The 20 best institutes of the year 2018

Indian Edition February 2018

Editorial

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Indian Educational System: Efciently Advancing Towards Growth and Innovation

he educational system of India has been considered as a major contributor to the economic development of the country. Various public sector institutions have contributed towards the progress in school education and scientific research in higher education. Since independence, education has been a major instrument in India for social change and community development. As per Census 2011, every person above the age of 7 years who can read, write, speak and understand any language is considered as literate. This survey also holds the National Literacy rate to be around 74.7%, the youth literacy rate (15-24 yrs) around 81.1%, and the rate of literate boys at 86% and literate girls at 72% in the age group of 10-19 years.

The Indian education system has undergone drastic changes with time. It is currently going through a transition wherein many institutions are adopting the latest and finest teaching-learning procedures from around the world.

Today’s education system is aided with modern technology. Gadgets like projectors, computers and the internet are effectively used in educational institutions to enhance the educational framework. Diverse knowledge is being spread among the students in a very simplified manner. There are a lot of things happening around us that students need to learn and know about. Students of this modern age can use the internet to gather information about latest developments happening around them.

Implementation of latest technologies in the classrooms is making the teaching-learning procedures interesting and engaging. The government is introducing smart classes in schools to give the educational system a boost.

The top educational institutes of India are providing the best possible education to the students using the cutting-edge technologies. They aim to ensure that students get a variety of exposures heading into the professional field. These institutions are introducing professional courses with a practical approach and the objective of helping students in comprehending fully the actual scenario and preparing them for the future.

With technological advancements, there has been a growth in demand of technologically proficient workforce in the market. To meet the demand, students have to prepare and train themselves and today’s advanced educational institutions are playing a major part in it. These institutions can train the students to be prepared, to survive and make their mark in this highly competitive world. T R

Ananda Kamal Das

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Pooja M. Bansal MANAGING EDITOR Rajarshi Chatterjee EXECUTIVE EDITOR Ananda Das ASSISTANT EDITOR Ashwini Deshmukh VISUALISER David King ART & DESIGN DIRECTOR Amol Kamble CO-DESIGNER Alex Noel PICTURE EDITOR Sapana, Shweta ART EDITOR Shweta Shinde BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Ankush Patel MARKETING MANAGER Ketan Kamble BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVES Truptesh, Kanchan, Pradnya RESEARCH ANALYST Chidiebere Moses CIRCULATION MANAGER Robert DATABASE MANAGEMENT Stella Andrew TECHNICAL HEAD Swapnil Patil TECHNOLOGY CONSULTANT Vivek Bangade TECHNICAL SPECIALISTS Amar, Pratiksha DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Marry D’Souza ONLINE MARKETING STRATEGISTS Alina Sege, Shubham Mahadik, Vaibhav K SME-SMO EXECUTIVES Prashant Chevale, Uma Dhenge, Gemson, Irfan

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Lovely Professional University: A Revolutionary Leader in the Field of Education Veteran’s Views Adaptive Learning System - A Teacher’s Good Friend.

Revitalizing Education Adopting Adaptive Learning – The New Wave in Educational Technology

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Tech Talk The Impact of Blended Learning on Education

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EdTech Revolution Preparing the Education System for the Next-Gen Students

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Educator’s Insights Blended learning "Transforming the Process of Education through Digital Means"

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Astute Thoughts Transforming Higher Education – Understanding the Next Generation of Students

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47 Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, At a Glance

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Asian School of Architecture and Design Innovations:

Institute of Hotel & Tourism Management:

Building a New Breed of Architects

Delivering Quality Education

32 O.P. Jindal Global University: Achieving Excellence in Education

42 Rayat Bahra Dental College and Hospital: The Essence of Educational Excellence

40 Pearl Academy:

34 P. Wadhwani College of Pharmacy: Where Opportunities Galore in Pharmacy Education & Research

Achieving Excellence in Design, Business, Media, Internationalism and Employability

24 Gokaraju Rangaraju Institute of Engineering & Technology: Pursuing the Goal of Educational Excellence

56 50 Silver Oak College of Engineering & Technology: Achieving Academic Excellence and Social Development

SNS College of Engineering: A Trailblazer in Technical Education and Management Studies

Exploring the Elite Educational Institutions “Education is the manifestation of perfection already in man” – Swami Vivekananda India plays an important part in the global education industry. It has more than 1.5 million schools with 260 million students and about 751 universities and 35,539 colleges. This makes India one of the largest higher education systems in the world.

The leading educational institutes of India proceed with the goal of preparing students with the necessary knowledge, skills and perspectives which would prepare them for future careers in their respective specialties, and achieve recognition among professionals, public organizations and scholars as a preeminent program in education, research and service.

The Knowledge Review thus comes up with a special issue “The 20 Best Institutes of the Year 2018” which highlights some of the best Indian institutes that are transforming education systems in a creative fashion. It lists out those institutes which have set a global standard in the field of education, research and training, by providing the state-of-the-art technology and bridging the gap between education and innovation.

The cover story of this issue features one of the most elite institutes facilitating world-class education, Lovely Professional University, a trailblazer in transforming education through academic excellence, research based teaching, and a practical approach. The university offers 200+ programmes in 40+ disciplines in various streams like engineering, management, biotechnology, agriculture, law, fashion, pharmacy, journalism, and many more.

This issue also features OP Jindal University; SNS College of Engineering; Silver Oak College of Engineering and Technology; Institute of Hotel and Tourism Management, Maharshi Dayanand University; Pataldhamal Wadhwani College of Pharmacy,Yawatmal; Asian School of Architecture and Design Innovations; Pearl Academy; Rayat Bahra Dental College and Hospital; Karunya University; HK Institute of Management Studies and Research; Jagan Institute of Management Studies, New Delhi; Bharati Vidyapeeth University Institute of Management and Research, New Delhi; Sharda University Greater Noida; Icert Global; Dayananda Sagar University; GL Bajaj Institute of Management & Research, Greater Noida; Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University; Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology and Gokaraju Rangaraju Institute of Engineering and Technology.

This issue also includes informative articles contributed by Mr. Mangala Sunder Krishnan, Mr. NR Jadhav, and Ms. Pallavi Rahul Gedamkar.

So, flip through the pages and keep on reading for more insights on these top institutions! T R

Lovely

Professional

University

A Revolutionary Leader in the Field of Education

“At LPU, we transform young aspiring minds into complete individuals�

The

20 BEST

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Apart from imparting knowledge,

understanding, skills and critical thinking,

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we enable them to become architects of the future society

Cover Story

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he institute seeks to revive the golden-glory of ancient Indian education system and aims to continue preparing students to succeed in a highly competitive professional environment

Providing the Ultimate Educational and Infrastructural Experience Commenced with the motto to develop a human resource ready to be absorbed by the industry and to play important part in the development of the society and the country, Lovely Professional University spread its wings in 2005 with the tagline– “Transforming Education, Transforming India”. Presently, it is a multidisciplined university which makes the experience of a student more rewarding as compared to an institution with restricted number of subjects. LPU offers 200+ programmes in 40+ disciplines. It offers various professional courses in the streams of engineering, business, law, architecture, pharmacy, hotel management, journalism and more which are enormously popular among aspiring students. One of the biggest reasons for this popularity is the number of technocrats that LPU has produced for the top brands in their respective fields. Moreover, LPU also offers some distinct programmes like mechatronics, automobile, oil & petroleum engineering, bioinformatics, nanotechnology, horticulture and many more.

In addition, LPU’s infrastructure is unparalleled to any other university in India. It is a mini township university with fantastic academic facilities including an eight storied library and research block, hostel and accommodation facilities for over 20,000 students, a shopping mall, numerous eateries, plenty of workshop area, India’s first IMac Lab and various other facilities for students to grow and accomplish their goals.

In fact, LPU offers 200+ programmes in 40+ disciplines, prominently in the streams of engineering, management, biotechnology, agriculture, law, architecture, pharmacy, fashion, journalism and more, which all are most popular with aspiring students. All of these cover time needed varied professional courses with regularly updated curriculum, and carry forward a legacy of excellence.

These have been continuously focusing on developing future leaders, who would drive change in the society. They would be either assets to some global corporate giants or established entrepreneurs to create jobs for others. On the above lines, the curriculum and pedagogy followed in LPU are at par with the best of the universities of the world. It is a unique advantage as most of the Indian universities do not update their curriculum at all; however, based on the feedbacks of the industry, academia and students, curriculum is updated every year at LPU. It has one of the most advanced and industry relevant curricula.

Accomplished Alumni Since its inception, LPU has produced numerous graduates who have made it big in different walks of life. A large chunk of its alumni are successfully pursuing careers in numerous countries including the USA, Canada, Australia and the UK. Many among them are working at prominent companies like Google, Yahoo & other big brands with packages of Rs.1 Crore and more.

From top corporate houses to buzzing start-ups, LPU alumni can be found everywhere. Tons of prestigious recruiters visit LPU every week and hold high opinion about LPU’s industry ready students. Some feel that the energy and knowledge level of students are fantastic, while others say that LPU has the best practices to provide to its students; whereas, many others get amazed by the students’ programming, presentation, solution-providing skills or so. Presently, 50,000+ LPU alumni are working in 150+countries. Some of the notable alumni of LPU include: Utkarsh Gautam, Wireless Systems Engineer at Google; Neha Mahajan, System Programmer, Yahoo; Navtej Sandhu, Sr. Software Engineer with

“We feel satisfied in providing ace professionals, steeped in Indian values and modern outlook, to India and the world”

ancient Indian education system, and

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“

We seek to revive the glory of the

prepare our students to succeed in a highly competitive professional environment

Apple; Harleen Thind, Tech Lead, Microsoft; Parwinder Singh, Business Intelligence Engineer at Amazon; Nikhil Vasudev, Tech Lead with Bank of America; Dishant Sikka, Senior Analyst with Dell, and many more. They credit their success stories to their alma-mater LPU. Navtej shares: “LPU provided me the required knowledge and skills which helped me in refining myself and being eligible for this corporate world ”. Taniya Sharma with Cognizant holds: “LPU provides students a policy of discipline, motivation and opportunity to devote time to extra-curricular and various other developmental activities”. Also, Trina at Nestle Ltd says: “LPU helped me in gaining experience at both social and professional levels. I respect all at LPU who helped me gain such a great position in the industry”.

