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IIM Indore releases PGP 2026–28 admission criteria; increases weightage for Class 12 scores and PI

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The Indian Institute of Management Indore has announced the admission policy for its flagship two-year PGP programme for the 2026–28 cohort, introducing notable shifts in evaluation weightages. The institute will continue with its three-tier selection system, factoring in CAT 2025 performance, academic records from Classes 10 and 12, work experience, and scores in the personal interview (PI). To be considered, applicants must appear for CAT 2025 and clear both the sectional and overall percentile benchmarks. For General and EWS candidates, the minimum overall requirement is 90 percentile, with 80 percentile in each section. The cut-off is 80 percentile for NC-OBC, and 60, 45 and 45 percentile for SC, ST and PwD applicants, respectively. At the shortlisting stage, Class 12 marks remain a major determinant, carrying 25% weightage, while Class 10 marks contribute 10%. CAT sectional scores make up 55% of the composite score, with 3% allotted for work experience and 7 marks for diversity. Shortlisted candidates will receive interview calls in January 2026, with offline interviews planned across Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Kolkata, and Mumbai. The institute has kept the option open for conducting interviews online if required. For the final admissions list, the PI holds the highest influence with 45% weightage. CAT sectional scores carry 40%, while Class 10 and 12 scores add 5% each. A 5-mark diversity factor is also included. Importantly, meeting cut-offs alone does not ensure selection—candidates must achieve minimum performance standards in every PI parameter to qualify. The institute will adhere to the Government of India’s reservation norms: 27% NC-OBC, 15% SC, 7.5% ST, up to 10% EWS, and 5% PwD. All candidates, regardless of category, must still achieve the minimum performance thresholds set by IIM Indore. For students whose Class 10 or 12 results were altered due to COVID-era board evaluation policies, score weightages will be proportionally reassigned to other components such as CAT sectional scores and available board marks. The institute has also clarified that the admission process may be updated in line with any new government or institutional guidelines. Source: Indian Express

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McKinsey Cuts 200 Tech Jobs as AI Takes Over More Roles

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McKinsey & Co. has laid off around 200 technology employees over the past week as it accelerates the use of AI to automate internal functions. According to sources, the firm may implement additional job reductions across various teams over the next two years as it evaluates which tasks can be fully handled by AI systems. A spokesperson said the company is focused on improving efficiency through AI-enabled workflows, calling the technology a major driver of “unprecedented opportunity and impact” for both the firm and its clients. Global Managing Partner Bob Sternfels previously stated that McKinsey will continue investing in client-facing roles, while tightening headcount in other areas. The firm currently employs about 40,000 people, including roughly 3,000 partners. The broader consulting industry is facing economic pressures, from tighter corporate budgets to policy shifts. Rival Accenture Plc has also warned that US federal spending cuts may slow growth next year. CEO Julie Sweet noted that the company is reducing roles that cannot be retrained as it expands AI-driven services. AI’s rapid advancement is reshaping the global workforce. Analysts at Bloomberg Intelligence estimate that banks worldwide could cut up to 200,000 jobs within five years due to automation. At the same time, major lenders like Citigroup Inc. forecast AI could add $170 billion to industry earnings by 2028, with more than half of banking roles carrying high automation potential. Source: Bloomberg

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Governance Emerges as India Inc’s Top Priority as Companies Race to Scale AI Infrastructure: IBM Study

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India Inc is placing AI governance at the centre of its growth strategy, with a new study from the IBM Institute for Business Value revealing that strong oversight is now seen as the most critical factor for scaling AI infrastructure. In the report titled AI Infrastructure That Endures, 83% of Indian executives say that robust governance frameworks are essential for deploying AI at scale. Yet, only 4% claim their organisations have fully established mechanisms to manage AI-related risks — signalling a widening preparedness gap even as AI adoption accelerates. Despite this shortfall, enterprises are increasing investments significantly. Nearly 58% of companies have boosted their infrastructure budgets, with spending expected to rise by 19% in 2025, mirroring global trends. However, just one in ten leaders believes their current systems are fully ready to support AI needs, underscoring the urgent need for modernization to enable trust, speed and scalable performance. According to Subhathra Srinivasaraghavan, Vice President at the IBM India Systems Development Lab, Indian businesses are entering a defining stage of their AI evolution. She noted that organisations must now convert ambition into long-term impact by building agile, trustworthy and talent-driven AI ecosystems. Strengthening hybrid architectures, deepening AI skills and adopting governance-by-design were highlighted as key enablers for India’s progress toward its Viksit Bharat vision. The study finds that hybrid infrastructure is emerging as a performance catalyst — with 65% saying a fit-for-purpose hybrid strategy has improved cost and efficiency. Another 32% plan to expand hybrid AI environments over the next three years. On the skills front, companies recognise talent as a core driver of AI success. Eighty-three per cent are investing in training or hiring for AI-focused roles, though 75% admit they are still early in workforce maturity. Meanwhile, 43% have set up AI Centres of Excellence to scale internal capabilities. Source: ANI

