Times of India

RV College of Engineering (RVCE) has included the biography of late ISRO chairman Prof U R Rao in its aerospace engineering curriculum. Students will receive 400 free copies, with a digital version online. The initiative honors Rao’s legacy, introduces the U R Rao-RVCE Award for Best Space Company, and establishes the U R Rao Chair to promote space research, innovation, and global collaborations.

St Stephen’s College 2025-26 fees spark controversy as first-year students are asked to pay DU and college fees separately. The college lists DU fees over three times higher than the official Rs 3,500 share, raising compliance concerns. With total semester fees nearing Rs 30,000, students and DU officials question transparency under the dual-payment system.

The India Skills Report 2025 reveals rising employability among men, reaching 53.46% in 2025. Male professionals prefer working in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Haryana. These states offer career growth, infrastructure, and supportive ecosystems. Employers can use this insight for recruitment, while men can align career choices with high-opportunity regions.

An Indian student at MIT shared that the toughest part of studying abroad was not academics but adjusting to life away from home. Many students related to the struggle of loneliness and culture shock, offering advice such as joining clubs, finding hobbies, connecting with others, and allowing time to adapt to a new environment.

The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) has released the provisional answer key for the DEIEd 2025 exam at secondary.biharboardonline.com. Candidates can log in to view their response sheets and raise objections by October 13, 2025, with a fee of ₹50 per question. The final key and results will be announced after reviewing all objections.

Sridhar Vembu, IIT Madras and Princeton alumnus, co-founded Zoho Corporation and built it into a global SaaS powerhouse from rural Tamil Nadu. Rejecting conventional startup models, Vembu championed self-funded growth and rural innovation. Through Zoho Schools and education initiatives, he’s empowering youth outside cities, proving world-class technology and talent can thrive beyond metropolitan India.

From the 2026-27 academic year, India will introduce AI education for students from Class 3 onwards, aligning with NEP 2020. CBSE is developing frameworks and training over one crore teachers. Pilot projects and AI modules are expanding rapidly. The move aims to equip students with essential AI literacy, prepare the workforce for future tech-driven jobs, and position India as a global AI hub.

Maharashtra will no longer permit single-gender schools, mandating all institutions to become co-ed. The policy aims to foster gender equality, mutual respect, and social skills, while merging boys’ and girls’ schools under one registration. Critics caution that cultural and regional sensitivities may affect implementation, especially in conservative communities, making careful planning, teacher training, and community engagement essential for success.

The SSC has released admit cards for the CGL 2025 Tier-I re-exam, scheduled for October 14, 2025. Candidates can download their hall tickets from ssc.gov.in using their registration number and password. The admit card contains details like name, roll number, exam venue, date, and timing. Candidates must verify the information and contact their regional SSC office for any discrepancies before the exam.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) approved a Turning Point USA chapter despite the student government’s objection. The move, following legal pressure from attorney Robert Barnes and support from DOJ’s Harmeet Dhillon, officially recognizes the conservative student group founded by the late Charlie Kirk. UTC clarified that organization approvals rest with university administrators, not student government.

Brown University has urged the US Department of Homeland Security to withdraw a proposed rule limiting student visa duration. The regulation would replace the current “duration of status” policy with fixed visa periods, impose strict limits on program changes, and increase administrative and financial burdens, potentially deterring international talent and undermining US higher education competitiveness.

The White House has confirmed “substantial” federal layoffs as part of ongoing “reductions in force” amid the US government shutdown that began on October 1, 2025. Thousands of federal employees across agencies like DHS, Treasury, and HHS face job losses, sparking lawsuits from unions and intensifying political tensions between the Trump administration and congressional Democrats.

Michigan State University’s renovated Campbell Hall has introduced co-ed community bathrooms, sparking debate among students, parents, and administrators. While many students welcome the inclusive design featuring private floor-to-ceiling stalls, some parents and trustees raised privacy concerns. The university plans to designate certain bathrooms by gender, balancing modern inclusivity goals with comfort and safety for all residents.

Despite the US government shutdown, the US Department of Education has quietly resumed student loan forgiveness for borrowers under the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan. Notices informing borrowers of debt discharge are being sent, with an opt-out deadline of October 21. This follows a temporary pause earlier this year due to court orders and new legislation under President Trump. Borrowers should review their notices carefully as forgiveness processes continue over the coming months.

Princeton University will reinstate SAT/ACT requirements for undergraduate admissions starting fall 2027, ending its seven-year test-optional policy introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic. This move leaves Columbia University as the only Ivy League institution with a permanent test-optional policy. Princeton’s decision is based on data showing stronger academic performance from applicants submitting test scores and reflects a broader trend among elite US universities to balance admissions rigor with equity.

A recent US court ruling could strip over 90,000 DACA recipients in Texas of their legal right to work and access in-state tuition. The Fifth Circuit decision targets key protections under the 2022 DACA regulation, applying only within Texas. The change could impact education, employment, and economic stability across the state. Experts warn the consequences could spread nationally, threatening over 530,000 recipients and billions in wages, taxes, and workforce retention costs.

The Department of Education under President Trump is implementing major changes affecting public schools across the US. These include expanding tax-funded vouchers, cutting federal grants, promoting conservative Christian values, pushing patriotic curricula, and weakening civil rights protections for students of colour. These policies are reshaping funding, curriculum, and student rights, with significant consequences for families and communities reliant on traditional public education.

Harvard University has laid off approximately 25% of union staff at its School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), citing financial strain from increased US federal taxes on endowment income and changes in research funding. According to The Harvard Crimson, the HUCTW union called it the largest staff cut in decades and criticised the lack of transparency. Around 40 staff were affected, with further cost-cutting measures already underway to address the budget gap.

MIT has become the first US university to reject the Trump administration’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” which offers preferential federal funding in return for sweeping reforms. MIT President Sally Kornbluth stated the compact restricts academic freedom and independence, conflicting with MIT’s merit-based funding principles. The move highlights growing resistance to federal influence over universities and raises questions about the compact’s future among other invited institutions.

Miguel Cardona, US Secretary of Education under President Biden, joins Yale’s School of Management faculty to teach education policy in 2025-26. A former teacher and Connecticut’s youngest principal, Cardona has led key federal initiatives on student loan forgiveness and equity in education. His appointment comes amid the Trump administration’s push to reduce the Department of Education’s role. Cardona’s expertise spans local, state, and federal levels, offering students valuable insights into education policy.