<ul><li>India's top court announced its verdict on the University Grants Commission (<keyword id="44171" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="UGC">UGC</keyword>) cases ruling that it's mandatory for states to conduct final year examinations. </li><li>It said no students will be promoted without having sat in their respective final semester exams.</li><li>The Supreme Court has given states the option to appeal to the UGC for an extension beyond the September 30 deadline.</li></ul>Coronavirus or not, the Supreme Court has ruled that states have no choice but to conduct final year exams in order to promote students upholding the circular put out by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The states will have the choice to appeal for extending the deadline to the UGC beyond September 30. According to the court, any decision by State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) to postpone the exams, as in the case of Maharashtra, will prevail over the <keyword id="427299" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="UGC-guidelines">UGC guidelines</keyword>. All eyes were on the Supreme Court today as students and institutions awaited the verdict on the UGC case and whether or not final year examinations are mandatory amid the COVID-19 pandemic. At the last hearing on August 18, the apex court had reserved its order and asked for parties to respond and present written submissions on their final arguments within three days. What happened in the previous hearing? In the last hearing, on August 18, the Supreme Court asked the University Grants Commission (UGC) if the latter could override a state government decision in certain situations and take a position on the conduct of examinations. During the marathon hearing that lasted close to four hours, the apex court heard arguments from a battery of Senior Advocates appearing for various stakeholders -- Arvind P Datar (for Maharashtra government), Jaideep Gupta (for teachers from West Bengal), KV Viswanathan (Delhi government) and Advocate Generals of Odisha and West Bengal. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the UGC. The court was hearing a batch of PILs, along with those from the states of Maharashtra, West Bengal, Odisha, and Delhi, that questioned the UGC directions to universities to conduct final-year exams before September 30. The state governments argued that they have the power to promote students without exams due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The bench asked Mehta: "Can the UGC override a state government's decision, where a certain situation like Covid-19 exists?" In response, Mehta submitted that Covid-19 pandemic is a 'national disaster' and it is for the Centre to decide and that the "state authorities cannot override the UGC". The bench said that this exactly is the question, as the disaster management authority of the state has authority in healthcare. But can the UGC override the state and ask it to conduct exams? "Maybe the UGC can say no degree without an exam. But can they say hold an exam on this date?" Mehta contended that the deadline was given for the benefit of the students. "It is not a diktat. All universities must start admissions to postgraduate courses. The country is working," Mehta submitted. Advocate Alok Srivastava, appearing for a group of students, contended that the July 6 guidelines making it mandatory to hold exams by September 30 cannot be implemented across the country, as there was no proper consultation. Mehta contended that the universities can seek an extension in the deadline under the UGC guidelines, but they cannot take a decision to confer degree without holding exams. The Solicitor General also cited 'Maharashtra's political somersault', wherein it first decided to conduct the exams but later opposed it. Mehta insisted that the UGC and other regulators exist for the protection of the interests of stakeholders. "Here, the students are the main stakeholders," he added. Reserving the judgment, the top court asked all the parties to submit their written submissions. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/oxford-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-phase-ii-trials-will-begin-in-india-today/articleshow/77757085.cms">Oxford-Astrazeneca COVID-19 Vaccine: Phase II trials will begin in India today</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/india-military-options-against-china-explained-by-experts/articleshow/77743778.cms">Experts explain India’s 'military options' against China</a>

Supreme Court says final year exams are 'mandatory' in order promote students

<ul><li>The Supreme Court on August 18 had reserved judgement on whether the <keyword id="1080402" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Final-Year">final year</keyword> degree examinations in universities should be held before September 30, in accordance with the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines. </li><li>The state government counsels have argued that they have the power to promote students without exams in the backdrop of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.</li></ul>All eyes will be on the Supreme Court this week as students and institutions await the verdict on the UGC case and final year examinations expected soon. At the last hearing on August 18, the apex court had reserved its order and asked for parties to respond and present written submissions on their final arguments within three days. The Supreme Court on August 18 had reserved judgement on whether the final year degree examinations in universities should be held before September 30, in accordance with the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines. The state government counsels have argued that they have the power to promote students without exams in the backdrop of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The top court will also decide whether state governments have the power to take a decision against conducting final year examinations under the Disaster Management Act. <div type="twitter" handle="advocate_alakh" handlename="Alakh Alok Srivastava" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1294535286634844162/RWuM2LsB_normal.jpg" favoritecount="5027" retweetcount="1865" status="In our #UGC matter, Supreme Court has heard all of us today &amp; arguments are concluded.We will submit our final wr… https://t.co/altI2oDlVS" createdat="1597740451000" id="1295643478588657665"></div> Highlights of the hearing <ul><li>Sr. Adv. Arvind Datar, counsel for Maharashtra, said the UGC Act is traced to Entry 66 of List 1. My submission is that UGC can lay down standards, but it can’t compel exams to be held.” However, SC nullified the argument by stating that UGC does not conduct examinations.</li><li>Datar further argues if IIT — a central institute of international repute — can issue degrees without conducting final year examinations then why can’t other universities do the same. </li><li>Datar argued that the most important thing today is the welfare of the student. The Supreme Court slammed his argument by saying, “students cannot decide their welfare, Authorities can decide their welfare.”</li><li>Datar further argued, “UGC guidelines make uniform rules for the whole country without taking the pandemic and practical difficulties into consideration. This is violative of Article 14 as they are treating unequal situations equally.”</li><li>Justice Bhushan goes back to the question of whether the final semester can be skipped while Datar is explaining the CGPA system in the court. </li><li> If there is a standard fixed by UGC that without a final exam, a degree cannot be given, can universities really decide to cancel the final exam? Then all the universities will come up with their own method, SC said. </li><li>Datar argued that UGC can say don't award a degree without holding an exam but it cannot say that you hold the exam by 30th September at any cost.</li><li>Advocate General Kishore Dutta for West Bengal says the state will not be able to hold online exams because students don’t have the technology to give the exams.</li><li>Sr. Adv. KV Vishwanathan, counsel for New Delhi argued that there is a divide between the classes of people with rich having access to technology and poor being at a disadvantage</li></ul>What happened in the previous hearing? On August 14, the Supreme Court decided to move the hearing to August 18. On the same day, Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, the lead counsel, said “There is a great disparity between the classes of students who are expected to appear. Many students have gone back to their hometowns.” Previously, on August 10, the University Grants Commission (UGC) told the Supreme Court that degrees would not be recognised if no examinations are held for final-year students even as the country faces a coronavirus crisis. The UGC response was conveyed by its counsel, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, on a batch of pleas that challenged the UGC schedule for final-year university exams before September 30.The petitioners' counsel contended that the UGC guidelines for holding exams are "not legally or constitutionally valid". Mehta argued that the decision by Delhi and Maharashtra to cancel exams in their respective state universities is against the UGC rules.He argued that UGC is the only body that can prescribe rules for conferring a degree, and state governments cannot change the rules. The Supreme court granted time to the UGC to respond to the stand taken by the Maharashtra and Delhi governments to cancel university exams. The bench also asked the UGC to address the question of whether the Disaster Management Act would override its notification on guidelines for exams. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/latest-job-openings-at-google-microsoft-jp-morgan-goldman-sachs-ericsson-amazon-adobe-zomato-for-software-engineers/slidelist/77585263.cms">Google, Microsoft, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Ericsson and other companies hiring software engineers in India right now</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/barack-obama-has-privately-voiced-concerns-that-joe-biden-could-f-things-up-according-to-a-report/articleshow/77574349.cms">Barack Obama has privately voiced concerns that Joe Biden could 'f--- things up,' according to a report</a>