Industrial Collaborations LPU has a strong academia-industry connect and thus has collaborated with top companies to provide industry immersion to its students. It has partnerships with top companies including Google, Cisco, Oracle, SAP, Microsoft and more for promoting intense industry versatility, rigour & recognition. It also offers various opportunities to the students to work directly with industry on live and entrepreneurial projects, which provide students great insights about the latest trends in the corporate world.

Students also gain on-site experiences through industry internships with corporate giants like Cognizant, Infosys, and ISRO to name a few.

Major Achievements and Recognitions The university has achieved many landmarks on its illustrious journey. Only a few months back, Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar presented ASSOCHAM’s ‘National Education Excellence Award for Best Private University’ to LPU. It has also won Best Education Brands’ 2017 award from the Economic Times (ET) in recognition of LPU as a symbol of excellence in educating and skilling India’s future. Many of the top publications related to higher education, industry and allied sectors have also accorded coveted ranking and awards to LPU as usual. Former President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee has graced two convocations of the university. Similarly, six other Presidents, Prime Ministers and top religious leaders of different countries have attended other separate LPU convocations, where they were also bestowed upon “Honoris Causa” doctorate degrees of the university, amid thousands of graduating students.

Marching Ahead Confidently Towards a Bright Future Since its inception, LPU has registered tremendous evolution by achieving almost everything a top university should do. Through its slogan of transforming education, LPU seeks to revive the golden-glory of ancient Indian education system. By providing an academic ambience, innovative pedagogy of global significance, LPU aims to continue preparing students to succeed in a highly competitive professional environment. Now, having created a strong international presence, LPU is poised to become a ‘Centre of Excellence’ in academics and research, and be listed among the top 200 universities of the world by the year 2025. T R

The Vigilant Leader of LPU LPU Chancellor, Mr Ashok Mittal is the sole dream-merchant in casting ahead regular successes and glories not only for the university but for all the stakeholders also, be it students, staff members, parents or other allied ones.

He is driven by the vision and strong belief to transform the way education is delivered in India, and to pay back more to the society than received through it.

After entering the education sector in the year 2001, Mr Mittal realized that as an affiliated college there were numerous limitations to the revolutionary thought he imbibed, and opened private university ‘LPU’ for imparting the quality education the way it ought to be delivered. Within a small span of its existence, LPU has established tie-ups with 200+ international universities of the USA, UK, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, South Korea, Vietnam, Brazil, Poland, Ghana and many more.

Chancellor Mr Mittal shares: “In fact, with the success of sweets and auto dealerships’ businesses, we had thought of giving back to the society and education happened to be one of the best ways for us. The decision to step into education rather than any other sector was based on the strong belief, and it is continuously proving befitting. Many thousands of students not only from whole of the India but also from all prominent continents are getting education at LPU, irrespective of their caste, creed, colour, language, religion, nationality or so.”

Name of the Institution

URL

Asian School of Architecture and Design Innovations

asadi.edu.in

Silversand Island, Vyttila, Kochi-682019, Kerala, India

Bharati Vidyapeeth University Instt of Mgmt & Research

bvimr.com

A-4, Paschim Vihar, Rohtak Road, New Delhi - 110063

Dayananda Sagar University

dsu.edu.in

Plot No. 2, Knowledge Park III, G. Noida Distt. Gautam Budh Nagar

glbimr.org

Shavige Malleshwara Hills, Kumaraswamy Layout, Bangalore 560 078, Karnataka, India

Gokaraju Rangaraju Inst. of Engg. and Technology

griet.ac.in

Gokaraju Rangaraju Institute of Engineering & Technology, Nizampet-Bachupally Road, Kukatpally, Hyderabad Telangana 500090

HK Inst. of Mgt. Studies and Research

hkimsr.edu.in

HK CAMPUS, Pratiksha Nagar, Relief Road Oshiwara, Jogeshwari (West), Mumbai – 400 102, Maharashtra, India

Icert Global

icertglobal.com

Sancia Building, Domlur Layout, 1st Stage, Domlur, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560071

Jagan Institute of Management Studies

jimsindia.org

3, Institutional Area, Sector-5, Rohini, Delhi-110085

karunya.edu

Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences,Karunya Nagar,Coimbatore

lpu.in

G.T. Road, Phagwara, Punjab (INDIA) -144411

G L Bajaj Institute of Management & Research, Greater Noida

Karunya University Lovely Professional University

Location of the Institution

Name of the Institution

URL

Maharshi Dayanand University

mdurohtak.ac.in

Maharshi Dayanand University, Delhi Road, University Secretariat, Rohtak, Haryana 124001

OP Jindal Global University

jgu.edu.in

Sonipat Narela Road, Near Jagdishpur Village, Sonipat, Haryana 131001

Pataldhamal Wadwani College of Pharmacy

pwcpharmacy.edu.in

P.Wadhwani College of Pharmacy, Moha Phata, Dhamangaon Road Yavatmal,(MH) India

Pearl Academy

pearlacademy.com

A-21/13,Naraina Industrial Area, Phase II, Near Shadipur Metro Station, New Delhi

Rayat Bahra Dental College and Hospital

rbdch.rayatbahra.com

Rayat & Bahra Dental College & Hospital, V.P.O- Sahauran, DISTT. Mohali, Punjab, India.140104

Sharda University

sharda.ac.in

Plot No.32-34, Knowledge Park III, Greater Noida

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University

smvdu.ac.in

Satya Bhawan, 67B/B, Gandhi Nagar,Jammu - 180004 (J&K State)

socet.edu.in

Nr. Bhavik Publications, Opp. Bhagwat Vidyapith, G.Highway,Gujarat

SNS College of Engg., Coimbatore

snsce.ac.in

SNS Kalvi Nagar, Sathy Main Road (Opp. CRI Pumps),Kurumbapalayam (Po), S.S.Kulam (via),Coimbatore

Thapar Inst. of Eng. and Tech

thapar.edu

P.O. Box 32, Patiala, Pin -147004

Silver Oak College of Engineering and Technology

Location of the Institution

Blended learning –“Transforming the Process of Education through Digital Means”

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he era of digital content development in higher education in India began in 1999 through a workshop conducted in Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras with partners from other IITs, Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). Several academic faculty, industry and government partners helped evolve a document for online content creation, Digital Library archiving, online teaching and a virtual technical University. Professor R. Natarajan, then Director of IITM and Professor M. S. Ananth, Dean of Academic Courses who became Director of IITM subsequently, designed, from the proceedings of the Workshop on Technology Enhanced Learning (WoTEL -99), the formal programme called National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL). Professor Ananth convinced the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) after several efforts to fund digital content creation in 2003 for 200 onesemester-long courses by seven IITs and Indian Institute of Science. Coincidentally, Prof. Charles West, Provost, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, USA, had announced the launching of the Open Course Ware (OCW) of the MIT in the same year 1999. The two announcements were entirely independent.

Teaching is an orchestrated delivery and organized presentation of contents augmented with careful attention to the pedagogy of learning (knowledge, comprehension and application, to cite the first three levels of Bloom’s taxonomy of education), but is still a delivery. One can go up in levels but they involve more of learner participation and innovation. Learning is experiential, on the other hand, and is often life long for research and innovation.

Therefore, digital education comes handy to build the bridge or close the gap between teaching, learning and

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practice. When multiple paths to learning are explored through teaching using different approaches and archived in digital format for just-in-time use by the learner, and a teacher or a mentor becomes available even for a short while, the learner is enriched with learning resources and the interactivity that augments learning. Online lecture deliveries supported by local mentors, forums and discussion groups as are often done in MOOCs, do precisely this. One disadvantage with these processes is that practical skills cannot be provided adequately through digital deliveries in all areas of learning.

The current initiative of SWAYAM by the Ministry of HRD (Study Web Active by Young and Aspiring Minds) and the earlier Mission known as National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (NMEICT) with its four-quadrant approach are examples of this drive for online education.

It is important that blended learning was envisaged, much earlier by nobody other than Prof. Richard Feynman of California Institute of Technology when he recorded his famous lectures known as “The Feynman Lectures on Physics” in the 1960s. In his Foreword he states, “I think, however, that there isn’t any solution to this problem of education other than to realize that the best teaching can be done only when there is a direct individual relationship between a student and a good teacher-……..Perhaps my lectures can make some contribution. Perhaps in some small place where there are individual teachers and students they may get some inspiration or some ideas from the lectures”.

Online MOOCs courses and other SWAYAM-like portals have to build these local learning communities in large

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Educator’s Insights numbers, along with exceptionally good and motivating lectures. They all have one thing in common: to enhance the quality of learning through technology enabled teaching and learning and to increase the population of employable students by at least one order of magnitude more than at present. In India, where the quality teacher-student ratio (teachers who continue to do research while teaching) is around 1:80 to 1:100, there are no immediate alternatives or remedies for poor-quality education.

The best of our teachers have to be encouraged to learn the internet and content enrichment technology from the youngsters (!) (including making animations, mobile apps, managing learning management systems, etc.) and impart in them the learning and the discovery / design instincts of all of science and engineering that will trigger innovation and discover newer sciences and technologies!

This author strongly believes that the technology tools and interfaces have stabilized in the last five years or so, and a large population of younger people is ready to listen and learn through the opening of gates outward by IITs, IISc and other premier institutions using social and adaptive networks. Given the shift in demography of India towards a lower average age, it is also imperative that we train as many of the youngsters as possible, and in the shortest time, encourage interactions of local study groups guided by a combination of the best teachers and a large number of young and local teachers to create multiple forms of instruction. Different students have different aptitudes and abilities and therefore multiple paths should exist for a learner to reach the destination of a degree or a skill or both.

Therefore, the analogue of the Google map should be implemented in content creation, some of which focus on concepts and others focus on details to different levels. Tagging courses for difficulty levels is quite important. They are the ‘dots’ that Steve Jobs expressed in his famous Stanford University address.

If enough of them are created, any learning pattern can be woven and the dots can be connected beautifully and in multiple ways. The society will move forward much more quickly to discover newer worlds. T R

Mangala Sunder Krishnan Professor, Department of Chemistry IIT Madras

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Asian School of Architecture and Design Innovations

Building a New Breed of Architects

The School aims to provide quality education, primarily in architecture to the meritorious students, as per government norms and fee structure, and to galvanize the students to grow as a class apart, as architects committed to sustainability, who would be role models for thinking out of the box, dreaming, conceptualizing and accomplishing projects with unparalleled perfection.