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A.S.N. School Marks 56th Annual Day with Grand Celebration of “Prerna – An Inspiration”

Zee Entertainment Launches ‘KidZ’ on Zee5, Re-enters Children’s Entertainment Segment

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Zee Entertainment Enterprises has made a fresh push into the children’s entertainment space with the launch of KidZ, a dedicated kids’ service on its digital platform Zee5. The new vertical brings together a blend of learning-focused and fun programming curated for young audiences. To expand its family-focused offerings, the company has teamed up with top content creators and aggregators from India and abroad, ensuring a safe, engaging and education-driven experience for kids. Accessible via a special profile on Zee5 across all devices, KidZ launches with over 140 titles in several languages, with new episodes and shows arriving every Friday. The line-up includes well-known favourites such as Boonie Bears, Vir, Chacha Bhatija and Inspector Chingum. Zee is also building an exclusive slate of premium original kids’ shows set to debut from December 2025, combining story-driven narratives with informative elements and established character IPs. Chandan Khandelwal, Business Head for the Kids Division at Zee5 India & Global, said the goal is to build a safe, immersive destination that inspires curiosity and joy. The initiative ties into the strategic roadmap highlighted in the company’s May 2025 investor update, which identified children’s content as a high-growth segment. With digital consumption among younger viewers continuing to surge, Zee aims to strengthen its content library and scale its reach across entertainment verticals. KidZ marks Zee’s renewed focus on the kids category, more than a decade after the company exited its earlier edutainment experiment with ZeeQ, launched in 2012 but later discontinued as part of a strategic shift. Source: Economic Times

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CSIR, ICMR Chart Joint Roadmap to Boost Collaborative Health Research

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The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) held a high-level strategy meeting to advance a unified roadmap for collaborative health research, the Ministry of Science & Technology said on Tuesday. The session took place at the CSIR Science Centre in New Delhi and was co-chaired by N. Kalaiselvi, Director General of CSIR, and Rajiv Bahl, Director General of ICMR and Secretary, Department of Health Research. The two organisations reviewed progress on major joint initiatives, including CSIR-developed molecules progressing toward clinical trials, updates on ICMR-supported Centres of Advanced Research within CSIR labs, and implementation of large-scale national projects. The meeting also emphasised expanding wastewater surveillance for a wider range of pathogens across cities, hospitals and communities, aligning with the One Health Mission. Discussions included defining the roles of CSIR and ICMR in drug development, clinical trials, and leveraging ICMR’s large-animal toxicity testing infrastructure. The joint AcSIR–ICMR Ph.D. programme was also reviewed, with a focus on widening opportunities for young researchers by integrating ICMR and CSIR fellowship pathways. Both Dr. Kalaiselvi and Dr. Bahl stressed the importance of combining CSIR’s scientific and technological expertise with ICMR’s public health capabilities to deliver national-scale outcomes. They highlighted the need for structured, time-bound collaboration, particularly for co-developing technologies such as a digitally operated medical emergency drone service. Experts concluded by reaffirming plans to deepen cooperation in biomedical sciences, diagnostics, digital health, environmental surveillance, and other emerging healthcare domains. Source: IANS

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IMF Considering Reclassification of India’s Forex Management Framework

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The International Monetary Fund is reportedly reviewing India’s foreign-exchange (FX) management regime and may soon alter its classification, according to a recent Bloomberg report. India is currently placed under a “stabilised arrangement,” a category it was moved to in December 2023 from the earlier “floating” status. The possible reclassification comes amid heightened rupee volatility, particularly since Sanjay Malhotra took charge as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. The RBI has repeatedly disagreed with the IMF’s assessment, calling the current categorisation “incorrect” and “unjustified.” Despite the debate, the IMF acknowledges that India’s forex reserves are robust. As of November 14, the country’s foreign exchange stockpile rose by $5.54 billion, reaching $692.57 billion. Under its Integrated Policy Framework, the IMF recommends that India allow greater exchange-rate flexibility and limit forex market interventions to moments of severe disruption. This, it argues, could lower the need for heavy reserve buffers, push firms to hedge currency risks more actively, and strengthen overall market development. However, the Fund also notes that in periods of severe global financial stress, targeted FX interventions by the RBI may be warranted to stabilise markets and shield the economy from inflationary or output shocks. Source: Economic Times

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Government to Support 100 Engineering Colleges with ₹1 Crore Each for Quantum Research Labs

