News from the world of Education: October 29, 2026

STEM UTSAVSTEM Metaverse has opened registrations for the fourth edition of Bharat Builds 2047 – The STEM Utsav, a national innovation competition for school students.The challenge: What would students create for India in 2047, its 100th year of independence? They can register through their schools or directly through a parent. Themes include Clean and Green Bharat, Healthy Bharat, Connected Bharat, Learning Bharat, and Inclusive Bharat. Entries are invited in four categories: Creative Art, Creative Writing, Robotics and Working STEM Models, and the Design Thinking Challenge.Deadline: January 10Visit https://nft.stemmetaverse.in/ for detailsAdmissions and scholarshipsNICMAR invites applications for its 2027 admission cycle, across its Pune and Hyderabad University campuses for a range of UG and PG programmes. Details at https://apply.nicmar.ac.in/BITS Design School, Mumbai, has opened applications for its 2027 intake to the four-year Bachelor of Design (Honours) programme. Applicants qualify based on their scores in BITS Design Aptitude Test (BITSDAT), UCEED, or NID DAT Prelims.When: BITSDAT, an online, one-hour long test is mandatory, and will be conducted between March 29 and April 5, 2027.Deadline: January 31Details at https://tinyurl.com/2bs5pfnuThe University of Strathclyde is inviting applications for its MSc Artificial Intelligence and Applications course, starting in September 2027.Eligibility: Minimum second-class (2:2) Honours degree or overseas equivalent. Students must have an English language minimum score of IELTS 6.0, with no component below 5.5.Details at https://tinyurl.com/ms6xbmvyIIIT Hyderabad has opened applications for the January 2027 cohort of its revamped Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) programme, developed by the Consortium of Institutions of Higher Learning (CIHL) in collaboration with IIIT Hyderabad’s Centre for Educational Technology and Learning Sciences.Eligibility: Open to graduates with 16 years of formal education, who are willing to work with computer science, AI and Maths. Students in the final year, awaiting results, can also apply.Exam and deadline: Cycle I:Deadline – November 7; exam – November 11; Cycle II: Deadline – December 7; exam – December 11.Visit www.msit.ac.in for detailsFoundation for Excellence (FFE) is accepting applications for its 2026–27 scholarship programme for first-year students pursuing Engineering, MBBS, and Law across India.Eligibility: Applicants must be entering the first year of B.E./B.Tech., five-year dual-degree M.Tech., MBBS or LLB during 2026–27, and must have secured admission through a recognised state or national-level entrance exam.Rewards: Financial assistance of ₹50,000 or moreDeadline: December 31Details at ffe.org/scholarshipsTetr College of Business has announced The Creator Challenge, in partnership with Fudan School of Management in Shanghai and Imperial College London, offering scholarships worth up to ₹1 crore for its Graduate Programme in Entrepreneurial Leadership (GPEL). It is scheduled to commence in March 2027. Those with a diploma or Bachelor’s degree can apply. The application deadline is November 16. Details at https://tinyurl.com/ycx474j7Rajnish Kumar, ixigo co-founder and Group Co-CEO, has launched the Made in Fire Fund, a ₹1 crore initiative to help IIT Kanpur graduates launch technology startups. Starting with the Class of 2026, it will support 10 startups from each graduating batch, offering product feedback, go-to-market guidance, hiring help, and investor introductions. Founders can also pitch their progress at a Demo Day after six to 12 months. Applications are open to the IIT Kanpur Class of 2026. Details at https://tinyurl.com/2p9ptrrpEventsSRM Institute of Science and Technology, Ramapuram, Chennai, attempted a world record by weaving a 7,000-metre braid from discarded clothes, with over 700 students participating. The initiative aims to upcycle 700 kg of textile waste. The braid will be donated to NGO Goonj to be made into bags, mats and other products, promoting textile reuse and reducing waste.Students at Bengaluru’s East Point College of Engineering and Technology, Akshitha Krishna, Gali Yaswanth Sinha, Janhavi K and S Lekhana Priya, have built an IoT-based prototype, the IoT Based Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication Using Chain Collision Prevention, that alerts nearby vehicles to road hazards in real time, helping prevent chain collisions. The system detects risks such as unsafe distances, poor visibility, glare, accidents and alcohol-related hazards.More than 750 volunteers from TELUS Digital India helped spruce up the 78-year-old Shri Gandhi Inter College in Greater Noida under the TELUS Days of Giving programme. This included painting 25 classrooms, six hallways, and benches, whitewashing walls. TELUS Wise also launched to promote online safety and responsible digital behaviour among young people.The Institute of Management Accountants concluded its IMA India Accounting and Finance Conference, bringing together over 500 professionals to discuss the future of finance. Sessions explored AI’s growing influence, evolving finance roles, agility, continuous learning and emerging career opportunities.The Department of Civil Engineering at SGT University, Gurugram, hosted a guest lecture on Professional and Real World in Civil Engineering by Ajay Gupta, Founder and Principal Consultant of Perceptive Ideas Consulting Engineers Pvt. Ltd. He discussed real-world civil engineering practices, including structural and value engineering, constructability, and emerging technologies such as BIM and AI.COER University concluded Manthan 2K26, its inter-university techno-management fest in which over 2,000 students participated across seven competitions.CFA Institute has expanded its University Affiliation Programme in Karnataka, adding Manipal Institute of Technology (part of MAHE) and JAIN (Deemed-to-be University). The move takes its total number of affiliated institutions in India to 46.Sir C.V. Raman Industrial Training Institute, Dheerpur, New Delhi, hosted a culinary competition