UGC Guidelines 2020: Supreme Court verdict likely soon on final year exams

<ul><li>The Supreme Court of India will now hear the plea challenging UGC final year exams 2020 on August 18. </li><li>On August 10, the University Grants Commission (UGC) told the Supreme Court that degrees would not be recognised if no examinations are held for final-year students even as the country faces a coronavirus crisis. </li><li>The Supreme court granted time to the UGC to respond to the stand taken by the Maharashtra and Delhi governments to cancel university exams. </li></ul>The Supreme Court of India will now hear the plea challenging UGC final year exams 2020 on August 18. Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, the lead counsel, said “There is a great disparity between the classes of students who are expected to appear. Many students have gone back to their hometowns.” <div type="twitter" handle="barandbench" handlename="Bar &amp; Bench" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1248497186402258945/izmXCMgD_normal.jpg" favoritecount="465" retweetcount="171" status="Supreme Court will now continue hearing the matter on Tuesday, August 18. #StudentsInSCForJustice… https://t.co/kMhFkxxddB" createdat="1597389999000" id="1294173576853991425"></div>He further said, “consistent stance of the MHA since March has been that the educational institutions should be closed and the same was reiterated by the MHRD but a sudden volte-face now.” What happened in the previous hearing? On August 10, the University Grants Commission (UGC) told the Supreme Court that degrees would not be recognised if no examinations are held for final-year students even as the country faces a coronavirus crisis. The UGC response was conveyed by its counsel, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, on a batch of pleas that challenged the UGC schedule for final-year university exams before September 30.The petitioners' counsel contended that the UGC guidelines for holding exams are "not legally or constitutionally valid". Mehta argued that the decision by Delhi and Maharashtra to cancel exams in their respective state universities is against the UGC rules.He argued that UGC is the only body that can prescribe rules for conferring a degree, and state governments cannot change the rules. The counsel for one of the petitioners replied that there is complete inconsistency in the Ministry of Human Resource Development and UGC guidelines. The bench also comprises Justices R. Subhash Reddy and M.R. Shah adjourned the hearing till Friday, after the UGC asked for time to respond to the affidavits filed by Delhi and Maharashtra. The Delhi government stated in its affidavit that on July 11, a decision was taken that all online-offline exams of universities under the state, which include final year exams, would be cancelled in the backdrop of the Covid-19 outbreak. However, the affidavit cited some vice-chancellors of certain universities in favour of wrapping up at least the final semester exams, but the Delhi government decided to stick to its decision of not holding the exams. The Supreme court granted time to the UGC to respond to the stand taken by the Maharashtra and Delhi governments to cancel university exams. The bench also asked the UGC to address the question of whether the Disaster Management Act would override its notification on guidelines for exams. Mehta questioned the stand taken by Maharashtra and Delhi. He said, "When UGC is the only body to confer degrees, how can states cancel exams and expect UGC to confer degrees?" Mehta insisted that students need to continue to study, as they will not be granted degrees if exams are not conducted. "That's the law," he added.

UGC final year exam guidelines — The wait gets longer, Supreme Court to decide the final verdict on August 18

<ul><li>The students in the final year of college will have to sit for exams by the end of September — online or offline mode. </li><li>This is as per the revised guidelines rolled out by the University Grants Commission (UGC). </li><li>In case the student is unable to sit for the examination in September, they may be allowed to appear in special exams for those courses, which may be conducted by the universities later, when the situation normalises. </li><li>The regulatory body said that the schedule for the intermediate examinations or semesters remains unchanged. </li></ul>Online or offline, the students in the final year of college will have to sit for exams by the end of September. This is as per the revised guidelines rolled out by the University Grants Commission (UGC). “Evaluation of the terminal semester students which was to be done through examinations in the month of July, now their examinations will be conducted by the end of September-2020, following the guidelines laid down by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,” Union Cabinet Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said in a tweet. <div type="twitter" handle="DrRPNishank" handlename="Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1250023125191819266/Bx7kBZRg_normal.jpg" favoritecount="10129" retweetcount="2829" status="The UGC has revisited its earlier guidelines related to university examinations.In view of the safety, career prog… https://t.co/IGBAhqaiHW" createdat="1594051418000" id="1280170552313835521"></div> According to the new guidelines, the final year or terminal semester students having backlogs “should compulsorily be evaluated by conducting examinations.” In case the student is unable to sit for the examination in September, they may be allowed to appear in special exams for those courses, which may be conducted by the universities later, when the situation normalises. The guidelines, however, clarified that this would be a one-time measure for the current batch. Schedule for the intermediate examinations remains unchanged The regulatory body said that the schedule for the intermediate examinations or semesters remains unchanged. UGC had earlier said that the next academic session will begin in August, 2020. “The academic session 2020-21 may commence from August 1 for old students and September 1 for fresh students,” it said. On the other hand, those in the first semester will be promoted based on their internal assessment scores. Students in other semesters will be promoted based on their academic record in the previous year and internal assessment of the current semester. As many as 33 crore students are enrolled in over 45,000 colleges in India. <div type="twitter" handle="DrRPNishank" handlename="Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1250023125191819266/Bx7kBZRg_normal.jpg" favoritecount="6873" retweetcount="1724" status="1. Intermediate semester students will be evaluated based on internal assessment (as per earlier issued guidelines)" createdat="1594051419000" id="1280170555568607238"></div> “Universities may conduct terminal, intermediate semester examinations in offline or online mode, as per their ordinances and regulations, scheme of examinations, observing the guidelines of ‘social distancing’ and keeping in view the support system available with them and ensuring fair opportunity to all students,” the earlier guidelines said. The exams shall be conducted for a duration of two hours now instead of three hours. In addition, the universities will have to follow a six-day week pattern “to compensate the loss for the remaining 2019-20 session”. In March, the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (<keyword id="6361413" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="mhrd">MHRD</keyword>) directed all the educational institutions — including the universities, entrance exam centres to shut down due to coronavirus. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/education/news/trumps-new-visa-policy-leaves-foreign-students-enrolled-online-in-a-lurch-take-transfer-or-leave-us/articleshow/76825867.cms">Trump's new visa policy leaves foreign students enrolled online in a lurch — take transfer or leave US</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/phoenix-mills-is-prepping-for-a-two-year-coma/articleshow/76825696.cms">One of India's largest mall operators is prepping for a two-year coma</a>

Online or offline, the students in the final year of college will have to sit for exams by the end of September, says the UGC

