or Hybrid Model seamlessly combining the synchronous with asynchronous,
the online with the on-campus, the lecture-based with the discussion-based, the teacher-directed with the selfdirected that will prove to be effective to mitigate the risk of current or future crises.
In this context, it is essential to plan an agile and resilient teaching-learning model that would adapt to any circumstantial change. It is entirely up to the institutions to prove that their services are worthwhile to invest in, even if their teaching-learning methods change. To create a new era of higher education a new design approach is mandatory. The design approach needs to pay attention to the following intervention:
1. Learn from experiences, Practice with feedback
The institutions must learn to keep a record of which classes/courses are more effective when taught remotely, and which ones did not go very well when taught online. The Hybrid Model can be worked out accordingly, pivoting between face-to-face and online mode for different courses or topics.
2. Bring in Resilience and Agility
The institutions need to accept and enact flexibility in diverse levels. First, the approach needs to be studentcentered, inclusive, and engaging. Secondly, the instructional-design strategy should include in-person instruction and asynchronous online content. Third, face-to-face classrooms may also accommodate students
who would like to join remotely by adding infrastructural facilities suited for online teaching in the same classroom.
3. Learn to Author as well as Curate content
A lot of importance is to be given to teaching-learning content/material that fit the Hybrid Model. A specialised content will bring in the edge for the institution. When the facilitator is creating content and course material the person needs to wisely decide which part to the author and which portion to curate as that would help in dividing the time wisely.
4. Create Activities for Live Sessions
The engagement of students has been an issue for the online teaching model. Activities and discussion forums are to be wisely modeled keeping both face-to-face and remote teaching in mind. Strategically designed activities aligned with learning goals will create satisfactory engagement for students.
5. Map Course with the changing world scenario
The relevance of teaching is another significant area that is required to be given importance. Courses related to business, management, entrepreneurship, social sciences, economics, political science should constantly be mapped and updated with the post-crisis landscape of the world.
6. Personalise Content and Mode for value addition
For the Hybrid Learning scenario, customising teaching content, and assignments mapped with individual needs is a possibility that will add value to the teaching-learning process. Preparing a specific group with special support content or videos is now possible so that they remain at par with others during the live-sessions. Students may have the flexibility to choose what they need to learn and when they need it. Also, personalised continuing education might become the norm and the Institutions should be ready to facilitate that. When students will have multiple pathways to learn the same content, such as through live sessions, recorded videos, animations, augmented realities, algorithmic engagement, education in the true sense will embrace diversity.
7. Teachers to become Mentors, Students to become Learners
Value addition will be possible only when teachers will take up the role of mentors as information and knowledge are already available at the fingertips of the students via digital means. These mentors will be needed to motivate, inspire, direct, initiate the students to a new domain of
learning, bringing in innovation and new perspectives, lending a support-shoulder to the students.
At the same time, students need to explore the autonomy in learning that they get, and understand that with autonomy comes responsibility. Students must realise that the onus of learning to a major extent, now, lies on their shoulders.
8. Engagement is the winning game
Whether face-to-face or online the actual value of education will lie not just on marks, degree, or certification but majorly on students’ engagement. The success of the course both from teachers’ and students’ perspectives will be decided by the level of classroom and online, social media academic engagement of the mentors and the learners. The quality of the content shared by the mentors, and the value, as well as the volume of engagement of the learners, will measure the academic success or the effectiveness.
9. Be Digitally Savvy
Many faculty members across the world have often expressed their awkwardness to handle technology. Covid 19 has shown us that at times there may be no other way than befriending technology. Hence, unlearning old ways and re-learning new ways of pedagogy, content creation, crafting activities, quizzes, assignments fitted for online will be the ways of survival and success. Extensive use of social media, Facebook Page, Google Hangout, Instagram, Class Blog, WhatsApp discussion forum, Creating Youtube Videos, Pinterest Board, etc. should be integrated seamlessly into the curricula to engage the students smoothly.
