News from the world of Education: September 17, 2025

Initiative to foster scientific excellence

The Lodha Foundation has partnered with IISER Pune to launch a hands-on, fully-funded programme under Lodha Genius. It will offer students immersive scientific experiences, mentorship from faculty and researchers, and opportunities to explore interdisciplinary learning.

Eligibility: Students in classes 6 to 9 from Pune and suburbs

First and last Science circle dates: October 11 and April 30, 2026 

Selection test: October 5

Deadline: September 30

Details at http://bit.ly/41Qtgz7 

Admissions

Insurance Fundamentals Programme

HDFC Life and upGrad have launchedthe Insurance Fundamentals Programme which offers certification in life insurance.

What it entails: Three-week online course followed by a four-month paid internship

Eligibility: Class 12 pass, pre-final, final-year students, fresh graduates; must possess basic English proficiency

Details at https://tinyurl.com/2kbrfpf9

IIM Mumbai and Whistling Woods International have launched an MBA in Media and Entertainment programme.

Commences: June 2026

Eligibility: Valid CAT scores; applicants must hold a recognised graduate degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD).

Details at https://iimmumbai.ac.in/

Kamat Hospitality Academy of Skills (KHAS) has launched specialised courses in its 2025 curriculum. These include Diploma in Front Office (Room Division); Diploma in Revenue Management, and Certificate Course for Hotel Accounts. Admissions to the 2025 batch are open. For those interested, visit for details and to apply.

Events

ACCA has launched a Virtual Skills Platform to help job-seekers with their applications and interviews. It provides interview prep videos that address topics including creating an impactful CV and a strong LinkedIn profile, negotiating salary, and more. Its virtual flashcards are downloadable and based on topics that serve as conversation starters such as such as AI, technology, and so on. Visit for details.

BITS School of Management inaugurated its new BITSoM Research in AI and Innovation (BRAIN) Lab. It will conduct industry-focused research to create a repository of use-cases, develop relevant courses for students, facilitate AI projects, and more.

T.A. Pai Management Institute, Manipal, hosted the first CXO Talk Series 2025, for leadership dialogue and industry engagement. Sumit Khandelwal, CEO of Xoxoday, was the keynote speaker.

IIT Guwahati researchers, led by Veeranki Venkata Dasu, and Former Director, RGUKT, Nuzvid, and his team Ansuman Sahoo, PMRF research scholar, IIT Guwahati; Prabir Kumar Das; MSRC Murthy, and Prof. Sanjukta Patra, have developed a new method to produce human insulin. They have managed this by using a safe bacterial system called Pseudomonas fluorescens. The method is capable of producing higher yields of insulin at lower costs. The technology has been granted two Indian patents and the findings were published in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, and Journal of Biotechnology.

Researchers at the Green Hydrogen Research Centre of MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU), led by Ratnadip Joshi, Associate Director, Green Hydrogen Research Centre at MIT-WPU, have developed a carbon-negative process that produces BioCNG and Green Hydrogen from mixed agricultural waste. Offering a cleaner and more affordable path to energy independence, it also generates biofertilizers which can replace the usage of urea in farming. The team also included Aniket Patrikar and Avinash Lad, Ph.D research scholars, and Rahul Karad, Executive President, MIT-WPU.

IIM Lucknow and IIM Ranchi researchers have developed a framework to strengthen governance in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects. The research by Prof. Dipti Gupta, Assistant Professor, IIM Lucknow, and Prof. Santosh Kumar Prusty, Assistant Professor, IIM Ranchi, is published in the journal Built Environment Project and Asset Management.

Techno India University hosted the second International Conference on Security, Surveillance and Artificial Intelligence 2025 at its Salt Lake campus. It focused on four tracks: Information Security; Innovations in Surveillance; Artificial Intelligence, and Technology Trends. LC Mangal, Scientist and Director General (Technology Management), DRDO, Ministry of Defence, Government of India, was the chief guest.

Sharda University’s Central Instrumentation Facility organised a two-day practical workshop on Atomic Spectroscopy Techniques. Training sessions that demonstrated the practical applications of atomic spectroscopy in fields such as food safety, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and chemical analysis were held for UG and PG students, doctoral scholars, and faculty members from various institutions.

Vivekanand Education Society (VES), Mumbai, in collaboration with Project Mumbai’s Jallosh initiative and the Indian Green Building Council, organised a beach cleanup drive at Dadar Chowpatty. Over 20 teachers, 300 NSS students from VES institutes, and several volunteers collected over 2,070 kgs of garbage.

Adani Cement, in partnership with over 100 schools and engineering institutions from more than 100 cities launched Adani Cement FutureX, a programme designed to connect classrooms with real-world infrastructure and sustainability challenges. It will include the Adani Cement Smart Lab; internships, live projects and pre‑placement interview opportunities, field visits, and more.