where students showcased their cooking skills and creativity. Chef Chandra Mohan Sharma, Executive Chef at The Quartier Hotel, Bangkok, judged the entries and shared insights into professional cooking techniques and industry standards.Schools across India collected 4.27 lakh e-waste items under the nationwide E-Waste Awareness and Reduction Campaign under the Ministry of Education’s Eco Clubs for Mission LiFE initiative. Organised by Bajaj Foundation with the Department of School Education and Literacy and supported by UNICEF YuWaah, the campaign reached 57,271 schools, engaging 33 lakh participants, including students and teachers, through awareness sessions and collection drives.Tamara Leisure Experiences concluded the fourth cohort of its Responsible Hoteliers of Tomorrow internship for 20 UG Hospitality students, alongside the second edition of Connect Conscious Classroom, an immersion programme for hospitality educators.Amol Gupte, Citi Asia South Head, and K. Balasubramanian, CEO of Citi India, inaugurated the Ashoka Innovation Centre, a hub for students, faculty, and entrepreneurs to collaborate on solutions in clean technology, fintech, agriculture, and healthcare.TechnoStruct held an industry-focused session for IIT Bombay Civil Engineering students on how Building Information Modeling (BIM), Virtual Design and Construction, and digital tools are reshaping the construction industry. The discussion covered global industry trends, project execution and the skills needed to keep pace with emerging technologies.Siemens Energy India Limited opened its first Energy4Good Technology Centre at Government Polytechnic, Bicholim, Goa, inaugurated by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. The centre will help bridge skill gaps and prepare students from government polytechnics for industry, offering hands-on training to up to 200 students annually.India’s International Movement to Unite Nations (I.I.M.U.N.) concluded its second Switzerland Study Tour, taking 50 students from across India to Geneva. The programme included sessions at the Palais des Nations and ILO, tours of UN offices, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum, and CERN.Target Learning Ventures Pvt. Ltd. held a workshop NEP 2020 Implementation in School Education for secondary teachers at P J Pancholia High School, Kandivali. Led by Hema Bhadawkar of K J Somaiya School of Education, the session explored practical ways to apply the policy in SSC classrooms without adding to teachers’ workload.BML Munjal University has launched a Wellness Centre offering counselling, psychotherapy, and peer mentoring to help students navigate university life. It will also conduct workshops on stress management, emotional wellbeing and healthy relationships, and more.Research and studiesA study by Prof. Joy Das of Nagaland University and Mahesh Dahal of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Adarsha Mahavidyalaya, Tulungia, Assam, found that major banking fraud disclosures trigger sharp stock market losses, particularly for public sector banks. Published in the BRICS Journal of Economics, the study examined the impact of fraud announcements on banks’ share prices.A nationwide study by New Zealand’s University of Canterbury, covering 957,381 people aged 10–24, found that living in neighbourhoods with health-limiting conditions was linked to poorer mental health, especially emotional disorders. The findings, published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, drew on data from 2013 to 2018.A led by researchers from the University of Warwick and the PsychGen Centre at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, working with other collaborating institutions in Norway, found that children who were smaller than expected at birth, tended to achieve lower scores in some school subjects, particularly Maths and reading. The study, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, was based on over 92,000 children from infancy to adolescence to explore how their size at birth was associated with early development, and later performance in national school tests.A study by the University of Warwick and the PsychGen Centre at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health found that children born smaller than expected tended to score lower in Maths and reading. Published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the study tracked over 92,000 children from infancy to adolescence, examining links between birth size, early development, and school performance.Researchers at IIT Guwahati studied how plants’ internal water transport systems respond to drought. Published in the Applied Physics Reviews journal, the findings could help develop drought-resistant crops and guide farmers in reducing losses during water shortages.Prof. Mehak Puri, Assistant Professor, Centre for Excellence in Sustainable Development, Goa Institute of Management, in collaboration with Kavita Gandhi and M. Suresh Kumar from CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur, found that using existing wastewater treatment methods in the right sequence can improve the removal of endocrine-disrupting chemicals and other emerging pollutants from municipal wastewater. The findings were published in the Environmental Technology journal.An international research study co-authored by BITS Pilani Assistant Professor Sushmita Basu, has developed DNAreader, an AI tool that identifies protein regions that interact with DNA in rigid and flexible sections. Led by researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University in the U.S. and Xinyang Normal University in China, in collaboration with Hebei University of Technology, China, the study was published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research.Researchers from NIT Rourkela, IIT Guwahati, IIT Bombay and NISER Bhubaneswarhave developed bismuth-based materials that emit different colours under UV light. Published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry C, the study explores these compounds as safer alternatives to lead-based materials, which pose health and environmental risks.ConvocationsUPES Dehradun held its 24th convocation where 4,795 students received their degrees in the presence of Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, the chief guest, and Durgesh Pant, Director General, Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology, the special guest.NIIT University celebrated its 16th convocation in which 275 students received their degrees. Amitabh Chaudhry, MD and CEO, Axis Bank, was the chief guest.Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH) celebrated its 38th convocation in which 797 students received their degrees in the presence of Nikhil Nanda, Chairman and MD, Escorts Kubota Limited, the chief guest.BML Munjal University hosted its 11th convocation in which 723 students received their degrees. Sandeep Bakshi, MD and CEO, ICICI Bank, was the chief guest.Friends Union for Energising Lives (FUEL), celebrated the 20th Foundation Day and second convocation for students of the PG (Management) batch of 2024-26. Rajendra Arlekar, Governor of Tamil Nadu, was the chief guest.Awards, laurels, and rankingsFortune Institute of International Business (FIIB) has retained its AACSB International accreditation, among the top 6% of business schools worldwide.SRM School of Law, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, hosted the eighth National Level Tamil Moot Court Competition 2026. Government Law College, Dharmapuri, was the winner, while Mother Teresa Law College was the runner-up.Viasat Inc., in partnership with the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), organised Viasat: Space for Good India Challenge 2026, a STEM innovation competition. Adeetya Uppal of IIT Kharagpur was declared winner while Shashank Kumar Singh of IIT Gandhinagar and Aryan Gupta of IIT Roorkee came second and third respectively.CollaborationsFinX has signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Banking and Finance to improve job prospects for students completing its Diploma in Banking and Finance and other certification courses.Commercial property insurer FM has partnered with IISc Bengaluru to advance research on natural hazards and climate risks in India, including developing data and models to better assess these threats.The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs has signed an MoU with the Association of ARCs in India to give students in its Post Graduate Insolvency Programme greater industry exposure and practical skills in insolvency resolution, corporate restructuring and financial distress management.The University of York partnered with Garden City University, Bengaluru, to advance green technology and sustainable agriculture research. It also signed a Letter of Intent with the Karnataka government’s Department of Electronics, IT and Biotechnology to explore joint research and startup opportunities in the bioeconomy, agri-tech, clean energy and digital technology.IIIT Bangalore has signed an MoU with Poland’s AGH University of Krakow to promote academic and research collaboration in AI, quantum technologies and other emerging fields.PhysicsWallah has partnered with Nasscom to align its technology courses with industry standards. Through the FutureSkills Prime platform, backed by MeitY and Nasscom, learners will gain industry-relevant skills and national credit recognition.Aptech Limited has partnered with the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) to expand access to film education, combining practical training, storytelling and industry exposure to prepare learners for careers in media, entertainment and AVGC-XR.Axis Bank has signed an MoU with IIM Bangalore to establish the Axis Bank Centre of Economics at the IIMB – Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies, Bengaluru.Manchester Museum, part of the University of Manchester, has partnered with Science Gallery Bengaluru to engage young people in biodiversity and nature through learning, mentorship and creative opportunities.Birla Open Minds has partnered with Burlington English to integrate digital resources with its English Reader textbooks for classes 1–8, including interactive vocabulary tools, games, videos, songs and worksheets, making language learning more engaging and interactive.Sheffield Hallam University has signed MoUs with Indian higher education institutions, strengthening academic collaboration, research, and student opportunities between India and the U.K. The agreements with the International Institute of Sportsand Management (IISM), Mumbai; Somaiya Vidyavihar University, Mumbai, and the ICFAI, Hyderabad, and Foundation for Higher Education, Hyderabad, were signed during the University’s participation in the Great North trade mission to India. The partnerships will provide a framework to explore joint research, student and staff exchanges, progression pathways, programme development and knowledge exchange.Ramdeobaba University, Nagpur, has signed an MoU with QClairvoyance Quantum Labs Pvt. Ltd. to set up quantum software and quantum communication hardware labs on campus, bringing emerging technologies into the classroom.The National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) has partnered with TrackWizz to strengthen technology-driven training in regulatory compliance, anti-money laundering and market surveillance through its RegTech Lab, bridging the gap between regulatory knowledge and practical application.SANS Institute signed an MoU with the Uttar Pradesh State Institute of Forensic Science to boost cybersecurity skills, workforce readiness and academic collaboration through knowledge sharing.BITS School of Management (BITSoM) has partnered with Johns Hopkins Carey Business School to launch a dual-degree programme from Fall 2027, combining BITSoM’s MBA with a Master of Science in Finance specialising in Financial Data Science from the latter. The pathway is open to second-year MBA students and alumni who graduated within the past three years, provided they complete their BITSoM degree before joining Johns Hopkins.Imarticus School of Finance and Business has partnered with IIM Udaipur to offer students joining in 2027 a BBA in Finance and Business Programme degree awarded by IIM Udaipur.