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ISRO confirms Axiom‑4 mission piloted by Shubhanshu Shukla to launch on June 19

ISRO confirms Axiom‑4 mission piloted by Shubhanshu Shukla to launch on June 19

Time of India14-06-2025

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced on Saturday that the Axiom‑4 mission, carrying
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla
, is now set to launch on June 19, 2025 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Ax‑4 had faced multiple delays due to a Falcon 9 liquid‑oxygen leak and a pressure anomaly in a module aboard the
International Space Station
(ISS). SpaceX and NASA stopped previous launch attempts to ensure all systems were thoroughly tested and secure
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Axiom launch: Shubhanshu Shukla to take part in these 7 experiments in space
Axiom launch: Shubhanshu Shukla to take part in these 7 experiments in space

Hindustan Times

time35 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

Axiom launch: Shubhanshu Shukla to take part in these 7 experiments in space

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How rankings lead to the rise of academic commodification
How rankings lead to the rise of academic commodification

The Hindu

timean hour ago

  • The Hindu

How rankings lead to the rise of academic commodification

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Humanities and some Social Sciences are grossly underrepresented, leaving a large swath of global academia invisible in the analysis. Moreover, the focus on citation-based metrics incentivises quantity over quality. A well-written, widely-cited review paper can push a researcher up the ranks, while a game-changing monograph in philosophy may not even register. What makes it even more problematic is the blind application of these rankings by institutions. Without context, nuance, or disciplinary sensitivity, they are turned into marketing tools. It is less about a commitment to excellence and more about optics and prestige. The ranking becomes currency; a transactional marker to attract funding, students, and media attention. Indian context In India, the situation is more troubling. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has come under intense scrutiny after the recent revelation of a university in Andhra Pradesh allegedly paying crores to secure an A++ grade. Shockingly, nearly 20% of NAAC assessors were later removed due to various irregularities. The demand for a comprehensive probe into the assessments conducted by these discredited evaluators is reasonable and urgent. In recent years, many institutions have managed to secure top grades, which many argue is inconsistent with the ground reality of poor infrastructure, faculty shortages, and abysmal student outcomes. This raises a troubling question: Have we reduced institutional quality to a game of strategic networking, financial leverage, and performative documentation? One cannot ignore the systemic pressures at play. The increasing corporatisation of academia has introduced market logic into the university system. As public funding shrinks, universities — especially private ones — are forced to rely on student fees and external rankings to remain afloat. This leads to a dangerous feedback loop. To attract students, institutions ease academic regulations, reduce penalties for indiscipline, and adopt student-centric policies that often border on appeasement. Faculty, burdened with teaching, administrative tasks, and publication requirements, face burnout. In such an environment, rankings become not just desirable but necessary. They are wielded as shields in an ever-intensifying battle for survival. Institutions chase Scopus-indexed journals to meet regulatory demands, not for the love of scholarship. Researchers pay exorbitant fees to get published and, when that fails, some resort to unethical practices, only for their papers to be retracted later. Flawed model In this matrix of manipulation, it is easy to blame the institutions. But the deeper malaise lies in the very education model we have embraced: one that equates visibility with value, metrics with meaning, and reputation with reality. Awards, too, have not been spared. Today, one can pay a tidy sum and receive an 'Excellence in Research' award in a foreign country with a sightseeing tour and conference pass thrown in. These packages are marketed as academic opportunities but are, in truth, commodified experiences engineered to inflate CVs. We must ask: did our finest institutions of yesteryear depend on such scaffolding? The situation may seem bleak, but not hopeless. To reverse the tide, we need to recalibrate our priorities. First, we must advocate for more context-sensitive and peer-reviewed models of assessment that go beyond metrics. Second, public funding for education must be restored and enhanced. The commodification of education is not an inevitable outcome; it is the result of deliberate policy choices. Third, academia must reclaim its soul. Universities are not businesses, and education is not a product. Rankings can be tools, but they must not become our tyrants. The rot will deepen until we resist the seduction of easy prestige and short-term gains. It's time to stop asking how to climb the ranks and start asking how to make learning meaningful again. Views are personal The writer is a retired professor and former Dean, School of Arts and Humanities, Christ Deemed-to-be University, Bengaluru.