Asian School of Architecture and Design Innovations (ASADI) is a unit of ABR Foundation, Kochi, initiated by the leading Architect, Prof. B.R. Ajit. It was established in 2013 and approved by the Council of Architecture (COA) which is the statutory organization in the country for the education and practice of architecture. ASADI is also affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam. The school offers a five year course after which the students are qualified as architects with Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) Degree. Presently, ASADI every year conducts one batch of 40 students each.

Creating Responsible Citizens ASADI, from its inception, has considered education in architecture, not just a qualification for employment or selfemployment but more as an institution to create worthwhile and responsible citizens of the country, contributing their mind and knowledge in designing.

Towards this objective, ASADI had implemented various programs and new educational approaches for the students from the first year onwards. Some such new concepts that

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ASADI has already implemented and which are lauded highly by the public at large and educationists in particular, include the Gurukula System; hands on training; sustainable living; learning from true masters; green campus; the College as a learning station; a free environment; and the campus with a rhythm.

ASADI marches forward with a vision to create a new breed of architects who will be social scientists deeply committed to the social needs of the day, who will fully honor the sustainability commitment and who will have the ability to change the way the world thinks and behaves by creating a better and more responsible environment and especially to house the unfortunate billions.

ASADI is proud that each and every student contributes significantly to this noble cause; the telling example is their low cost housing project intended to provide shelter for the billions of homeless people in the world. Similarly, ASADI strongly believes that the students should be involved in R&D work from the early stages itself. The project “Home and Hope for the Billion” is a major project envisaged February | 2018

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An Exceptional Leader ASADI marches ahead on its successful journey under the percipient leadership of Ar. Prof. B.R Ajit, the Chairman & Director of ASADI. He is a consultant and architect to various prestigious governmental and non-governmental organizations. He has also ventured into the fields of real estate, tourism, IT and publishing. He holds a plethora of posts including being the Chairman of Kerala Chapter of The Indian Institute of Architects, Chairman of Cochin Chapter of The Indian Green Building Council, Chairman for the National Committee for Green Interior Ratings, and Resource person and expert architect to The Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Department Of Power, Government of India. He has received several awards including Rajiv Gandhi National Unity Award, the Udyog Excellence Award, the highest award of Rotary International – ‘The Service above Self’ award in 1999-2000 and “Global Innovative Personality of the Year” McMillan Woods Award in the year 2015 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

after a great deal of thought process.

The project is proposed as a 10 year-long program wherein the students of 2nd year and 3rd year B.Arch course are first exposed to extensive R & D work, undertaken as six teams. These teams separately carried out in-depth studies in various areas like technology, building materials, social acceptance, budget, services, and sustainability aspects.

ASADI has excellent infrastructure and academic facilities that include a wellstocked library, central computing facilities, workshops and labs, conference rooms, separate hostels for boys and girls, riverfront cafeteria, conveyance etc.

Accolades and Achievements ASADI has received numerous awards and recognitions throughout its glorious journey to success. It received the Global Leaders Foundation: South Asian Excellence Award for “MOST INNOVATIVE INSTITUTE OF DESIGN AWARD-2017” for excellent performance, splendid achievement and outstanding contribution towards the designs innovations & architectural development for the development of higher education in India. Higher Education Review magazine featured ASADI in its August 2017 issue – Top 10 Most Promising Architecture Colleges in India. It has also received the “Best School of Architecture & Design in South India”

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award at a function held in New Delhi on 23rd April 2017. The award was presented to the CEO of ASADI, Mrs. Ammu Ajit by Prof. Chandra Bhushan Sharma, Chairman, National Institute of Open Schooling, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India and Mr. Amar Singh, Hon’ble MP at a function held in Delhi.

ASADI’s Green Studio Complex was awarded Platinum Rating with highest points of 86 under IGBC Green Interiors Rating System.

Career Opportunities and Exposures ASADI aims to create “ready architects” who will be able to go with the flow competently at any architecture consultancy. Through ASADI’s “hands-on” approach on projects, students gain sizeable experience in the management of projects right from the conceptualizing stage to the designing and implementation stage.

Deserving students will be provided with “START-UP” facilities by the Consultancy Wing of ASADI. ASADI proposes to commence a Finishing School Programme for those who have just completed the B.Arch Degree. Most importantly, ASADI will take up “START-UP” programmes for its meritorious students who have passed the B.Arch Degree. The “START-UP” will enable the students to open their own consultancies with the support of senior architects in ASADI’s own space. T R

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Gokaraju Rangaraju Institute of Engineering and Technology

The institute aims to be among the best of the institutions for engineers and technologists with attitudes, skills and knowledge and to become an epicenter of creative solutions.

Gokaraju Rangaraju Institute of Engineering and Technology (GRIET) was established in 1997 in the serene hilly premises of Bachupally conveniently connected to all the facilities and conveniences of Hyderabad, the beautiful city, known for pharma and niche research establishments and pearls. GRIET is a private unaided institution, affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad (JNTUH) with recognition as an autonomous institution by UGC. It aims to provide quality teaching learning environment. GRIET, with its state of art infrastructure and support services and qualified faculty, is one of the preferred institutions in the state with a mission “to achieve and impart quality education with an emphasis on practical skills and social relevance”. It constantly endeavors to bring in the best practices in teaching-learning environment.

The institute aims to provide an integrated learning environment to enable students to grow towards their full

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potential and meet the high expectations of the Industry and the Society.

Excellent Educational and Administrative Facilities The institute aims to provide the best possible educational facilities to the students. It offers a wide range of academic programmes which include: BTech in CSE, ECE, EEE, MECH, CIVIL, and IT. M.Tech in Software Engineering, Computer Science Engineering, VLSI, Embedded Systems, Power Electronics, Power Systems, Design for Manufacturing, Thermal Engineering, and Structural Engineering. GRIET, right from its inception, stood out as a synonym for a great institution for quality education.

Within no time, it became one of the most preferred institutions for engineering education in the state. After two decades, the institute continues to maintain its rankings.

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About the Director of GRIET The person who stands out amongst the contributors to the growth of GRIET is Prof.

P S Raju, the Director of the institution. He became the first principal of the college in 1997 and later assumed the role of Director in 2004, and continues that responsibility till date. He emphasized the need of practical skills in engineering education and created excellent infrastructure for the laboratories. He structured the curriculum to have more engagement in the labs thus paving way for learning by doing. He is instrumental in designing and manufacturing lab equipment for Electrical Machines Lab, and setting up labs in many engineering colleges which came up in the first few years of this century, thus creating the culture of providing consultancy. He introduced many novel schemes right from inception like road shows for the projects, outreach programmes, book lending scheme of recommended reference books to every student every semester, annapurna padhkam of free meals, being stickler for rules, ensured discipline and inculcated a value system amongst the inmates.

The credit is largely due to the committed management, dynamic administration, qualified and dedicated staff.

Major Achievements and Accreditations Throughout its illustrious journey, GRIET has achieved many landmarks and milestones. It is a NIRF Ranked Institution in Overall and Engineering Categories. The institution has received NAAC Accreditation with A Grade, and NBA Accreditation for six UG programmes and two PG Programmes. It has also been conferred as an autonomous institute by University Grants Commission. The institution is permanently affiliated to JNTUH Hyderabad and has also received SIRO Accreditation by Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. GRIET has also received TEQIP-II grant from World Bank through MHRD, Government of India. It has been ranked among one of the Best/Top Engineering Colleges by prominent ranking agencies like Careers 360, CSR-GHRDC, Education World, Higher Education Review, Career Connect, and Times of India.

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The Accomplished Alumni of GRIET GRIET has produced many alumni who have made it big in various walks of life.

Some distinguished alumni include: Smt Swetha Mohanty, IAS, District Collector, Wanaparthy District, Telangana; P.S.V.Kishan, CEO, H-Bots Robotics; and Sri Ram Aditya, Movie Director, to name a few.

Career Opportunities and Exposures Students at GRIET are encouraged to grow and achieve their full potential and meet the expectations of the society and individual aspirations. Right from the beginning, through orientation and induction programmes, a student is made aware of the career opportunities and are continuously mentored and counseled. Periodic assessment and appropriate training is given to hone their skills, both soft and hard components, so that they can excel in their chosen paths. The consistent career placement record vindicates the efforts. T R

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Institute of Hotel & Tourism Management

The institute is committed to encourage interdisciplinary higher education and research to spread knowledge to every strata of society. It aims to create an innovative, value–based and research–oriented, world–class learning environment and establish itself as a center of excellence, and endeavors to cherish the dreams of learners to excel in hospitality & tourism.

Excellent Education and Infrastructure Established in year 2007, Institute of Hotel & Tourism Management (IHTM) is an integral part of M.D. University, Rohtak (A State University established by Govt. of Haryana). It proudly stands in the listing of Schools of World Directory of Tourism Education (World Tourism Directory). The Institute has quality infrastructure, state-ofthe-art laboratories for food production, front office, food service, tourism services, computers, attached training guest rooms and latest learning resources supplemented by electronic equipment and a rich in-house library having more than 10,000 books exclusively for Hotel & Tourism Management. The students at the national & international level strive to seek admission in this Institute as their first choice. The institute has been rated amongst the premier Institutes of Hotel Management in Haryana & India by various agencies. It has also received a prestigious grant of Rs 200 Lakhs under Central Financial Assistance Scheme from the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India. It has young

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& dynamic faculty with a blend of industry & academic experience and all faculty members are equipped with Ph.D in Hotel, Tourism and Management domain. The faculty members have good research publications in form of articles and books. The institute boasts of completing research projects in Hospitality & Tourism for UGC, completion of e-PG Pathshala modules in Hotel Management for UGC, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India. The philosophy of IHTM is to develop their operational and managerial skills in such a way that the students are able to excel in the industry in their chosen field.

IHTM offers many programmes in Hospitality & Tourism like: Ph.D Programme (Hotel & Tourism Management); Two–Year Master Programmes in Hotel Management & Catering Technology (MHMCT); and Tourism & Travel Management (MTTM); Five–Year Integrated Master of Hotel Management & Catering Technology February | 2018

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Insightful Leaders IHTM is grateful to its founders and expresses gratitude to Hon’ble ViceChancellor Prof. B.K Punia who is an able administrator and a great motivator. The institute is proud of having Prof. (Dr.) Ashish Dahiya as Professor & Director of IHTM, whose dynamic leadership steers this ship of hospitality in the ocean of Tourism. He has been instrumental in making this institution a great one with his team, fetching financial resources from the Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India, Research Projects from UGC, and e-PG Pathshala from MHRD. It continues to organize various International & National Seminars, Conferences & Events under his leadership every year.