<ul><li>The <keyword id="521686" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Council-For-Educational-Research">National Council for Educational Research</keyword> and Training (NCERT) is chalking out plans to address social distancing with an increased focus on individual assessment. </li><li>The schools will, in fact, not conduct morning assembly, seminars or any other sports event for at least a year. </li><li>Another proposal in the works is the alternate week arrangements or running schools in shifts. </li><li>The government is also considering introducing at least 12 educational channels for students from 1st to 12th grade.</li></ul>Not just industries, educational institutions are also stepping up their efforts to keep up with the ‘new normal’ with a number of remote learning initiatives. In a post Covid-19 world, schools are likely to operate on an alternative model where only 50% of the students will be needed in the classrooms on any given day while others study from their homes — even after the lockdown comes to an end. Even during exams, students will not appear for it on the same day. According to the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT), the Indian government is chalking out plans to address social distancing with an increased focus on individual assessment. The schools will, in fact, not conduct morning assembly, seminars or any other sports event for at least a year. “The bigger challenge will be to ensure the younger children maintain distance; they usually sit close and mingle a lot more than the older ones. The safety guidelines that we will form will include all these things. we will have to look at how to maintain distance between students in school buses, while they are sitting in the classrooms and even when they are using the washroom” The Print <a href="https://theprint.in/india/education/no-assembly-no-sports-classes-in-shifts-the-likely-new-normal-when-schools-reopen-lockdown/416058/">reported</a> citing a source. Another proposal in the works is the alternate week arrangements or running schools in shifts. “The guidelines will also spell out what the students who stay back at home would do. One option is for schools to continue their online teaching and giving assignments and activities,” NCERT Director <keyword id="3138605" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hrushikesh-Senapaty">Hrushikesh Senapaty</keyword> <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/schools-may-go-for-odd-even-plan/articleshow/75613400.cms">told</a> The Times of India. The Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) is expected to announce the guidelines for the learning calendar by next week. Since March 2020, all the schools and colleges have been shut due to <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">Coronavirus</keyword> and there is no confirmation on reopening of schools yet. The education body is leveraging digital adoption as it moves to ‘each class, one channel’ strategy. Under this, the course will be taught via live interactions and aired on TV channels for students to access it. The government is also considering introducing at least 12 educational channels for students from 1st to 12th grade. The idea is to keep the learning continuity for students. Given the delay in the academic year, the higher education regulatory body University Grants Commission (UGC) also laid out guidelines for colleges after lockdown. As per the UGC directive, university students will be giving the final examination in July and the next academic session will begin in August, 2020. The final year students will have to sit for exams — online or offline. However, the students in other semesters may be promoted based on the internal assessment, the statutory body told the higher education institutions. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/hcl-tech-follows-tcs-and-infosys-lead-says-50-of-its-employees-will-work-from-home-even-after-the-lockdown-is-lifted/articleshow/75593968.cms">HCL Tech follows TCS and Infosys' lead — says 50% of its employees will work from home even after the lockdown is lifted</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/11-million-unacademy-user-accounts-are-up-for-sale-on-dark-web/articleshow/75595084.cms">11 million Unacademy user accounts were hacked in January — and they are now up for sale on Dark Web</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/reliance-jios-2-23-stake-sale-to-vista-means-its-raised-7-95-billion-in-under-three-weeks/articleshow/75615697.cms">Reliance Jio’s 2.23% stake sale to Vista means its raised $7.95 billion in under three weeks</a>

An odd-even plan for schools ⁠— India is reportedly planning to let 50% of students attend from home

<ul><li>The <keyword id="56459" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="University-Grants-Commission">University Grants Commission</keyword> (<keyword id="44171" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="UGC">UGC</keyword>) has laid out guidelines for the next <keyword id="646572" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="academic-calendar">academic calendar</keyword> after the lockdown lifts. </li><li>As per the UGC directive, university students will be giving the examination in July and the next academic session will begin in August, 2020. </li><li>The final year students will have to sit for exams — online or offline. However, the students in other semesters may be promoted based on the internal assessments. </li><li>According to the guidelines, the exams shall be conducted for a duration of two hours now instead of three hours. In addition, the universities will have to follow a six-day week pattern “to compensate the loss for the remaining 2019-20 session”.</li></ul>The University Grants Commission (UGC) has laid out guidelines for the academic calendar after the lockdown lifts. As per the UGC directive, university students will be giving the final examination in July and the next academic session will begin in August, 2020. “The academic session 2020-21 may commence from August 1 for old students and September 1 for fresh students.” <div type="twitter" handle="DrRPNishank" handlename="Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1250023125191819266/Bx7kBZRg_normal.jpg" favoritecount="206" retweetcount="74" status="👉For intermediate semester/year students, the universities may conduct examinations, after making a comprehensive a… https://t.co/AWhQvUeg6t" createdat="1588175028000" id="1255523184406913031"></div> The final year students will have to sit for exams — online or offline. “Universities may conduct terminal, intermediate semester examinations in offline or online mode, as per their ordinances and regulations, scheme of examinations, observing the guidelines of ‘social distancing’ and keeping in view the support system available with them and ensuring fair opportunity to all students,” the directive said. However, the students in other semesters may be promoted based on the internal assessment, the statutory body told the higher education institutions. “For intermediate semester students, the universities may conduct examinations, after making a comprehensive assessment of their level of preparedness, otherwise grading will be done based on the internal evaluation,” said <keyword id="60487" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ramesh-Pokhriyal">Ramesh Pokhriyal</keyword>, Minister of Human Resource Development. The global health emergency has already disrupted the academic calendar of students. As Indian went into a lockdown mode, the MHRD directed all the educational institutions — schools and universities — to suspend classes due to <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">Coronavirus</keyword> scare. The university entrances like JEE Mains are also delayed due to the pandemic. Given the delay in the academic year, the higher education regulatory body also suggested other measures. According to the guidelines, the exams shall be conducted for a duration of two hours now instead of three hours. In addition, the universities will have to follow a six-day week pattern “to compensate the loss for the remaining 2019-20 session”. However, given the uncertainty due to Coronavurus, the guidelines said, “If the situation demands, universities can have summer vacations for 30 days in June.” The ministry said that the institutions can teach via virtual labs with recorded visuals and video conferencing methods. <div type="twitter" handle="DrRPNishank" handlename="Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1250023125191819266/Bx7kBZRg_normal.jpg" favoritecount="96" retweetcount="22" status="👉The universities may conduct Ph.D., M. Phil. and practical examinations and Viva-Voce Examinations through Skype o… https://t.co/t6uZplOZwl" createdat="1588175373000" id="1255524632268025856"></div> “The faculty should be trained for the use of ICT and online teaching tools, so that they complete about 25% of the syllabus via online teaching and 75% through face to face teaching,” the official notice said. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/in-a-post-covid-world-the-number-of-freelancers-contractual-workers-will-go-up-says-deloitte/articleshow/75462448.cms">In a post-Covid world, more companies will engage freelancers, says Deloitte</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-meet-premium-video-conferencing-app-is-now-free-for-everyone/articleshow/75463380.cms">Google Meet premium video conferencing app is now free for everyone</a>

UGC rolls out academic plan for the year — 2 hour exams, 6-day weeks and promotions based on internal assessment

