India Today Best Colleges super portal
New delhi, june 23. The India Today Group has launched a brand-new online portal for its Best Colleges Survey — “the most credible and exhaustive ranking of institutions of higher learning in India for over a quarter century” — featuring six years of ranking data as well as a wealth of granular information on thousands of institutes of higher learning.

According to a India Today press release, the interactive portal offers easy access, analysis, and guidance to the Best Colleges of India survey results for 2,000 colleges across 14 major streams —Engineering, Architecture, BBA, Mass Communication, Hotel Management, Fashion Design, MSW, BCA, B.Com, B.Sc, BA, Law, Medical and Dental.

Aside from the colleges ranking — which can be filtered by state and city — the site also allows cross comparisons on five major indicators of quality: intake & quality of governance, academic excellence, infrastructure & living experience, personality & leadership development and placement & career. It also provides a wealth of data about each college, from courses offered and eligibility requirements to admission fees, cut offs, placements, faculty data, and information on the institute’s industry connect, says an an India Today spokesperson.

One of many USPs of this new portal is the Jobs in Demand section which offers insights on the positions and salaries on offer to graduates from different streams. A separate section on the Best Emerging Colleges presents new institutions of excellence while information on important exams, including JEE, NEET, CUET, LSAT and BITSAT is also available for easy reference.

“We invite everyone to visit our website — https://bestcolleges.indiatoday.in — for some happy, productive surfing, and we wish aspiring students all the very best,” says the spokesperson.

Primus-IRMA Excellence Lab
New delhi, june 8. Primus Partners Pvt. Ltd (Primus, estb.2010), a Delhi-based consultancy firm, and the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA, estb.1979 in by Dr. Verghese Kurien), have jointly promoted PRIMA: Primus IRMA Excellence Lab. The objective of this initiative is to harness the industry expertise of Primus Partners and the academic excellence of IRMA to drive innovation, research, and knowledge sharing in rural management.

Under this partnership, Primus will offer internship opportunities to selected final year IRMA students to acquire valuable hands-on experience of a career in management consulting. The PRIMA project will also facilitate guest lectures by industry experts and thought leaders, fostering a vibrant exchange of ideas and experiences.

“Our expectation is to drive innovation, develop impactful research, and empower the next generation of professionals in rural management and agriculture,” said Davinder Sandhu, co-founder and chairman, Primus Partners.

Added Dr. Umakant Dash, director of IRMA: “The Primus IRMA Lab marks an exciting milestone in our journey of academic excellence to address critical issues in rural management and agriculture. We are eager to embark on this journey of knowledge creation and collaborative learning.”

BITS-Pilani’s new Centre for Excellence
Pilani, june 27. BITS-Pilani announced receipt of a donation of US $1 million (Rs.8.2 crore) from alumnus Ranvir Trehan, a technologist-entrepreneur. The funds will be utilised to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Semiconductor Research on BITS-Pilani’s Hyderabad campus. The centre will focus on conducting research and developing human resources capacity for India’s rapidly growing semiconductor sector.

“The generous donation will enable us to hit the ground running and commence operations of the centre immediately. We are actively working towards raising an additional $2 million to fully develop the potential of the centre which will offer academic programs for undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as specialised doctoral and post-doctoral research opportunities that align with industry requirements,” said Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Vice Chancellor, BITS Pilani, speaking on the occasion.

Added Ranvir & Mrs. Adarsh Trehan in a statement: “BITS-Pilani has played a significant role in our professional achievements, and it is with heartfelt affection that we make this modest contribution to support BITS-Pilani in enhancing its research capabilities and fostering the development of human resources in the vital field of semiconductors. This sector has been identified as a strategic focus area at the national level through the India Semiconductor Mission.”

MAHE wins THE Award
Manipal, june 29. Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) has won the prestigious Technological Digital Innovation of the Year award at Times Higher Education Awards Asia 2023, staged in Hong Kong.

More than 220 institutions from 20 countries and territories participated, submitting almost 700 entries. A panel of external judges selected MAHE, the winner in the Technological Digital Innovation category for its revolutionary E-Pad system for transforming the examination process. “This cutting-edge system allows students to submit their exam responses digitally using a stylus. By leveraging the power of digital technology, MAHE has streamlined the examination process, providing students with a more efficient and user-friendly experience,” said Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor, MAHE.