(5YRMHMCT); and Bachelor Programmes in Hotel Management & Catering Technology (BHMCT); and Tourism & Travel Management (BTTM).

Gurugram; Mr. Sunil – Via.com; Dr. Dinesh Dhankar – Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra; Mr. Tarun Hooda – IHM Rohtak; and so on.

It also organizes workshops on research methodology for Hospitality & Tourism, Faculty Development Programmes and other short term courses regularly. The faculty of IHTM is also in process for developing MOOC Programmes in Hospitality & Tourism.

Career Opportunities Human Resources are the greatest asset and the key to success of Hospitality & Tourism business. IHTM is committed to the professional and personal development of its students.Its activities are student centric with a focus on campus placements and industry needs.It provides career opportunities to students in various fields like: airline ticketing & reservations, faculty in hotel management/food craft institutes/ tourism institutes/ university departments, flight kitchens and on-board flight services, Hospital and Institutional Catering, Hospitality Marketing & Sales in Hotel & Travel Firms, and Indian Navy Hospitality services to name a few.

All these programmes are offered in accordance with the guidelines of UGC, AICTE, M.D University, Haryana Govt., and Govt. of India as applicable.

These programmes are aimed to develop conceptual and perceptual skills of the students. After developing the basic foundation of hospitality and tourism management concepts and the functional areas, the students have to undergo training as per provisions in the syllabi.

Accomplished Alumni The institute has many alumni serving as ambassadors of Indian Hospitality in various sectors across the world. A few notable alumni include: Mr. Leela Ram – Facilities Management to Hotels & Hospitals; Mr. Gaurav Chawala – Rent A car New Zealand; Mr. Mohit – The Leela – T H E

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Marching Forward In the quest of quality & excellence, the institute is likely to launch Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) Programmes in hospitality & tourism soon. It respects the diversity of people, ideas, and cultures while honouring the value of individuals in a team. It encourages innovation, embraces change and supports growth through knowledge and learning. It also accepts responsibility and delivers on promises with a sense of urgency and agility. T R

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echnological innovations have drastically affected our lives in many ways. These have impacted each and every sector, starting from education, infrastructure, healthcare and so on. These technological advancements are bringing in favorable prospects and many new challenges for the educators.

They are revolutionizing the entire educational system.

Implementation of innovative technologies, including advanced instructional tools, has provided traditional education system a facelift.

It is important to properly understand these advanced technologies including computers, multimedia, internet, etc to successfully implement them.

Combining Traditional and Digital Learning Blended learning is a combination of online digital media and traditional inschool learning. It is characterized by the usage of face-to-face classroom practices combined with computermediated techniques to deliver the intended educational contents to the students. The usage of blended learning is also prevalent in professional development and training settings.

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Blended learning aims at breaking the traditional teaching–learning procedures and introducing innovative and interactive methods and procedures to revolutionize education.

Proper implementation of blended learning techniques can break through the barriers of time, space, learning pace, and so on. It provides traditional benefits along with the addition of a few new ones like personalization, access and equity, and cost control. It paves way for student-centered learning, giving the opportunity to each student to achieve his/her fullest potential.

Advanced educational soft wares help students in learning at their academic level and speed, and helps educators in real-time monitoring of students’ performance, enhanced planning and implementation. Blended learning has been received with mixed reactions; some praising these innovations as a success, while others condemning them as experimental and risky. It can be principally straightforward, but can also have many aspects. Blended learning can be straightforward as it modifies traditional face-to-face learning to enhanced internet-based learning. It can also have multiple aspects while selecting an appropriate

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Tech Talk proportion for face-to-face and internetbased learning. Blended learning is used to effectively increase student knowledge and interaction utilizing traditional and contemporary techniques. It promotes shared learning through discussions, collaborative exercises, social media networks and digital storytelling forums and blogs.

Challenges and Limitations Traditional classrooms have received an upgrade with the advent of new media; however, there are several limitations in the digital educational systems which call for the introduction of innovative educational practices and technologies.

Proper implementation of digital educational systems requires proper infrastructure, sufficient budget and successful execution of the plan. It can be a costly affair, but investing it in the right technology can save loads of cash in the future.

The technology used in blended learning should be easy to use and understand and accepted by all involved in the education procedure; otherwise, it will become a complicated procedure leading to failure.

IT literacy is also a significant barrier as some teachers might not be acquainted with advanced technology. Trainers and tech support should be available who would assist them in understanding and accepting the latest technology. A blended learning community should be promoted within institutions to highlight the importance of training technology.

Blended learning enables lecture sessions to be recorded so that students can refer to them whenever they want. But, it may actually lead to students lagging behind in the course flow. Teachers should use this technology to conduct real-time test digitally, which would help in assessing student’s performance and also ensure that they are referring to the contents timely.

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Blended learning introduces extra work for teachers as they have worked hard and picked up the right syllabus and the right ratio between face-to-face and online learning. Using blended learning tools teachers can introduce innovation in education including gamification, interactivity, digital certification, etc. But delivering bulk content to the students via blended learning tools can also increase the workload on students. The introduction of internet-friendly teaching procedures definitely makes things interesting and easy, but also tempts students to use unverified online contents, biased and distorted facts, and to engage in plagiarism.

Responsive Utilization Modern technology has given us the ability to accomplish things in an easier and less complicated way. But, every technology has its pros and cons, which need to be measured in order to ensure its successful implementation.

While implementing blended learning technologies, one has to keep in mind a few things: whether utilizing blended learning technologies in face-to-face education will benefit the audience; whether the rewards are more than the risks; and are the students and teachers ready to embrace these technological advancements in education.

Blended learning also comes with its fair share of disadvantages, but can be dealt with successfully. The negative impacts of blended learning can be reduced by judiciously utilizing the technology in a progressive and constructive way. Moreover, efficient utilization of blended learning in education can work wonders and can contribute towards developing the educational system. T R

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O.P. Jindal Global University

The university aspires to be a role model for institutional excellence in higher education among leading institutions in the world, and seeks to build bridges across nations, working with national, international, and governmental organizations, and NGOs, and business organizations A Pioneer in Higher Education O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) is a non-profit global university established by the Government of Haryana and recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

JGU was established as a philanthropic initiative of its Founding Chancellor, Mr. Naveen Jindal in the memory of his father, Mr. O.P. Jindal. It has been awarded the highest grade ‘A’ by the National Assessment & Accreditation Council (NAAC).

JGU has been recognized under Section 12B of the UGC Act, 1956, becoming the first private university in Haryana to receive this recognition. It was also ranked first on the All-India Swachhta Rankings of higher education institutions of the Government of India. In a consolidated demonstration of its achievements over eight years, JGU is currently ranked in the 251-300 rank bracket of the QS University Rankings: BRICS 2018 Edition. It is ranked in the top 300 universities out of 9,000 universities in the BRICS region (covering five countries – Brazil, Russia,

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India, China, South Africa), placing it in the top 2.8% of the universities in the BRICS region. It is also the first and only private university in Haryana to hold an international ranking. Through this recognition, JGU is ranked among the top 10 public and top 10 private higher education institutions in India.

JGU is one of the few universities in Asia that maintains a 1:13 faculty-student ratio and appoints faculty members from across India and different parts of the world having outstanding academic qualifications and experience. It is a research intensive university which is deeply committed to its core institutional values of interdisciplinarity and innovative pedagogy; pluralism and rigorous scholarship; and globalism and international engagement. JGU has established eight schools: Jindal Global Law School (JGLS), Jindal Global Business School (JGBS), Jindal School of International Affairs (JSIA), Jindal School of Government and Public Policy (JSGP), Jindal School of Liberal Arts & Humanities (JSLH), Jindal School of February | 2018

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About the Vice Chancellor Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar is the Founding Vice Chancellor of the University. He also serves as the Founding Dean of Jindal Global Law School (JGLS) and Director of the International Institute for Higher Education Research & Capacity Building (IIHEd). He earned his academic qualifications from the University of Oxford, Harvard University, University of Hong Kong, University of Delhi and Loyola College. He was a faculty member at the School of Law of City University of Hong Kong, where he taught for many years. Professor Kumar has over hundred and fifty publications to his credit and has published widely in peer reviewed journals and law reviews in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Japan and USA. He has authored, co-authored, edited and co-edited seven books. He has been a Consultant to the United Nations University (UNU), Tokyo; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, Geneva; and the International Council for Human Rights Policy (ICHRP), Geneva. Professor Kumar is an Attorney at Law and is admitted to the Bar Council of Delhi, India and the Bar of the State of New York, US.

Journalism & Communication (JSJC), Jindal School of Art & Architecture (JSAA), and Jindal School of Banking & Finance (JSBF).

Distinguished Alumni JGU has approximately 1400 alumni worldwide. They play an important part in representing the University’s core values respect for pluralism, diversity, and collegiality; in advancing the University’s reputation as a higher education institution committed to providing a global education; in embodying the commitment of JGU and its founders to public service; and in championing the University’s spirit of community outreach, concern for the environment, and the highest ethical standards in all their endeavours. Some noteworthy alumni include Amanish Lohan, Liaison Coordinator for ISAC India; Kudrat Kahlon, Senior Account Executive, Publicis Consultants, MSL Group; and Aakash Saharan, Assistant Manager, HT Mobile Solution.

Career Opportunities and Exposures Students at JGU gain professional exposure and experience through summer internships, field visits, and working with faculty members and researchers within the T H E

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University through research centres and projects.

The University has a dedicated office, the Career Development & Placement Division that supports and facilitates career development activities for students. This includes helping students in exploring career options, identifying individual interests, gaining experience in a chosen field, preparing for interviews and achieving career goals.

CDPD offers a variety of programmes, trainings and resources that prepares students to succeed in their career. It also supports students through providing soft skills and personality development trainings, mock interview sessions and career counseling sessions. In addition, it provides placement opportunities and helps to connect students and employers. CDPD conducts industry interaction sessions and networking events by experienced professionals from diversified sectors. It also conducts CV reviews and guides students to write industry specific cover letters, emails, and much more. T R

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P. Wadhwani College of Pharmacy

The mission of the institute is to emerge as one of the best national level pharmacy educational and research institute by providing platform to students for their quality education and development of multidimensional personality while developing a sense of ethical and social responsibilities, professionalism and commitment among all the members of management, staff and students.