<ul><li>After seeing a few lean months and IPL around the corner, experts are hoping to see their businesses bounce back to normalcy and get on-track to their revenue goals.</li><li>However, due to the restriction on production and limited budgets, the storytelling will not be the same this year. </li><li>So we speak to a few <keyword id="1015861" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="advertising-agencies">advertising agencies</keyword> to figure out how they are gearing up for IPL’s season 13 this time and how brands should win consumer’s trust this time after a long-dry-spell.</li></ul>A stadium full of people, the audience cheering for the team or its captain and the theme song goes off in the background -- a standard format that was followed for <keyword id="6354831" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</keyword> ads since its inception. Over the years, we have also seen some ads that were shot remotely, to capture how IPL unites families. All these ads have tried to capture the consumer frenzy around IPL. In fact, its campaign in 2011 called ‘Bharat Bandh’ represented how the entire country shuts down just to watch the tournament. IPL has been a treat for the eyes, not just for the sport, but for the array of wonderful ads that it brings with it too. However, this year is not the same as the past 12 seasons of IPL and the storytelling will have to be tailored according to the current situation. Advertising agencies will have to shoot the ads with minimum crew or come up with creative solutions to make an IPL-benchmark ad remotely within a limited budget that entertains people as it always has. Consumers are now looking for an escape more than ever before, something that breaks the monotony of their routine. However, the campaigns will also have to be sensitive because the lockdown might be lifted, but the pandemic is not over yet. What is otherwise celebrated as a gala with a stadium full of spectators, this time, will be viewed mostly on digital platforms. At the same time, after seeing a few lean months, experts are also hoping to see their businesses bounce back to normalcy and get on-track to their revenue goals after IPL. So, there is a lot of hope resting on IPL from all sides -- brands, agency networks and consumers. We spoke to experts to see how they are going to navigate these challenges in the new normal and maintain the level of creativity of the old-normal. Production challenges <keyword id="4176392" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="IPL-ads">IPL ads</keyword> are known for their creativity and large-scale production. With limited budget and production scope, how different will this year be? Tarun Rai, Chairman and Group CEO, Wunderman Thompson, South Asia said that creativity always finds its way. Rai said, “Production is back and we have found ways of ensuring that we deliver the same quality as before the crisis. I do not, therefore, believe that there will be any compromise in the quality of the advertising. We are a creative industry and have found creative ways to execute even large-scale productions. They may have been supervised remotely but we ensured that quality didn't suffer.” During the lockdown, agencies turned to their employees or family to shoot footage for their advertisements. We are past that stage now. However, Rahul Mathew, Chief Creative Officer, DDB Mudra Group said that budget restrictions affected industry’s output, not just the production limitations. He explained, “We seemed to have moved ahead from the phone camera films, as film production has started to find its feet again. But it comes with rules, regulations and anxieties that we will need to learn to work with, and not just for IPL. As for quality, we may not be at our best as an industry, this time around. And not all of it would have to do with the shooting and production limitations. Clients would be mindful of how much they spend and budgets will have a bigger say in who you work with or how elaborate your executions will be. Also, there wasn’t much prep time for this IPL. So all of this may start to show in the work.” Referring to Nike’s latest ad, Nisha Singhania- Director &amp; Co-Founder, Infectious Advertising, on the other hand, believes that ‘nothing can stop’ the industry from doing what they do best. Creativity will remain unaffected. She said, “Advertising is getting back on its feet and shoots are happening as we speak. So no reason for any compromises whatsoever, in fact, if anything one has learnt during the lockdown is that more the restrictions, more people think out of the box and innovate. Case in point the Nike ‘You Can’t Stop Us’ ad which was an editing marvel. While the quantity may go down, as brands may want to optimise, no reason for the quality to reduce.” Mitesh Kothari, Co-Founder, White Rivers Media says a few ads were shot even before COVID-19’s sword started dangling on our heads. Kothari said, “A lot of ads were shot pre-covid period and were ready. In fact, I believe it will be a welcome change, where people have been used to seeing a lot of low production ads off lately, and with IPL being rescheduled, some precovid, big budget ads would be on, on tv and digital. Also, with a lot of things on an 'unlock' mode, the production budgets are returning to mid size and quality ain’t being compromised.” While some on the other hand, are turning to animation or UGC content. “Since the pandemic, we have seen ads being shot on mobile phones and even remotely via zoom. While advertisers are looking at newer and more creative storytelling devices, there has not been a big dent in quality. However, the experience is likely to be different from what we have been used to in the past as more and more brands will lean towards animation or sourced footage either via stock or user generated content backed by stronger scripts and compelling voice overs,” said Premkumar Iyer, Vice President, National Operations, Gozoop. IPL holds the burden of shifting the first-half of the year on its head Experts are hoping that consumer sentiment will improve once IPL begins and sales will follow. It is also supposed to bring the advertising industry back on track and end the dry spell. “We’ve been starved of sport and are still starving for cricket. So I expect this IPL to be gathering some serious eyeballs. And that’s reason enough for a lot of advertisers to be there,” said Mathew. Telling us why IPL is the most important event for brands this time, Gozoop’s Iyer said, “As per a report, Star will be charging Rs 8 to 10 lakh for a 10-second ad in the upcoming IPL season, It also has to be noted that Star has previously charged brands Rs 25 lakh for 10-second slots during the India vs Pakistan ICC World Cup match and between Rs 16 to 18 lakh for other World Cup matches. In comparison, the IPL ad charges are still reasonable although the rates are among the costliest for a programme in the country. This is where the opportunity lies. For brands, the IPL is a massive event and has real potential to improve the market situation, add to it the fact that it is just before festive season means that brands are likely to take the plunge to make one last and final sales push in order to end the year on a better note.” Due to reasonable rates and desire to latch onto the first opportunity to reach consumers on a large scale, experts are hoping to see the numbers of ads also going up this time. “We might see more ads during the IPL this year. There have been few opportunities for brands to talk to their consumers for the past few months and IPL is such a huge property. Advertisers realise that they need to capture all the pent-up consumer demand and with the IPL scheduled just before the start of the festive season in India the timing is even more opportune,” said Rai. IPL is also coinciding with festive season, two big mood changers, which will bring in more money and ads from brands. “Because of certain price benefits there shall be a flurry of ads. Also, the fact that IPL is coinciding with festive, brands have all the more reasons to spend. IPL is indeed going to be a big mood-lifter and hopefully shall generate a lot of consumer sentiment upshift,” said Kothari. Guidelines to follow for ads to win consumer’s trust All experts we spoke to said that IPL will shift the consumer sentiment in brands’ favour but the macro factors haven’t changed at all. They have worsened. So, creators will have to try extra hard to win consumer’s trust and not turn a blind eye towards the status quo. Telling us what the advertisers should keep in mind while working on IPL campaigns, Kothari said, “While the fundamentals of marketing remain, one has to understand the fundamentals of marketing layered with covid effects. Brands cannot cease to be empathetic. Since IPL is the first big event lined up for Indian consumers after a silence of 6 months, brands must try every single effort to upshift the mood. The fact that a lot of consumer segments and categories of brands had gone in slumber, a lot more are going to come back with IPL. Hence, brands must take into account the festive &amp; IPL clutter in their creative campaigns and media plans.” Mathew highlighted how brands might want to talk about how the whole world is behaving in the same manner now and breaking the clutter will be a task this time. He explained, “Creativity feeds off experiences. And because people have different experiences and influences, you tend to see varied and unique expressions of creativity. But this time around a lot of us have gone through the same experiences; we’ve felt the same and behaved the same way. So it will be very tempting for brands to play off that and end in the sea of sameness. That’s going to be the biggest challenge for brands this year – to find something that’s insightful and not merely a truism from the times we live in. And, of course, be entertaining as far as possible. We could all do with as many reasons to smile.” Singhania, on the other hand, said that IPL should continue to be the mood-shifter that it is and offer a much-needed break to consumers. “IPL ads have always been extremely entertaining, and that needs to continue. Even more so in times like this, since people are bored and looking for an escape. While in many categories, people need to be sensitive about the current context, I don’t think that is needed for the IPL. The campaigns have always been light-hearted, and any change in that tonality might just dilute the fun quotient,” said Singhania.