10. Architect Sturdy Digital Infrastructure
Institutions should pay attention to the IT Infrastructure to enable a hybrid learning facility. Be it a brick-and-mortar classroom or a Google Classroom, or learning through Zoom live audio-visual discussions, the changeover should be swift and smooth as and when required with a strong IT architecture and WiFi facilities.
In conclusion, it can be said that to build back a better future it is essential to understand that digital tools and online teaching may not be a substitute for traditional classroom teaching yet, but they definitely will complement learning, paving the way towards the emergence of a hybrid teaching-learning system. A hybrid educational institution will be nimble, agile, and resilient engaging in a technology-led transformation, shifting the focus entirely on the quality and value of higher education.
INSTITUTE OF INDIAN AVIATION AND ALLIED MANAGEMENT STUDIES
GIVING STUDENTS WINGS TO ACHIEVE GREAT HEIGHTS
Universities and colleges are expected to impart marketable skills that prepare students for the dynamic world of work. To date, students continue to graduate and employers continue to hire new talent, and this has been the norm for centuries now. Although, In the last two years, the skills gap has been widening at an alarming rate. Higher education has to re-think what its future would look like and take steps towards this future. Futuristic trends are already emerging, having been accelerated by the pandemic. With these factors driving monumental shifts, more work needs to be done by learning institutions to ensure that graduates gain relevant knowledge and skills that better prepare them for the future of work. They include online teaching and learning and the need for up-skilling.
The pandemic is an inflection point. It compels institutions to re-imagine new teaching and learning possibilities. Higher education must redefine the rigid bureaucracies that characterize the system. The idea of the Institute of Indian Aviation and Allied Management Studies (IIAAM) isn’t to
IIAAM aspires to be a premier training organisation, known and recognised nationally and internationally for excellence in aviation training.
pursue online education as an alternative to contact higher education. Nor is online education an antidote to the sector’s resource challenges. It’s to optimize multiple delivery modes and embrace creativity and innovation in teaching and learning. “We are achieving this through blending teaching and learning methods to improve learning outcomes. This would also improve graduate readiness for an evolving and unpredictable employment landscape”, opines Dr. Lizy Kalaga, Vice President, IIAAM.
Pursuing Supremacy
Aspiring to be a premier training organization that is known and recognized nationally and internationally for its excellence in aviation training, IIAAM envisions delivering high-quality training that is recognized in the training/ education field and is widely known as a training organization of choice in the aviation industry. Maintaining a high standard of integrity and performance leading to the achievement of academic and career goals, the institute is fostering a learning community in which the diverse values, goals, and learning styles of all students are recognized and supported. “We encourage enthusiastic, independent thinkers and learners striving for personal growth by implementing cutting-edge technology that enhances instruction and prepares students for life-long success”, says Dr. Lizy.
IIAAM has an effective teaching fraternity, intending to impart knowledge – ideally both contentspecific and relevant to life. At times, this responsibility unfolds easily with the desired level of engagement and effort. We find an optimal academic exchange reinforcing the joys of teaching and learning. The teachers assure there is an inviting and stimulating learning climate, creating an atmosphere where students ask questions and discuss what is taught. Giving assignments during lessons, organizing discussions with students, let students think aloud, etc., are all important elements that ensure that the student is thinking about the lesson. “Most students struggle in learning completely new areas because they are not aware of their learning strategies. Hence, to improve the learning of students, our teachers make the learning process clear and discuss this with students”, adds Dr. Lizy.
Actively encouraging them to attend seminars, webinars, conferences, faculty development programs, and workshops to update themselves, The institution has been showing continuous interest in catering to the necessities of their professional development.
IIAAM has effective teaching fraternity with a goal of imparting knowledge – ideally both content-specific and relevant to life.
Management is encouraging faculty development programs. “We have been reasonably liberal in allowing adjustments in the class routine, allowing short study leaves for course work and examination for higher degrees(Ph.D., B.Ed) and competitive exam(NET, SLET). The outcome of performance appraisal of faculties are granted increments and promotions”, points out Dr. Lizy.