An institute that is providing pharmacy education while keeping the competence with the changing roles of a professional pharmacist is P. Wadhwani College of Pharmacy, Yavatmal(PWCOP). The college started offering D.Pharm. education in 1993 and B.Pharm in 1997 followed M.Pharm. in 2006 onwards in Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Quality Assurance, & Pharmacology.

College is recognized as a Centre for Ph.D. program by SGB Amravati University and is one of the premier institutions permanently affiliated to SGB Amravati University, Amravati. College has a 2(F) and 12 (B) status of University Grant Commission, New Delhi. College is also recognized by AICTE, New Delhi; PCI, New Delhi; and Directorate of Technical Education, Government of Maharashtra, Mumbai.

Where Education Meets Excellence PWCOP has a sprawling green campus & a glorious building with spacious, modernized, and high-tech classrooms and laboratories. The laboratory infrastructure is well equipped with sophisticated instruments, and the library with more than 12000 books with e-library facility, 50 national & international journals. PWCOP attracts students from far and wide. The state-of-the-art

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infrastructure, research facilities and professional environment for students perfecting as a multi-skilled and resilient pharmacist to take up the global challenges in the Pharmacy profession through discipline and strategic teaching programs.

Total strength of Diploma students, UG students, PG students, PhD scholars and faculty are D.Pharm. (100), B.Pharm. (240), M.Pharm. (72), Ph.D Program (34), & Faculty( 30; 12 Ph. D. & 18 M.Pharm qualified ) The institution adheres to all quality measures in education to its students. No wonder then that many of the students of PWCOP easily get GPAT scholarship for pursuing higher education. Those who embark on higher education abroad, after their graduation from PWCOP, get selected in prestigious international universities of UK, USA, Australia, etc. Industries like Ranbaxy, Dr. Reddy’s, Sun Pharma, Macleods Pharmaceuticals Ltd, etc have a number of students from PWCOP working in various capacities.

P.Wadhwani College of Pharmacy Student Alumni Association (PWCOPSAA), Yavatmal (Reg. No. MH/843/2012/ Yavatmal) is actively participating in development of alumni &students pursuing education by financial & collaborative support.

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The Frontrunners of the Institution PWCOP was established under Yavatmal ZillaVikas Samiti in the year 1985 initiated by a collaborative effort from Shri. MukulWasnik, Ex. Minister HRD, Shri. Shivajirao Moghe, Ex. Minister for Transport and Self Employment, M. S. and Shri. Jagdish G. Wadhwani, Chairman of Yavatmal Zilla Vikas Samiti Yavatmal.

The able leadership of an adept personality, Shri. Jagdish G. Wadhwani, Chairman, and the dynamic vision of Dr. Anil V. Chandewar, Principal, along with the other members of society, PWCOP has touched the heights of success & development.

The college has received significant financial assistance from CSIR, DST, ICMR, UGC, AICTE, and other funding agencies to carry out various research projects, organize national seminars, and modernize the laboratories. Workshops, quality improvement programs and seminars are timely organized to hone the skills of PG students and faculty with such financial support. The college publishes its own open access international journal ‘International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical Technology’ for Pharmaceutical Scientists. Many young researchers and faculty received travel grant to attend conferences in India and abroad.

Rewarding Career Opportunities An ‘Industry-Institute Partnership Cell’ has been established to ensure healthy and fruitful interaction with pharmaceutical industries. PWCOP has a placement cell to get rewarding jobs in industries. The institute collaborates with Industries, Academic and Healthcare institutions for the promotion of research, exchange of information, to enhance placement opportunities for students and to provide opportunities and lifelong support to its alumni in recognition of their special relationship to the college. The institute has collaborations with Cognizant Mumbai, NM Pharma Amravati, Macleods Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Mumbai, and Gentek Lifesciences, Wardha.

PWCOP is conducting various DST sponsored Entrepreneurship Development Programs through its T&P Cell in association with MITCON to promote T H E

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various central government schemes like Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Yojana, Start Up India and the concept of Make in India.

“Words of Trust” Ms. Nilima Kinekar, M. Pharm.

(Pharmacology) Student The entire fraternity of this college is very much supportive. The college has good ambience & infrastructure with well developed research facility with sophisticated instrumentation. The faculty members also take personal care for each and every student. We also celebrate many festivals, cultural days, conduct seminars, sports competition and other extracurricular activities.

Ms. Aarti Nahar, B. Pharm. IInd Year Student I am proud to be a part of PWCOP family as it imparts its students a sound full technical education along with a blend of recreation. Teachers are very talented, helpful and give their best for their students. Laboratories, library and campus of our college are full of facilities. My college provides its students golden pathway for the complete and overall development of a budding pharmaenthusiast.

Mr. Mohit Singi, B. Pharm, Final year student I am really lucky to get admission in PWCOP. I am glad & delighted as I have found extraordinary education, grand infrastructure & satisfactory facilities. The principal, faculty & all the staff members of my college are very kind & co-operative. www.pwcpharmacy.edu.in T R

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ADAPTIVE LEARNING SYSTEM - A Teacher’s Good Friend

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daptive learning, also known as adaptive teaching, is an educational method which uses computers as interactive teaching devices, and to orchestrate the allocation of human and mediated resources according to the unique needs of each learner. Computers adapt the presentation of educational material according to students’ learning needs, as indicated by their responses to questions, tasks and experiences. The technology encompasses aspects derived from various fields of study including computer science, education, psychology, and brain science.

Adaptive learning has been partially driven by a realization that tailored learning cannot be achieved on large-scale using traditional, non-adaptive approaches. Adaptive learning systems endeavor to transform the learner from passive receptor of information to collaborator in the educational process. Adaptive learning systems’ primary application is in education, but another popular application is business training. They have been designed as desktop computer applications, web applications, and are now being introduced into overall curricular.

Technology and methodology Adaptive learning systems have traditionally been divided into separate components or ‘models’. While different model groups have been presented, most systems include some or the entire following models • Expert model – The model with the information which is to be taught • Student model – The model which tracks and learns about the student.

• Instructional model – The model which actually conveys the information.

• Instructional environment – The user interface for interacting with the system.

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Expert model The expert model stores information about the material which is being taught. This can be as simple as the solutions for the question set but it can also include lessons and tutorials and, in more sophisticated systems, even expert methodologies to illustrate approaches to the questions.

Student model The simplest means of determining a student’s skill level is the method employed in CAT (computerized adaptive testing). In CAT, the subject is presented with questions that are selected based on their level of difficulty in relation to the presumed skill level of the subject.

Instructional model The instructional model generally looks to incorporate the best educational tools that technology has to offer (such as multimedia presentations) with expert teacher advice for presentation methods. The level of sophistication of the instructional model depends greatly on the level of sophistication of the student model.

Operating within the existing infrastructure, the artifacts of traditional classroom learning such as instructor-led lectures, PowerPoint slides and binders of materials can be transitioned to a flexible interactive system that makes the classroom experience more adaptive. The system includes a closed WiFi system for the classroom, interactive e-books, leader-led learning, leaderboard gaming, electronic knowledge checkpoints etc. Such an environment enables real-time sampling of students and allows interactive questions to be inserted into the teaching materials.

As the instructor asks a question, students respond on their tablets. The instructor then views the results instantly. This

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About the Author

Veteran’s Views

N R Jadhav Principal

The author is Prof Nitin Ramchandra Jadhav presently working as Principal in Mahatma Gandhi Vidyamandir’s SPH College of Hotel Management and Catering Technology Nashik since 1993. He was as a member of Board of Studies for Hotel Management Faculty in Savitribai Phule Pune University, Member of Staff Selection Committee at Goa University, Member for Staff selection panel of MPSC for HMCT, member of Hotel and Restaurant grading committee appointed by MTDC Govt of Maharastra. He has been as Judge for various Culinary Competetions. He is a Member of Academic Council for YCMOU, Nashik. capability is being used to sample a learner’s knowledge before or after a discussion topic and has proven extremely valuable in gauging student comprehension during instruction.

Adaptive Learning is not a new concept, with technology allowing the real-time personalisation of content, assessment and delivery, Adaptive Learning is making great waves to improve student experience and success. The best teachers T H E

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have always adapted their teaching to the requirements of their students. However, as class sizes have expanded, it’s become harder for teachers to rely on their own talents to keep everyone engaged and up to speed.

Adaptive Learning draws on the teacher’s own skills and insight, and it’s a process that can be adopted phase by phase.

Here’s how:

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1. Assess strengths and weaknesses.

Gaining an understanding of the starting point for any student participating in a course is key for both teachers and students.

From a teacher’s perspective, it helps them give consideration to how they might need to provide additional support to students that may struggle or excel in their subject. For the student, having an insight to possible gaps in their existing knowledge provides them with clarity and confidence in the skills and knowledge needed to be successful in the course, allowing them to reflect on how they might wish to adapt their learning experience to meet their personal requirements.

2. Use assessments as learning opportunities.

Assessments are not just for screening, there are many examples of students using assessments and quizzes to learn not only the right and wrong answers but also the reasons why a particular response is deemed right or wrong. Carefully constructed formative assessments become learning tools rather than tests. Provide informative question-led assessment as a starting point to any new course.

3. Consider what additional content you can provide.

You may already have additional content at the ready. Whether it’s to appeal students with different learning styles or those who struggle with a particular topic, it’s time to turn your best content into shareable material that can be made available online to those who need it. It’s also worthwhile to review all eLearning content to check it is accessible to the widest audience.

4. Trust your own judgement.

Adaptive Learning could never replace the insight of a professional teacher. You will need to review and improve the material you create, the accessibility of that content at each stage of the course, and the benefits.

Adaptive Learning provides teachers with the opportunity to translate their good practice from the classroom into the online environment to benefit larger numbers of students. By exploiting the use of learning technology teachers can impact on much larger numbers of students by providing them with a more personalized and supportive learning experience.

To prepare for your adoption of adaptive learning, bear in mind these key considerations when building your case, talking to peers or meeting with solution providers: • Adaptive learning is powerful solution but not the entire solution • Data-driven insights allow teachers to take relevant action, quickly • Parents are pivotal to success: how will you get them on board?

• Hesitant teachers should slowly adopt the solution, building confidence • Ensure the solution works for you, not the other way around • Technical glitches are inevitable. Remain human and add your teacher’s touch to the situation • Your passion and drive for the technology will see it thrive. Make sure you really care.

