Source: Mint
Coders and job aspirants are heading to data science training shops in Bengaluru and Hyderabad in the hopes of updating their skills and landing jobs.
Hyderabad
I Took the Decision of Offering Myself the Greatest Gift: I Went to Study Abroad
Guest Contributor: Marie-Frédérique Ouellet
While taking a sip of my masala chai with alu paratha, I am staring at these kids throwing colorful powder at each other, laughing and running in every direction. The city is calm, the sun is clear and the air is fresh. So much to see, so much to taste, so much to discover: Welcome to India.
Even after two years, some people still ask with stupefaction, why I left Canada for India to pursue my Master’s Degree and if I did not have universities in my own country. Most of the time I quickly answer that I came to India to specialize in agriculture economics and Indo-Canadian relations but that is just one part of the truth. The other part is that after my undergraduate program, I made the decision of offering myself the greatest gift: I went to study abroad. I chose myself for two years. A gift from yourself to yourself that changes your whole perception of life and its intrinsic value. Studying abroad leaves you by yourself with your knowledge, culture and values in the middle of a whole new world where the culture is different, the religions are different, the language and food habits are different, where everything is to discover. The real challenge is to find the strength to adapt in this new world without losing who you are.
After my studies in International Economics and Development at the University of Ottawa, I wanted to become an economist. Specifically, I wanted to become a development economist. The kind that can bring efficient economic solutions and alternatives based on a deep understanding of the social, cultural and historical background. After my third year of Bachelor’s Degree, I was selected by the Ontario/Maharashtra Goa Student Exchange Program to pursue the Student India Program in Symbiosis International University in Pune, India. I came back to Canada to finish my last year of undergraduate studies and started to prepare my application to conduct a Master’s Degree in India. After my graduation, I received the Commonwealth Scholarship Plan in collaboration with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and the Department of Foreign Affairs of Canada, which gave me the opportunity to pursue the Master’s Degree in Economics at Hyderabad Central University in India.
It took me almost a year to plan and prepare what was going to be the biggest trip of my life, with myself as my only travel partner and my humility and curiosity as carrying luggage. To anyone thinking about pursuing a degree or a semester abroad, few steps can guide you:
1) Choose a country, read about its culture, history and social development. See if it peaks your curiosity to the point where you are determined to live and experince it by yourself.
2) Look for the different educational programs that are offered by the host country and if the diploma obtained abroad will be recognized by your home country or own institution. You can discuss with your teachers and determinethe added-value of this diploma to your career. Discuss with your parents and friends about your project, ask their opinion and determine the pros and cons.
3) Look for scholarships offered by the Provincial and Federal governments, such as the Department of Global Affairs Canada, NGOs, organizations for international studies, LOGIQ for students from Quebec, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Canada India Education Council, Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, Commonwealth Scholarship Plan, Ontario/Maharashtra Goa Student Exchange Program. Also, many Canadian universities are offering scholarships to students willing to complete a semester abroad.
4) Construct a budget of the expected expenditures and fees. Try to determine the total cost of this project, including flight tickets, visa fees, accommodations and living expenditures, fix a budget if you want to travel across the country. By preparing your project in advance, you can find many helpful ideas, you can ask for the flight tickets as birthday or graduation gift from your family and friends, save money from part-time work to achieve this specific goal, work with NGOs and seek out sponsorships. If there is no solution, it is because there was no problem at the beginning.
5) Make an appointment at a travel health clinic. The specialists will give you advice and preventions for the specific country you will travel to, discuss with your doctor about the different options to ensure your security abroad. For example, ask about the prevention of malaria, hepatitis, rabies, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and if you should receive any specific vaccine before leaving.
6) Learn more about the culture, the university where you will study, the basic courtesies of the country, watch documentaries on the social challenges the country is facing, learn more about their history and language. The better your preparation, the easier your adaptation to this new environment will be.
7) Enjoy, learn, share and make a lot of friends.
I hope this article brings to you the fire required to conduct what I believe is the biggest trip of your life. You will face challenges, culture shocks and misunderstandings, but you need to look beyond that. You will discover a new culture, make life-long friends, learn a new language, you will see landscapes that you can normally only see in movies. The memories and friendships created will remain long after the completion of your studies. By the way, the picture was taken in Munnar, Kerala in December 2015. Yes, life as an international student is pretty boring as you can see 😉 Give it a try, you will be surprised!
Indian State Funds Study Abroad for Minority Students
Source: The PIE News
India’s Telangana state government has approved the first round of scholarships funding 258 low-income students to study abroad at postgraduate level, it has announced.
Earlier this year the Minorities Welfare Department for the southern Indian state announced that it was allocating INR25 crore (US$3.8m) to the new Chief Minister’s Overseas Study Scheme.
It will enable 500 students from low-income families to study abroad each year, with a third of the available places earmarked for women.
In order to apply, students must be no older than 35 and they or their guardians must have a total annual income of no more than Rs. 2 lakhs (US$3,000).
For more details, read the full story on The PIE News.
Premier Kathleen Wynne Announces Mission to India
Source: Ontario News Release
Premier Kathleen Wynne will lead a mission to India in early 2016 to foster more opportunities for trade and investment and promote Ontario’s expertise in sustainable development.
