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Indian Government Launches Skill India Digital: Transforming Skill Development, Education, and Employment Landscape

The Indian government, under the leadership of Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan, unveiled Skill India Digital (SID), a digital platform with the goal of revolutionizing the education, skill development, employment, and entrepreneurship landscape in India. SID serves as the digital public infrastructure (DPI) for India’s skill development, education, employment, and entrepreneurship ecosystem, aiming to make skill enhancement more innovative, accessible, and personalized, particularly focusing on digital technology and industry 4.0 skills. Its primary objectives are to facilitate the hiring of skilled talent, support lifelong learning, and promote career advancement. Furthermore, SID will serve as a comprehensive information hub for all government initiatives related to skill development and entrepreneurship. Minister Pradhan expressed that the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has established an open-source platform to cater to the diverse skilling needs of India’s population. Skill India Digital represents a significant step towards leveraging India’s demographic advantage and positioning the country as a global skills hub. This digital initiative is set to revolutionize the learning and skill development landscape, making skilling accessible to everyone, anytime and anywhere. SID offers support in multiple Indian languages and ensures secure access through Aadhaar-based eKYC verification to ensure genuine participation. The platform adopts a mobile-first approach, enabling uninterrupted learning on handheld devices. One of its standout features is the use of Digitally Verified Credentials, which allows users to present their qualifications, experiences, and certifications in a digital format with built-in authenticity. Through personalized QR codes, potential employers and partners can easily access a candidate’s portfolio, showcasing their skills, qualifications, experiences, and accomplishments. The platform is designed to encompass all training programs initiated by both central and state governments, as well as various departments. This centralized hub for skill development initiatives aims to provide learners with improved accessibility, personalized learning experiences, streamlined verification processes, and enhanced career guidance. Ultimately, Skill India Digital seeks to empower individuals to acquire relevant skills, stay updated with industry trends, and contribute effectively to the country’s workforce development.

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Top 12 Reasons to Attend the ArdorComm ELSA Summit in Bengaluru on 22nd Sept 2023

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In today’s fast-evolving world, the importance of education and skills development cannot be overstated. And if you’re passionate about shaping the future of education in India, there’s an event you don’t want to miss: the ArdorComm ‘New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2023’, taking place in Bengaluru, Karnataka, on September 22nd, 2023. Here are the top 12 reasons why you should attend this groundbreaking summit: Redefine the Future of Education: This summit isn’t just another event; it’s a platform where ideas and innovations converge to reshape the future of education and skills development in India. It’s your chance to be part of a transformational journey that can impact millions of lives. Nationally Recognized Event: ArdorComm Media Group has a well-established reputation for its commitment to educational excellence. By attending, you align yourself with a nationally recognized event that values quality education. Bengaluru, the Ideal Venue: Bengaluru’s reputation as the ‘Silicon Valley of India’ speaks for itself. As the backdrop for this summit, it provides the perfect setting to explore the synergy between education and technology in a city known for its innovation and forward-thinking. Unprecedented Networking: Connect with key players in the education field, including educators, policymakers, innovators, and industry experts. These connections can open doors to collaborations and opportunities you might not find elsewhere. Educational Excellence: Learn from thought leaders who have dedicated themselves to advancing education in India. Their insights and experiences can inspire and guide your own contributions to the field. Discussion on Key Topics: Engage in discussions that matter. Topics like curriculum rethinking, the role of technology in school education, and skill development in higher education are vital to the future of education. Skill Development Emphasis: In a rapidly changing job landscape, skill development is crucial. Explore how education can be a catalyst for skill acquisition and a multidisciplinary approach, ensuring graduates are job-ready. The ‘PHYGITAL’ Mode: Discover how the ‘PHYGITAL’ mode of learning, blending physical and digital elements, is shaping higher education. It’s not just about imparting knowledge but also about fostering entrepreneurship and employability. Embracing New Technologies: Get a first-hand look at how technologies like AI, ML, and IoT are revolutionizing higher education. Stay ahead of the curve by understanding how these advancements can benefit educators and students alike. Impressive Speaker Lineup: With over 50 speakers, including government dignitaries, industry leaders, and education experts, you’ll have access to a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Broad Audience: The diverse audience, comprising schools, higher education institutions, EdTech startups, and corporate representatives, ensures a wide range of perspectives and opportunities for collaboration. Celebrating Excellence: The ArdorComm Education Leadership Awards 2023 stand as a beacon of recognition and celebration. These awards honour individuals, educational institutions, EdTech enterprises, and pioneering start-ups that have made outstanding contributions to education in India. By attending, you join in celebrating these remarkable achievements and gain inspiration to contribute to the educational landscape. Final words: By attending the ArdorComm ‘New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2023,’ you not only gain knowledge and network with industry leaders but also celebrate those who have gone above and beyond to elevate the quality and impact of education in India. Don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of the educational revolution and celebrate excellence in education. Join us in Bengaluru on September 22nd, 2023, and let’s collectively shape the future of education in India. To register and learn more about this exciting event, visit the official website: ArdorComm ELSA Summit. Be a part of the change and celebrate excellence in education! Also read: https://ardorcomm-media.com/ardorcomm-new-normal-education-leadership-summit-awards-2023-to-be-held-at-bengaluru-karnataka-on-22nd-september-2023-elsabengaluru-elsakarnataka/

