Friday, January 3, 2025

AICTE signs MoU with 22 EdTech companies for 40 products under NEAT 4.0

The AICTE statement said that domain experts evaluated over 300 products to ensure high-quality standards before selecting 40 for onboarding onto the NEAT portal

NEW DELHI: The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Thursday with 22 EdTech companies to introduce 40 innovative products as part of the fourth phase of the National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT).

The AICTE statement said that domain experts evaluated over 300 products to ensure high-quality standards before selecting 40 for the NEAT portal (neat.aicte-india.org), which provide top ed-tech solutions and courses to students.

AICTE chairman T.G. Sitharam said, “The use of AI tools on the portal enables personalised learning, ensuring better outcomes for students. Moreover, the onboarding process allows evaluations every two to three months, expediting the inclusion of innovative solutions.”

The ministry of education introduced NEAT in September 2019 under a public-private partnership model. Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched NEAT 3.0 in January 2022.

“NEAT 3.0, which provided free ed-tech course coupons worth ₹253 crore to over 12 lakh disadvantaged students, involved 58 EdTech companies offering 100 products to enhance skills and bridge learning gaps,” said an official.

At Thursday’s event, Anil D. Sahasrabudhe, chairman of the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), said, “NEAT 4.0 will revolutionise online learning in India by providing learners with industry-oriented skills, enhancing their employability.”

Buddha Chandrasekhar, chief coordination officer, AICTE, added that NEAT 4.0 incorporates emerging fields such as Biomedical Engineering, Health and Wellness, and Space Technology, making the portal more versatile.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/aicte-signs-mou-with-22-edtech-companies-for-40-products-under-neat-40-101735895044017.html

Thursday, January 2, 2025

Vaachan Sankalp Maharashtracha

 


As part of the growing Reading Initiative of Maharashtra (शासन पवरपत्रक क्र. संकीर्ण -2024/ ई - 905221/समन्वय, दि. 20 दिसेंबर), the library of St. Francis Institute of Technology (Engineering College) will be conducting a variety of activities as enlisted below. Maharashtra's reading initiative has worked tirelessly to promote literature, encourage literacy, and nurture a reading culture in schools, colleges, and communities. Whether it’s through libraries, literary festivals, or public readings, the goal is to make books an integral part of daily life, providing people with the tools to engage critically with the world.

Quiz: Guess the Book by its Blurp

Book Exhibition

Group Reading Activity

Read Aloud Activity

Book Reviews

Library Cleaning

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

December 2024: Top News Articles

December 2024: Top News Articles

 

Ø MU academic council approves rules for twinning, dual degrees

The Times of India dt. 12/12/2024

 

Ø AICTE announces 2025 as the 'Year of Artificial Intelligence' to empower colleges and students

      The Times of India dt. 23/12/2024 

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Celebration of reading: Maharashtra unites 45 lakh students with statewide book review challenge





Mumbai: The new year will open with a symphony of words for students in Maharashtra. A govt resolution (GR) decrees that 45 lakh students, spread across 6,000 colleges and 83 universities in the state, embark on a shared literary journey: to read one book, cover to cover, and craft a thoughtful review.

The book reading and review initiative will be held from Jan 1-15.

The state's director of higher education, Shailendra Deolankar, said he was inspired to launch this "bold experiment in collective reflection, uniting campuses under a single narrative" after attending the Pune reading festival. Students can pick any book except a textbook related to the curriculum.

"The idea is to increase student engagement and to promote the habit of reading that is lost on the current generation. We have given students the freedom to pick a book they want: fiction, non-fiction, scientific, spiritual, self-help, or mystery. Before they start reading, teachers will counsel them on how to read a book and how they must review it," Deolankar told TOI.

College teachers lamented that a directive had to be passed to get students to read a book. "A habit that should have been cultivated at home and in school now requires the state to pass a GR. Yet, we are happy that a step has been taken," said a college teacher.

Deolankar said this will not be a one-off event, but a "continuous celebration" of reading.

After the book review, which will be either in the form of a written review or a presentation, colleges will choose the best student. Finally, after multiple rounds, colleges will whittle down to one student from each region who will be picked. Ten of them will be called to Pune and will be incentivised.

The state's 12,000 public libraries have also been roped in to lend books to students who may not have access to books.

Source: The Times of India dated 23 December 2024

Good Reads 7

Name of the Magazine :  OpenSource for you

Vol. No. 13 / Issue No. 03 / January 2025

 

Title: How to locate a device without using GPS

Author: Nidi Agarwal and Ashwini Kumar

Article Page No.: 95 – 98

 

Abstract: SSID-based Wi-Fi locationing offers a precise method for determining locations using Wi-Fi signals, particularly in areas where GPS often proves unreliable.

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 Name of the Magazine :  Voice and Data

Vol. No. 31 / Issue No. 11/ November 2024

 

Title: Mining Copper’s second life

Author: Pratima Harigunani   

Article Page No.: 24 - 29

 

Abstract: As telecom shifts to fibre, copper recycling emerges as a challenge and an opportunity, promising new revenue streams amid increasing demand for the metal.

 

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Name of the Magazine :  Voice and Data

Vol. No. 31 / Issue No. 12/ December 2024

 

Title: Leveraging AI clouds to transform industries into powerhouses

Author: Mohamed Imran  

Article Page No.: 12-14

 

Abstract: AI-powered cloud solutions redefine industries by enabling automation enhancing decision-making, and fostering scalable, intelligent workflows globally

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Name of the Magazine :  DATAQUEST

Vol. No. XL / Issue No. 12/ December 2024

 

Title: Data Sovereignty and Clouds: Not an Oxymoron. Anymore

Author: Pratima H.

