Education

NIIT posted a steep decline in profitability for the third quarter, with profit after tax falling 70.5 percent year-on-year, even as revenue edged up by 3.3 percent. The contrasting performance highlights margin pressure driven by higher costs, investments in growth initiatives, and a challenging demand environment. While the topline expansion reflects steady traction in select learning and corporate training segments, profitability was weighed down by operating expenses and transitional factors.

The National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. (NSE) has launched an investor awareness initiative at the Kolkata Book Fair, underscoring its commitment to expanding financial literacy beyond traditional market participants. By engaging directly with the public at one of the country’s largest cultural gatherings, the exchange aims to demystify capital markets and promote informed investing. The program focuses on basic investment principles, risk awareness, and long-term wealth creation, targeting first-time investors and students.

Wikipedia, the world’s largest free online encyclopedia, marks its 25th anniversary, having fundamentally reshaped access to knowledge. Since its launch in 2001, Wikipedia has grown into a multilingual platform with over 60 million articles, collaboratively maintained by millions of volunteers worldwide. It has become an indispensable reference for education, journalism, and research, while influencing digital literacy and open-access movements. As the platform celebrates this milestone, it faces challenges such as content accuracy, editorial bias, and monetization sustainability.

Coromandel International has announced plans to set up a state-of-the-art research center at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, aimed at advancing agricultural innovations, sustainable crop solutions, and next-generation agrochemicals. The collaboration seeks to combine Coromandel’s industry expertise with IIT Madras’s academic research capabilities, fostering innovation in crop nutrition, precision agriculture, and environmentally responsible practices.

Revenues in India’s education sector are projected to grow at a steady 11–13% in FY26 and FY27, driven by rising enrolments, periodic fee revisions, and expanding demand for skill-based and digital learning. A recent report highlights improving operating conditions for educational institutions as capacity utilization increases and cost pressures stabilize. The outlook reflects sustained parental spending on education and growing acceptance of blended learning models.

Punjab’s Schools of Eminence represent a transformative shift in public education, aimed at narrowing socio-economic gaps and unlocking potential among underprivileged students. Designed as centers of academic excellence, these institutions combine modern infrastructure, advanced pedagogy, and targeted student support to deliver quality education comparable to elite private schools. By focusing on merit-based access, skill development, and holistic growth, the initiative seeks to prepare students for competitive examinations, higher education, and future employment.

UpGrad, a leading online higher education platform, has officially called off its planned acquisition of Unacademy after both parties failed to reach a consensus on valuation. The decision underscores the challenges in consolidating India’s rapidly expanding edtech market, where investor expectations and company growth trajectories often diverge. While the merger aimed to create a stronger, integrated learning ecosystem, valuation gaps—driven by differing assessments of revenue potential, market share, and profitability—proved insurmountable.

Max Healthcare has entered into a strategic partnership with The Learning Lab, marking a focused effort to enhance workforce capability and leadership development across its hospital network. The collaboration is designed to deliver structured learning programs, strengthen clinical and managerial competencies, and align talent development with the healthcare provider’s long-term growth strategy. As India’s healthcare sector expands and becomes more complex, the partnership reflects a broader industry shift toward continuous learning and skill enhancement.

Quantum computing is rapidly transitioning from a laboratory concept to a strategic technology shaping the future of science, industry and national competitiveness. Governments, global corporations and venture investors are accelerating funding as breakthroughs in quantum hardware, algorithms and error correction signal tangible progress. While large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum machines remain years away, recent advances demonstrate clear advantages in optimization, cryptography and materials science.

Jaro Education has renewed its strategic partnership with SSODL, reinforcing its commitment to delivering quality educational solutions across India. The renewed collaboration aims to expand access to online and hybrid learning programs, enhance skill development initiatives, and leverage technology-driven platforms for professional education. By combining Jaro’s expertise in higher education and SSODL’s network and operational capabilities, the partnership seeks to address evolving student and industry needs.