Experts expect to see more advertisements around IPL this year than ever before

<ul><li>The <keyword id="6357783" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="West-bengal">West Bengal</keyword> CM said if the exams are conducted as scheduled, it would put students' lives at risk from the Covid-19 pandemic.</li><li>It is to be noted that <keyword id="6361994" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="NEET">NEET</keyword> is scheduled on September 13 and JEE-Mains will be held from September 1-6.</li><li>Earlier, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi had also urged <keyword id="1205297" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-Bharatiya-Janata-Party">the Bharatiya Janata Party</keyword> (BJP)-led central government to consider the 'Mann Ki Baat' of students and address the postponement issue of the entrance examinations. </li></ul> West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Baner<keyword id="6392660" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="JEE">jee</keyword> on Monday urged the Centre for the second time to postpone NEET, JEE 2020. She said that the exams should not be held until the situation is conducive again. The West Bengal CM said if the exams are conducted as scheduled, it would put students' lives at risk from the Covid-19 pandemic. "In our last video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modiji, I had been vocal against the UGC guidelines mandating completion of terminal examinations in universities and colleges by the end of September 2020, which had a huge potential to put student lives at risk," Banerjee tweeted. It is to be noted that NEET is scheduled on September 13 and JEE-Mains will be held from September 1-6. "Now with the directive of the Education Ministry to conduct NEET, JEE 2020 in September, I would again appeal to the Centre to assess the risk and postpone these examinations until the situation is conducive again,a she said. Earlier, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi had also urged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government to consider the 'Mann Ki Baat' of students and address the postponement issue of the entrance examinations. Meanwhile, India on Monday recorded 61,408 fresh cases of Covid-19 and 836 deaths in the last 24-hours. "It is our duty to ensure a safe environment for all our students," Banerjee said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/latest-job-openings-at-google-microsoft-jp-morgan-goldman-sachs-ericsson-amazon-adobe-zomato-for-software-engineers/slidelist/77585263.cms">Google, Microsoft, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Ericsson and other companies hiring software engineers in India right now</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/the-heat-is-on-mark-zuckerberg-in-india-as-facebook-and-whatsapp-incur-the-ire-of-modis-rivals/articleshow/77575358.cms">The heat is on Mark Zuckerberg in India as Facebook and WhatsApp incur the ire of Modi's rivals</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/the-top-9-movies-on-netflix-this-week-from-aposjurassic-parkapos-to-aposwork-itapos/slidelist/77548389.cms">The top 9 movies on Netflix this week, from 'Jurassic Park' to 'Work It'</a>

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee urges Centre to postpone NEET-JEE 2020

Each year, the Indian Union Budget holds the nation's economic pulse. In 2024, the focus was razor-sharp: catalysing the <keyword id="19916569" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="job-market" source="keywords">job market</keyword> and bridging the ever-widening skill gap, as the <keyword id="19916979" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="unemployment" source="keywords">unemployment</keyword> figures kept upward trajectory and dissatisfaction over government’s measures grew among the younger demographic. As a response, <keyword id="19955368" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-2024" source="keywords">budget 2024</keyword> unveiled a meticulously crafted strategy, a multi-pronged attack to empower India's youth. The Union Budget 2024-2025 intends on focussing on youth and <keyword id="19898684" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="employment" source="keywords">employment</keyword>, prompting Finance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> to allocate Rs. 1.48 lakh crore for <keyword id="19907717" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="education" source="keywords">education</keyword>, employment and <keyword id="20374219" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="skilling" source="keywords">skilling</keyword>. Further, Modi 3.0’S budget includes 5 schemes to provide opportunities to 4.1 crore youth with a central outlay of Rs. 2 lakh crore over a period of the 5 years. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111944393" title="Here&amp;#39;s a quick overview of PM Modi 3.0 government&amp;#39;s first budget, to be presented by FM Nirmala Sitharaman today" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Nirmala Sitharaman announces 3 schemes for employment linked incentives:</h2><ul><li>Scheme A (First-timers): This will benefit first-time employees, providing one month’s wages to new entrants in all formal sectors. As per Sitharaman, Direct Benefit Transfer of one month salary in 3 instalments to first-time employees as registered in the EPFO will be up to ₹15,000. The eligibility limit will be a salary of ₹1 lakh per month. The scheme will benefit 210 lakh youth.</li><li>Scheme B (Job creation in manufacturing): This will provide incentives to both employees and employers for the first 4 years of employment under EPFO guidelines. It is expected to benefit 30 lakh youth and will cover additional employment across all sectors.</li><li>Scheme C (Support to employers): This will support employees with additional employment in all sectors by reimbursing employers up to ₹3,000 per month for two years for each additional employee's EPFO contributions. The scheme aims to incentivise the employment of 50 lakh additional people.</li></ul><h2>Improving participation of women in workforce</h2>As a part of Budget 2024-2025, Nirmala Sithraman announced that Modi 3.0 will focus on improving women participation in the workforce. The Government will focus on increasing women participation in the workforce. Some measures that will be taken include setting up hostels and creating partnerships to organise women-specific skilling programs and women self-help groups. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111946291" title="Union Budget 2024-25 key highlights: Standard deduction to increase to Rs 75,000 from Rs 50,000 under new tax regime" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2>Additional incentives for employment </h2>Sitharaman announced the launch of a scheme where 500 top companies will provide internship opportunities to one crore youth in five years. Internship allowance of Rs. 5000 per month along with one-time assistance of Rs. 6000 to be provided, the Finance Minister also said that the companies will be expected to earn the training cost and 10% of the internship cost from their CSR funds. According to Mr. Ramesh Alluri Reddy, CEO at TeamLease Degree Apprenticeship, this “significant investment in skill development programs and the incentivization of industries to adopt comprehensive apprenticeships lays a solid foundation for a future-ready workforce. Integrating on-the-job training (OJT) as a mandated component of degrees, in collaboration with industry partners, allows students to gain invaluable practical experience, even if the training is not necessarily on-site.” “This initiative is a welcome move towards formal job creation, bridging the gap between theoretical education and real-world application, making graduates more job-ready.” <h2>Focus on skilling</h2>The Finance Minister said that the model skilling loan scheme will be revised to facilitate loans up to Rs 7.5 lakh. Further, a new scheme focussing on skilling will benefit 20 lakh individuals and ensure the set up of 1,000 training institutes and newly designed courses. <h2>Education loans</h2>The Union Budget 2024-25 proposes a revision of the Model Skill Loan Scheme to help 25,000 students every year. E-vouchers for loans up to Rs. 10 lakh for higher education in domestic institutions will be given directly to 1 lakh students every year with interest subvention of 3% of loan amount, said FM Sitharaman. Meanwhile, in the Interim Budget detailed in February 2024, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted a notable increase in higher educational institutes and women enrolling in STEM courses over the past decade, attributing these improvements to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Further, contrary to expectations, funding for the University Grants Commission (UGC) was reduced by 60.99%, dropping to Rs. 2,500 crore from the previous year's revised estimate of Rs. 6,409 crore. Meanwhile, grants for central universities were increased by over Rs 4,000 crore, with a total allocation of Rs 15,928 crore for the financial year 2024-25. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111951205" title="Budget 2024-25 – Changes to tax slabs, increased standard deduction and other changes to direct taxation" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/union-budget-2024-live-updates-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman-key-announcements-23-july/liveblog/111942008.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Budget 2024 Live Updates: FM Sitharaman announces comprehensive review of the Income Tax Act 1961</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/govt-to-provide-11-11-lakh-crore-towards-capex-for-2024-25/articleshow/111950700.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Govt to provide ₹11.11 lakh crore towards capex for 2024-25</a>

Budget 2024: Record allocation of Rs 1.48 lakh crore for education, employment and skilling!

