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New COVID-19 Subvariants NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 Detected in India: INSACOG Report

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India has recorded the presence of two newly emerging COVID-19 subvariants—NB.1.8.1 and LF.7—according to recent data released by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). While these variants are currently categorized as Variants Under Monitoring by the World Health Organization (WHO), they have been linked to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases across China and parts of Asia. As per the INSACOG data, a single case of NB.1.8.1 was identified in Tamil Nadu in April, while four cases of LF.7 were reported from Gujarat in May 2025. Despite these new detections, the dominant strain circulating in India remains JN.1, accounting for approximately 53% of the tested samples. It is followed by BA.2 (26%) and other Omicron-related variants (20%). Preliminary assessments by WHO suggest that NB.1.8.1 poses a low global public health risk, but the subvariant carries spike protein mutations—A435S, V445H, and T478I—that may enhance both transmissibility and the ability to evade immune responses. As of May 19, India reported 257 active COVID-19 cases. A high-level review meeting was recently convened, chaired by the Director General of Health Services, with participation from the ICMR, National Centre for Disease Control, and other leading health agencies to monitor the evolving situation. Meanwhile, certain states have shown localized spikes. Delhi reported 23 new cases, Andhra Pradesh had four, Telangana confirmed one, and Bengaluru recorded a positive case in a nine-month-old infant, reflecting a steady rise over the last 20 days. Kerala, in particular, reported 273 cases in May alone. Source: PTI

New COVID-19 Subvariants NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 Detected in India: INSACOG Report Read More »

61.6% of India’s Schools Follow Three-Language Policy; Gujarat & Punjab Lead, TN & Arunachal Lag

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The Union Education Ministry has revealed that 61.6% of schools in India follow the three-language formula, covering 74.7% of students nationwide. Gujarat and Punjab lead in implementation, while Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Tamil Nadu rank among the lowest. The data, presented in Parliament on Monday in response to DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi’s query, highlights the ongoing conflict between Tamil Nadu and the Centre over the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Tamil Nadu’s DMK-led government opposes the three-language policy, calling it a move toward “Hindi imposition.” Key Insights from the Report: Schools Offering Three Languages: 906,225 (61.6%) Schools Offering Two Languages: 416,601 (28.3%) Schools Offering One Language: 149,065 (10.1%) Students Studying Three Languages: 185.3M (74.7%) Students Studying Two Languages: 41.6M Students Studying One Language: 21M Union Minister of State Jayant Chaudhary emphasized that no language would be imposed on any state, and flexibility would be provided to choose languages. However, analysis shows that Hindi-speaking states predominantly offer Sanskrit as the third language, while non-Hindi states often include Hindi. Meanwhile, private schools are increasingly offering foreign languages due to rising demand. The debate over language education remains heated, particularly in states like Tamil Nadu, where linguistic identity plays a central role in politics. The data highlights the diverse linguistic landscape of India’s education system and the ongoing policy challenges in balancing national and regional priorities.

61.6% of India’s Schools Follow Three-Language Policy; Gujarat & Punjab Lead, TN & Arunachal Lag Read More »

Centre Postpones Good Governance Index 2023, Next Release Scheduled for 2025

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The release of the Good Governance Index (GGI) 2023, originally planned during Good Governance Week from December 19 to 25, has been deferred to 2025. The decision, as confirmed by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), reflects the need for updated data to ensure accurate and relevant governance assessments. The GGI, launched in December 2019 on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, evaluates states and Union Territories (UTs) across over 50 indicators in sectors such as agriculture, economic governance, public health, and citizen-centric governance. In the 2019 and 2021 editions, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat emerged as top-performing states, respectively. The last index, unveiled on December 25, 2021, by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, assessed states on 58 indicators spanning 10 sectors. Gujarat secured the highest ranking, with 20 states showing improved composite scores compared to the inaugural 2019 index. DARPG Secretary V. Srinivas clarified the rationale behind the deferment: “Using data collected earlier in 2023 for a release at the end of 2024 would render the findings outdated. The GGI is a biennial publication, and the next edition will be published in December 2025.” In the interim, the DARPG has released District Good Governance Indices for states like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Arunachal Pradesh, showcasing its ongoing commitment to governance reforms. The Centre’s decision underscores the importance of aligning governance indices with current data to enhance their utility in shaping effective policy decisions. Source: Financial Express Photo Credit: Financial Express

