National Workshop on MERU Opens in New Delhi

05 May 2025 CW Team

The event saw participation from 64 Vice Chancellors, State Project Directors, and senior officials from the Ministry of Education, including Dr. Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education; Shri Sunil Kumar Barnwal, Additional Secretary; Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Chairman, AICTE; Prof. Anil Sahasrabudhe, Chairperson, NETF; and Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar, Former UGC Chairman. Shri Armstrong Pame, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Education, delivered the vote of thanks.

In his address, Dr. Majumdar emphasized the transformative goals of NEP 2020, noting its focus on empowering youth, modernising education, and blending traditional Indian knowledge with global innovation. He said the workshop would provide vital guidance to universities and state agencies on aligning their goals with central and state funding under MERU.

He added that 35 universities will receive Rs 1 billion (Rs 100 crore) each to implement 44 activities outlined under the MERU framework. Calling for collective commitment, Dr. Majumdar urged all institutions to work towards building a “Viksit Bharat by 2047”—a future where universities become centres of innovation, inclusion, and global excellence.

Dr. Vineet Joshi, in his remarks, stressed the importance of research in driving quality higher education and urged institutions to adopt and replicate best practices across regions. He also highlighted the need to develop teaching and learning resources in local languages for better educational outcomes.

The two-day workshop features 12 thematic sessions covering:

UGC regulations for NEP implementation
Multidisciplinary collaboration and clustering
Skilling and industry integration
Digital initiatives like SWAYAM, SATHEE, APAAR
Equity and access in higher education
Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS)
E-governance tools such as SAMARTH
Research, internationalisation, and innovation
Language promotion, teacher training under the Malaviya Mission
Accreditation and ranking frameworks (NAAC, NIRF, IQAC)

Eminent academicians, administrators, and policymakers will share insights on effective implementation strategies and best practices.

Union Minister of State for Education and Development of the North Eastern Region, Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, inaugurated a two-day National Workshop on Multi-Disciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERU) under the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) in New Delhi on April 30, 2025 at ICAR.The event saw participation from 64 Vice Chancellors, State Project Directors, and senior officials from the Ministry of Education, including Dr. Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education; Shri Sunil Kumar Barnwal, Additional Secretary; Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Chairman, AICTE; Prof. Anil Sahasrabudhe, Chairperson, NETF; and Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar, Former UGC Chairman. Shri Armstrong Pame, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Education, delivered the vote of thanks.In his address, Dr. Majumdar emphasized the transformative goals of NEP 2020, noting its focus on empowering youth, modernising education, and blending traditional Indian knowledge with global innovation. He said the workshop would provide vital guidance to universities and state agencies on aligning their goals with central and state funding under MERU.He added that 35 universities will receive Rs 1 billion (Rs 100 crore) each to implement 44 activities outlined under the MERU framework. Calling for collective commitment, Dr. Majumdar urged all institutions to work towards building a “Viksit Bharat by 2047”—a future where universities become centres of innovation, inclusion, and global excellence.Dr. Vineet Joshi, in his remarks, stressed the importance of research in driving quality higher education and urged institutions to adopt and replicate best practices across regions. He also highlighted the need to develop teaching and learning resources in local languages for better educational outcomes.The two-day workshop features 12 thematic sessions covering:UGC regulations for NEP implementationMultidisciplinary collaboration and clusteringSkilling and industry integrationDigital initiatives like SWAYAM, SATHEE, APAAREquity and access in higher educationIndian Knowledge Systems (IKS)E-governance tools such as SAMARTHResearch, internationalisation, and innovationLanguage promotion, teacher training under the Malaviya MissionAccreditation and ranking frameworks (NAAC, NIRF, IQAC)Eminent academicians, administrators, and policymakers will share insights on effective implementation strategies and best practices.

Infrastructure Urban

05 Nov 2025

TBO Tek Q2 Profit Climbs 12%, Revenue Surges 26% YoY

TBO Tek Limited one of the world’s largest travel distribution platforms, reported a solid performance for Q2 FY26 with a 26 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue to Rs 5.68 billion, reflecting broad-based growth and improving profitability.The company recorded a Gross Transaction Value (GTV) of Rs 8,901 crore, up 12 per cent YoY, driven by strong performance across Europe, MEA, and APAC regions. Adjusted EBITDA before acquisition-related costs stood at Rs 1.04 billion, up 16 per cent YoY, translating into an 18.32 per cent margin compared to 16.56 per cent in Q1 FY26. Profit after tax r..

Infrastructure Energy

05 Nov 2025

Northern Graphite, Rain Carbon Secure R&D Grant for Greener Battery Materials

Northern Graphite Corporation and Rain Carbon Canada Inc, a subsidiary of Rain Carbon Inc, have jointly received up to C$860,000 (€530,000) in funding under the Canada–Germany Collaborative Industrial Research and Development Programme to develop sustainable battery anode materials.The two-year, C$2.2 million project aims to transform natural graphite processing by-products into high-performance, battery-grade anode material (BAM). Supported by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Programme (NRC IRAP) and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs a..

Infrastructure Urban

05 Nov 2025

Antony Waste Q2 Revenue Jumps 16%; Subsidiary Wins Rs 3,200 Cr WtE Projects

Antony Waste Handling Cell Limited (AWHCL), a leading player in India’s municipal solid waste management sector, announced a 16 per cent year-on-year increase in total operating revenue to Rs 2.33 billion for Q2 FY26. The growth was driven by higher waste volumes, escalated contracts, and strong operational execution.EBITDA rose 18 per cent to Rs 570 million, with margins steady at 21.6 per cent, while profit after tax stood at Rs 173 million, up 13 per cent YoY. Revenue from Municipal Solid Waste Collection and Transportation (MSW C&T) reached Rs 1.605 billion, and MSW Processing re..