Helping their Imagination Grow
Creativity and innovation mean a different way of thinking and doing things. Each one is creative and this creative ability in students manifests in several ways. When students find themselves in unknown territories, they learn to move out of their boundaries. Following certain methods to boost creativity and innovation, IIAAM has set up learning activities that allow students to explore their creativity in relevant, interesting, and worthwhile ways. “We teach our
Dr. Lizy Kalaga, Vice President, IIAAM.
IIAAM provides students with courses such as Airport Management, Airport Operations, Cargo, Ground services, Commercial Pilot Training, which enables the students to prepare for a flexible and secure career in the Aviation Industry.
students various skills through experiments, using the creativity model and teaching creative skills explicitly. We continue this beyond the lessons and classrooms and find ways to extend learning opportunities at home or even the community”, states Dr. Lizy.
Motivation is a condition that activates and sustains behavior toward a goal. It is critical to learning and achievement across the life span in both informal settings and formal learning environments. Providing guidance for competitive examinations, career counseling, soft skill development, remedial coaching, personal counseling, IIAAM also offers special programs like professional coaching classes, skill development, and communication development programs, aptitude, and placement, coaching classes for competitive exams, provision to participate in
various competitions such as case study analysis, debate, group discussion, problem-solving – decisionmaking exercises, quiz programs, and other events are organized in and outside the college. The institute also involves its students in practical and project work, group work, roleplay, field visit, industrial visits, seminars, presentations, organizing educational trips, and special lecture programs. “Our visiting faculties are drawn from various industries and academic institutions of repute, who supplement the teaching process and provide the information to bridge the gap between industry and academics”, adds Dr. Lizy.
Adjusting to the ‘New Normal’
COVID-19 was a great and unprecedented challenge for campuses across the nation and IIAAM was no different. IIAAM had to consider a holistic and wideranging level of support for students, including more attention to student academic support for online education, addressing new and significant financial hardships (more on this in the full survey results), and building or expanding capabilities for academic advising and assistance. Despite being digital natives, most students are not fully comfortable with an exclusive online learning medium.
As everyone adjusted to the ‘new normal’ of social isolation, it’s important to note that many students miss their connections on campus as well as the events and experiences cut short as a result of COVID-19. Considered experimenting with communication channels and strategies to re-engage students beyond the classroom despite the academic
experience of moving online, IIAAM adopted a lot of measures to overcome the challenge COVID threw. “We got out students to participate in virtual learning. Students, faculty, and staff participate in small, in-person classes, activities, and events that allow individuals to remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and don’t share equipment and supplies, and we regularly scheduled cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched areas”, states Dr. Lizy.
Looking Ahead
Exhibiting exemplary performance in university exams with distinctions in various courses, the students of IIAAM have won accolades in various fests and competitions at the state and national level and involved themselves in mini projects with many industry giants. Offering training courses to accomplish success in the Aviation Industry, IIAAM provides students with courses such as Airport Management, Airport Operations, Cargo, Ground services, Commercial Pilot Training, which enables the students to prepare for a flexible and
secure career in the Aviation Industry. As the industry demands knowledge not only in the Air travel aspects but also Airport Management, research, and manufacturing, IIAAM offers just that and entitles students with the required set of skills.
The aviation sector is one of the most attractive and best-paid sectors in the world. Indian civil aviation industry is the third-largest domestic civil aviation market in the world. Apart from acquiring in-depth knowledge of machines, aviation requires people in its workforce to have considerable knowledge of the work profile of individuals working in other departments of the industry as well. All set with their plans for the IIAAM in the future, Dr. Lizy concludes, “We plan to improve job opportunities for graduates in collaboration with different industries, organize international seminars, enhance NSS activities, and arrange faculty development programs. We plan to grow as we help our students and teachers grow and be recognized on a global level”.
INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE
HOW TO
WIN THE WAR OF TALENT – ATTRACTING AND RETAINING TALENT
Dheeraj Kumar Pandey, Chief Advisor for HR Systems and Processes, Keka Technologies
Dheeraj is an HR Advisor and stands at the forefront when it comes to helping Business Owners and HR Heads to overcome Tech challenges in People process. He has spent his last 10 years playing a vital role in assisting Startups, SMEs and Enterprise organizations to harness HR technology for maximizing people’s potential, performance to drive business outcomes. Dheeraj has used Keka as the platform of choice in helping 5300+ HR professionals at over 3000 organisations.