Aarupadai Veedu Institute of Technology celebrated Engineer’s Day 2025. Students, faculty members, and industry came together to recognise the contributions of engineers to society. Er. G. Saravanan, Executive Director, ITCOT Limited, was the chief guest.

IIM Jammu hosted a Mumbai Roundtable Conference which focused on strengthening collaboration between academia and industry. It also addressed the evolution of workforce, and leveraging technology to prepare students for employment. Three panel discussions were held.

Manav Rachna Educational Institutions commemorated the 12th Remembrance Day of O.P. Bhalla, its founder chancellor. Vipul Goel, Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, Urban Local Bodies, and Civil Aviation, Haryana, was the chief guest. The institution also launched Shiksha Ka Deep, a scholarship initiative to bridge the higher education participation gap for meritorious students from Economically Weaker Sections.

HCLTech hosted HCLTech Talks, its Campus Connect event, at Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R and D Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai. Over 600 engineering students participated in a session on Engineering the Future: Innovations in Digital Products and Platforms, by Prakash Chinnusamy, Global Director – Engineering and R and D Services at HCLTech.

Anand Kumar, founder, Super 30, addressed students at at Marwadi University on the 58th National Engineers’ Day as part of the Human Library Series. He spoke on multiple topics including stories of successful students, his early struggles and the inception of Super 30, how AI was an opportunity and a test, the need for continuous upskilling, and more.

Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State Ministry of Law and Justice (Independent Charge) and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, inaugurated the Amrita International School of Law at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s Coimbatore campus. L. Victoria Gowri, Judge, Madras High Court, delivered the keynote address.

The Department of Networking and Communications, School of Computing, SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST), inaugurated a national seminar on The Rise of Blue Finance (Tamil), as part of the AICTE-VAANI 2025–26 initiative. It focused on deep-sea technology, ocean acoustics, underwater acoustic sensors, and the integration of AI and computer vision to address challenges in marine ecosystems. Athiyaman Balakrishnan, Scientist-F, NCMRWF, Ministry of Earth Sciences, was the chief guest.

The Association for Reinventing School Education (ARISE), in collaboration with FICCI, hosted a Masterclass delivered by OpenAI, on Empowering School Education Through AI as part of its eighth Annual Education Conference.

Greenwood High International Campus, Sarjapur, hosted the Greenwood High Model United Nations (GWHMUN) 2025 themed Empathy in a Changing World. Over 577 delegates from 50 schools participated.

JoVE launched JoVE Visualize, a tool designed for researchers, educators, students, and institutional leaders which uses AI to bridge the gap between academic literature and practical comprehension. It does so by connecting research papers to its videos that show real lab techniques in action while clarifying scientific concepts visually. Visit www.jove.com/visualize for details.

Avtar Human Capital Trust conducted Udyog Utsav for the scholars of its initiative Project Puthri. The event focussed on addressing underprivileged schoolgirls with the intention to have a career, and empower them to be economically independent. B. Meena, Vice Principal, Patrician College of Arts and Science, delivered the keynote address and emphasised the role of academia in shaping career pathways.

CFA Institute hosted the Pune edition of its Finance Industry Network Roundtable to foster dialogue between academia and industry leaders on bridging the skills gap, enhancing student employability, and strengthening the industry-academia collaboration.

CS Academy, Coimbatore, hosted The ISP Future Pathways Festival 2025 at its Kovaipudur campus and the Literary Fest at its Trichy Road campus. In the former, students interacted with representatives from over 110 international universities including UCLA, Imperial College London, Bocconi University, and The University of Sydney, to name a few. The Literary Fest, on the other hand, celebrated a No Book Day where students were involved in creative activities.

K J Somaiya College of Physiotherapy partnered with Dignity Foundation to celebrate World Physiotherapy Day. The theme was Healthy Ageing: Focused on Prevention of Falls and Frailty. The Student Council 2025-26 distributed information booklets on healthy ageing and preventing falls, to over 200 participants.

Mirai School of Technology held an orientation programme for its first batch of 150 students (2025–29) across partner campuses at Hi-Tech Institute of Engineering and Technology, Ghaziabad, and Rathinam Institute of Technology, Bengaluru.

CMR University’s School of Engineering and Technology and School of Architecture welcomed students to the B.Tech and B.Arch programmes for 2025-26. Over 750 students, faculty, and guests, participated.

Vinayaka Mission’s Law School held its first graduation ceremony. T. Raja, Former Acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, delivered the graduation day address. Other dignitaries included A. Francis Julian, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India, Antony R. Julian, Advocate, Supreme Court of India and Convenor of the Steering Committee for the Centre for Justice through Technology, among others.

