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- NEP-2020 to provide Holistic, Student-Centric, Flexible and Multidisciplinary Education July 26, 2021
On July 29, 2020, the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020), came into force by the Government of India. SRM University-AP organised a sought after webinar titled “Creating a Vibrant Knowledge Society – An Indian Strategy for 21st Century” on July 24, 2021, as a part of its University Distinguished Lecture Series. Padma Vibhushan Dr K Kasturirangan, Chairman, National Education Policy-2020 (NEP), expounded the salient features and importance of the National Educational Policy. Dr Audimulapu Suresh, Hon’ble Minister for Education, Andhra Pradesh, and Prof Vijayalakshmi Saxena, General President, ISCA, delivered special addresses.Prof. D. Narayana Rao, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, SRM University – AP in his welcome address said that the NEP – 2020 laid the foundation for a new India of the 21st Century. He said that NEP is poised to yield outstanding results in the fields of Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science & Technology Development in the country. Prof. Narayana Rao said that NEP 2020 is a game-changer for education in the country. He also opined that no country has achieved self-reliance without education of high quality.
In his Distinguished Lecture, Dr Kasturirangan asserted that over the next decade, India would have the highest population of young people in the world, more than 50% below the age of 35 years aspiring for high-quality education.
“How to learn? Moreover, how to become lifelong learners?-This is a critical question that needs to be addressed appropriately. Furthermore, the education of the future generations needs to be reconfigured to meet the targets of the sustainable development goals set for the year 2030. Especially goals for quality education seek higher inclusion, equitable quality education and promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all,” explained Dr Kasturirangan.
Dr Kasturirangan further delineated, “India now needs an education system aligned with the aspirational goals of the 21st century while remaining rooted to India’s values, systems and ethos. NEP-2020 is crafted to provide an integrative yet flexible approach to education, keeping the interconnections of various phases of education. NEP-2020 is an end-to-end educational roadmap for the country with a broad view of encompassing holistic development, kindling the true potentials of the individuals. The policy is designed in accordance with developmental, cognitive and educational psychology, indicating that 5+3+3+4 design is better suited to a child’s learning trajectory.”
Dr Kasturirangan further explained the role of universities, degree colleges, the importance of open and distance education and the role of teachers. Teachers are the pillars of the successful implementation of NEP-2020. The new policy has facilitated the teachers and revised their roles to achieve the goal.
The major emphasis given in the policy is to the aspect of holistic and multidisciplinary education as the fundamental component of every level of education. Universities are perennial sources to generate and disseminate new ideas and knowledge. These are the effective eco-systems for interactions among diverse disciplines. He further requested SRM University-AP to consider setting up a Centre of Excellence in Education to offer B.Ed and M.Ed courses to prepare teachers.
Dr Kasturirangan said that the teachers trained in universities amongst the passionate and high profile Professors, will be excellent teachers and excel in teaching. Thus, the Universities need to take the initiative of setting up Centres of Excellence in education. At the Post-graduation level, one of the key recommendations of the policy is the strengthening of the research at the university system. The policy recommends the creation of a National Research Foundations for the purpose. National Research Foundation came into being with the vision of increasing the quantum and scope of quality research across all disciplines, creating a much larger workforce in the country. It also aims to promote Indian Art, Culture and Languages.
The policy also highlights the critical need to manage research at all levels- pure, applied, transactional, and research addressed to specific needs of the industry and social objectives. The primary role of the National Research Foundation will be to nurture a vibrant research eco-system through adequate funding, mentoring and support of multidisciplinary research in Arts and Humanities, Social and Natural Sciences, Engineering and Technology, including educational technology. Dr K. Kasturirangan emphatically mentioned that India will be the skill capital of the world. He also mentioned that India must lead in emerging technologies: Artificial Intelligence, Additive Manufacturing, Neurosciences, e-mobility etc.