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The Centre will extend financial assistance of ₹1 crore each to 100 engineering colleges to establish quantum research laboratories aimed at strengthening undergraduate minor programmes, according to Department of Science and Technology (DST) Secretary Prof Abhay Karandikar. Speaking at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay on Monday, he revealed that over 500 proposals have already been submitted, from which the final 100 institutions will be chosen. Prof Karandikar also announced that the DST plans to create a specialised quantum algorithms technical group to enhance capacity building, aid start-ups, and accelerate research and technological development in the quantum domain. He highlighted the significant strides made under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems and the National Quantum Mission (NQM), with IIT Bombay playing a pivotal role. He noted that the Technology Innovation Hub at IIT Bombay has been instrumental in supporting start-ups, driving innovation, and initiating work on Indian-language large language models. Under the NQM, all four quantum hubs—Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and IIT Bombay—have shown rapid advancement, with IIT Bombay’s quantum sensing hub earning particular recognition. During his visit to IIT Bombay, Union Minister for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh announced two major state-of-the-art quantum fabrication and central facilities under the NQM. With an investment of ₹720 crore, these facilities at IIT Bombay and IISc Bengaluru aim to indigenise the fabrication of quantum computing chips and sensors—reducing dependence on foreign infrastructure. Two smaller facilities will also be set up at IIT Delhi and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. These fabrication centres will be open to academia, industry, start-ups, MSMEs, and strategic agencies, enabling faster prototyping, technology development, and small-scale production. The minister added that these advancements will significantly strengthen India’s capabilities in superconductivity, cryogenic engineering, quantum computing, sensing, photonics, healthcare applications, and green energy devices. A new cryogenics facility, equipped with an efficient helium recovery system, is also expected to substantially reduce the cost of cryogenic experiments while conserving the scarce resource. Singh emphasised that as global demand for quantum technologies grows, India must expand its cryogenics infrastructure accordingly. He further remarked that IIT Bombay exemplifies how collaboration between academia, government, and industry can build a world-class scientific ecosystem capable of shaping future technologies. Source: PTI Photo Credit: Getty Images

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Broadcasters Gear Up for Legal Battle Against TRAI’s Ad Cap Notice

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TV broadcasters are preparing to challenge the recent show cause notices issued by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) over alleged violations of the 12-minute-per-hour advertising cap. Broadcasters, along with industry bodies such as the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation and the News Broadcasters and Digital Association, are evaluating legal strategies, with a final decision expected next week. Executives across the sector said the notices caught them off guard, especially as the matter is still pending before the Delhi High Court. They argued that enforcing the cap now could worsen the financial stress on broadcasters, who are already grappling with rising operational costs, weak advertising demand, and audience migration to OTT streaming platforms and DD Free Dish. The notices, issued on November 18, have given broadcasters 15 days to explain why action should not be taken for allegedly exceeding the advertising time limit. Industry leaders say many free-to-air channels currently rely heavily on ad-heavy prime-time slots for revenue, and cutting inventory now would strain them further. They added that despite reduced inventory theoretically pushing up ad rates, the current muted advertiser sentiment makes price hikes unrealistic. Executives also questioned the regulatory imbalance, pointing out that digital video platforms face no similar restrictions on ad volumes. They argued that the TV sector is over-regulated at a time when it is already losing market share. According to TAM AdEx, TV ad volumes fell 10% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2025. The FICCI EY media report showed that TV advertising revenues dropped 6% to ₹29,400 crore in 2024 due to reduced ad volumes and a decline of over 10% in the number of advertisers. Legal experts said TRAI may push for an expedited hearing on the ad cap case, which has been pending for more than a decade. The Delhi High Court had granted interim protection in 2013, barring coercive action against broadcasters. The case is now scheduled for its next hearing on January 27, 2026, with the interim order remaining in force until then. Source: Economic Times

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New Study: 45% of Heart Attack Risks Go Undetected by Current Screening Methods

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A new study has revealed that widely used cardiac screening methods may be overlooking 45% of individuals who are genuinely at risk of a heart attack. The research, conducted by experts at the Mount Sinai, highlights a significant gap in current patient assessment practices, showing that depending solely on standard risk scores and symptoms may leave many vulnerable. The findings, published in JACC: Advances, point to the dangers of silent plaque buildup in arteries—often undetected until it becomes life-threatening. Lead author Amir Ahmadi said population-based risk tools fail to capture true individual risk. He noted that if patients were assessed just two days before their heart attack, nearly half would not have qualified for further testing or preventive treatment under current guidelines. Researchers evaluated two major tools—the traditional ASCVD risk score and a newer, more detailed model called PREVENT calculator—using data from 474 patients under age 66 with no known coronary artery disease. They found that: ASCVD would have classified almost 50% of patients as low or borderline risk. PREVENT would have misclassified more than 60% of them. Additionally, 60% of patients reported no symptoms—such as chest discomfort or breathlessness—until less than two days before their heart attack, making symptom-based screening unreliable. The study suggests shifting from symptom- and score-based evaluation to atherosclerosis imaging, which can detect silent plaque early and potentially prevent heart attacks before they occur. Source: IANS

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