IIM Bangalore’s Mizuho India Japan Study Centre (MIJSC) celebrated its eighth Foundation Day. The theme was Connect, Explore, and Develop. Leaders from academia, industry, and policy reflected on the evolving dynamics of India–Japan collaboration. Prof. Tatsuya Terazawa, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan, was the guest of honour, while Sandeep Singh, Managing Director, Tata Hitachi Construction Machinery, Co. Ltd, India, delivered the keynote address.

The Institute Library at IIM Kashipur inaugurated Hindi Pakhwada 2025, a two-week celebration which will be held till September 30. It aims to promote the Hindi language and literature across the institute through events including essay and letter writing, poetry recitation, and a book exhibition.

College Vidya’s data shows that women’s enrolment in technical education has increased from 4% in 2022 to 17% in 2025, while AI and ML programmes witnessed a 4X surge in women’s participation — from 5% in 2024 to 20% this year. It also shed light on how Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh collectively account for nearly 70% of women’s enrolments in deep-tech programmes while West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar are beginning to show strong growth.

Awards and laurels

Abdur Rahman from SRM University’s Team Abu, was declared the winner of the GenCyS 2025 Capture the Flag 2025 competition conducted by UST. The competition aimed to advance cybersecurity talent through real-world, competitive problem-solving across domains including Web, Forensics, Cryptography, OSINT, IoT, and more.

Students from IIM Bangalore were the winners of the ninth edition of Accenture’s B-School Challenge themed Driving Process Reinvention for Enterprises through Agentic AI. Teams from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies and IIM Ahmedabad were first and second runners-up respectively.

Dhanyasharathi and Varun.S from Velammal Bodhi Campus, Coimbatore, emerged as the winners, while Darshan and Samrudh from Vidya Mandir, Chennai, were declared runners-up in the TCS InQuizitive 2025 Chennai Edition.

Ashank Raamanathan, a student from Chennai from the FinChartered Academy has secured a global rank of 9 and Indian rank 2 in the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) exams.

Supriya Shidhaye, Principal of Vivekanand Education Society College of Pharmacy, was conferred with the Best Principal Award 2024-25 – Urban Area by the University of Mumbai.

Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chancellor, and Professor B. M. Reddy, Senior Professor Emeritus, BITS Pilani, Hyderabad campus, have been elected as Fellows of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) in 2025.

The Indian School of Business ranked #5 in the LinkedIn Top MBA Programmes 2025.

The University of Sheffield ranked 16th overall among the best universities in the U.K. by The Guardian University Guide 2026. It also secured a rank among the top 10 places in the U.K. to study 12 subjects including Geography, Earth and Marine Sciences, Accounting and Finance, among others.

Woxsen University ranked sixth overall in the Asia-Pacific Business School Rankings 2025. Among Indian institutions, it was ranked the third-best B-school.

MoUs and partnerships

Anurag University signed an Mou with MSN Laboratories Limited, to launch the MSN Labs Bridge Course (2025–26) to MSN employees at Anurag University. It will be organised by the Department of Chemistry, School of Engineering.

Western Overseas Study Abroad Ltd. has partnered with TIO Business School, Netherlands, to provide Indian students with opportunities to pursue higher education in Europe.

Ashoka University has partnered with the India Meteorological Department, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, to advance research and data sharing in meteorology, climate science, and environmental studies.

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has partnered with IIM Indore to enhance opportunities for students in Accountancy and Finance. They will jointly facilitate academic collaboration through academic programmes, workshops, and seminars.

With an aim to advance research in sustainable waste management, SRMIST Chennai has partnered with Shree Renga Polyester Pvt. Ltd. (SRPPL), Karur.

L and T Semiconductor Technologies Ltd, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, and IIT Gandhinagar, have partnered to collaborate on the research, development, and commercialisation of secure integrated circuit (IC) solutions for critical applications. The initial focus will be on electronic passports.

Instrucko has partnered with The Scindia School, Gwalior; Mayo College Boys, Ajmer; G.D. Somani Memorial School, Mumbai; Mayoor Chopasni School, Jodhpur, and Sri Barathi Vidyala, Tamil Nadu, to prepare students with practical, future-ready skills.

Citizens Financial Group’s Global Capability Centre has partnered with Cognizant’s outreach programme to advance skilling and employability for college students in Telangana’s rural communities.

TiE Bangalore has partnered with Career247, a venture of Adda Education, to create programmes that combine entrepreneurship fundamentals with technology readiness. The collaboration’s aim is to take startup education beyond metros. Initiatives will include AI for Women Entrepreneurs; the creation of Entrepreneurship and AI Hubs across Tier-2, 3, and 4 towns, and building centres of excellence in Entrepreneurship, AI, and emerging tech across colleges and universities, to name a few.