Why is Trump slashing US STEM education at a time of global tech competition?
Why is Trump slashing US STEM education at a time of global tech competition?

Time of India

time2 hours ago

  • Time of India

Why is Trump slashing US STEM education at a time of global tech competition?

Trump proposes deep cuts to US STEM education despite global tech competition In a controversial move that has drawn sharp criticism from educators, tech leaders, and policy experts alike, US President Donald Trump has proposed a sweeping reduction in funding for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education. His administration's recent budget plan includes a 75% cut to STEM education funding through the National Science Foundation (NSF), along with an overall reduction of more than 50% to the NSF's total budget. The timing of this proposal is especially striking. Just days after delivering his 100-day address at Macomb Community College in Warren, Michigan—where he emphasized economic opportunity and the promise of technical education—Trump's budget puts at risk one of the few remaining affordable pathways for Americans to secure middle-class, future-proof jobs. As reported by Forbes , this move stands in stark contrast to Trump's stated goal of bolstering American leadership in emerging technologies. A direct threat to community colleges and technical training Community colleges are a cornerstone of US workforce development, particularly in STEM fields that require more than a high school diploma but not necessarily a four-year degree. These institutions play a key role in training the 37 million skilled technical workers who power critical industries such as manufacturing, aerospace, and healthcare. NSF funding has long supported these efforts by providing crucial grants and recognition that also help attract private and philanthropic investment. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "For 75 years, the NSF has funded STEM workforce training at America's community colleges," Forbes reported. Without this support, institutions like Macomb and others across the nation may be forced to cut programs that directly prepare students for high-demand jobs in AI, biotech, cybersecurity, and semiconductors. AI and biotech education at risk The proposed cuts threaten emerging technology programs that are already yielding results. Miami Dade College, for example, has seen booming enrollment in its AI education programs, developed through NSF support. As Forbes noted, students from a wide range of backgrounds, including working adults with bachelor's degrees, are turning to community colleges to gain practical, industry-relevant skills. Under another NSF grant, Miami Dade has partnered with Houston Community College in Texas and the Maricopa Community College District in Arizona to build a nationwide AI education consortium. This effort, involving major employers like Microsoft and Google, now faces uncertainty due to the budget proposal. Biotechnology is also under threat. A recent report from the Congressional National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, chaired by Sen. Todd Young, urged the US to significantly increase investments in biotech education over the next three years. NSF's long-standing support in this area includes more than $1.5 billion invested across over half of the nation's 1,200 community colleges since 1992. These investments support cutting-edge workforce training in regenerative medicine, textiles, automotive tech, and more. Undermining national security and economic growth As Forbes reported, leading economists, venture capitalists, and tech executives, including Microsoft President Brad Smith, have warned that cuts to the NSF will undermine national security, economic growth, and the country's global standing in tech innovation. They argue that no other federal agency matches the NSF's ability to support community colleges in advancing science and engineering education. Janet Spriggs, president of Forsyth Tech Community College, told lawmakers on Capitol Hill that her college's biotechnology impact "would not be possible without NSF funding," Forbes reported. A puzzling shift amid global competition The US is already in a tight race with other nations to lead in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and other high-stakes fields. The NSF's role in launching initiatives like the $3 million program co-funded with philanthropy—designed to enhance community college training in areas aligned with the CHIPS and Science Act—represents one of the most forward-looking federal investments in recent years. Forbes emphasized that pulling back now could jeopardize years of progress. As global competitors increase their own investments in tech and workforce development, the Trump administration's budget proposal raises a stark question: Why would the US step away from the very tools that power its innovation, security, and economic resilience? Is your child ready for the careers of tomorrow? Enroll now and take advantage of our early bird offer! Spaces are limited.

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