With the number of schools in its client roaster growing In10s sees huge potential for Unicampus growth as it can tap the prospects of adoption opportunity in an estimated 75000 private schools in India. The company posted an impressive 48% growth in topline as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year financial results for the period ended September 30, 2013. This is the eighth quarter in a row that the company has shown commendable profitable growth.

Since its launch 2 months ago several schools in the city like the Kendriya Vidyalaya, Shantinikethan, AVM Schools, Kennedy Vidyalaya, Prerna International Schools, KGS, Thapoovan and 20 others have already integrated the Unicampus™ suite into its system. This resulted in a full-scale integrated school system management process for these schools which lead to benefit the students, their parents, the school administration and move away from the cumbersome manual and non-integral school-student lifecycle information system.

“Our goal is to enable schools build information management success stories with technology systems that enable teachers, staffs, students as well as their parents deal with multiple administrative and academic process challenges, sum up them in one touch window.” says Shastri, Chairman of Intense Technologies. “It is as easy as windows operating systems we use today”, he adds.

“In our dialogue with many of the schools, we found they find it extremely challenging to implement school-student lifecycle processes. Besides, at the operational level, seamlessness and interoperability are challenging (leading to inefficiencies) due to dependence on monolithic chunks of software and systems that do not communicate with each other. When we presented Unicampus™ to schools they lapped it up as it offsets these difficulties effortlessly”, Jayant Dwarkanath, CEO and Director, Intense Technologies said.

As a complete ERP solution, Unicampus provides 7 key modules under one solution fulfilling all the IT needs of Educational organizations such as Website development, Management ERP, Digital Library, Skills – in critical and creative thinking, communication, problem solving, teamwork and positive personal self-management.

Under the one solution module Unicampus also provides Tools- such as Smart Search an intelligent searching tool to provide multiple types of learning material for selected topic on single click, Communications -in-built, Communication System with SMS & Email communication for every activity and Smart Assessment – provides in-depth assessment data to analyze Student performance easily.

Malla Reddy, Correspondent, Phulaji Baba Group of Educational Institutions who were among the early schools which deployed Unicampus™ said, “For us, Unicampus enabled enhancement of our brand image with dynamic website and streamline of our operations, resulting improved all-round operational efficiency” D. Balaji, Director, Presidency High School stated the solution is so simple that the teachers, students and staff were able to swiftly embrace the technology.

SP Reddy of Kamineni Global Schools pointed out Unicampus as very cost effective solution. “We did not have to invest in IT infrastructure, moreover we have the flexibility to upgrade to other functionalities as and when we feel the need”, he said.

What made Regency Nalanda School consider Unicampus were its student and teacher performance reports feature. Branch Head Praveen says unicampus™ gives us useful insights that can be used to enhance curriculum and pedagogy”. Gopi David – Director, Bhoopathy High School on the other hand stated that his school was looking for a solution that is easily configurable and improve their existing student information system which Unicampus™ fitted without any difficulty.

For Indian School what promoted them to deploy In10s Unicampus was their prompt service, easy to use and fast deployment cycle capability that helped them to leverage Information Technology to impart quality education Venkat Rajeev – Secretary, Indian High School stated.

Prashant – Director, Trident International School says, with Unicampus information is available to all relevant people at the right time, benefiting students, teachers and staff to be better informed.

For Meridian School Siddipet Unicampus helped them automation of admission processes which saved lot of time and effort of management, staff and teachers. “The online applications feature helped the school expand its reach multifold”, Sandhya -Administrative Officer, Meridian Siddipet said.

Unicampus™ developed by Intense for Education is available On Demand (Software as a Service), and is hosted on dedicated servers at the most safe and reliable data centers of Google. Any user of the institution will be able to access it online using internet anytime anywhere.

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KidZania is an ‘indoor’ family edutainment theme park of about 75,000 square feet that emulates the workings of a real city but built to scale for children. KidZania gives children an environment that allows them to do what naturally comes to them: role-playing by mimicking traditionally adult activities.