In his Presidential Address, Dr Adimulapu Suresh expressed his happiness to share the various initiatives that Government of Andhra Pradesh is taking towards implementing National Education Policy-2020. Dr Suresh said that the Government of Andhra Pradesh, under the leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, has accepted the concept and recommendations of National Education Policy-2020 that it has envisaged.
Dr Suresh agreed that education should have equality, accessibility, affordability, accountability and reachability among all. In the 21st century, poverty can no longer be a barrier to education. Hence, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has introduced several novel programmes and schemes to bring education to everyone, and NEP-2020’s recommendations have aided to take their schemes forward.
The Government of Andhra Pradesh believes that mothers are the key to an educated family. Therefore, the Government has introduced an incentive programme for mothers. Every mother who sends her child to a school will get 15000 rupees from the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The Government has further introduced Full Fee Reimbursement for the students below poverty level.
Dr Suresh proclaimed, “People who were denied education for centuries now can find their voices. Not a single child will be denied education. Hence, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has allocated 17% of its budget, i.e. nearly thirty thousand crores, for education. We are currently spending 2-3% of GSDP for education which is very close to what has been prescribed in the NEP-2020. Following the recommendation of NEP-2020, The Government of Andhra Pradesh is also introducing Academic Banks of Credits (ABC) and Choice based credit system (CBCS) to provide students with freedom and flexibility in education.”
Dr Suresh further mentioned that NEP-2020 emphasises Higher Education but does not enlighten much on Primary Education. CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has taken revolutionary steps to reconstruct Primary Education, developing the common curriculum and language training. Along with that, The Government is also putting an emphasis on Communicative and Soft Skill Training. Therefore, the Government of Andhra Pradesh can proudly say that that they have been the first state in the nation to imbibe the recommendations of National Education Policy-2020.
Dr Vijayalakshmi Saxena, in the Special Address, further elaborated that the previous policy on education was decades old. With the changing time, the policy also needs to be improvised. NEP-2020 has filled the void and came up with suggestions for the making of the 21st century. She said, “As educators, it is our duty to bring youngsters to take up new challenges. The vision of Indian Education, as mentioned in the policy, is to touch everyone’s life, consistent with their needs and necessities. she concluded.
Prof D Narayana Rao, Pro-Vice-Chancellor presented the book – Space and Beyond: Professional Voyage of K. Kasturirangan, to the Hon’ble Minister, and mementoes to all the speakers.
In his concluding remarks, Prof VS Rao, Vice-Chancellor of SRM University-AP, congratulated Dr Kasturirangan for the brilliantly conceptualized new education policy. He agreed with Dr Kasturirangan to the need of having a dedicated centre for the advancement of education. Prof Rao announced the inception of the Centre of Educational Innovation and Excellence that SRM University-AP has envisaged in the near future.
Continue reading → - CSE students complete Semester Abroad Programme at UC Davis July 26, 2021
Barukula Snehitha Naga Sai and Kamma Samhitha are two brilliant third-year Computer Science Engineering students selected for the enviable Semester Abroad Programme (SAP) at the University of California, Davis. The students received a partial scholarship from SRM University-AP to complete their final semester abroad with the global study programme at UC Davis. The selection process for the semester abroad programme generally starts at the end of the 3rd and 5th semesters when our university carries out student interviews. A minimum of 8.7 CGPA is required to be eligible for the SAP scholarship and the programme focuses on building engineering design processes along with developing behavioural and communication skills of meritorious students.The Study Abroad Programme provided Snehitha and Samhitha with the opportunity to cooperate with industrial designers. For practical hands-on experiences, Snehitha worked for the UC Davis school of nursing. Besides that, UC Davis promotes a variety of student clubs and technical programmes that bring students from all over the world together. This opportunity also helped students to live in a new culture and travel through different cities abroad. Prof Ragunathan and Dr Priyanka from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering constantly supported the students throughout their semester abroad journey at UC Davis.