• Recognise the benefits of fast and accurate insight to establish and build skills.

• Could technology be the modern-day teacher’s best aide? When used precisely and appropriately tech can arm an educator with the insight and evidence required to bolster educational politics while enhancing classroom experiences for every child.

How to adopt adaptive learning in your classroom Here are six questions to ask of any technology you’re considering.

• How will this improve the learner’s experience?

• How can I measure that?

• What opportunities do I have as a teacher to improve learning experiences/outcomes because of this technology?

• Does this improve visibility?

• Does this reduce the administrative burden?

• Can every learner make fair use/have opportunity to use this technology?

Adaptive learning in no way seeks to replace the teacher. It can’t. Education is inherently human and no technological innovation can replace the intuition, emotion and experience of a teacher. What it does, is arm a teacher with immediate and accurate insight into the learning experiences and outcomes of each student in the room. T R

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Curtis Institute Of Music 1726 Locust St, Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA www.curtis.edu

Pearl Academy

Achieving Excellence in Design, Business, Media, Internationalism and Employability Delhi Campus

Noida Campus

Mumbai Campus

Jaipur Campus

Pearl Academy is amongst the leading global institutes in design, fashion and business education through continuous innovation, high teaching standards and enriching experience to students, and is committed to excellence, innovation, student satisfaction and development through self and shared efforts.

Pearl Academy was established in 1993 in Okhla, South Delhi. Since its inception, it has been persistently moving forward to carve a niche in the field of holistic education.

Today, the academy has evolved into a globally renowned institution of higher learning with a focus on internationalism, entrepreneurship and employability.

It aims to cater the needs of the design, fashion, business, media and retail industry.

The institute has ranked amongst the Top 25 Fashion Colleges in the world as per Business of Fashion (BOF) Global Fashion School Rankings 2017 (Graduate). It has also been ranked the No.1 fashion college in India as per India Today Nielsen Survey 2017 (Factual), and ASSOCHAM named it the Best Design Institute in India.

Affiliations, Accreditations and Distinguished Courses Pearl Academy offers an array of under graduate and post graduate courses. It offers students 11 month internationally benchmarked Diplomas that culminates in a Professional Diploma at the end of their final year.

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It also provides the students an option for a full credit transfer for their final year to Torrens University, Australia, along with the following choices: a) Transfer to Torrens University and complete the final year in Australia with a 40% scholarship; or b) Transfer to Torrens University and complete the final year online while paying the same fees as they did at Pearl Academy.

Pearl Academy does not offer any degree program of its own. All students are registered for a degree course with IGNOU, at no additional cost.

On successful completion of two-year PG pathway, a student is awarded a Post Graduate Diploma from Pearl Academy validated by Domus Academy, Milan, Italy.

Additionally, Domus Academy faculty visit Pearl every year as international faculty.

Pearl Academy offers UG and PG courses in fashion, styling, product design, communication design, interiors, luxury brands, fashion business and have recently launched

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Astute Leadership Pearl Academy marches ahead on its journey to success under the ambitious and energetic leadership of Nandita Abraham, the CEO of Pearl Academy. With over twenty years of dynamic experience across corporates and academia, Nandita joined Pearl Academy in 2001 as a faculty. Over the years, she has worked successfully at various positions within the academy. Nandita has driven multiple initiatives and has championed pedagogy enhancement and student learning initiatives with a keen focus on internationality and industry connect. Nandita is a member of the CII National Committee on Design and is also a member of Executive Committee, IFFTI – International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes.

new courses including: 1) Media and Communication (Journalism / Entertainment); 2) Advertising and Marketing; 3) Animation and VFX in Communication Design and 4) Textiles and Accessories in Fashion Design.

Accomplished Alumni Since its inception, Pearl Academy has produced numerous graduates who have been very successful in different spheres of life. Some notable alumni of the institution include: Nikhil Mehra (Fashion Designer), Mandira Wirk (Fashion Designer), Joyita Banerjee (Senior Designer, Outlook Traveller); Harita Kaul (Sr. VP Head Buying, Benetton India); Apoorv Sen (AVP, Myntra Design); and Jitendra Joshi (Manager – Consumer Insights, Nielsen India).

Collaborative Initiatives Pearl Academy aims at constant quality improvement and skill development. Inking a new chapter in skill development, the institution has entered into a strategic tie-up with Adobe and launched India’s first ‘Adobe Digital Technology Academy’ – a unique program, designed to help learners of today, leverage the power of digital technologies and tools for skill building.

The academy has also entered an exclusive initiative with Amazon.in wherein, Amazon.in is showcasing Pearl Academy’s graduating students’ and alumni’s creations on ‘Designer Boutique’.

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Career Prospects and Exposures Pearl Academy has completed 25 years of nurturing creative minds. With time, it has evolved into a globally renowned institution of higher learning with a focus on internationalism, entrepreneurship and employability; catering to the needs of the design, fashion, business, media and retail industry.

It had over 97% placement record in 2017 and 500+ companies on campus. Pearl graduates have been the most sought after among big brands and organizations of creative industries.

Pearl Academy has also developed the Pearl Total Learning System (PTLS), which is embedded in its UG and PG curriculum. This model ensures that every student gets the right opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and motivation to embrace change, set trends and lead the change as an innovator and leader of the future. The 360-degree comprehensive system will provide complete learning experience for students.

The key features of TLS are: 1) Career Mentoring – 360-degree preparedness; 2) Edge Courses for Success – Special skills for tomorrow’s leaders; 3) Industry Integrated Circuit - Live Industry Projects with FDCI, INTACH; and 4) Global Learning Project – Internationality for each student. T R

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Rayat Bahra Dental College and Hospital

The institute aims to impart value based education to all those who can dream and are also determined to see their desire of becoming competent in the field they choose through their intellect, creativity and hard work, and emerge as an epitome of excellence.

Rayat Bahra Dental College and Hospital was established in 2010. The dental college is fairly young, but its achievements and accolades rival, and even surpass, those of other research intensive dental schools in the area.

Out of thousand roads that end at the most sought after destination – success – it chose the one that personifies excellence.

Quality Education and Infrastructure Realizing the significant contribution, the infrastructure of an educational institute, determined to provide the best in terms of quality, the college fulfills all the requirements listed under the category of ‘the few chosen ones’.

Covering an area of 1,00,000 sq. feet, the institute has been designed with architectural expertise with an intellectually careful division of the college into nine dental departments, dealing with specialized branches of dentistry and nine specialized medical departments. With four well-furnished lecture theatres, each with a seating capacity of 110, a

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Biochemistry laboratory, a Physiology laboratory, dissection hall with a museum, a library apt for self-study with an availability of all course related books with several copies of each, the college has everything to ensure that the students do not miss out on anything and no lesson goes unlearnt.

It has been designed to take care of the minutest details and be nothing less than the best. It includes 205 electronically operated chairs, labs and equipments for pre-clinical work, seminar halls, X-ray units, RVG’s, OPG, Ceph, availability of medical investigations and histopathological examinations, O.T. wards, and a well lighted and ventilated waiting area. The students feel blessed to be in such an institution.

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Remarkable Leadership The person behind the success of Rayat Bahra Dental College & Hospital is Mr. Gurvinder Singh Bahra, the Chancellor of Rayat Bahra University and Chairman of Rayat Bahra Group of Institutes. He laid the foundation stone of the campuses that today are known for experiential learning and a wide spectrum of multidisciplinary education. He is a man of few words, with a mind that is a treasure house of intellect and ideas, and has innumerable achievements to his name.

His farsightedness is capable of creating the magic that many people look upto today, the magic that has changed lives through his ideas of providing education that is not only value-based but affordable, taking into consideration every individual’s situation when they join the institution.

cleanliness, leaving no room for cross infection. Two parks, an auditorium, a central library and four food courts in the vicinity of the college, are some beautiful cherries on the cake, making sure that the students are not just satisfied but contented to study and progress in the best environment they could ask for.

The description of the infrastructure and facilities will remain incomplete without the mention of the mobile dental van which imitates the best picture given in books.

The institute successfully organizes on an average 72 free dental camps every year, in the villages to people who are in need of dental care but are not aware and resourceful enough to gain access to the treatment on their own.

The institute offers BDS (five year) program with an intake of 100 students every year. It is affiliated to the very prestigious Baba Farid University of Health Sciences and is recognized by the Dental Council of India.

people who have been eminent in their respective fields and can sow the seeds of hard work in the minds of the listeners.

Accomplished Alumni Rayat Bahra Dental College alumni have made great achievements since graduating from this institution. Graduates from the pioneer batch have made some notable accomplishments in the pursuit of their dental career.

Some students of Batch 2011 after graduation have acquired admission at Boston University and are pursuing DDS after successfully completing all prerequisite exams and interviews. Many of its recent graduates have opened independent dental clinics throughout the state of Punjab and are operating with great success.

Future Plans The institute intends to introduce MDS in all the branches of dentistry in the near future to further polish the skills of the students and make them competent in all spheres. T R

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he educational system has undergone massive changes over the years. Technological advancements have changed the way we do things. It has greatly inuenced the educational system taking it to the next level.

Modern technology has brought in new innovations in education. Nowadays, children are more acquainted with latest technology and gadgets. It is the need of the hour for educational institutions to incorporate any and every sort of advanced technology in education to make the entire process easier, more interesting and engaging.

The Emergence of the Next-Gen Students Students in this new tech-savvy era are much acquainted with the preset-day technology and are very comfortable using it. The advent of cutting-edge technology has provided us with the option of innovative applications in various ďŹ elds like education, healthcare and so on. Incorporating contemporary technology in education will help in attracting them towards studies, making it a worthwhile experience.

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EdTech Revolution

Anticipating the Needs of Next-Gen Students Implementing latest technological tools by properly researching on the students, their needs and requirements is a major step towards the future. It will help in future-proofing higher education, and suitably putting efforts where it is most needed. In-depth research on the students will help in understanding their needs, strengths, weaknesses, and necessary steps can be taken accordingly.

Issues Propelling the Next Generation Students of this new generation are all about innovation, motivation, and curiosity about new and different things happening around them. They think out of the box and beyond conventional teaching methods. There are many issues influencing the next generation which include: demographic change, behavioral change and the power to choose.