Shah Rukh Khan at KidZania Mumbai

Unique to KidZania Mumbai, children can also experience one-of-a-kind establishments like the Bollywood Acting Academy, Pottery Studio, KalaShetra Art & Culture Club and Dabbawalla (boxed lunch delivery service).

KidZania Mumbai features premier global and local brands to help authenticate every experience. Key brand partners at KidZania Mumbai include: Big Bazaar, Birla Sun Life Insurance, Central, Godrej Security Systems, Star TV, YES Bank, Times of India, Radio City, Hyundai, Coca-Cola, Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, Mad over Donuts and Kellogg’s Chocos.

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Axis Bank- ISIC Forex Card combines features of Travel Currency cards and ISIC provides special student offers and discounts across 125 countries on a wide range of spending categories such as travel, accommodation, museums and cultural sites, retail shopping restaurants, cafes, entertainment and other features.

Axis Bank- ISIC Forex Card uses Mastercard network. Ari Sarker, Division President, South Asia, MasterCard, ”We are extremely excited about our relationship with the International Student Identity Card Association (ISIC) and Axis Bank and the launch of the Axis Bank- ISIC Forex Card’. This product is a step in the right direction; enabling Indian students traveling abroad to access funds easily and securely around the world through MasterCard’s global acceptance network, while enjoying added offers and benefits.

Axis Bank- ISIC Forex Card

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There are subsidies provided for lower income group by the Central Government. As per the scheme there is a full interest subsidy during the period of moratorium on educational loans for students with parental family income from all sources of less than Rs.4.5 lakh annually, from scheduled banks under the Educational Loan Scheme of the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) for professional/technical stream studies from recognized institutions in India. Proof of income which is required and has to be certified by authorities to be designated by the State Governments. The loan has a ceiling of Rs.10 lakhs.

Tax benefits have also been provided for educational loans. Under Section 80E of the Income Tax Act, 1961 a deduction to an individual assessee has been provided incase he or she has an amount paid in the previous year by way of interest on loan taken by him from any financial institution or any approved charitable institution for the purpose of pursing his or her higher education or for the purpose of higher education of his relative.

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“Family-owned companies face unique challenges in India’s competitive business environment. The Managing Family Businesses for Generational Success – India program explores topics critical to family-owned companies in India such as succession, ownership control and shareholder relationships. The participants will learn to implement business practices that drive high performance, shareholder loyalty, and healthy family relationships”, John A. Davis, Senior Lecturer of Business Administration and faculty chair of Managing Family Businesses for Generational Success—India.

The program explores various avenues of a family enterprise such as designing strategies to help a family reach common goal, improve communication and relationships with family members, address conflicts and plans for future success. It will also present an opportunity for participants to maximize their strengths and minimize vulnerabilities of being a family business by exploring four key areas: dynamics of a family business system; growing, preserving and sharing of wealth; governance and succession.

“At HBS, we help companies develop the skills they need to get different points of view on the table, sort them out, and negotiate as a family around these issues. When they know what to plan for, how to resolve differences, and how to structure the rules, policies, and decision-making apparatus, then they can keep their families engaged and excited about running the business,” said Deepak Malhotra, Eli Goldston Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and faculty member of Managing Family Businesses for Generational Success—India.

As with all HBS Executive Education programs, the India portfolio will be taught by members of the school’s own full-time faculty using the HBS case method. Incorporating thought-provoking lectures, case studies on local and global organizations and small-group discussions, this program will bring about a dynamic learning environment that emphasizes participation with family teams of individuals representing both genders and two generations.

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Dr. R. K. Tyagi, Chairman, HAL said, the company is proud to be associated with the country’s premium management institute and both the organisations stand to gain with such initiatives. “Our aim is to prepare today’s generation to take on the challenges of tomorrow by exposing them to the best international practices on all operational fronts”, he said. IIM Officiating Director, Prof Ajay Pandey explained diverse activities of the institute which he says strives for excellence whatever the field and will look after the special needs of HAL.