Recruitment tools, virtual screening methods if used right will help you to pick the best candidates from the rest
The world of recruitment has changed. It is being driven by the impact of COVID-19 and social awareness around work-life balance, employee rights, remote culture, etc. All in all, changes are happening speedily. Virtual is the new normal. Employee developments and skills are taking center stage, and diversity is the new big thing.
Amid all the chaos, many of us are thinking about ‘How do we hire and retain the best talent for our organization?’
To help you win the war of talent, this post will show you ways to deal with the nuances of modern hiring through empathy, technology, and transparency.
Attracting the best talent
Everyone is looking out for the best talent in the market, problem-solving folks who fit in the organization’s culture. According to a Gartner report,
roughly 29 % of critical roles stay vacant for more than five months in organizations.
Why? Simply due to the lack of sourcing and hiring the right talent.
Below is a list of strategies that you can use to quickly hire better talent.
Network: Before you even start hiring, go out and create a strong network of candidates. It is like the practice stage before the action part. Start by engaging with people during conferences or seminars. It’s a great way to meet folks in the target industry.
Leverage Social Media: Most people do hang out on Social Media. If it involves a part of their work, they showcase it as well. For example, designers are posting sample designs all the time, writers post content on different channels, etc. Reach out to these potential employees and bring them on board.
Utilize Technology: Recruitment tools, virtual screening methods if used right will help you to pick the best candidates from the rest.
Current Employees: Yes, your current employees do help you hire better. Treat them well and they’ll not only perform better but refer other amazing folks to join the mission of your company.
Focus on skills: Recently, Google announced certification programs that’ll replace full-time degrees. How cool is that? This will level the playing field for deserving applicants. As an organization, you need to adapt to this change in the market. Start hiring people who drive results regardless of their educational background.
Retention starts with Engagement and Onboarding
So, you’ve interviewed some good contenders for the open roles. But that doesn’t mean they’re surely going to join. Great candidates have multiple job
offers, so if you don’t engage them, they will join another company. Early engagement in the preonboarding stage needs to happen if you want to see your favorite applicant joining your firm.
Post-COVID, onboarding is now remote. Here, a tool that lets candidates fill in the information and upload documents days ahead of the joining date will help you complete onboarding easily.
Culture makes people stay
Every employee looks for a stable job that provides a lot of freedom and a platform to create their own processes. A set of strong company values helps you connect with employees at a deeper level.
At the same time, they need to feel relaxed at work. For starters, modern organizations have become outcome-driven. Less time is spent on the things that don’t affect the results. For example, employee outfits, work locations (for remote workers), schedule, etc.
If you offer ownership and autonomy to employees, they’ll produce remarkable results out of
If you treat your employees well, the stories will spread soon, and everyone will want to work at your organization
care for the organization. All of this will lead to people staying longer and doing better at work.
Candidates prefer businesses that take a stand during a crisis
Employer branding is rapidly becoming a key pillar of recruitment as candidates and customers expect brands to take stronger stances on social issues around us. Simply showing the products or facilities isn’t enough. What matters is what the company is doing to support employees, customers, and communities during tough times.
The way brands display empathy will build or destroy their brands. The brands that fire employees deliberately during a crisis will lose the image in public and most candidates will avoid joining them.
Contrary to what many think, employeecentric organizations are what employees care about compared to customer-centric. If you treat your employees well, the stories will spread
soon, and everyone will want to work at your organization. However, vice versa is also true.
The Trend that will shape 2021 and recruitment future
The shift from working in offices to more people working remotely is going to have a significant impact as it will change how the concept of ‘Full-time employment’ works. People now have more time and freedom to work from any location, so quite a few will use this opportunity to pursue several ‘full-time careers.’
Job-seekers will think less about specific careers but more in terms of several sidecareers and series of journeys. Come-in, get results, and go on the next journey. It is why for some industries, it’d be better to have hybrid workforces. A mix of full-time employees and a group of expert consultants as a default setup.
