Vinay Umarji &Amp; Shreya Jai

Stories by Vinay Umarji &Amp; Shreya Jai

Pandemic push: Demand soars for digital, technical skills across industries

Pandemic push: Demand soars for digital, technical skills across industries

Rediff.com   20 Jul 2021

The Indian IT services sector is scrambling to retain talent since digitisation-led transformation has increased the demand for a digitally skilled workforce. As a result, the pull for jobs for tech professionals is also coming from non-IT sectors, leading to higher attrition among IT companies. The average number of tech jobs from non-IT sectors has seen a 41 per cent uptick in March-May'21 versus March-May'19, according to data from Naukri.com.

Over 200 Indians stuck in Serbia due to surprise quarantine rule

Over 200 Indians stuck in Serbia due to surprise quarantine rule

Rediff.com   13 Jul 2021

Serbia has become one of the transit points for Indians heading to Canada and the US. Canada requires passengers from India to take an RT-PCR test from a third country, while the US wants them to spend 14 days outside of India. As a result, many students are taking the Serbia route to Canada, and the US.

Covid leaves Surat's textile mills in tatters

Covid leaves Surat's textile mills in tatters

Rediff.com   12 Jul 2021

Since he lives locally, Harish Patel is one of the luckier migrant workers in Surat - in that his employer was able to squeeze in a single shift for him at the weaving unit in Kamrej in Gujarat - unlike others who went home for Holi and other festivals just as the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic was waxing and ended up stranded in local lockdowns.

Govt plans to contest SC order on this endangered bird

Govt plans to contest SC order on this endangered bird

Rediff.com   7 Jul 2021

The Great Indian bustard is at the centre of another impending legal tussle. The government is planning to move the Supreme Court seeking a review of its order that asked Gujarat and Rajasthan to lay transmission lines linked to solar power units underground so as to not pose any threat to the endangered bird. The ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) has sought a view from the law ministry and will move the court basing its arguments on estimates showing that the bird's population was declining even before solar power plants came to the region, said a senior government official requesting anonymity.

Study Abroad: Uncertainty over Vaccination

Study Abroad: Uncertainty over Vaccination

Rediff.com   14 Jun 2021

With the US education system operating independently from the government, universities are adopting varying strategies when it comes to Covid vaccination.

Lessons for foreign firms from SoftBank Energy's exit

Lessons for foreign firms from SoftBank Energy's exit

Rediff.com   27 May 2021

Energy's exit is a cautionary tale for several foreign investors in India as close to 16 Gw of solar and wind power projects languish without any power purchase agreement, 24 Gw without transmission connectivity and around 2 Gw unilaterally cancelled by project developers.

COVID-19 second wave: Delays in RT-PCR tests

COVID-19 second wave: Delays in RT-PCR tests

Rediff.com   9 May 2021

While there is a shortage of testing kits, manpower and capacities, India does not have other scalable testing options.

COVID-19 stings: Guj model under scanner

COVID-19 stings: Guj model under scanner

Rediff.com   29 Apr 2021

Amid the growing queues of ambulances waiting for patients to be admitted with ventilators and oxygen, only time will tell if the state government has lost the plot or not.

Ventilator shortage: 'Made in India' devices not picked up by govt

Ventilator shortage: 'Made in India' devices not picked up by govt

Rediff.com   29 Apr 2021

According to government data, the Centre procured only 35,179 ventilators out of the 50,000 originally ordered.

Where is the manpower to handle ventilators?

Where is the manpower to handle ventilators?

Rediff.com   25 Apr 2021

The second wave of the pandemic has not only crippled medical infrastructure in terms of hospital beds, but has also led to bottlenecks in invasive ventilators and medical oxygen capacities and supplies.

Demand for Covid-19 tests growing 100 pc week-on-week

Demand for Covid-19 tests growing 100 pc week-on-week

Rediff.com   23 Apr 2021

One challenge for many laboratories in ramping up is the shortage of trained manpower for collecting samples, report Sohini Das, Vinay Umarji and Virendra Singh Rawat.

How IIM-B is solving its quota problem

How IIM-B is solving its quota problem

Rediff.com   13 Apr 2021

'Going forward, whatever faculty positions we fill we expect to do so consistently with the quota requirements.'

At 28L, average CTC at ISB up by 8%

At 28L, average CTC at ISB up by 8%

Rediff.com   24 Mar 2021

Of the 1,145 offers made this year, consulting firms made up 34 per cent, followed by banking, financial services and insurance, pharma/healthcare, IT/ITeS and FMCG/retail.

Solar power in India is likely to cost 20% more. Here's why

Solar power in India is likely to cost 20% more. Here's why

Rediff.com   22 Mar 2021

Glass shortage in China and the rising prices of imported glass used in finished solar panels have already hit the cost of solar panel imports. The cost of solar modules imported by India have increased 22 per cent since June last year. India imports close to 90 per cent of its solar cells and modules, of which nearly 80 per cent is from China. Domestic solar equipment makers import glass panels and are the largest suppliers in China. The price of a solar module glass has increased 150 per cent in the past six months, revealed industry estimates.

IIM-A placements: HUL, Samsung make top offers

IIM-A placements: HUL, Samsung make top offers

Rediff.com   9 Mar 2021

Unlike many other B-schools, IIM Ahmedabad follows a cluster system of final placements process where sectors are invited in cohorts at regular intervals.

IIM-C records 100% placement, avg salary up by 4%

IIM-C records 100% placement, avg salary up by 4%

Rediff.com   8 Mar 2021

172 firms participated in the final placement process.

Green policy flip-flops spook foreign investment firms

Green policy flip-flops spook foreign investment firms

Rediff.com   26 Feb 2021

Foreign investment firms, especially private equity, are jittery about the Indian market as uncertainty continues to shroud the energy sector.

75 coal mines to go under the hammer in second round of auction

75 coal mines to go under the hammer in second round of auction

Rediff.com   25 Feb 2021

In order to keep the interest of new and small players intact, the coal ministry is offering only small- and medium-sized coal mines in the second round.

Surat's textile hub weaves a revival story amid Covid-19

Surat's textile hub weaves a revival story amid Covid-19

Rediff.com   25 Feb 2021

When the lockdown was lifted last year, Rasikbhai Kotadiya, who runs a powerloom unit in the Kim-Pipodara industrial area on the outskirts of Surat, was left with only four workers out of the 48 that he used to employ to run his 128 looms. Though the economy had been unlocked, his textile unit, and that of thousands of others, struggled to resume operations. By the last week of May, nearly 700,000 of Surat's 1.2-1.5 million migrant workers, left high and dry with no pay during the lockdown, had returned home. In Laskana, another textile weaving hub in Surat, the powerlooms were all but silent, with only 2,000 of the total 55,000 looms churning out grey cloth at a snail's pace.

Over 50% MBA students bag international offers

Over 50% MBA students bag international offers

Rediff.com   22 Feb 2021

The highest compensation package for the Global MBA class at the S P Jain School of Management stood at Rs 43.9 lakh while that for the MGB programme was Rs 35 lakh.