The participants will have international exposure and the subjects to be covered include business environment, individual and organisation, global competitive mindset, innovation and technology, strategic alliances and JVs, ethics and governance. One-year program to be conducted in seven phases comprises of training at IIM-Ahmedabad interspersed with individual and group project work of topics relevant to HAL.

Photo caption: Mr. Ashok Kumar Gupta, Additional Secretary, Defence Production (MoD) lighting the lamp to inaugurate HAL Leadership Development Program at IIM, Ahmedabad. Dr. R. K. Tyagi, Chairman, HAL (extreme left) and IIM Officiating Director, Prof Ajay Pandey (center) are also seen.

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The LeapStart Adapted Physical Education Program has been modified to ensure that even kids with physical disability get the same quality of Physical Education as others. The program underscores that every child has the basic right to education as well as physical education. Every child has unique characteristics, interests, abilities and learning needs but sadly even on occasions where children with disabilities or special needs get access to academic education, they are hardly encouraged or entertained when it comes to physical education. LeapStart realised the requirement for a tailor-made Physical Education Program that would answer the needs of these children. They have used their vast experience and extensive research to put together this program, enabling these children to achieve their fitness goals in a safe and successful environment.

The objectives of the program includes
- Classes to increase cardiovascular fitness
- Muscular strength
- Improve overall flexibility
- A platform to develop social skills

The program has received overwhelming acceptance from renowned institutions like DPS South, New Horizon Gurukul, St. Joseph in Bangalore, Maharishi Vidya Mandir, Lady Andal, Sherwood Hall in Chennai, JG LB Nagar in Hyderabad, Orchid International School in Pune, SM Shetty in Mumbai, St. George in Delhi, Doon International School in Punjab. LeapStart Adapted Physical Education Program has been successful in bringing a positive change to the lives of numerous children in the above mentioned schools.
Mr. Kishen Whabi, Program Director of FitKids Education and Training Pvt. Ltd. said “Research has shown that students experience a higher level of success while in Physical Education classes. We believe that the same is true for kids with special needs and hence we decided to adapt our Physical Education program to suit their requirements.”

“Students who were enrolled in the program have experienced personal adaptations and a more defined class structure. Most importantly, Adapted Physical Education services provide students with ample opportunities to increase their confidence in a physical activity setting and to improve their overall self-esteem”, said Mr. Aditya Kaura, Co-founder of FitKids Education and Training Pvt. Ltd.

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Envisioned as a modern world class institution, the School of Built Environment will offer a range of academic degree programs, including:
§ 3 year full time BBA in Real Estate and Urban Infrastructure
§ 2 year full time MBA in Real Estate and Urban Infrastructure (with specialization in Investment Finance or Marketing)
§ 2 year full time MBA in Construction Project Management

The School will also offer Management Development Programs to meet the training and development requirements of existing professionals in sector.

This industry led academic initiative is supported by the Ministry of Urban Development, where the School aims to bridge the professional skills gap in real estate, construction, infrastructure and associated services – collectively termed as ‘built environment’, by delivering ‘industry ready’ professionals from the day students complete their education and step into the industry.

RICS also announced the appointment of Prof. K.T. Ravindran as Dean of the RICS School of Built Environment, Amity University. An internationally acclaimed academician, he has over 30 years experience in academia, and was the former Dean of the School of Planning and Architecture and the Chairman of the Delhi Urban Arts Commission. He is also the founder and President of the Institute of Urban Designers – India, which is a professional association of qualified urban designers.

Globally, the built environment sector accounts for 10% of the work force, 70% of wealth, 60% of all utilized materials, 40% of carbon emissions and 60% of energy utilization. In India, the sector accounts for nearly 17.5%* of the GDP, second only to agriculture and is the second largest employer with over 50 million people working in built environment.