It also means that management, organizationspecific training, part-time office staff will have less control in the future. Staff will be in total control as loyalty won’t exist. Only the output of a person will matter.
Finally…
Recruiters will increasingly serve as the connecting line between a company’s hiring needs and other HR initiatives. But they have their challenges like thousands of applications, incorrect information given by candidates, scheduling interviews, etc. They need more time.
A hiring software that comes integrated with an HRMS will remove all the manual tasks, and with an HR dashboard, potential employees will be matched to suitable jobs. Data and analytics will help track the performance of sourcing channels and the effectiveness of strategies. Reports will foster productive discussions involving leadership and management. Overall, ATS will allow recruiters to dedicate more time to strategic decisions.
As a continuous step towards improvement, everything we’ve talked about will allow you to fine-tune the process of hiring.
JD INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY
CREATING NEW TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY
At JD Institute of Fashion Technology, a ‘one size fits all, approach to education does not bode well with what they believe in. With the aim to change how people perceive design, the institute focuses on the uniqueness of each student and their specialized skill sets to nurture them and help them grow. “Through our courses, diplomas, and more, we strive to make India one of the major design hubs in the world. JD Institute focuses on three main pillars: Innovation, sustainability, and being eco-friendly. With this in mind, we drive students to think outside the box, to create novel ideas and solutions to today’s problems,” says Yogesh Dalal, Trustee, JD Educational Trust.
Since its inception in 1988, JD Institute of Fashion Technology has been at the forefront of innovation and creativity. With its Annual Design Awards, they provide students with a safe space to promote avant-garde thinking in their approach to design and innovation. Essentially being a fashion show and exhibition, it is a platform for students to showcase their designs through what they understand about the design process and create ethical, eco-friendly, and sustainable designs while being
Established in Mumbai, JD Institute of Fashion Technology was founded by Mr. Chandrakant Dalal (President) and Mr. R. C. Dalal (Executive Director & Co-Founder of Indian Film Festival) in 1988.
JD Institute has been an incubator for the last 30 years for hundreds of individuals determined to transform their dreams into reality.
new and inventive. “We encourage students to research and bring a new perspective to their ideas, which help the student to bring a product from a concept to life,” says Dalal.
JD Institute students are trained to create designs from scratch. With a 360-degree journey that spans over a few months, each course is specially designed to gain requisite life skills to face real-world challenges in the fashion and design industry, making students creative problem solvers. The well-rooted and qualitative library and archives at JD
institute equip learners with the tools needed for research. It includes information about hundreds of years of design development, providing students with the knowledge and related infrastructure, like studios and sewing labs, to upskill their creativity, along with seminars and workshops for practical learning. “Our students are well equipped and ready to meet the industry challenges with handson practical knowledge. Having said that, we are most proud of our students for being responsible citizens and creating designs which are problem-solving and at the same time ecofriendly, ethical, sustainable, and innovative,” says Dalal.
Being a leading institute in the field of fashion technology, JD Institute of Fashion Technology has numerous feathers on its cap. In 2017 at the Indian Education Awards by Indian Education Congress, JD Institute was named the Best Vocational Education Institute of the Year for Fashion Design, owing to their excellent courses and holistic approach to education. They also bagged an award at the prestigious Indian Education Awards in 2018 for Best
ABOUT YOGESH DALAL, TRUSTEE, JD EDUCATIONAL TRUST
Yogesh Dalal, Trustee – JD Institute of Fashion Technology (Education Division of JD Educational Trust), responsible for the strategic direction, vision, growth, and performance of JD Institute of Fashion Technology is committed to professional ethics, standards of practice, and the care of education among the youth. Continuing his family’s legacy of spreading design education and creating next-generation designers, Dalal thoroughly enjoys working with students and encourages creative expression.