New Delhi, Jul 12 () With six states expressing reservations against conducting final year examinations in universities in view of the COVID-19 situation, the HRD Ministry has asserted that the guidelines issued by the UGC have to be followed mandatorily and academic evaluation of students is crucial to ensure credibility and career opportunities. Last week, the University Grants Commission (UGC) in its revised guidelines directed the higher education institutions that final year examinations would be conducted in the month of September 2020, instead of July 2020, as per its guidelines announced in April. Punjab, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Delhi have announced reservations against the plan citing the COVID-19 situation. "The guidelines have not stated that the exams have to be conducted right away, the exams have to be concluded by September end. States can devise a calendar whenever it is feasible to conduct exams in this timeline. Also, the exams can be conducted either online, offline or in blended mode. Totally doing away with exams is not a feasible situation. The UGC guidelines are binding in nature," a senior HRD Ministry official said. "Academic evaluation of students is a very important milestone in any education system. The performance in examinations gives confidence and satisfaction to the students and is a reflection of competence, performance and credibility that is necessary for global acceptability," the official added. The HRD ministry may meet state education secretaries this week to ensure uniformity with regard to final assessment of students pursuing degrees. "As per the UGC Act, the directive by the commission is binding. As of now the plan to conduct exams is very much in place. The Ministry is open to discussing the concerns with states and work out a feasible solution but academic credibility cannot be compromised. "Top-ranking universities of the world have opted for final exams to be done remotely. Like Princeton and MIT, University of Cambridge, Imperial College of London, University of Toronto and McMaster, University of Heidelberg and University of Hong Kong have resorted to the online technology-based model of conducting exams," the official added. The UGC guidelines of April and the revised guidelines of July changed the examination window from July to September. However, it directed all higher education institutions to conduct the terminal semester or final year examinations either offline, online or in blended mode. The first and second year students were exempted from the exams and will be assessed based on previous semester performance and internal assessments. Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16, when the Centre announced a nationwide classroom shutdown as one of the measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. A nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24, which came into effect the next day. While the government has eased several restrictions, schools and colleges continue to remain closed. GJS GJS RDM RDM

COVID-19: 6 states against conducting university exams, HRD says student evaluation crucial

<ul><li>The Delhi High Court today (July 9) allowed more time to the <keyword id="151282" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="University-of-Delhi">University of Delhi</keyword> to come up with a detailed plan for conducting final exams. </li><li>That includes the mode of examination — online, offline or blended mode, final date sheet and necessary guidelines for students. </li><li>The development comes after the country’s premier government institution announced that the final year exams have now been postponed to August, 2020. </li></ul>The Delhi High Court today (July 9) allowed more time to the University of Delhi to come up with a detailed plan for conducting final exams for the graduating students. That includes the mode of examination — online, offline or blended mode, final date sheet and necessary guidelines for students. The development comes after the country’s premier government institution announced that the final year exams have now been <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/education/delhi-university-exams-postponed-till-august">postponed to August</a>, 2020. Earlier, the exams were scheduled to be held from July 10, 2020. The decision was taken during the High Court hearing, headed by Justice Pratibha M Singh. The university told the court that the exams will now be held after August 15. “Just see how you are playing the lives of children. You were not fair with the court about your preparedness for holding the online examinations. You are saying you are ready but the minutes of your meeting shows the contrary,” The High Court had said. The development came after several final year students filed a petition in the high court, seeking withdrawal of the announcement on online exams for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. This includes distance learning courses and exams. The decision to conduct the exam in July was highly opposed by the students. "We were willing to hold it, but the UGC guidelines came at the last moment," Advocate Sachin Dutta submitted before a single judge bench of Justice Pratibha M Singh. The petition also asked the court to allow an alternative evaluation model in place — that assesses students based on previous year’s result to promote first and second year students. The decision by the Delhi University comes at a time when <keyword id="6240601" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-University-Grants-Commission">the University Grants Commission</keyword> has mandated that the final year college students will have to sit for exams — online, offline or blended mode. “Evaluation of the terminal semester students which was to be done through examinations in the month of July, now their examinations will be conducted by the end of September-2020, following the guidelines laid down by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,” Union Cabinet Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said on July 7. In case the student is unable to sit for the examination in September, they may be allowed to appear in special exams for those courses, which may be conducted by the universities later, when the situation normalises, the UGC guideline added. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/flipkart-bets-on-social-commerce-with-2gud-with-a-video-based-shopping-experience/articleshow/76851279.cms">Flipkart’s latest bet on social commerce will be led by influencers and a 'video-based shopping' experience</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/zoom-video-launches-new-hardware-as-a-service-with-multiple-vendor-options/articleshow/76850952.cms">Zoom Video launches new hardware as a service with multiple vendor options</a>

Delhi High Court grants more time to Delhi University to come up with a detailed plan for conducting final year exams

<ul><li>The <keyword id="895577" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Human-Resource-and-Development">Ministry of Human Resource and Development</keyword> (MHRD) today said that <keyword id="2845364" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-National-Assessment-and-Accreditation-Council">the National Assessment and Accreditation Council</keyword> (NAAC) will roll out a new quality assessment system and accreditation for <keyword id="6379645" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Online-Education">online education</keyword> in India. </li><li>The students in the final year of college will have to sit for exams — in July or later, if the condition worsens, the Union Minister said. </li><li>On the other hand, those in the first semester will be promoted based on their internal assessment scores. Students in other semesters will be promoted based on their academic record in the previous year and internal assessment of the current semester. </li><li>As many as 33 crore students are enrolled in over 45,000 colleges in India. </li></ul>The Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) today said that the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) will roll out a new quality assessment system and accreditation for online education in India. This is aimed at promoting high quality education in the country. The development was announced by the Union Cabinet Minister <keyword id="60487" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ramesh-Pokhriyal">Ramesh Pokhriyal</keyword> while addressing the <keyword id="6375224" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="higher-education">higher education</keyword> institutions. As many as 33 crore students are enrolled in over 45,000 colleges in India. The students in the final year of college will have to sit for exams — in July or later, if the condition worsens, the Union Minister said. On the other hand, those in the first semester will be promoted based on their internal assessment scores. Students in other semesters will be promoted based on their academic record in the previous year and internal assessment of the current semester. This comes after <keyword id="6240601" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-University-Grants-Commission">the University Grants Commission</keyword> (UGC) rolled out new guidelines for university students that said that these students will be giving the final examination in July and the next academic session will begin in August, 2020. “The academic session 2020-21 may commence from August 1 for old students and September 1 for fresh students,” the official announcement said. The UGC guidelines also mandated that the final year students will have to sit for exams — online or offline. “Universities may conduct terminal, intermediate semester examinations in offline or online mode, as per their ordinances and regulations, scheme of examinations, observing the guidelines of ‘social distancing’ and keeping in view the support system available with them and ensuring fair opportunity to all students,” UGC added. According to the guidelines, the exams shall be conducted for a duration of two hours now instead of three hours. In addition, the universities will have to follow a six-day week pattern “to compensate the loss for the remaining 2019-20 session”. In March, the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) directed all the educational institutions — including the universities, entrance exam centres to shut down in wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, colleges have been trying to move the academic sessions online. Many institutes — including IIM Calcutta — have already started the next academic session online via video conferencing. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/at-least-7-leading-multinationals-are-hiring-data-scientists-during-the-lockdown-in-india/articleshow/76037075.cms">At least 7 leading multinationals are hiring data scientists during the lockdown in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/india-drops-six-places-in-the-ranking-for-worlds-best-startup-ecosystems/articleshow/76057610.cms">India drops six places in the ranking for world’s best startup ecosystems⁠— power outages and slow internet speeds get some of the blame</a>