For engineering graduates, technical skills and hands-on experience with industry is inevitable. SRM University-AP ensures that every student grabs opportunities to excel in their respective disciplines.
Snehitha extended her gratitude to all her professors at SRM University-AP who guided her to this achievement. “I really appreciate the curriculum structure at SRM AP that offers us practical knowledge rather than forcing us to memorise theories. The concrete understanding of the subject aided me greatly in learning about real-world problems, and accomplish this dream of studying a semester abroad”, she said.
This programme has taught me how to be adaptable, resilient and above all, how to make the best use of resources available. I have been and am fortunate to study from the best professors, both at SRM AP and UC Davis”, said Samhitha.
Continue reading → - Assessing the benefits of irrigation against heat stress in agriculture July 24, 2021
Heat stress negatively affects crop yield and its impact has increased over time. Researchers in India study this situation with utmost priority. Consequently, Dr Ghanshyam Kumar Pandey, Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at SRM University-AP has co-authored a paper with Pratap S Birthal and et. al titled “Benefits of irrigation against heat stress in agriculture: Evidence from wheat crop in India” in the journal Agricultural Water Management, Vol 255, having an Impact factor 4.02.Applying the fixed effects regression technique to the highly spatially disaggregated district-level data from 1966–67 to 2011–12. This paper has assessed the impact of heat stress on wheat production in India and concurrently evaluated the role of irrigation in offsetting its harmful impact. The study has brought out three key highlights:
(i) Heat stress negatively impacts crop yield, and the impact has increased over time.
(ii) Irrigation, besides its contribution towards improving crop yield, also moderates the harmful impact of heat stress, but over time its effectiveness has declined.
(iii) The measure of heat stress built on multiple aspects of excess temperature (i.e., intensity, persistence, and frequency) explains variation in crop yield better than working on a single aspect of it.Given the increasing scarcity of irrigation water and rising temperature, these findings suggest the need for exploring technological and policy options for improving irrigation water use, efficiency, and breeding of crops for heat tolerance and low water footprints.
This research paper is written in collaboration with ICAR-National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research, PUSA, New Delhi. Dr Ghanshyam’s future projects are focused on climate change and agriculture, and the effect of climate change on the livestock sector in India.
Read the full paper here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2021.106950
Continue reading → - ECE students accomplish international internship in Canada July 22, 2021
Yoganand B, Parshal Chitrakar, Agniswar Paul, Abirami Ravishankar are four brilliant students from the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering at SRM University-AP who have successfully completed an international internship with EION Wireless Inc, Canada. The students worked as engineering interns with this reputed wireless solutions firm in Canada for five and a half months (Jan 15- June 30) obtaining an internship salary of 500 CAD per student every month. Through this opportunity, the students could build a system that is able to send data to long distances.Selection Process:
a. Internal selection: Based on the CV and projects undertaken, the ECE Faculty conducted interviews and shortlisted the students.
b. Personal Interview: The shortlisted students attended the interview with the company in which, the company scrutinised their project, skills, and whether they were relevant to the company’s requirements.
c. Techincal Interview: This round focused on analysing technical skills. A technical problem statement was given to members and was asked to come up with a solution in 10 minutes.
d. Coding test: In this round, coding questions were distributed and students had to submit documents of output and on how the code was processed.For engineering graduates, technical skills and hands-on experience with industry is inevitable. SRM University-AP ensures that every student grabs opportunities to excel in their respective disciplines.
Student Testimonial- Parshal Chitrakar:
I would like to thank the faculty of the ECE Department at SRM AP for this great opportunity. Being a part of this internship programme by EION wireless has been one of my first and best experiences in the industry. Being a fresher, this opportunity gave me a chance to apply my knowledge and skills in developing real-time applications. This five and a half months internship taught me different ways to look at things, work with people from diverse backgrounds, and helped me develop my technical as well as soft skills. Before this, I was focused only on personal achievements, but when we work for a company it has to be focused on the public demand and common good. I think this is the main difference between academia and industry. There is no such difference between academic-based projects and industry-based projects; it is just how we think, showcase our abilities and how our work reaches the target stakeholders.