Yogesh Dalal started his career in 1990, following his father’s footstep won many awards for the institute namely, Excellence in Fashion Design, Interior Design & Hair and Make-up Courses in Maharashtra presented by Ms. Kareena Kapoor Khan at International Quality Awards, Best institute in Fashion Design, Interior Design & Hair and Make-up in Maharashtra presented by Priety Zinta at Golden Glory Awards and Best Education Institute for Fashion Design, Interior Design & Hair & Make-up Courses presented by Madhuri Dixit Nene at Internation Glory Awards. More than his role as a Trustee, he is also effective at persuading and influencing high-ranking individuals. He is self-directed, action-oriented with problem-solving motivation, which leads people to highly value his opinions.
Yogesh Dalal, a visionary in a true sense, is known for his remarkable spirit with maintaining consistency in delivering performance excellence by each and every student graduating every year. His innovative ideal and professional ethics make him stand out from the crowd, giving him a very valuable position in the industry of fashion. Having a very positive outlook towards every new introduction in the fashion industry and experimenting with all possibilities is what Yogesh Dalal is very well known for.
He believes that “You have only one life, live life king size.”
Skill Learning for Fashion Design in India. JD Institute has produced significant players in the fashion industry, including Rocky S, Shane, Falguni Peacock, Maheka Mirpuri, Urvashi Kaur, Alexandra Faye, Chhaya Gandhi, and many more.
Going beyond the classroom
Apart from awards and accolades, the institute has collaborated with multiple production companies, creating costumes and interior designs for movie sets
Equipped with the latest curriculum, infrastructure, state of the art facilities JD Institute is committed to preparing each candidate to be successful exactly the way they envisioned it.
designers, and fashion designers, styling several celebrities and several movies, magazine shoots, and T series.
At JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Jediiians are presented with the opportunity to work under exemplary industry leaders, fashion houses, design firms as well as international institutions like UAL, London.
and other media. “To do justice to our dedicated focus on careers and employability, we facilitate for the students to collaborate with social innovators, journalists, sustainability and industry experts, etc., to elevate your insights and capabilities,” states Dalal.
Outgoing JD Institute students have worked with well-known brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Monisha Jaisingh, Libas, Purple Style Labs, Liva Fashion, Tarun Tahiliani, Triedge, Anita Dongre, Pantaloons, Manish Malhotra, and Ensemble, to name a few. Many others have started their own labels and boutiques with a wide clientele and immense success. JD Institute has also opened doors for students to enter the entertainment industry as fashion stylists, costume
Getting creative with tech
Given the pandemic situation, most educational institutions have been disrupted. Especially in the field of design education, it becomes hard to provide practical knowledge. With no certainty of the situation going back to normal, the chances of reopening colleges and having offline classes are slim. As a versatile organization, JD Institute took the opportunity to start classes online and initiated an Online Education Department, which has unique short online courses for students from across the country. “With students and faculty members remaining confined to their homes, we keep the students engaged with virtual lectures to complete their courses.,” says Dalal. Through this initiative, JD Institute aims to ensure that there is a sense of social awareness among students, enhancing their view in the process of learning and propelling them to implement the learnings to create innovative art and design.
JD Institute not only helps students come up with innovative ideas but also has some of its own. “The structure of teaching and learning is highly affected by this sudden lockdown, but it has not been able to uproot the noble art of teaching completely,” Dalal
JD
Institute of Fashion Technology
is designed
to promote emerging talent and the collaboration and associations are unparalleled as the vehicle of opportunity.
states. Keeping that in mind, students will naturally look forward to tech-savvy innovations and online learning to develop their skills and create art and design. This allows knowledge providers to explore and experiment with various online learning methods and apply and combine them with regular learning. At JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Mumbai, they develop and deliver a responsive, imaginative, and inspirational education. By collaborating with students and creating partnerships, the faculty ensure that they use the right resources and skills to reach their full potential, all while helping students sharpen their skills through practice and understand the social and environmental impact of their actions.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has immensely helped the institute to grow in e-learning department to meet the market needs. It has also taught us that nothing can stop education and learning. The students have been very patient and adopted online learning with great enthusiasm. The lockdown has helped everyone grow in a very different way and helped the students find their niche as they had time to focus more on themselves,” Dalal opines. By understanding the needs of the students, the faculty has innovated and integrated practices to discern and nurture students’ skills and achieve success with in-depth learning and research-based practical learning. To this effect, JD Institute has collaborated with Singhania University and the Government of Maharashtra to develop more innovative courses in fashion, management, and design.
