rediffGURU Radheshyam Zanwar, founder of Zanwar Classes, suggests how to pick the best engineering college and course in India after class 12.
An IIT Madras study reveals that financial cybercrime victims in India are often highly educated professionals, challenging the notion that only careless or financially unaware individuals are targeted. The research highlights that digital literacy doesn't guarantee protection, as fraudsters exploit stress and emotional vulnerabilities.
A University of Delhi study has found significant heavy metal contamination in agricultural soil and vegetables grown along the Yamuna river in the capital. The research highlights potential non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks to consumers due to crops irrigated with polluted wastewater, with specific vegetables showing dangerously high levels of metals like nickel, chromium, and molybdenum.
'The Aravalli engine will power HAL's upcoming 13-tonne Indian Multi-Role Helicopter and its naval variant, the Deck-Based Multi-Role Helicopter.'
New research from the University of Sheffield indicates that greenhouse gas emissions from petrochemical production could increase by 50 per cent by 2050 under a business-as-usual scenario. The study, published in Nature Sustainability, provides the first detailed global map of these emissions, identifying key sources and highlighting the challenge of decarbonising the sector.
An Indian-origin engineer couple, Anuradha and Vikas Sinha, have donated $20 million to the University of North Texas (UNT) to establish the Anuradha and Vikas Sinha College of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics. This significant gift aims to create new opportunities for students and faculty, focusing on building and deploying intelligent systems and understanding their operation within human contexts. The donation underscores the couple's belief in education and immigrant contributions to the American dream, supporting leadership, scholarships, professorships, research, and entrepreneurship.
Researchers have discovered a method to externally manipulate a cell's automatic waste clearance process, known as autophagy. This breakthrough, involving the protein LC3, could offer new therapeutic targets for diseases like cancer and Parkinson's, where cellular cleansing mechanisms are often impaired.
'There is no college that can guarantee a Rs 14 lakh per annum (LPA) package,' clarifies rediffGURU Chocko Valliappa.
'There was a huge cultural gap. I could not understand the slang, the Mumbai lingo, and would often feel left out during conversations. Since I had studied in the Hindi medium till then, I could not understand English,' says Anup Raaj, an alumnus of IIT-B and founder of InstaPreps AI, a confidence-building platform for students, and coaching institute 7Classes.
AI is no longer a tool only for software engineers and technology teams.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar lauded KEONICS' initiative to provide AI-based KEO computers to rural children, marking the institution's golden jubilee. The KEO computers, developed in Karnataka, aim to bridge the digital divide. Shivakumar also highlighted government efforts to promote IT beyond Bengaluru, enhance industry-oriented skills, and digitise property records, emphasising the state's commitment to technology and skill development.
rediffGURU Dr Nagarajan JSK, a career counsellor with nearly 34 years of experience in teaching, research and career guidance, answers students' questions about engineering and dental admissions, counselling rounds, college preferences and admission prospects.
The Indian government has defended its E20 ethanol blending programme, stating that extensive testing and field experience show no evidence of abnormal engine wear, corrosion, or reduced vehicle life, despite a potential 2-6% reduction in fuel economy.
A global research report by HCLTech indicates that integration has surpassed supply chain constraints as the primary challenge for the semiconductor industry. The study, which surveyed 300 senior leaders, highlights increasing dependency on semiconductors across industries, with 98% of enterprises more reliant now than three years ago and 99% expecting further increases. AI is also driving the strategic importance of semiconductor architecture.
The scholarship covers 100 per cent of the annual tuition fee, hostel and mess charges and provides a laptop in the first year.
Nasscom has warned that India's technology workforce risks becoming merely AI-reliant rather than truly AI-native if deep engineering expertise is not preserved. The industry body highlights that while many professionals adopt AI, only a fraction are AI-native, necessitating a shift in academic and industry approaches to foster foundational skills and independent problem-solving.
rediffGURU Nayagam PP guides aspirants on how to pick the right career course and college based on their entrance scores and aptitude.
Two students from Telangana, Ragalla Bhuvan and Nimma Vijay Srinivas, were arrested in Nagpur with 1.3 kg of ganja. They were apprehended by a Detection Branch team while moving suspiciously in Bada Tajbagh. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered, and a third person, Farhan, is also implicated in the drug peddling network.
rediffGURU Radheshyam Zanwar, founder of Zanwar Classes, clarifies doubts and guides young aspirants on eligibility for science, and engineering entrance exams.
Zoho cofounder Sridhar Vembu dismisses exaggerated fears about AI's catastrophic potential and global development pauses. He advocates for India to adopt an independent AI strategy, fostering partnerships while avoiding entanglement in US-China tech rivalry. Vembu stresses extensive investment in foundational R&D across sectors, distinguishing it from costly frontier AI model development. He also highlights concerns about AI's impact on human judgment, skill erosion, and job disruption, particularly in software engineering, while remaining optimistic about new economic opportunities.
rediffGURU Geeta Ratra offers expert advice on international courses, student visas, immigration processes and more.