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JioCinema to Live Stream India-Australia ODI Series for Free, Viacom18 Secures Exclusive Media Rights

Reliance-owned JioCinema is set to make its debut in broadcasting Indian cricket team’s home matches by offering free streaming of India’s 3-match ODI series against Australia. This marks the first international series in JioCinema’s rights cycle. The streaming platform will provide coverage of the matches in 11 languages and has enlisted a panel of cricket experts, including Suresh Raina, Kedar Jadhav, Aakash Chopra, Amit Mishra, Hanuma Vihari, Kiran More, Anirudha Srikanth, Sarandeep Singh, and others. Viacom18, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, secured exclusive media rights for both international and domestic matches organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for a total of Rs 5,963 crore over the next five years, spanning from September 2023 to March 2028. Viacom18 secured these rights with a winning bid of Rs 67.8 crore per match, surpassing Sony Pictures Networks India, while Disney Star did not participate in the auction. Anil Jayaraj, CEO of Viacom18 – Sports, emphasized that the India-Australia ODI series would provide viewers with a glimpse of Indian cricket’s new home. He stated that their aim was to transform the way sports are consumed and deliver BCCI events at an unprecedented scale, combining digital and linear/offline TV platforms. Viacom18 had secured broadcasting rights for all Indian cricket teams’ home matches, including both men’s and women’s teams, for both digital and television platforms. The series will be broadcast live on various regional channels, including Colors Tamil, Colors Bangla Cinema, Colors Kannada Cinema, Colors Cineplex Superhits, Sports18 – 1 SD, and Sports18 – 1 HD, catering to viewers in different languages. The upcoming ODI series is crucial for both India and Australia as they seek to build momentum ahead of the 50-over World Cup scheduled for October 2023 in India. Australia, known for its strong cricket team, views this series as an opportunity to acclimatize to Indian conditions before the World Cup. JioCinema will stream the matches in 4K quality and in multiple languages, including English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. Fans can also participate in the “Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan” fan engagement contest, where they can make predictions and win exciting prizes, including premium hatchback cars. This contest was first introduced during the 2023 TATA IPL and garnered significant popularity.

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Government Building Digital Public Infrastructure for Future Job Skills: MoS IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar

The Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, announced the government’s commitment to digital skilling, emphasizing the development of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to prepare young Indians for future tech-oriented jobs. Speaking at the Skill India Digital event, where the government launched the Skill India Digital portal to benefit all citizens, especially those aged 15 and above, the minister highlighted the global recognition of DPIs during the G20 Summit and their application in digital skilling for India’s youth. Chandrasekhar stated, “This DPI aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Skill India and Digital India, addressing the growing importance of digital skills in a post-Covid world. Its purpose extends to nurturing both entrepreneurship and employment opportunities.” During the event, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, along with Chandrasekhar, unveiled Skill India Digital, an advanced digital platform designed to consolidate various skilling initiatives. In a recent statement, Chandrasekhar highlighted India’s impressive technological advancements, which gained international attention during the G20 Summit. India’s DPI, much like the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Aadhaar, has disrupted conventional norms and showcased the country’s digital transformation efforts. He remarked, “Today, the world is recognizing India’s remarkable achievements in technology, utilizing Digital Public Infrastructure to revolutionize governance and enhance citizens’ lives.” The G20 leaders have pledged to adopt, construct, and maintain a Global Digital Public Infrastructure, emphasizing the importance of fostering a secure and robust global digital economy and ecosystem.