JD Institute understands that education must be made an integral part in forging social and economic factors. In support of the wider education sector and society, the institute believes that we need to brace ourselves to play an active role in the effort towards recovery. This will help in the approach towards knowledge, technology, and education to improve the overall experience to be more adaptable and seek new opportunities for students. Keeping in mind the current scenario, finding smart new educational models is important. At JD Institute, they continually try to prepare students to imbibe design and technology together in their life and drive them towards success.
INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE
DO’S AND DON’TS:
ENGAGING IN THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTIES
Dr Purvi Gandhi, Occupational Therapist, The Aditya Birla Integrated School
Purvi Gandhi is an Occupational therapist (an alumnus of Seth G S medical college, KEM hospital) with extensive experience of over 24 years. She has been certified by the University of Southern California for Sensory Integration (SIPT). Her clinical expertise lies in dealing with children from 3 years to adults. She is very passionate about working with children with various abilities using a wholistic, family centred, evidence-based approach, tailoring individualized therapy for every child to reach their full potential. She is presently working as a consultant with Aditya Birla Integrated School and operating from her clinic named Therapy At Its Best, situated in South Mumbai.
A lot of avoidance, giving up challenges and sticking to what they know behaviour sets in and this can be especially dangerous if carried throughout life
Let us understand a little about learning difficulties at all ages before we understand do’s and don’ts.
Early warning signs of learning challenges can be a developmental delay, inability to read/ write, writing reversals, difficulty in memory, difficulty with numbers, not following instructions, clumsiness. Learning challenges can be associated with attention deficit, sensory processing disorders, and executive function deficit. Learning difficulties can be diagnosed earliest by the age of 7 years by Psychoeducational testing. An evaluation by an Occupational therapist and Speech therapist (in case of speech delays) before or after the age of 7 years can reveal if the child has sensory processing difficulties or any other developmental delay which can impact motor-sensory skills and thus learning.
There are two sets of parents:
1. A parent who would want to start with therapeutic interventions early in life since this would help in getting the child ready for academic learning by enhancing brain development, and provide an opportunity to their children to build a strong
foundation for basic skills on which higher function skills will be built.
2. A parent who thinks their child would catch up as he grows since they had experienced the same thing and they turned out ‘FINE’.
In 24 years of my professional practice, I have come across both sets of parents and have seen a marked difference in a child who has received Interventions at an early age. They were more ready for learning since their foundation was strengthened with therapeutic interventions.
I have also had parents who come for help later, by 9 or 10 years of age. At this age, children are bombarded with a lot of academic expectations, peer pressure, social distractions, gadgets, etc. Overall most importantly, they have the definite idea that they are not as good as their peers. So, a lot of avoidance, giving up challenges and sticking to what they know behaviour sets in and this can be especially dangerous if carried throughout life. If focused upon in time, therapeutic interventions are also successful at this stage in bringing about a change from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.
What kind of difficulties and therapeutic interventions are we looking at in high school and at the university level?
At this stage, what I have come across are parents coming with complaints that their child is struggling with timing and organizational skills, is unable to submit assignments on time, does not organize information appropriately for his written expression, or is disorganized himself. This could result in frustration; hence the child would give up a particular task after getting exhausted trying to fit in. I would address this as an executive function deficit.
As an occupational therapist, I have worked on this by stimulating the brain in case of any processing difficulties or strengthening memory skills, plus giving strategies to support an individual issue.
My personal experience tells me that an amalgamation of therapies - Remedial learning with expert teachers, counsellors, experienced Occupational therapists, Speech therapists would instil a sense of support, motivation, skills required to face academic and personal challenges.
To summarise, when you don’t engage with therapeutic interventions that your child requires, you are limiting their growth. But when you do engage, you are opening the door to a world of possibilities.
