DSW-BSAI agreement

Lucknow, july 22. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Department of Social Welfare (DSW), Government of Uttar Pradesh and the Boarding Schools’ Association of India (BSAI).

The MoU records the shared intent of DSW and BSAI to explore a collaborative association for assistance and guidance towards the development of a proposed flagship/model boarding school of the department in Greater Noida, UP, and 120 Jay Prakash Narayan Sarvodaya Vidyalayas managed by the government of Uttar Pradesh.

BSAI undertook to offer guidance in areas such as: Educational philosophy and school culture; Campus aesthetics and learning environment; Academic and pedagogical frameworks; Teacher preparation and professional development; Administrative and operational best practices; and any other area mutually agreed upon by the parties

Asim Arun, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Social Welfare, SC/ST Welfare and Captain A. J. Singh, President, BSAI signed the MoU.

Tripartite MoU

Kurukshetra, july 7. Three Haryana-based universities — Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies (MRIIRS), Kurukshetra University and Shri Vishwakarma Skill University (SVSU) — signed a tripartite MoU for research, innovation and knowledge sharing, marking the state’s first collaboration of this type bringing three prominent public and private universities together.

Under the MoU, the signatory institutions will undertake joint research, faculty development programmes, conferences, workshops, knowledge exchange and the shared use of laboratories and academic resources. The MoU also provides for joint supervision of undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral research, curriculum enrichment, academic benchmarking, scholarly publications, technology development and jointly sharing national and international research funding.

“Universities are at their best when they learn from one another. Pooling differing academic strengths will encourage interdisciplinary learning, strengthen research and create wider academic opportunities for students and faculty while preparing students for a world where complex challenges call for collaborative solutions,” said Prof. (Dr.) Sanjay Srivastava, Vice Chancellor, MRIIRS, speaking on the occasion.

SBI Asha Scholarships 2026

Mumbai, july 23. SBI Foundation, the CSR (corporate social responsibility) arm of the State Bank of India, announced launch of the SBI Platinum Jubilee Asha Scholarship 2026 — one of India’s largest corporate scholarship programmes. In its 2026 edition, the programme will support 25,707 meritorious students from economically disadvantaged households across the country, helping them pursue academic excellence and realise their aspirations without financial barriers. The scholarship programme offers annual financial assistance ranging from Rs.15,000-15,00,000, depending on the category of education institution, to scholars and provides support throughout the duration of the selected course, subject to fulfilment of the prescribed renewal criteria.

The SBI Platinum Jubilee Asha Scholarship 2026 supports selected students across multiple academic pathways, including: School students (classes IX-XII); Undergraduate and postgrad students enrolled in NIRF Top 300 or NAAC A-rated institutions; Medical (MBBS) students; Students enrolled in IITs and IIMs; Students pursuing Master’s programmes abroad at universities ranked among the Top 200 in the QS World University Rankings.

“Through this initiative, we aim to empower over 25,000 scholars to become the torchbearers of progress and contribute meaningfully towards the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047,” said Challa Sreenivasulu Setty, Chairman, State Bank of India, speaking at the launch of the scholarship programme 2026.

Applications for the SBI Platinum Jubilee Asha Scholarship 2026 are open until September 4. Aspirant students enrolled in approved institutions can apply through the official portal www.sbiashascholarship.co.in.

Google Agentic AI varsity

Rae bareilly, july 20. The privately-promoted Varanasi-based Invertis University (IU, estb.2010) announced a strategic collaboration with US-based Google to transform into a Google Agentic AI University. The objective of the partnership is to integrate Google’s advanced AI ecosystem into the university’s academic framework, enabling students and faculty to develop AI capabilities to meet evolving demands of the global workplace.

“As AI rapidly transforms industries, the collaboration will provide students access to cutting-edge AI learning resources, hands-on exposure to emerging technologies, industry-relevant certification, and opportunities to work on real-world AI applications. This initiative will also strengthen research, foster innovation, and bridge the gap between academia and industry,” says an official IU statement.

“Education has always been the most meaningful way to serve society, and at Invertis University, our vision has been to make world-class learning and emerging technologies accessible to every student. Our collaboration with Google is another step towards preparing young minds to become innovators, responsible citizens, and contributors to India’s growth story,” said Dr. Umesh Gautam, Chancellor of IU, speaking on the occasion.