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Demographic Change: Around 65% of students studying in schools now may do such jobs in the future which currently don’t exist. Hence, educational institutions are spending a lot of time, money and resources in order to keep up with this age of major changes. Moreover, there has been a 10% reduction in enrollment over the last 10 years. But, there has also been a growth in students above 25 years belonging to lower income groups, or who are interested in receiving skill-based training in order to enhance their skills and receive high wages. Many such students are also there who are corporate employees looking to reskill and readapt themselves for their current career. Both segments are increasing fast, which calls for educational institutions to come up with innovative strategies to cater to their needs.

Behavioral Change: The modern educational system has blurred physical boundaries. Students of the new generation use the latest technology to get an immersive and enhanced educational experience. They learn things by collaborating, analyzing and gathering information from various sources. For example, modern libraries not only store books, but act as a connector of multiple disciplines equipped with cutting-edge technology, and efficient librarians help students in gathering knowledge. Students these days want instant access and connectivity, and also want strong ties with their communities. Hence, if institutions integrate and merge spaces like libraries with the surrounding community, they can boost the morale and confidence of students.

Power to Choose: The next generation of students wants more control and connectivity. This generation demands a more adaptable curriculum and assignments which can be delivered anytime from anywhere.

These students are interested in alternative ways of learning as a part of their educational experience. This also means blurring the boundaries between education, working, socializing and so on. Institutes aim at flexible and student-friendly sessions. They aim to create specialized collaborative zones, living room islands, reading nooks and gathering areas. Institutes look to promote vibrancy in campus life and increase student productivity. The growing demands of students for enhanced and advanced educational facilities drive institutions to come up with innovative and interesting educational techniques and procedures.

Embracing the Digital Transformation Institutions have to accept and embrace these digital advancements and include them in the curriculum.

Many university leaders, edtech entrepreneurs, and students believe that transformation is essential for higher education. They are very optimistic about the changes and are prepared for the challenges ahead.

They anticipate a future with less public financial support, and believe that a modern educational system should be adopted by enhancing the traditional one. Teachers should move beyond the lecture sessions and bring in innovation, interaction and student participation in classes by incorporating various applications like gaming and simulation, robotics and so on.

Digital advancements have surrounded us. They are a part of almost anything and everything we do.

Successfully implementing these technologies will work wonders and help in transforming the educational system, taking it forward to the next level of innovation. T R

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Institute at a Glance

Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences

Dr. Paul Dhinakaran M.B.A., Ph.D., Founder & Chancellor

A brief about Karunya Institute of Technology and Science, its major contributions for the society and its Founder & Chancellor Dr. Paul Dhinakaran.

Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences was founded with the noble vision to raise professionals and leaders of high academic caliber and unblemished character, nurtured with a strong motivation and commitment to serve humanity. The institution is the fulfillment of the vision of its founders Late Dr. D. G. S. Dhinakaran and the present Chancellor Dr. Paul Dhinakaran. Established in 1986 as an Engineering College, it was granted an autonomous status in 2000 and declared Deemed-to-be University by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in recognition of its academic excellence by the Ministry of Human Resources Development under section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956 vide notification no 9-3-2000-U3 dated 23.6.2004 of the Government of India. Accredited by NAAC, the institution offers Graduate and Post Graduate courses in Engineering, Sciences, Arts, Media, and Commerce & Management. Research programs (Ph.D. & M.Phil.) are also offered in various disciplines of Engineering, Science and Humanities and Management. From a humble beginning of 180 students, the institution has grown rapidly to 8491 students and 452 faculty representing 18 academic departments.

In the three decades of service to higher education, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences has made significant progression in teaching learning, research and consultancy, innovation and transfer of technology, community service and value education. Translating the vision of the Founders into action, the institution is currently engaged in finding solutions to human problems in the four major areas such as Water, Food, Healthcare, and Energy through scientific and technological interventions.

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Silver Oak College of Engineering & Technology:

The institute aims to be a leading provider of globally – competitive professionals with sound knowledge, and to contribute to social and infrastructural development of the region

Quality Educational and Infrastructural Facilities: The Hallmarks of Silver Oak Located at Ahmedabad, Gujrat, Silver Oak College of Engineering & Technology was established with a vision of cultivating technically-sound knowledge in 2009. It consists of two engineering colleges namely, Silver Oak College of Engineering and Technology and Aditya Silver Oak Institute of Technology (ASOIT), wherein ASOIT is a new college in the same campus that offers an additional course of Chemical Engineering. The institute has 5 academic departments which offer 6 undergraduate engineering programs and 4 post graduate programs in various engineering discipline. It consists of 5000+ students on campus, and 300+ faculties, of which, 40% are from IITs/NITs. Moreover, the institute also provides GATE, GRE, and GMAT coaching to the students.

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It houses Gujarat’s largest incubation centre with a space of 20,000 sq.ft., known as ‘IGNITE Incubation Centre’. The campus consists of 80+ classrooms and 70+ laboratories.

There are 15 Technical Clubs and 7 well-equipped auditorium halls to organize expert seminars/workshops/lectures. It is the first self-financed institute of Gujarat to have 151.9 KW grid solar rooftop power plants. The institute also has state of the art Robotic Lab, IOT Lab and Apple Lab. More About the Leader Shri. Janak Khandwala holds many prestigious positions on various boards, and is affiliated to many engineering institutions in Gujarat. He is Executive Director of Hasmukh Goswami College of Engineering, Silver Oak Group of Institutes and Apollo Institute of Engineering and February | 2018

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Insightful Leadership The person responsible for leading Silver Oak to the heights of success is none other than Shri. Janak Khandwala, the Executive Director of Silver Oak Group of Institutes. He has earned a prominent name in the area of Technical Education in India. His experience and achievements are a rarity among people of his age.

At a very young age, he showed signs of a proven leader, an educationalist and a philanthropist. “Janak bhai” as usually addressed by his followers and admirers, is the member of the Board of Governors of Gujarat Technological University. Not only GTU, but other universities too have benefitted from his leadership and administrative skills directly and indirectly. He has also been nominated as the member of the Board of Management of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Open University. As the President of the Association of Self Finance Institutes for AICTE Approved Institutions in Gujarat State, he has taken various initiatives to develop an ecosystem to nurture industry ready and socially responsible youths by promoting national as well as international level collaborations between Industry, Academia and Government Institutions. Janakbhai has been a torch bearer in forming and implementing policies towards this transformation in engineering education and thus has acted as a catalyst of change for the education sector in the country and for the society as a whole.

Technology, Managing Trustee of Universal College of Engineering & Technology and is Joint Secretary at Alpha College of Engineering & Technology. A passionate educationalist by nature, he always strives hard to touch as many lives of students as he can and help them to lead their imagination in a right way.

As a philanthropist, he is a giver by heart.

Donating books, kites, crackers to the under privileged school students, celebrating Republic Day with the municipal school children and donating school bags, arranging movie shows for the orphan girls, etc are some of his acts of gratitude.

Accomplished Alumni Silver Oak alumni have achieved success in various walks of life. About 200+ students of the institute have settled in Silicon Valley, and more than 100 have enrolled for higher education in USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, and New Zealand.

Extra-Curricular Activities The institute not only provides excellent educational facilities, but also conducts a T H E

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number of extra-curricular activities. It is the first of its kind of college to have a solar plant which is managed by faculty and students. A total of 71 design and utility patents have been submitted by students and faculty. Moreover, the institute conducts many cultural and technical events to encourage and motivate the students. It conducts “TALAASH”, an annual tech-fest for students where they can showcase their technical innovation. It also organizes “SAMVAAD”, a technical symposium where national/international experts from academia/industry come to share their knowledge with the students/faculty.

Career Opportunities and Exposures Silver Oak provides quality professional exposure and experience to its students. It conducts around 105 industrial visits and more than 180 placement drives. It has one of the best training and placement cells which has secured 70% placement since the last three years. The institute organizes the best college-industry connect activities on the campus. Moreover, it also provides compulsory internship for higher semester students. Around 500+ training sessions and MOOC drives are conducted in order to prepare students for the corporate world. T R

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ADOPTING I A A E A I

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– The New Wave in Educational Technology

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ducation in recent years has received an upgrade with the advent of technological innovations. This has made the entire education process much easier, advanced and interesting. Educational technology has evolved with time and has introduced revolutionary changes in this sector.

Adaptive Learning has emerged as a part of the flourishing edtech industry. It utilizes IT and modern technology in education, bringing innovation and interaction into the field.

IT presents the educational contents to the users in a variety of ways and options which they can access as per their needs and convenience.

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The Growing Need for Adaptive Learning Many institutions are implementing adaptive learning, but there are many which are not completely aware of the concept. Institutions skeptic about adaptive learning, may make hasty decisions and investments into the field, which may not eventually lead to better results.

Today’s techno-savvy youth are hungry for the latest technological innovations. Adaptive Learning aims at delivering improved learning experiences and also at reducing extra paper work for teachers making things easier and simple. It emerges as the ultimate solution for February | 2018

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Revitalizing Education

educational needs, but before implementing it certain things should be considered like what are its benefits; what precautionary measures should be kept in mind while using it; and how properly can teachers work with an adaptive learning system.

Adaptive Learning tools adjust to the curriculum, setting and culture of the school and country. They target people using the solution and aim at adding value to education. These tools seek constant feedback and adjust behaviors accordingly. Moreover, adaptive learning collaborates with teachers, learners, parents, and the like to enhance its performance. These tools assist and support the teachers with immediate and accurate insight into the learning experiences and outcomes of the students.

Teachers can use these tools to identify which students are working hard and which aren’t. It can help the teachers in identifying the students in need of educational support in real time. It can also be used to challenge the students to test their understanding and abilities in order to enhance their learning skills. These tools present analytics report giving details about the student’s strengths and weaknesses, and help in framing strategies for improving the student’s academic condition.

Proper Understanding and Implementation The basic understanding of the subject matter can be elevated using adaptive learning tools along with enhancing one’s skills. Adaptive Learning can help in capturing information about students quickly and accurately. It can highlight the shortcomings in the student’s understanding, and the lack of skills and abilities if any. Moreover, teachers can also use these tools to inculcate various advanced skills in students like collaboration, problemsolving, and analysis with cross-concept questions. Teachers should learn and adapt to these technological advancements as it is the need of the hour. Modern technology demands that not only students, but teachers should also be well-acquainted with latest technology so that they can cope up with the technological needs of the students in the classroom. It is important for the teachers to adjust with the changing classroom dynamics in order to fit in this advanced technologically driven education system.