India has a new scoring system for the COVID batch’s lost semester⁠— where old grades matter

<ul><li>2021, a year full of controversies saw brands turning to <keyword id="255227" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="public-relations" source="Orion">Public Relations</keyword> and Communications experts to save their reputation and regain consumer trust.</li><li>We look back at how PR evolved in 2021 and catch up with a few experts to discuss the trends that lie ahead.</li></ul>This year, we witnessed many brands become a victim of the boycott culture on social media and each of them adopted a different Public Relations and Communications strategy; while some decided to give in to the pressure, pulled off campaigns and maintained a low profile to cushion the blow, a few others stood their ground and fought back. Gone are the days where a brand could hope for social media controversies to die a natural death and wait for consumers to move on. Now, a small tweet can snowball into a boycott trend and a little bad PR move can cause a company’s stocks to plummet drastically or lead to a huge amount of audience permanently boycotting a brand. At the same time, some experts also advise that brands should not feed the trolls. So, in a year that saw numerous controversies, Public Relations and Communications experts proved their prominence yet again. They acted as the brand's anchor when needed and also helped them reach the shore successfully through tumultuous seas. During the initial stage of the lockdown, <keyword id="562730" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pr-agencies" source="Orion">PR agencies</keyword> had to think on their feet, engage with editorial media to help brands share their side of the story with interesting nuggets, offer positive stories, work on personalised pitches, ensure internal and external stakeholders were updated frequently with utmost honesty and transparency. PR experts also pushed brands to connect with their communities on a personal level through truthful, authentic human acts. The crisis also caused paradigm shifts in the industry and digital PR took the center stage. Experts were required to monitor trends in real-time, find various consumer touchpoints through social listening and offer predictive analysis. As we move forward, PR agencies are working towards expanding their offerings with allied competencies like creative, experiential and social media capabilities. They have also been helping brands to find the right balance between profit, people and the environment. So, the future of PR is in strong storytelling in the digital world. The future is also unpredictable and PR professionals can’t rely on annual calendars anymore. With the news cycle changing every day, PR experts are required to be more flexible and agile. We reached out to experts to look back at 2021, discuss a few trends that lie ahead in 2022 and understand what kind of role will PR play next year. Here’s what they had to say: Archana Jain, Managing Director, <keyword id="12776689" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pr-pundit" source="Orion">PR Pundit</keyword> <img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/MCoXaEjPWNo8WTqu2R2GOsky_yXnL5Z27mV6cwOUPJ1NjtOVzumIwuaedZp5FfU1Nbyk-KNE_VYY-Tq25tQm7D7eZqhugGYvTkhlY8LrQ1I4E0c3ZIRJQRewy7o8iIURcw1LpvB_" /> The sway of top celebrities has diminished as was the case back in the days. With the advent of digital and social media, people have begun to trust recommendations from peers far more. Audiences find authentic content or recommendations by actual consumers to be more honest and believable than other forms of promotions and advertising by brands. This is reason enough for brands to actively nurture a community of advocates. PR will be required to work with brands to shape and foster a community of brand advocates. A set of loyal and vocal customers who can help humanise the brand in addition to boosting brand appeal &amp; trust, promoting its products &amp; services to new cohorts, providing invaluable user-generated content (UGC), word-of-mouth recommendations, and social media chatter. Community-led storytelling is more acceptable and authentic rather than a direct brand-led communication. Community advocacy will need to be consciously harnessed and not left to chance. 2022 will see many more brands structure a meaningful brand advocacy strategy. Ameer Ismail, President, <keyword id="10059988" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lintas-live" source="Orion">Lintas Live</keyword> <img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/PcMyJiz1vfMkRb60zRIOm3u-onxZFHP0AIWLgPet9ba6KooBq88MwEf3VR3CbnkhfUGOEuTkd4TU-t1S9AoFffxhKrFWAyKPh5IlyOcUiImuCt1-aAYDklESQifRb4mxU8EFO4Bt" /> My biggest takeaway from 2021 is that agency brands and professionals have learned to be resilient and this is based on the multitude of challenges everyone has faced. Smart PR agencies have managed to reinvent themselves with offerings that are built for new realities and collectively have made sure that the relevance of PR is as strong as ever. While a move to everything digital will continue and a lot has been spoken and written about that, I feel that ‘collaboration and consolidation’ will be one the most important trends in that will emerge in 2022. This will be fueled by a few factors, first, resources will be deployed judiciously and talent will continue to be in short supply, the churn agencies have been experiencing at mid and junior levels will continue in 2022. This will lead to a need for agencies to find collaborative ways to deliver on client briefs and they will tap the vast pool of independent talent and specialized agencies and we will see newer collaborative models emerge. Second, clients will be in a hurry to get solutions from agency partners that can get their brands back in the mindspace of consumers and other target audiences. They will want to deal with fewer, better established partners which will lead to a need for consolidation. Deepshikha Dharmaraj, Chief Executive Officer, <keyword id="8878758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="genesis-bcw" source="Orion">Genesis BCW</keyword> <img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/2ijXOdKqC0joOCWDwi7EyoYj_pdg_E8jPKzy5OcR89RViosKsrX1M-PRHdwutJNBMz54xeSvSSF51UwTMbUkpZ_UUVLaz7RCuc3HtSQ698wISf5JwgmWLYxl-EdATKHbPfN0ao4Y" /> If there is one word that will be at the centre of everything in 2022, it is ‘people’. With the world—India included—teetering between recovery and anxiety around ever-evolving COVID variants, people will need to be communicated with, engaged, assuaged, motivated, retained, developed, and more. These people include every stakeholder a company has—customers/consumers, employees, partners, the government, the community at large. And public relations is the only marketing discipline that touches all of them. Digital will continue to be the medium of choice, and within that, metaverse will be flavour of the year. While the Indian industry still has some distance to cover in that, there is curiosity about this next big thing. No matter what the medium though, the message will have to be aligned to the company’s purpose. And delivered creatively, with authenticity. Akshaara Lalwani, Founder &amp; CEO, <keyword id="3573568" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="communicate-india" source="Orion">Communicate India</keyword> <img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/zCOSh41CE8dyovtyuyIPAHsu4qhktLTnRBABbxjuY8iuw8hJ0CU9D6yeGKeJ55rsmjqqKgtGvx1RBVeLT0eGy_NVLOgEr9BrjA6yd_ts2ruOv-ZxFfcHWIBSWP8PoSW0B03QOAPE" /> Over the past decade, PR has been moving away from traditional business models towards a more holistic and integrated approach. Whether it is the shift from pure media relations to content or the migration from print to digital, there is a marked change in the way the PR landscape functions. In 2022, this trend will further solidify its presence. There will also be a blurring of demarcation lines between PR, marketing and advertising, digital and offline, eventually leading to PR &amp; Communication professionals to further value the importance of integrated communications. Agility and the ability to pivot will thus be key attributes that will enable the industry to thrive. Also, since the protracted fight against the pandemic still continues, companies and organisations need to prioritise responsible communication over all else. We live in a world where the spread of disinformation and misinformation is not uncommon, hence, agencies need to be able to work in tandem with their clients to help them steer a middle course between capitalistic desires and ethical communication. Mayank Sen, Co-founder, Moe's Art <img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ZEfKIz4red6Btj4FRUytg_37JVYsyrmNwAXOmMlCACuN2Q2E6CTMX17bG95ukNJlG_XhaCiDdH-L07NodShsf0-AjpFKLez1-5TUcuo-O6RN6r9CRbixvF04LyRRaA34a-iAA7ug" /> For the longest time, ‘content’ has been the flavour of the season. At first, it began as an accessory, gradually ruling as a king on a kingdom. In 2020, content and its marketing became an undeniable powerful tool for businesses of all sizes. The evergreen axiom of marketing – ‘delivering the right content, to the right people, at the right time’ – took a redefined meaning. And for the times to come, the fundamental aspect of the content ecosystem will be founded on a framework of a performance driven-model, driven by contextual marketing. Within the emerging framework, data and technology will take a strong precedence. The industry will focus on delivering optimal consumer experience while capitalising on the opportunities in hand. Attention will be paid to provide more personalised and relevant content. Measuring the performance will make sure that the experience is scalable. It will present a continuous assessment of how the content is performing, and from that perspective, make decisions on what to do with the content in the future. Measuring success, building a cohesive brand story, and fostering a transparent, interactive consumer loyalty will be the ‘WIN-WIN’ strategy for the year to come! Asif Upadhye, Director and The Dark Knight at <a href="http://www.sprd.co.in/">SPRD</a> <img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/x1DFHW5qI5OMJV1bnIe30z-7puaTM4saJ1Xg-Yx7W4nyz_BsTyzbJBvL1js4JcCTZSwgzdp8vVfECuKCfz5jm8H7jOJaeK523Y0nHZ_GC9BstRhP8KLANz5j76Ew2pYmPULIZSkn" /> If 2020 and 2021 have taught us anything, it’s that moving forward at a snail’s pace is undoubtedly the quickest way to get left behind. While pre-pandemic, the public relations and communications industry was already making significant strides in technology by analyzing data to craft a better customer experience, the pace of digital adoption and the advent of a digital-first PR approach have been accelerated. From my own experience, a key ingredient across PR strategies, content marketing, corporate communications, and media coverage that will rule the PR roost in 2022 is the crucial need to customize bespoke services and products, every step of the way. From unified communications (UC) that are employee-centric to personalizing media pitches, customization sits at the heart of nearly every PR and communications trend. Customers are growing tired of the ‘media universe’ and now look for frameworks based on behavioral and business insights that truly put their needs front and center. Eventually, this is what will separate the mediocre brands from the greats. Case in point, the State of PR 2021 report points to the fact that flexibility, agility and attention to detail when it comes to personalizing something as simple as a pitch email is 96% more likely to grab a journalist’s eyeballs, rather than sending out a generic email blast. While consumer habits and employee working patterns that have been developed over the past year and a half are likely to continue well into 2022, hyper-personalization will bear fruit and result in more contextualized communication and inevitably greater conversions.” <keyword id="10618036" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tarunjeet-rattan" source="Orion">Tarunjeet Rattan</keyword>, Managing Partner, <keyword id="12776690" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nucleus-pr" source="Orion">Nucleus PR</keyword> <img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/biB2xpfw8B3ACsoiWJFWZM6bv3Ank8VYTpfiuYRsKObER_c-BYqsU6H5LnrGXuiKTveCPVkuoleLhWSCa5GVXXOeWKdu6Zl8BBv0Sw5JNQVNhAJdX1-KG2mm0bRS0a0KA2kk6O6m" /> There are three very distinct trends that we will see in the coming year: <ul><li>While the models of working and mediums will undergo a change, what will remain strong is the need for strong storytelling. What will change however is the degree of authenticity in storytelling. It will take a hard turn towards stark reality …almost raw. Consumers want to know why the brand matters, why they should care about it and what is the brand impact? How are you adding value to the life of the consumer? Authentic storytelling will win over aesthetics.</li><li>The role of the founding or leadership team will become even more crucial. One cannot hide behind a faceless brand persona or logo anymore. You will have to put yourself out there to create a strong, credible and believable story about your brand that brings out its authenticity. This also brings in a lot more accountability that brands will have to guard their reputation on. Consumers want to pick up brands that walk the talk. You cannot be a CEO that promotes mental health and fire your agency on twitter. You cannot be talking about environmental sustainability and create a toxic work culture for humans. It just won’t fly anymore.</li><li>Community Building will take Center Stage. We saw a strong glimpse of this across 2020 and 2021. This will gain more ground in the coming year where communities around a brand vision will be created and drive conversation around a challenge.</li></ul>Sonam Shah, Founder and CEO, Treize Communications <img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tibyc9RzmafWRj1oQ96Pfxprxx7EuPnJXnLWsmEKe08CGxmOOIazUJo5Mgjc5SAoyzFfXaoBQNfsLIDrhNUoe0xF7rWvlkfmK5RyYGNiPicQ_VR-_xzDBjFbhM1t83I8ZccKEJfQ" /> 2021 saw high demand in PR, especially in the area of influencer marketing. Brands, big and small, capitalised on this rising trend in the first half of the year. But, once the ASCI guidelines came into place from June 2021, there was a downward slip observed in the engagement. Instagram algorithms underwent a great uphaul as influencers had to win against AI algorithms. This phase again got brands and companies to focus on creating news and building brand recall. While demand has been high for PR, there have been some apprehensions also noticed when it comes to being out in the open/media. The second half of this year, saw print media come back, as newspaper circulation started, and people started reading it like before. This behavioural change instigated a need to be present in Print media, via editorial articles, and this will be the biggest trend in 2022. The need to present in Print media. Print media has always been a factor in bringing in trust and authenticity and clients do require to build that kind of strong trust within their stakeholders to continue businesses in a post-pandemic phase.