Researchers at IIT Madras have patented a chemical-free antibacterial surface that physically eliminates harmful bacteria, including "superbugs," without relying on antibiotics or disinfectants. This innovative technology uses specially engineered nanostructures to rupture bacterial cell walls, offering a sustainable solution to Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) for biomedical and public health applications.
Indian researchers from ICMR-National Institute for Research on Women's Health and IIT Bombay have developed an indigenous "placenta-on-chip" platform. This microphysiological system mimics the human placental barrier, reproducing essential functions like hormone production and nutrient transfer. It offers a simple, scalable tool for studying placental biology, pregnancy complications, and drug effects, aiming to reduce reliance on animal experimentation.
Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu argues that predictions of AI's catastrophic outcomes are overstated and a global pause in AI development is improbable. He urges India to adopt an independent AI strategy, focusing on extensive foundational R&D across sectors, while remaining wary of market monopolisation attempts by major tech players. Vembu also highlights concerns about AI's impact on human judgment, skill development, and job markets, particularly for junior professionals.
A nationwide survey by a Supreme Court-appointed panel reveals that 15% of higher education students felt overwhelmed or distressed, and 9% experienced suicidal thoughts in the past six months. The findings, part of an upcoming report, highlight deep-rooted social discrimination, academic pressures, and inadequate counselling services contributing to mental health concerns and rising student suicides in Indian Higher Educational Institutions.
With the duration of stay capped at four years, the biggest impact of the new F-1 visa rules is likely to be on PhD scholars, students enrolled in longer professional programmes, those whose graduation gets delayed and students moving from one academic programme to another, highlight education experts.
Researchers have for the first time directly visualised how two DNA molecules, despite their identical negative charges, zip together. This breakthrough, achieved using high-powered atomic force microscopy and advanced simulations, confirms the 'DNA zipper' model, revealing that positively charged metal ions act as molecular bridges to facilitate this crucial biological process. The discovery has significant implications for understanding genetic recombination, gene silencing, chromosome packaging, cancer development, and future biotechnology.
A joint report by Dell Technologies and Zinnov reveals that despite high ambition, nearly 70% of India's Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are stuck at the pilot stage for AI adoption. Foundational gaps in data, infrastructure, and governance are identified as key bottlenecks preventing the scaling of AI initiatives into enterprise-wide production. The report highlights the need for significant reskilling of the workforce and robust foundations for industrialising AI responsibly.
The LIC Golden Jubilee Scholarship Scheme is offered by the LIC Golden Jubilee Foundation aims to support meritorious students from economically weaker sections by providing financial assistance for higher education and improving their future employment opportunities.
IIIT-Hyderabad has issued disciplinary warnings to eight students associated with 'No Tyrants, No Silence' (NTNS), an independent campus platform. The institute cited unauthorised use of its name and publication of confidential meeting minutes. NTNS, which discusses caste, merit, and politics, had proposed screening a documentary on Umar Khalid, leading to CBFC objections and the screening's cancellation.
'When a glacier collapse or a major flood event does occur, the water will simply reclaim its original path, and anything built in that path will be swept away.'
Compared with a year ago, the effective cost of studying abroad for Indian students has increased by roughly 10%-12% due to currency depreciation and rising living costs.
Quimcy Dsouza has taken an unusual route to the Asian Games, moving from athletics and football to becoming one of India's leading Teqball players.
'Your retirement corpus isn't just a big pile of cash for 'one day' -- it is the salary you pay yourself when you no longer want to go to work.'
'It appears to be a combination: A glacier breaking away, and a dam-like formation downstream reaching capacity and releasing water suddenly.'
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is facing significant scrutiny after an investigation revealed objections from his fellow election commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, regarding decisions made during the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists. The objections, reportedly made at least 14 times, concerned issues like changes to voter registration forms and centralised control over electoral roll databases, intensifying criticism of Kumar's tenure and the EC's impartiality.
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT,M) have developed a novel "morphing skin" concept for aircraft wings, inspired by bird flight. This adaptive external skin dynamically reshapes in real time to prevent aerodynamic stalls, enhance lift, reduce drag, and significantly improve aircraft safety and fuel efficiency. The technology holds promise for commercial aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and defence applications.
A new study reveals that herbal cigarettes, often marketed as a safe alternative to tobacco, produce emissions that are comparably or even more damaging than regular tobacco cigarettes.
Researchers from IIT Guwahati and BHU have devised an eco-friendly biological method to treat textile wastewater, specifically targeting toxic azo dyes. Their novel bacterium, 'Brevundimonas sp. AJZ05', effectively degrades 98.50 per cent of Direct Blue-6 dye, producing non-toxic byproducts, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional chemical treatments.
I have to thank the 1980s for its soul-stirring music. It added so much melody and cheer to my life -- there hasn't been so much lovely music like that since, recalls Vaihayasi Pande Daniel.