Centre Postpones Good Governance Index 2023, Next Release Scheduled for 2025 Read More »

University of Wollongong Launches Inaugural Scholarships and Advanced Courses at New India Campus in GIFT City

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Australia’s University of Wollongong (UOW) has become the second foreign university to establish a campus in India’s GIFT City, Gujarat, and has officially commenced classes, offering unique scholarships for its inaugural batch. All full-time students enrolled in the first batch are eligible for “InAugural Scholarships,” which include a 50% tuition fee waiver for Masters and Masters Extension students and a 25% waiver for Graduate Certificate students in their first trimester. According to Nimay Kalyani, director of UOW India, the scholarships are designed to support the initial group of students as they begin their academic journey at the institution. Kalyani added that the university will continue to introduce additional scholarship programs, with the “Women Leaders in FinTech” scholarship set to launch in November 2024. This initiative provides three top Indian students with a 50% tuition fee reduction across the program duration, with the final trimester offering a 100% waiver. UOW India’s academic focus is on high-demand fields such as IT, STEM, business, and FinTech, with plans to broaden its course offerings in response to India’s educational needs. Faculty includes both local experts and international instructors from UOW’s campuses in Australia and Dubai. The university also announced a corporate collaboration with IBM, which offers students advanced training in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, blockchain, and more through IBM’s Innovation Centre for Education (ICE). This partnership ensures UOW India’s students receive industry-relevant skills and exposure to global job markets, with IBM ICE providing access to in-demand technical resources and courses tailored for industry readiness. “This collaboration aims to equip our students with essential skills, internships, and career pathways across sectors ranging from multinational corporations to entrepreneurial ventures,” Kalyani shared, emphasizing UOW India’s commitment to fostering a skilled workforce ready for global opportunities. Source: Financial Express

University of Wollongong Launches Inaugural Scholarships and Advanced Courses at New India Campus in GIFT City Read More »

Six Children Die of Suspected Chandipura Virus in Gujarat Since July 10

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Six children have died due to suspected Chandipura virus in Gujarat since July 10, with the total number of cases of the infection rising to 12, state Health Minister Rushikesh Patel has said. “Samples of the 12 patients have been sent to Pune’s National Institute of Virology (NIV) for confirmation,” he said on Monday. Chandipura virus causes fever, with symptoms similar to flu, and acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). It is transmitted by vectors like mosquitoes, ticks, and sand flies. The pathogen is a member of the Vesiculovirus genus of the family Rhabdoviridae. Patel said that four of the 12 patients were from Sabarkantha district, three from Aravalli, one each from Mahisagar and Kheda in Gujarat, while two patients were from Rajasthan and one from Madhya Pradesh. They received treatment in Gujarat. “Six deaths due to suspected Chandipura virus have been reported in the state, but only after results of the samples it will be clear whether they were caused by the Chandipura virus,” he said in a statement. “Five out of six deaths have been reported from the civil hospital in Himatnagar in Sabarkantha district. All 12 samples, including eight of patients at the civil hospital in Sabarkantha, have been sent to Pune’s National Institute of Virology (NIV) for confirmation,” Patel said. Paediatricians at the Himatnagar civil hospital had suspected Chandipura virus as the cause of death of four children on July 10 and sent their samples to NIV for confirmation. Later, four more children at the hospital showed similar symptoms. “Chandipura virus is not contagious. However, intensive surveillance has been undertaken in the affected areas. We have screened 18,646 persons in 4,487 houses. The health department is working round-the-clock to prevent the spread of the disease,” Patel said.

Six Children Die of Suspected Chandipura Virus in Gujarat Since July 10 Read More »

Students to move Supreme Court after centre cancelled controversial-NEET exam

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Over 50 successful Gujarat-based NEET-UG candidates, including several top rankers, have moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to restrain the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA) from cancelling the controversy-ridden exam. They have requested the top court to direct the Union education ministry to investigate and take strict action against students and others who indulged in unfair practices like paper leak and impersonation in the NEET-UG exam conducted on May 5 this year. A fresh plea by 56 students was filed just days before a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud is scheduled to hear 26 petitions seeking various reliefs, including a re-test and a probe into the conduct of the exam, which has been plagued by allegations of malpractices. These allegations, including paper leaks, have led to protests in several cities and disputes between rival political parties. The pleas seeking the cancellation of the exam, a re-test, and a high-level probe are listed for hearing on July 8 in the Supreme Court.