You Searched For "UGC Guidelines 2020" and got 13 results

Supreme Court says final year exams are 'mandatory' in order promote students

BI India Bureau

UGC Guidelines 2020: Supreme Court verdict likely soon on final year exams

BI India Bureau

UGC final year exam guidelines — The wait gets longer, Supreme Court to decide the final verdict on August 18

BI India Bureau

Online or offline, the students in the final year of college will have to sit for exams by the end of September, says the UGC

Prerna Sindwani

An odd-even plan for schools ⁠— India is reportedly planning to let 50% of students attend from home

Prerna Sindwani

UGC rolls out academic plan for the year — 2 hour exams, 6-day weeks and promotions based on internal assessment

Prerna Sindwani

Experts expect to see more advertisements around IPL this year than ever before

Karuna Sharma

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee urges Centre to postpone NEET-JEE 2020

IANS

Budget 2024: Record allocation of Rs 1.48 lakh crore for education, employment and skilling!

Ashmita Gupta

COVID-19: 6 states against conducting university exams, HRD says student evaluation crucial

PTI

Delhi High Court grants more time to Delhi University to come up with a detailed plan for conducting final year exams

Prerna Sindwani

India has a new scoring system for the COVID batch’s lost semester⁠— where old grades matter

Prerna Sindwani

Trends that will dominate the PR industry in 2022

Karuna Sharma