Continue reading → - Ajay Sugandh secures admission to IIM Ranchi July 20, 2021
For Ajay Sugandh, securing admission to one of the prestigious Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) is a dream come true. Clearing the Common Admission Test (CAT) with a percentile of 90, he has bagged an admission offer at IIM, Ranchi. CAT is a national-level computer-based management entrance examination to reputed IIMs. More than 2 lakh candidates appear for the test and a few with a percentile of 90-99 secure a position on one of the IIM campuses.IIM Ranchi is a reputed business school established in the year 2009 and is the ninth IIM in the country. It holds the 10th rank in the NIRF ranking. The eligibility of the candidates is evaluated through CAT, followed by the written eligibility test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI).
Ajay Sugandh is a CSE graduate hailing from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. After completing an MBA from IIM, Ranchi, he wishes to pursue a career in Marketing. Ajay is trained by the TIME coaching institute that helped him crack the difficult test. He had prepared for a year and worked on soft skills, aptitude etc. His hobbies include watching movies and reading books.
Speaking of the support received from SRM University-AP, Ajay acknowledged, “Firstly, I am grateful to the faculty members of the Department of CSE who have been a constant support in reaching my goals. Secondly, the tremendous support from all my peers and family has encouraged me to manage my course CAT preparation together”.
Continue reading → - Controlled loading of MoS2 on hierarchical porous TiO2 for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution July 19, 2021
Ever since the breakthrough research on H2 photogeneration from water using TiO2 under UV-light irradiation, an enormous amount of research has been conducted on photochemical H2 evolution using different semiconductor-based photocatalysts. Consequently, a research paper titled “Controlled Loading of MoS2 on Hierarchical Porous TiO2 for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution” has been published by Prof Ranjit Thapa, Professor of Physics, SRM University – AP, as a co-author, in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, having an Impact Factor of 4.189.In this work, Prof Thapa describes three important factors for helping in the generation of hydrogen using proposed MoS2/TiO2 catalyst, (i) TiO2 for effective charge transfer, (ii) MoS2 for plasmon induction (iii) large surface area and active sites. It was shown that hierarchical porous TiO2 can be interfaced successfully with marigold-flower-like MoS2 flakes with intriguing photophysical properties, viz., visible-light response, controlled electron−hole recombination, and sustainable H2 production over prolonged light irradiation due to the synergic effect of flowerlike MoS2 and the fibrous wormhole mesoporous channel of TiO2. Further, the researchers have used density functional theory (DFT) to identify the active sites and calculated the change in Gibbs free energy (ΔGH). “We have also studied the charge density difference to understand about electron transfer pathway. The change free energy of hydrogen adsorption (ΔGH*) is a good indicator to estimate the hydrogen evolution activity in the acidic medium. From the DFT study, it is clear that O sites of MPT heterostructure are more favourable for HER reactivity”, said Prof Ranjit Thappa.
Social implications of the research:
In the last few decades, with the decline in non-renewable resources and increasing environmental pollution, significant attention has been given to renewable and clean energy domains. Hydrogen is considered one of the most suitable energy carriers due to its higher energy density per unit mass in comparison to other chemical fuels. In recent times, photocatalytic fission (Photocatalysis is a process in which light energy is used to drive pairs of chemical reactions. Through the absorption of light, an excited electron/hole pair is produced) of water has been considered an attractive solution for solar to chemical H2 energy conversion. Also, the process of water splitting is highly endothermic. Therefore, the development of an excellent, stable, efficient, and economical photocatalyst for ultrahigh H2 production efficiency is paramount to researchers.This work is done in collaboration with the Department of Energy and Environmental Engineering, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500007, India.