Students to move Supreme Court after centre cancelled controversial-NEET exam Read More »

Imtiaz Mirza, Sales Manager, Yes Marketing, Gujarat (Distributor- Canon) gave a sneakpeak of the upcoming gadgets from Canon

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“Technology is constantly changing, so maybe new software will be introduced from Canon,” said Imtiaz Mirza, Sales Manager, Yes Marketing, Gujarat (Distributor- Canon) at the ArdorComm Media Group hosted ‘New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2024’ on 10th February 2024 at Crowne Plaza Ahmedabad City Centre, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Give us a little idea about the product present here from Canon? Thank you very much for organizing this beautiful event, and we are here for the education leadership summit at Crowne Plaza Ahmedabad. Our storage here includes a hello get it for that Canon. We are the main distributor for Canon, and I am from Yes Marketing. I am the sales manager for the Gujarat state. For this educational site, we have very good products from Canon, such as multifunctional products that are suitable for the education sector. These products are very good for the retrieval of organization and for collecting data for student enrollment. Whatever documents are there, you can easily scan and store them. It will also help to edit and stand documents. Thank you very much, and it’s a very beautiful event. How does technology play a crucial role in the education sector? Our hardware product, like Canon multifunctional, is required for every educational sector, such as schools, universities, and any common areas. It is useful for making copies, scanning to email, and scanning to store data. With the new technology, everything is going digital, so whatever hard copy you have, you can scan and store it in digital format. You can store it in the cloud, email, or USB to reduce the need for hard copies. This is the basic idea of this new technology, keeping documents in digital format. Is Canon planning to introduce more software or tools and gadgets in the upcoming years for the education sector? Technology is constantly changing, so maybe new software will be introduced from Canon. But currently, it is already available, and you can check our products to know all the features. We, at Canon, are very advanced and have advanced models in different colors and black and white. Ardorcomm Media is celebrating its second anniversary. Any message you wish to share with us? So, you have put up many kiosks and it is really great. Like this kind of event will give you a complete idea about digital interaction with clients and will give you complete knowledge about your marketing.

Imtiaz Mirza, Sales Manager, Yes Marketing, Gujarat (Distributor- Canon) gave a sneakpeak of the upcoming gadgets from Canon Read More »

Avinash Sharma, Chief Manager, SAMSUNG discussed the future projects of Samsung in India

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“This model was launched in the last August, now we have the complete line up” said Avinash Sharma, Chief Manager, SAMSUNG at the ArdorComm Media Group hosted ‘New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2024’ on 10th February 2024 at Crowne Plaza Ahmedabad City Centre, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Samsung has launched its interactive display the smart learning and collaboration for the betterment of education system can you share a little more information on this gadget? So, we are a worldwide leader in display business solutions, So, it’s not commodity it’s a display with the solution. Interactive is just the extension of our product portfolio. So, it is now coming with the Android version and this has been launched in multiple schools and appreciated in terms of ease of use, how children can benefit in terms of communication, and Live interaction with the class with unique features we have in this panel. This is providing a complete transformation into a different school and fortunate and lucky to add value in the ecosystem. Technologies like the new gadget from Samsung how do you think that upcoming AI technology is enhancing the overall experience of education and learning in the Indian market? When you go back to the Corona Era it was very difficult to communicate with the students at the time this interactive panel adds value to education by educating the students in a particular way. It’s not about one way communication it’s a two-way communication. What students are learning, How they are benefiting, Are they learning in a particular way. In which exam they are not able to qualify, How much they are scoring. So, these all come in picture. We can enhance this and give value to the teacher so they can be focused in a particular area. Is Samsung planning any future product in India? Absolutely, this model was launched in the last August, now we have the complete line up. It will be a vertical lineup for enterprise as well as for education. So, this model now will have an inbuilt camera and definitely the specification will be coming. The best of the word is the most required “Make in India”, from the next month we will have the “Make in India” product so we have the complete line up required as per the specification. ArdorComm Media is now celebrating it’s second year of existence, any message to our team? I’m participating from the last 6 months in multiple educational events, I must appreciate and congratulate your team for doing a wonderful job. We had a wonderful discussion with the eminent personalities there. It’s a one-to-one discussion, we all were able to represent our product, So, that kind of interaction is much required. Let me congratulate your team for doing a wonderful job.  