A main component of the trip will be a business delegation that will visit New Delhi and Mumbai — India’s governing and economic centres — as well as Hyderabad and Chandigarh. Premier Wynne will meet with government and industry decision-makers to discuss how Ontario’s expertise makes the province an attractive partner as India works toward achieving its sustainable development goals. She will also highlight the province’s position as the North American leader in attracting foreign capital investment. The mission is expected to result in several new agreements that will create jobs and boost the provincial economy.
As part of the trip, Premier Wynne will also meet with cultural leaders to reinforce Ontario’s commitment to fostering stronger ties with India.
Providing more opportunities for Ontario companies to compete internationally is part of the government’s economic plan. The four-part plan is building Ontario up by investing in people’s talents and skills, making the largest investment in public infrastructure in the province’s history, creating a dynamic, innovative environment where business thrives, and building a secure retirement savings plan.
UK, U.S., Canada universities to invite Indian students
Source: India Blooms News Service via Indian Economic Business News
Over 35 leading universities from the UK, U.S. and Canada would come together to woo Indian students to their countries for higher education. IDP Education, the world’s leading student placement service provider and co-owner of IELTS examination, hosted the second edition of its multi-destination education fair in India from Feb 15. Spread over a period of two weeks, the fair will kick-start from Chandigarh and conclude in the southern city of Kochi on Feb 25. The fair will see over 40 universities, and colleges from the UK, U.S. and Canada hold dialogue with Indian students aspiring to pursue higher education in internationally acclaimed institutions. IDP’s Education Fair will offer students the opportunity to explore under one roof, various study options available across the three western nations. The fair will be held in the cities of Chandigarh, Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore and Kochi. Close to 80,000 Indian students go abroad for higher studies every year to the five English speaking countries, namely Australia, UK, U.S, Canada and New Zealand.
Hyderabad Metro, GIFT City in `Strategic 100’ infra projects
Source: Hindu Business Line via Indian Economic Business News
Hyderabad Metro Rail project has been selected as one of the top 100 strategic global infrastructure projects to be showcased at the forthcoming Global Infrastructure Leadership Forum being held in New York during February-March, 2013. Apart from the Rs 14,132 crore ($2.6 billion) Hyderabad Metro Rail project, two other Indian projects have also figured in this prestigious list: GIFT city (Gujarat International Financial Tech city) costing Rs 72,600 crore ($13.2 billion) and Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project costing Rs 60,000 crore ($10.89 billion). “Strategic 100” is a list of the top 100 infrastructure projects selected through a rigorous selection process on the basis of their potential to make significant difference to their cities/region/country in terms of overall performance and competitiveness. The list has been prepared by an American agency after undertaking research of a large number of major infra projects in 66 countries.
ISB, IIFT under AICTE lens
Source: www.infoline.com via PwC – EdLive
The latest list of unapproved institutions put out by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) features some popular names second only to the IIMs or even considered on par with them. The Indian School of Business (ISB) in Hyderabad, the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) in Delhi, and the Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM) in Chennai have made a name for themselves within and outside the country, but are also on the AICTE’s list of unapproved institutions. Others include the Indian Institute of Planning and Management, ICFAI, Amity Business School and ITM.
However, the institutions are not unduly worried by this. The official statement released by the ISB “stated that the institution’s one-year postgraduate programme does not fall under the ambit of AICTE’s current regulatory mechanism for business schools and therefore no approval was sought.” Sriram servicing, healthcare, construction technology and textiles. Students will be offered world-class training which is adapted to the Indian market and industry requirements. The CMC Academy currently offers job-enabling training in IT, accounting and finance and several skill areas through 250 plus training locations across the country. India’s accelerated economic growth and increasing demand for skilled manpower will require intensive efforts to achieve the target of up-skilling 500 million workers by 2022. Recent estimates show only 10% of the total workforce in the country is receiving some kind of skills training (2% with formal training and 8% with informal training). According to the NSSO survey, only 6% of the total workforce (459 million) is in the organised sector. The World Economic Forum indicates that only 25% of all Indian professionals are considered employable by the organised sector. The unorganised sector is not supported by any structured skill development and training system to acquire or upgrade skills.
Macmillan and Frank Bros tie up for digital books
Source: The Hindu Business Line via PwC – EdLive
Macmillan Education and Frank Bros have joined hands to provide digital content interface to textbook teaching. “We will provide digital books, which will have links to visual and audio resources that the teacher can use to make the classroom experience more effective and rewarding,” said Yash Mehta, Sales and Distribution Head, Macmillan Education.
A part of the Macmillan Publishing Group, it is the preferred knowledge partner of around 15,000 schools in the country. Recently, the publishing house also organised a ‘Principals Symposium’ in Hyderabad to address their partner schools in the country. The integration of the two companies Macmillan and Frank Bros Publishing House will enrich its offering to schools, especially the CBSE, ICSE and State Board.
They will continue to provide text books and digital materials for students and teachers. “The merger will give access to high quality editorial input as well provide latest information about the new researches in the field of education,” said R C Govil, Chairman, Emeritus.