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Chargebee Announces 10% Workforce Reduction Due to Market Shifts

Chargebee, attributing market changes as the primary driver, has decided to lay off approximately 10% of its global workforce. This workforce reduction is expected to impact around 100 to 120 employees across various departments within the company. Chargebee now aims to focus on its upcoming phase of more streamlined expansion, which entails restructuring and concentrating on specific key objectives. Furthermore, in light of ongoing technological advancements and market dynamics in the industry, Chargebee will place greater emphasis on enhancing its customers’ experience and refining its core products. The company is committed to providing severance packages to departing employees and will adhere to labor laws applicable in their respective countries. This move follows a previous round of staff cuts at Chargebee in November 2022 when the company cited economic challenges, resulting in the separation of approximately 142 employees, equivalent to roughly 10% of its workforce at that time. Established in 2011 by Krish Subramanian, Rajaraman Santhanam, Saravanan KP, and Thiyagarajan T, Chargebee is a revenue management platform that streamlines revenue operations for SaaS businesses. As a unicorn company, Chargebee serves a client base of over 4,000 companies, including notable names such as Okta, Freshworks, and Calendly. In its most recent funding round, the company successfully secured $250 million, led by the US-based hedge fund Tiger Global and Peak XV Partners (formerly known as Sequoia Capital India). To date, Chargebee has raised nearly half a billion dollars in funding through multiple financing rounds.

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IIT Kanpur and ICICI Bank Forge Partnership to Boost Startup Innovation in India

In a significant development, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ICICI Bank to extend comprehensive support to startups. This strategic collaboration is aimed at fostering collaborative initiatives between IIT Kanpur and ICICI Bank, with the primary goal of empowering startups and innovators at the Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) at IIT Kanpur by equipping them with essential tools and knowledge. The official announcement hails this partnership as a pivotal step forward in advancing India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, underscoring the critical role of partnerships in driving economic growth and nurturing innovation. Both IIT Kanpur and ICICI Bank are deeply committed to providing comprehensive assistance to early-stage ventures, underscoring their dedication to nurturing India’s vibrant startup community. This collaboration will primarily focus on supporting incubatees by enhancing their understanding of foreign trade policies. It will involve organizing workshops and seminars to enable students to effectively engage in international markets. Additionally, the two institutions will work together to host events for startups, thus creating a more expansive ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship that extends beyond financial services. ICICI Bank will also play a pivotal role in simplifying the complexities associated with pre and post-transaction compliance, ensuring that innovators, incubatees, and students at IIT Kanpur have a seamless experience when interacting with Private Equity (PE) and Venture Capital (VC) support. This includes streamlining the verification and submission of regulatory documents through digital channels, making the process more accessible and enhancing access to vital financial resources for emerging entrepreneurs within the IIT Kanpur ecosystem.

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Indian Scientists Pioneer Innovative Nanoparticles for Detecting and Destroying Cancer Cells

Indian scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have achieved a major breakthrough in cancer research with a novel approach for both detecting and eliminating cancer cells. Their innovation involves the creation of hybrid nanoparticles made from a combination of gold and copper sulphide. These nanoparticles have the unique ability to eradicate cancer cells by generating heat when exposed to light and also facilitate their identification through sound waves. These hybrid nanoparticles possess three key properties: photothermal capabilities, oxidative stress induction, and photoacoustic characteristics. When these particles come into contact with light, they absorb it and produce heat, effectively destroying cancer cells. Furthermore, they generate harmful singlet oxygen atoms that contribute to the cancer cell’s demise. In addition to their therapeutic potential, these nanoparticles also have diagnostic applications. They can absorb light and produce ultrasound waves, making it possible to detect cancer cells with high precision. This diagnostic capability could enhance the accuracy of cancer diagnosis because sound waves scatter less than light when passing through tissues, providing clearer images and more precise measurements of oxygen levels in tumors. One notable aspect of this innovation is its ability to overcome a limitation of previously developed nanoparticles: their size. Through a unique reduction technique, the IISc researchers managed to deposit tiny gold seeds onto the surface of copper sulphide, resulting in hybrid nanoparticles measuring less than 8 nm. These minuscule particles have the potential to navigate through tissues effectively, reach tumors, and exit the human body naturally without accumulating. These nanoparticles have undergone testing in laboratory settings using lung and cervical cancer cell lines. The next phase for the IISc team is to translate these promising results into clinical development, marking a significant advancement in the battle against cancer.