Avinash Sharma, Chief Manager, SAMSUNG discussed the future projects of Samsung in India Read More »

Sheena Johnstone discussed various possibilities for Nursery Story in the Indian market.

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‘The standard of people speaking and the group discussions and everything has been really great” said Sheena Johnstone, Founder & CEO, Nursery Story at the ‘New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2024’ on 10th February 2024 at Crowne Plaza Ahmedabad City Centre, Ahmedabad, Gujarat hosted by ArdorComm Media Group. How do you think nursery story will impact the lives of individuals when it comes to teaching their toddlers?  Nursery story is an amazing way for teachers to communicate exactly what’s happening during the day. Things like, what they’re eating, what they’re drinking, and if they are going to the toilet. Also, they can click pictures and share and instantly with parents. So, the parents don’t feel like they’re missing out on anything, and then the child can continue because they know what they have eaten, what to expect, and what are the things they have learned throughout the day with the child. How did this idea come to you—integrating AI and technology for the nursery kids and helping their parents to give more attention and more time to the kids?  So, I have three grandchildren, my youngest, when she was starting nursery, I was shocked by the little information that we got. We didn’t get any information on her, she had a great day, and that was it, no information about the details of the day like what she was doing, what she was playing with, and that’s when the idea came. There had to be a better way of communicating. When you can order a pizza on a tablet, why can’t you have your child’s information when your child is so important to you. Now you have that information during the day and I think for a parent it is vital.  Is Nursery Story planning any future projects or any more software like this?  The wonderful time that we had here, the people that we have met, our partners in India also we have Indian developers and a company here that developed our product, So they have suggested that there was a need in India for this kind of product, and we have been delighted at the uptake, the people that we have spoken to, and the excitement it has created. So India will be doing a lot more business.  Can we expect this to be worldwide or just for India?  I hope so, but India is a very big market, and we have just been delighted to do our best for the all Indian people here and to produce and continue producing a software that they need.  What was the overall takeaway from this event?  It’s just been amazing the standard of people speaking and the group discussions and everything has been really great. The quality of the speaker, the university lecturer, has also been quite amazing.  

Sheena Johnstone discussed various possibilities for Nursery Story in the Indian market. Read More »

Ministry of Education Unveils Prerana: A Transformative Learning Initiative

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The Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India, has unveiled a transformative initiative, the ‘Prerana: An Experiential Learning Program.’ This week-long residential program is designed to provide a meaningful and inspiring experience to selected students from class IX to XII, fostering leadership qualities and aligning with the principles of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Rooted in the Indian education system and the philosophy of value-based education, Prerana aims to integrate these principles into its curriculum. The program will take place at a Vernacular School established in 1888 in Vadnagar, Gujarat, one of India’s oldest living cities. The school, a testament to Vadnagar’s resilience against challenges like earthquakes, stands as a living heritage site with deep historical roots. Prerana’s curriculum, developed by IIT Gandhi Nagar, revolves around nine value-based themes, including Swabhiman and Vinay, Shaurya and Sahas, and Swatantrata and Kartavya. The program’s schedule includes yoga, mindfulness, and meditation sessions, experiential learning, thematic sessions, and hands-on activities. Evening activities encompass visits to ancient sites, film screenings, and talent shows, providing a holistic approach to learning. The program is open for registration through a dedicated portal, where applicants can submit details for consideration. A rigorous selection process will identify 20 participants (10 boys and 10 girls) each week from diverse regions of the country. The selected participants will benefit from mentorship by professionals from prestigious institutions. Prerana’s vision is to inspire the youth, instill respect for India’s unity in diversity, and contribute to creating a flame-holder for a developed Bharat. Upon completion of the program, participants are expected to carry the ethos of Prerana into their communities, becoming change-makers and inspiring positive transformations. The initiative underscores a commitment to empowering the youth, aligning with the ideals of the Hon’ble Prime Minister and emphasizing the program’s role in shaping the future of the nation.

Ministry of Education Unveils Prerana: A Transformative Learning Initiative Read More »