Inaugurating the RICS School of Built Environment, Amity University, Shri Kamal Nath, Union Minister of Urban Development, Government of India said, “I see this endeavour between RICS and Amity University in setting up the School of Built Environment as a first-of-its-kind initiative that will lay the foundation to setting new benchmarks that other institutions will subsequently try and emulate. The challenges of urbanization in India are already immense. India has a very young demographic profile that’s extremely mobile and we’re already seeing small towns becoming the hub of economic activity. This is probably the largest aspirational society on the planet with growing disposable incomes – moving from the economics of sustenance to the economics of gratification and we see this reflected in the built environment domain as well. One of the biggest challenges facing the real-estate, construction and infrastructure sectors is that of good human resources. The RICS School of Built Environment, Amity University will therefore enable quality and relevant education for young professionals entering this sector. I also look forward to the School of Built Environment creating ‘next practices’ which in turn will lead to ‘best practices’ for the industry. The government will be happy to assist this partnership in any way possible.”

Commenting on the importance of this initiative, Mr. Sachin Sandhir, MD-RICS South Asia said, “Built environment is severely being impacted by a demand-supply mismatch of professionals. The projected shortage of various core and specialized professionals to the tune of 44 million is a cause for significant concern, as it threatens the sustainability of high growth sectors of real-estate, construction and infrastructure, which contribute significantly to the nation’s economic development. Considering the dearth of quality talent within built environment stems from the absence of specialized education in the sector, we are extremely glad to have set up the RICS School of Built Environment, Amity University as a world-class, industry led academic institution that will help bridge the skills gap in India by equipping 15,000-20,000 professionals over the next three to five years, thereby ensuring that the growing demand for quality real estate, construction and infrastructure in the country are adequately met.”

According to Mr. Atul Chauhan, Chancellor, Amity University, “With the establishment of the RICS School of Built Environment, Amity University has enhanced its commitment to provide world class education across disciplines within the real estate, construction and infrastructure sectors. India is one of the fastest growing economies of the world, where new townships and infrastructure development are rapidly changing the face of the country. We see this initiative as an opportunity to deliver quality education and serve as a hub for research and develop technical standards and best practices in the sector and ensuring that in the times to come ‘built environment’ will be viewed as a ‘career of choice’ by all aspiring professionals.”

Echoing the sentiments of the others, Prof. K.T. Ravindran, Dean, RICS School of Built Environment, Amity University said, “Although the real estate and construction sectors are key contributors to the economy, there is a complete vacuum of education and training options available for professionals to enhance and hone their skills. The School of Built Environment has been launched to provide students with a strong foundation for a specialized career in this fast growing sector. Top-of-the-line faculty sourced from around the world in a campus comparable to the best anywhere, along with an innovatively designed curriculum will ensure that the graduates passing out from the School are wholesome, employment-ready professionals that meet the changing needs of the industry.”

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Purple Turtle which is licensed by Aadarsh Pvt. Ltd is a Kids Luxury brand that publishes NCERT approved Preschool, Nursery, School books and many other activity and puzzle books. Purple Turtle is also a preschool, which provides personalized education and care towards a child.

Purple turtle is a cute character which helps a child to grow and learn in a fun manner. It a name that is friendlier in both the genders and also a favorite among children and parents as Purple Turtle is exactly what makes a child interested in reading and learning. This has made Eksmo to choose Purple Turtle as their publishing house.

Eksmo is the exclusive Russian partner of Disney, Inc. in publishing educational books. Eksmo works in all segments of the books like school textbooks, children’s literature, domestic and foreign fiction.

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The writing style has consciously been kept simple and straightforward so that the books can be read independently as well as within a classroom or family framework. At the same time, the books are extremely witty and quirky. There is no didactic nature in these stories, as we intend to encourage children to read purely for the sake of pleasure.

Tak Tak & Revenge of the Puppets

Now, Karadi Tales brings out two vibrant new picture books – Tak-Tak! and Revenge of the Puppets. The books will be available on stands from March 2013 for Rs. 95 each.

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