Parents should also get involved to make adaptive learning a successful process for their children, as it can even be carried outside classroom boundaries. They should constantly support and promote adaptive learning among their children. Parents should take active interest in their wards’ studies and help them with any sort of technical difficulty that they are facing with the content. They should constantly discuss about the proceedings in the classroom with their children and should try to learn adaptive learning skills to make it easier for their children.

Responsible Utilization Technological advancements are not error free. There might be instances when a major error shows up in the system disrupting the normal functioning. It can be in the form of technical errors, glitches, breakdowns, and so on. If a technology is new to us, we may panic when something goes wrong because we are unfamiliar with its functioning. Our inability to fix the problem may further stifle and frustrate us, and this is quite disturbing if the technology is new. In this case, the teachers have a vital role to play. In case of online examinations, having a correct answer wrongly marked is very disheartening for the students. In such a situation, the teachers should assist in managing and correcting the errors, and consoling and motivating the students.

Adaptive learning should be considered as just a part of the solution, and not the only solution towards educational upgradation. Before embracing adaptive learning, a few things should be kept in mind to ensure its successful implementation: adaptive learning is a powerful solution to educational upgradation, but it is not the only solution; parents should be motivated to participate in the process; teachers should slowly accept the developments for the greater good; data-driven insights allow teachers to take necessary actions quickly; adding a human touch to adaptive learning procedures will be a successful attempt. T R

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A Trailblazer in Technical Education SNS College of Engineering: and Management Studies

The institution aims to provide quality education of international standards and impart knowledge & skills to the students, in the process to shine as one of the premier institutions in the country and worldwide.

SNS College of Engineering (SNSCE) was established in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India, in the year 2007 with a vision of being in the forefront of technical education and management studies. The College is approved by AICTE, New Delhi and is affiliated to Anna University Chennai. It has state-of-the-art infrastructure, highly skilled and dedicated faculty members and outstanding training and placement cells with successfully proven track records.

SNSCE keenly concentrates on continual knowledge enrichment that moulds the students to achieve excellence in all their endeavors. The institution has achieved the highest grade “A” of Institutional accreditation from National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) the apex body for institutional accreditations in India.

Distinct Infrastructure and Educational Facilities The prime motive of SNSCE is to provide quality education along with outstanding infrastructural facilities. The institution creates a conducive environment for the youth – both boys and girls to acquire quality technical knowledge, skills and abilities and also provides social and economic accessibility for the members of each and every section of society to enjoy technical education at par with global standards. The college prepares students to meet future

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developments in science and technology and at the same time exhibit qualities of citizenship for a sustainable nation development. It also aims to empower students to promote their knowledge and skills through networking with other relevant institutions and develop confident and diligent future citizens.

The institution offers many Undergraduate academic programs including Civil Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Information Technology, 5 Masters programs in Engineering and Masters Program in Computer Applications and Management Studies.

The institute has 100% ICT-enabled classrooms along with laboratory facilities providing all modern state-of-the-art technologies. The campus provides 24x7 Wifi connectivity.

Members of Faculty conduct activity based classes and concentrate on Problem based and Project based learning.

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The Visionary Leader of SNSCE SNSCE proceeds successfully on its splendid journey under the fervent leadership of the Chairman of the institution, Dr. S.N. Subbramanian. He is an ardent philanthropist who set up the Sri. SNS Charitable Trust to contribute to the well-being and welfare of the society through the field of education. He has a M. Tech in Textile Technology from IIT Delhi and Ph.D. from Anna University, Chennai along with MBA, M.Phil in Management, and Ph.D. in Management from the USA. He currently holds two patents (INDIA).

Dr. Subbramanian has also won many awards and accolades. He was selected as an Outstanding Person and Published in India’s Who’s Who by Shaw Publications during the year 2005. He was also adjudged as the “Pride of the Institution” and award instituted by IITD, New Delhi during the year 2006 for his contributions to the upliftment of the society.

He also received the Edupreneur Award, 2014 by Times of India, the “Mother Teresa Sadbhavana Award” by Global Achievers Foundation, New Delhi, 2014 and the Eduprenuer 2015 Award, by Raindropss, Chennai, to name a few.

Dr. Subbramanian has also promoted many educational institutions under the SNS Institutions namely Dr. SNS Rajalakshmi College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore in 1999; SNS College of Technology, Coimbatore in 2002; Dr. SNS College of Education, Coimbatore in 2007; and SNS Academy, CBSE International School, Coimbatore in 2014. As Chairman, he provides a visionary leadership to the Educational institutions as well as the industries that he has established.

‘e-Yantra Project’, an initiative by IIT Bombay to create the next generation of embedded systems engineers with a practical outlook to help provide practical solutions to some of the real world problems; ‘SNS-TI innovation lab’, an initiative by Steps Knowledge Services, Coimbatore to design, develop, prototype/pilot production and transfer of technology for new products, the Center for Creativity and the SNS-idyafactory iDigiBridge.

Three of the programs have received permanent affiliation from the affiliating Anna University. It has established 2 research centers and 2 labs with industrial collaboration. It has also received grant for the Business Incubation centers from the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) of the Government of India.

Career Opportunities and Exposures SNSCE aims at overall development of the students. It provides excellent training and placement opportunities along with intensive internship and in-plant training opportunities during the course of their T H E

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study at SNSCE. The institution has a higher education cell for motivating students for higher studies. Many of Alumni have been successfully admitted in various universities of international standing.

Potential progression opportunities and the chance of interaction with industry experts for career enhancement are provided to the students. In order to make the students industry ready from Day 1 itself, the college provides the exposure to latest developments in the field of technology and science through eminent personalities from industry as well as academia during regular interactions.

Future Plans SNSCE is widely considered to be one of the best institutes and is reflected in the quality of its students and the strength of its corporate relationships that have been built over the years. The college aims at developing a critical throng of leaders who will propel Indian industries to a new era of excellence. It has recently witnessed a number of new companies on campus, once again proving its strength. T R

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Transforming Higher Education – Understanding the Next Generation of Students

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e are dealing with Generation Z, who has easy access to internet. The pattern to acquaint knowledge is now no more in the traditional manner.

Thus, there is a need of understanding this generation of students to enable them for becoming lifelong learners, innovators and metropolitan citizens.

Around the world, student community is demanding to make studies more digital. With this, the concept of student success is changed in institutional strategy across higher education and has ushered in a new era in record-setting corporate and nonproďŹ t philanthropy. The way current system measures student success is deeply rooted in traditional metrics such as individual letter grades, cumulative GPAs, and graduation rates.

If to believe the statistics provided by Indian Government, total enrolment in higher education has been estimated to be 28.56 million with 15.87 million boys and 12.69 million girls. Girls

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Pallavi Rahul Gedamkar MBA Finance, MBA HR

About the Author Pallavi Rahul Gedamkar is a veteran Assistant Professor with a rich experience in the education management industry. She is skilled in personality development, lecturing, public speaking, curriculum development, and market research. She is a strong administrative professional with a B. Com focused in Commerce (Finance) from Mount Carmel College, Bangalore, India.

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Astute Viewpoint constitute 44.4% of the total enrolment. Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Higher education in India is 20.4, which is calculated for 18‐23 years of age group. GER for male population is 21.6 and for females it is 18.9. Distance enrolment constitutes 12.5% of the total enrolment in higher education, of which 39.9% are female students.

This clearly shows the increasing significance of adopting an effective technology foundation and the right support to teachers for gaining powerful tools to deepen, accelerate, and enhance student learning. Students can research, create, communicate, and collaborate in ways that better prepare them for the world. However, technology requires more than simply deploying devices. If initiatives focus too much on technology and not enough on compelling usages that improve learning and teaching, the results will be disappointing.

Transformative initiatives result from holistic efforts that bring about changes in professional learning, curricular planning, assessment and evaluation, policy frameworks, and more. Poorly planned initiatives can waste time and money, widen inequity, expose private data, reduce confidence in the education system, and delay the potential benefits. Even well-designed initiatives can fall apart if they depend on a single charismatic leader who moves on, or if funding evaporates.

Introducing digitalization in education system can foster Creativity that can be used to integrate local/indigenous knowledge with advanced scientific knowledge. Also, curricula, teaching-learning and research should be organized in such a way as to continually nurture creative thinking at every grade level. Furthermore, it will not merely cultivate creative thinking but also critical thinking.

In addition, as a result of the rapid change brought about by globalization, modern societies are becoming increasingly hyper connected and interdependent. Given the great importance that countries place on higher education to help address a variety of socio-economic issues (for example, employment, innovation and economic growth), universities are beginning to put greater emphasis on creative learning.

Nevertheless, many B-schools across the country adopt blended-learning models, a few clear trends are settling in.

Blended learning transforms education. It engages students and encourages deeper learning. It helps instructors save time, enabling them to focus on their students and the learning experience. Put simply, blended learning improves

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the quality of interaction between students, educators, administrators, and other stakeholders.

The first time when I introduced blended learning in my classroom in the year 2010 to MBA students, I had received a great response. Dealing with a generation which is intensively tech-savvy made me design a balanced hybrid setting, merging evidence-based, traditional teaching methods with the latest technological advances in every session. It sounds deceptively simple when the instructional model is boiled down to its core components and purpose.

Over 8 years in teaching courses like Accounting, Finance and Professional Communication; executing Blendedlearning system has made the learning process more impactful. It accelerates educational innovation through applied technology to dramatically improve learning capacity. Through implementing blended learning, I’ve achieved in creating engaging blended learning environments that meet the needs of learning and understanding. Through these collaborations, I have found two things to be true. The first is, blended learning can significantly improve student learning and growth; the second is, these results can only be achieved if effective use and understanding of high-quality data is part of the blended learning model that is implemented.

With this model, students choose their own path, work at their own pace, and teachers use data to ensure optimal student growth by personalizing student support. Yet, it does not mean surrendering instructional control. But it is a way for students to take ownership of their learning under their teacher’s expert guidance.

Very soon, higher education will witness a complete transformation and an alteration in the metaphor we use to define our profession. A traditional teaching method has seen many variations from making a teacher-to-mentor-tocoach; and now just a facilitator who opens a forum for students to apply their own critical and creative thinking to provide solutions.

Generation Z undoubtedly, will be the generation which is bringing a revolution in higher education system. The Internet has already enabled the transformation of higher education by streamlining campus administrative processes, enhancing facilities such as dorms and classrooms, enabling digital libraries, expanding access to distance learning, and creating more engaging learning environments through video and simulations. T R

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