Article Page No.: 16-18

 

Abstract: What was once contrarian to what the Cloud stood for is now being accommodated by top vendors and crafted in a special way. Are Sovereign Clouds flipping the script?

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Name of the Magazine :  Electrical India

Vol. No. 64 / Issue No. 12/ December 2024

 

Title: Ensuring Accelerated Growth of the INDIAN POWER SECTOR

Author: P. K. Chatterjee (PK)

Article Page No.: 32-35

 

Abstract: Indian government is determined to bring down carbon emission as per its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for 2030. The power sector has a major role to play in it. This article presents some of the significant developments that have taken place in this sector very recently...

 


Tuesday, December 24, 2024

GATE Exam 2025 Date, Schedule, Timetable: IIT-Roorkee releases dates; exams from Feb 1

GATE 2025 Exam Dates: Students can find the GATE 2025 timetable on the official website: gate2025.iitr.ac.in.


GATE Exam Timetable 2025: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has released the timetable for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2025. The exam will take place on February 1, 2, 15, and 16, in two sessions each day. Students can find the GATE 2025 timetable on the official website: gate2025.iitr.ac.in.

GATE 2025 will be held in the forenoon and afternoon sessions over the weekends between February 1 and 16. The forenoon session will run from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM, while the afternoon session will take place from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM.


GATE 2025 Time table

Date9.30 am to 12.30 pm2.30 pm to 5.30 pm
Feb 1, 2025CS1, AG, MACS2, NM, MT, TF, IN
Feb 2, 2025ME, PE, AREE
Feb 15, 2025CY, AE, DA, ES, PIEC, GE, XH, BM, EY
Feb 16, 2025CE1, GG, CH, PH, BTCE2, ST, XE, XL, MN


GATE 2025 will offer a total of 30 test papers, and candidates may choose to appear for one or two test papers only.

The types of questions in GATE 2025 will include multiple choice questions (MCQ), multiple select questions (MSQ), and numerical answer type (NAT) questions. In MCQs, only one out of four options is correct. In MSQs, one or more than one out of four options is/are correct; and for NAT questions, the answer must be keyed in using a virtual keypad.

AICTE declares 2025 as ‘Year of AI’ to shape India as global leader

The initiatives will span across AICTE-approved institutions, impacting over 14,000 colleges and 40 million students nationwide

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has announced 2025 as the “Year of Artificial Intelligence (AI)” to shape India as a global leader in AI. The initiatives under this declaration by the technical education regulator will span across AICTE-approved institutions, impacting over 14,000 colleges and 40 million students nationwide.

“With this bold announcement, AICTE aims to embed AI within the fabric of higher education, fostering innovation, ethics, and leadership to position India as a global leader in AI-driven progress,” AICTE said in a statement.

AICTE chairman TG Sitharam in a letter has urged all its affiliated institutions to submit their AI implementation plans by December 31, 2024, which will be reviewed by its approval bureau, with top submissions featured as benchmarks for other institutions. He has urged the AICTE-approved institutions to adopt five measures to “affirm India’s leadership in AI”. Five measures include institutions taking pledge to make India a global leader in AI through innovation, ethics, and education, displaying this commitment prominently on campuses; launching AI awareness campaigns; updating curricula to include AI topic fostering interdisciplinary approaches; conducting workshops and certifications to equip faculty with AI teaching expertise; and partnering with AI-driven organisations to provide real-world exposure through internship, projects and mentorship.

AICTE will organise workshops and certifications to upskill faculty in AI education. Students will receive real-world experience through internships, projects, and mentorships through collaborations of their colleges with global companies like Adobe, Cisco, and International Business Machines (IBM). Top-performing institutions will be recognised with awards as models of AI excellence.

“As we dedicate 2025 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence, let us unite to build a future-ready workforce. Together, we can shape India as a global leader in AI innovation, ethics, and education, fulfilling our shared vision of self-reliance and prosperity,” Sitharam said.

Officials at AICTE-approved institutions are adopting AI in their courses to prepare students for job markets. Institutions are also conducting teachers training by industry experts to empower them.

Dr Ankit Chaudhary, professor of Computer Engineering at the School of Engineering (SoE), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) said, “In the first year, all BTech students are introduced to Data Science. In the second year, they study Introduction to Artificial Intelligence. Third-year students are taught Machine Learning (ML) and Computer Vision, while fourth-year students explore Deep Learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP). Technology changes after every five years and we have to update ourselves accordingly. Students are needed to learn job-market relevant skills and usage of AI in BTech syllabus will boost their employability. We regularly take feedback from industry leaders and prepare curriculum to train our students for better jobs.”

SoE offers two BTech programs: Computer Science and Engineering (BTech CSE) and Electronics and Communication Engineering (BTech ECE).

Sujith Kumar, a professor at T John Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, said, “We have already added topics related to AI in some of our courses. As asked by AICTE, we are making plans to use AI to reshape education. We will organise seminars to raise awareness about AI among students”

Ashok Kumar Mittal, founder chancellor of Lovely Professional University (LPU), Phagwara said that there are challenges in adopting new technologies due to less training opportunities, and resistance to change.

“To empower educators, LPU has established a comprehensive professional development program. This initiative includes workshops, seminars, and hands-on training sessions conducted by experts in the field of AI and education technology. Teachers are introduced to a variety of AI tools such as adaptive learning platforms, virtual tutors, and data analytics software tailored for educational use. They learn how to integrate these tools into their lesson plans to improve learning experiences for students,” he said.

LPU offers several AICTE-approved courses in engineering, management and pharmacy among others.


Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/aicte-declares-2025-as-year-of-ai-to-shape-india-as-global-leader-101735055534296.html

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