Prof Ranjit Thapa is doing an investigation to find the possibility of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) on multiple borophene analogues (α, β12, χ3) on all unique sites. Understanding the role of the coordination number of the boron atoms in the borophene analogues with the HER efficiency, and studying the pathways Volmer-Tafel (V-T) on each site to understand the completed HER process on borophene analogues are his future research projects. His research group is also interested to identify the role of sigma and pi-electron occupancy on the V-T pathway.
Read the full paper here: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.1c01922
Continue reading → - SRM University AP collaborates with Harvard Business School Online July 17, 2021
SRM University opens the gates to new opportunities for students, alumni & faculty members as it collaborates with the world-renowned educational institution
SRM University, AP a top-notch and new age university situated in the heart of Andhra Pradesh, collaborates with Harvard Business School Online to offer high-impact online courses to its students. Eliminating the difference between borders and nations, the university is focused on providing global exposure to the students and opportunities to upskill themselves with a gamut of courses to stay relevant in the ever-changing economy. Students already enrolled in flagship programs and courses of SRM University, AP such as School of Entrepreneurship and Management Studies will now have an added advantage to enhance their calibres with the global association.The collaboration with Harvard Business School Online reflects international unison in these unprecedented times and is further offering different programs such as Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, Financial Accounting, CORe(Credentials of Readiness) and others. These programs are integrated with the regular courses of SRM University, AP such as BBA, MBA (General), MBA (Business Analytics) and MBA (Banking and Financial Services).
Harvard Business School Online offers a unique and highly engaging way to learn vital business concepts. The online certificate and credential programs are offered via HBS On line’s innovative online platform and are designed to bring the Harvard Business School classroom experience to life. The HBS Online courses put participants at the centre of the learning experience. The learning model is built around three key characteristics: active, case-based, and social learning.Dr Sathyanarayanan, President of SRM Group of Institutions, says that all HBS Online courses are led by industry experts and international faculty and align smoothly with global standards of excellence. Encouraging students to have multi-disciplinary skills and motivating them to upgrade themselves while getting additional support from global peer learning groups, SRM University, AP, is preparing them to become industry-ready professionals.
Commenting on the collaboration, Prof V S Rao, Vice-Chancellor, SRM University-AP said, “We are focusing on collective growth and success of our students, alumni and faculty. SRM University, AP has curated a gamut of courses supporting their educational aspirations by providing them with Scholarships and Financial aid programs and this will help the learners to enrol for their desired courses without having to miss out on the opportunities due to monetary constraints.”The focus of Harvard Business School Online courses, according to Prof.AVS.Kamesh is to enhance student’s proficiency and skillset in various verticals and this collaboration will help SRM University AP participants to engage in Real-World Learning with a global community of peers.
Continue reading → - Dr Sarita Vig on “Wonders of Cosmos” July 16, 2021
Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) department of SRM University-AP in association with The Institute of Engineers (India), AP State Chapter and the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers (IETE) Vijayawada Chapter has conducted a webinar titled “Wonders of Cosmos” on Saturday, April 17, 2021, at 3.00 pm through Zoom. The guest speaker Dr Sarita Vig from the Department of Earth & Space Sciences at IIST, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala highlighted the basics of astronomy enlightening on the fundamentals and overview of the high-end telescopes found globally.Addressing the session, Dr CV Sriram, Hon. Secretary of IEI APSC opened the virtual podium to other dignitaries. Dr Geetha Devi from IETE introduced Dr Sarita Vig; Er. Kalee Prasad, Honourable Secretary; and Dr Ramanjaneyulu Fiete, Chairman of IETE. Dr Sujith Kalluri from the ECE department at SRM University-AP was the coordinator and organiser of the event.
Dr Sarita in her presentation elaborated on the different types of telescopes and observatories such as the CGRO, HST, SIRTF, CHANDRA. She discussed the elements responsible for the inception of the universe and the astrophysical processes behind it. Further, she talked about other planets which can be considered as a potential place for habitat like our earth. She also mentioned the supernova remnant crab nebula which was exploded billions of years ago and was even witnessed in the daylight, as per Chinese and Mexican researchers.