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NITI Aayog’s Special Campaign 2.0: Clearing Pending Matters and Boosting Cleanliness

NITI Aayog has launched Special Campaign 2.0 to address pending matters and promote cleanliness. This initiative, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of a clean India, began in October 2021 and has continued into 2022 and 2023. Special Campaign 2.0, which runs from November 2022 to August 2023, aims to ensure the prompt resolution of public grievances, references from Members of Parliament, state governments, inter-ministerial consultations, and parliamentary assurances by ministries and departments. The campaign is led by NITI Aayog, along with its associated offices, including the Development Monitoring & Evaluation Office (DMEO) and Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) in NITI Bhawan, as well as the National Institute of Labour Economics Research and Development (NILERD) in Narela, New Delhi. It focuses on addressing public grievances, parliamentary assurances, PMO references, and emphasizes record management, cleanliness both indoors and outdoors, and the disposal of office scrap to create more space within NITI Aayog. During this campaign, significant progress has been made in resolving public grievances, parliamentary assurances, and PMO references. Additionally, a substantial number of files have been reviewed and cleared, freeing up valuable space, and generating revenue through the disposal of office scrap. Over 75% of the designated physical files have been reviewed, and approximately 95% of public grievances and appeals have been addressed. Moreover, redundant scrap materials and obsolete items have been identified for disposal.

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Microsoft Introduces Confidential ‘Impact Descriptors’ for Managerial Performance Assessments

Microsoft has introduced a confidential performance-rating system called ‘impact descriptors,’ specifically designed for use by managers and not disclosed to employees. These ratings play a crucial role in determining employee compensation and bonuses, which Microsoft refers to as ‘rewards.’ The company emphasizes that these descriptors are distinct from traditional performance ratings or labels associated with individual employees. These undisclosed ratings are intended to encourage a growth-oriented mindset. The impact descriptors consist of four categories: ‘Lower than Expected Impact (LITE),’ ‘Slightly Lower Impact than Expected (SLITE),’ ‘Successful Impact,’ and ‘Exceptional Impact.’ Each category is clearly defined in a guideline document to assist managers in their assessments. Employees in the ‘Lower than Expected Impact (LITE)’ category are those who consistently fall short of meeting expectations, lack a growth mindset, or do not align with Microsoft’s cultural values. In the ‘Slightly Lower Impact than Expected (SLITE)’ category are employees who occasionally miss expectations or display inconsistency in meeting cultural expectations but show a willingness to learn and improve. The ‘successful impact’ category includes employees who consistently meet or exceed expectations, embrace a growth mindset, and align with Microsoft’s cultural values. The ‘exceptional impact’ category is reserved for employees who consistently deliver exceptional results, surpass all expectations, demonstrate an outstanding growth mindset, and adhere to Microsoft’s cultural values. Managers are encouraged to evaluate and assess employee performance or ‘impact’ based on these impact descriptors, explaining how an employee has demonstrated a particular level of impact during the fiscal year. However, they are explicitly discouraged from using the acronyms LITE, SLITE, and so on, or converting the descriptors into ratings or labels. Microsoft’s managers are expected to utilize these descriptors solely as a guidance tool for assessing employee impact, facilitating reward decisions, and providing constructive feedback.

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G20 Declaration: Commitment to Inclusive, Quality Education with Emphasis on Technology and Lifelong Learning

In the latest G20 Declaration released on Saturday, member nations reiterated their unwavering commitment to providing “inclusive, equitable, and high-quality” education. Notably, the declaration takes a significant step forward by advocating the use of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance and ensure the widespread accessibility of education. The declaration strongly emphasized the use of digital technologies to bridge existing digital divides for all learners. It pledged support for educational institutions and teachers to help them stay updated with emerging trends and technological advancements, including AI. Additionally, the declaration highlighted the critical need for lifelong learning, with a particular focus on upskilling, reskilling, and skilling for vulnerable groups in society. This commitment to education is not new for the G20, as previous declarations have consistently stressed the importance of inclusive, equitable education and lifelong learning, with particular attention to marginalized communities. These declarations have also acknowledged the pivotal role that blended learning approaches played during the pandemic. Furthermore, the declaration underscored the significance of foundational learning, including literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills, as the fundamental building blocks of education and employment. It reaffirmed member nations’ dedication to fostering increased collaboration among their educational institutions. The G20 Declaration also reaffirmed the commitment to promoting open, equitable, and secure scientific collaboration and encouraged the mobility of students, scholars, researchers, and scientists across research and higher education institutions. Moreover, member nations expressed their dedication to expanding access to high-quality technical and vocational education and training, recognizing its importance. Building on the previous declaration in Bali, the New Delhi declaration also addressed gender disparities in education, emphasizing the commitment to bridging this gap. It ensured equal access to affordable, inclusive, safe, and quality education at all levels, with a focus on women and girls, including those with disabilities, in STEM fields and emerging digital technologies.

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