Towards the end of the session, Dr Sarita presented the facts about the black hole in the centre of the massive galaxy M87. “In 2019, Event Horizon Telescope helped to get the image of the black hole in radio wavelength. The universe is expanding and it is not in a static form,” she said. The webinar came to an end with an interactive Q&A session between the panellists and participants.
Continue reading → - Dr Nimai Mishra’s research group develops a new synthetic strategy to make ultra-stable CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals for light-emitting application July 14, 2021
Dr Nimai Mishra, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry, SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh, along with his research group comprising of students pursuing PhD under his supervision, Mr Syed Akhil and Ms V.G.Vasavi Dutt have published a research article titled “Bromopropane as a Novel Bromine Precursor for the Completely Amine Free Colloidal Synthesis of Ultra-Stable and Highly Luminescent Green-Emitting Cesium Lead Bromide (CsPbBr3) Perovskite Nanocrystals” in the Journal “Nanoscale” (The Royal Society of Chemistry, Impact Factor-7.8).Recently, lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) have attracted intense interest as promising active materials for optoelectronic devices. However, their extensive applications are still hampered by poor stability in ambient conditions. In this work, Dr Mishra’s research group report an open-atmospheric, facile, efficient, completely amine-free synthesis of caesium lead bromide perovskite nanocrystals using a novel bromine precursor, bromopropane, which is inexpensive, and available at hand. Their finding concludes that the PLQY can maintain 83% of their initial one even after 120 days. Furthermore, after 96 h of continuous irradiation by UV light with 365 nm (8 W/cm2) in the open ambient condition the photoluminescence (PL) intensity showed retention of 68% of its original value with no significant change in full width at half-maximum, whereas amine-based sample retains only 5% of its original PL intensity. Furthermore, Dr Mishra’s group has fabricated stable down-converted LED devices with these perovskite nanocrystals.
“More importantly, the present work demonstrates the synthesis of ultra-stable CsPbBr3 NCs which can be an ideal candidate for display applications”, says Dr Nimai Mishra.
Read the full paper: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2021/NR/D1NR03560F#!divAbstract
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- Application-driven industrial-scale manufacturing of Li/Na-ion battery cathodes July 13, 2021
The advent of the industrial revolution increased the dependency of humans on fossil fuels which led to an increase in environmental degradation. While alternative energy sources such as wind, solar and hydro seem to be good options, their uncertainty in delivering the power made Dr Sujith Kalluri, Assistant Professor in the Electronics and Communication Engineering Department and his PhD scholar Chanakya Karra at SRM University-AP prefer batteries as a viable option. “Application-driven Industrial-scale Manufacturing of Li/Na-ion Battery Cathodes” is a paper published by Dr Sujith Kalluri and Mr Chanakya Karra in the Journal of The Electrochemical Society having an Impact Factor of 3.721 as part of their project to develop zero-emission energy methods.Through this article as a platform, the authors focus on three aspects of energy storage devices that are essential while the world is catapulted to upgrade itself from fossil fuels to electric vehicles. From a battery level perspective, they have discussed the dependence of the battery industry on lithium-ion technology and its repercussions. As a solution, they suggest the distribution of the dependency on sodium-ion technology owing to its adaptability and wide availability. From the cathode level perspective, the paper suggests co-precipitation through the CSTR as a customized solution to address the setbacks in the synthesis process and additive manufacturing as a preferred solution to cater for the desired electrode design specifications that would comply with the needs of future generations and the industry. Till the battery energy storage system paves the way for Na to take over, we can reckon on SC-NCM cathode material to serve the needs.
Read the full paper here: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1149/1945-7111/abfab6/pdf
More about the Battery research project of SRM University-AP:https://srmap.edu.in/seas/electronics-and-communication-engineering/research-areas/battery-research/
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