Latest news with #IIT-JEE
Hindustan Times
13 hours ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
‘Indians are the most overworked people on Earth': YouTuber's viral post sparks discussion
A viral post by finance YouTuber and content creator Akshat Shrivastava has reignited debate over India's deeply ingrained culture of overwork, a pattern he attributes not to personal choice, but to systemic pressures ingrained from a young age. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Shrivastava wrote, 'Indians are the most overworked people on earth. Not by choice. But, by system,' citing the example of children preparing for competitive exams like the IIT-JEE who often study 10–12 hours a day. This early conditioning to 'slog,' he argued, carries over into adulthood. (Also Read: 'Narayana Murthy must be dancing': Karnataka's 12-hour workday proposal triggers meme fest) 'This habit continues in adult life,' he wrote. 'Many hardworking Indians migrate abroad. While their European colleagues have downtime, Indians sacrifice their sleep, family and health to serve their company.' He attributed this pattern to a survival mindset that begins in adolescence: 'Many hardworking kids have no choice but to slog. Build merit → build a better life. That's their only option.' The post has sparked a flurry of responses on social media, with many echoing the sentiment and others offering critical perspectives. One user commented, 'Yet despite longer working hours, overall productivity remains so low that it cancels out the extra effort.' Another noted, 'Glorifying slogging as the only path feels like accepting a broken system. True merit should value sustainable effort and well-being.' Others questioned the social cost of this relentless pursuit of success. 'Why does the pressure to top the class start so early, robbing teens of their youth?' asked one user. While Shrivastava's take struck a chord with many, it also triggered introspection. As one user summed it up, 'Hard work is not the problem. Mindset is. Indians need to know: hard work is not the key to success — leverage is.' (Also Read: 'Work 50-60 hours a week, most weekends': Virginia man on harsh reality of life after college)
Hindustan Times
13 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
ChatGPT-maker OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's POV on kids may make you rethink having babies in 2025
Rising living costs, job uncertainty, shrinking disposable income, and the constant drumbeat that AI is about to change everything — it's no surprise that many are anxious about starting a family in 2025. Social media might have you believe no one's getting married or having kids anymore — but that's not the full picture. In this climate, the perspective of Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI (the company behind ChatGPT), on raising children in the age of AI is worth paying attention to. Especially if you're unsure whether your future kids should even bother preparing for something like the IIT-JEE. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says artificial intelligence will make his children more capable than previous generations, though not necessarily more intelligent. Speaking on the first episode of the OpenAI Podcast, Altman, who recently became a father, said that tools like ChatGPT will shape how his children grow up — not by competing with AI, but by learning to use it well. 'My kids will never be smarter than AI. They will grow up vastly more capable than we grew up, and able to do things that we cannot imagine. And they'll be really good at using AI,' he said. He said the goal is not to beat AI in intelligence, but to adapt alongside it. Altman also mentioned he used ChatGPT 'constantly' in the early weeks of parenting, asking basic childcare questions. 'Clearly, people have been able to take care of babies without ChatGPT for a long time. I don't know how I would have done that.' While Altman's view on kids might sound optimistic — that they'll grow up more capable thanks to AI — there's an uncomfortable flip side. What if parents aren't equipped to prepare their kids for this future? What if they can't afford the kind of education or training needed to compete in a world where average skills won't cut it, and entry-level jobs are no longer easy to find? Altman acknowledged that AI could lead to social complications — especially around how people emotionally engage with machines. 'There will be problems. People will develop these somewhat problematic — or, maybe, very parasocial relationships, and, well, society will have to figure out new guardrails,' he said. Still, he believes the benefits will outweigh the risks. Mobile finder: Best price for iPhone 16 One of the more pointed observations Altman made was about how much trust people place in ChatGPT, despite its tendency to hallucinate. 'People have a very high degree of trust in ChatGPT, which is interesting, because AI hallucinates. It should be the tech that you don't trust that much,' he added.
Hans India
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Sri Chaitanya felicitates top rankers of IIT-JEE, NEET
Hyderabad: On the occasion of Sri Chaitanya Educational Institutions once again securing All India No. 1 Ranks in national-level competitive examinations like IIT-JEE (Main & Advanced) and NEET 2025, the grand 'AIRAVAT Champions Celebrations' were conducted with pomp and enthusiasm on Thursday. The event was held at Shilpakala Vedika in the presence of a massive gathering of Sri Chaitanya toppers, students, and faculty members from across the country. 'AIRAVAT' served as a platform to honor academic excellence and to celebrate the achievements of meritorious students. World Chess Champion Gukesh D and actor Adivi Sesh graced the occasion as chief guests. Sri Chaitanya Directors Sridhar Yalamanchili, Sushma Boppana and Seema Boppana participated in the event as Guests of Honour and felicitated national-level toppers. Gukesh D said, 'Just like in chess, success in competitive exams like JEE & NEET requires strategic thinking, discipline and mental resilience. Through this association, I am committed to inspiring students not only in academics but also in developing lifelong skills for success.' Adivi Sesh said, 'My heartfelt congratulations to every Sri Chaitanya student who topped the IIT-JEE and NEET exams in 2025. Behind these extraordinary achievements lies a strong foundation of planning and dedication. Sri Chaitanya has truly emerged as a pioneering institution, consistently producing talented individuals for engineering and medical fields at national and international levels.'
The Hindu
a day ago
- Automotive
- The Hindu
Megaravalli boy who greased at his father's mechanic shop gets into IIT-Kanpur
It is dream come true for 18-year-old Sushanth N. Prabhu of Megaravalli in Tirthahalli taluk of Shivamogga, as he got selected into IIT-Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh. A son of a two-wheeler mechanic, Sushanth will be studying BTech at the prestigious institution. It is a proud moment for his father, Narasimhamurthy Prabhu, who studied up to SSLC, and his mother, Sujatha Prabhu, who has completed PUC. Sushanth studied in a government school up to SSLC. As a schoolboy, he assisted his father in the garage, repairing motorcycles, and that helped him understand how bikes work and his father's struggle to fulfil the needs of the family of five members. 'He began to work with me very early. He handles engines and good at minor repair works,' said Mr. Narasimhamurthy Prabhu. 'We always wanted our children to study well, lead an independent life and do good for society,' said Ms. Sujatha, who stitched clothes to support the family for several years. Until Sushanth reached SSLC, he had no idea of IIT or NIT. In 2022, he developed an innovative 'self-chain adjustment system' for bikes. His project was selected for the national-level exhibition and competition, popularly known as Inspire Awards – Manak, organised by the National Innovation Foundation of the Department of Science and Technology. His teacher Raghavendra A. Bhat was his mentor. They visited the National Institute of Technology (NIT) at Suratkal in Dakshina Kannada in May, 2022, to attend the mentoring workshop as part of the competition. 'During our visit to NIT Suratkal, I had told Sushanth that if he studied well, he could secure a seat at NIT-Suratkal. He was very impressed by the campus and the institute. He took it seriously. Now, I am happy that my student has been selected to study at the IIT,' said Mr. Bhat, who now works at the government high school at Guddekoppa in Tirthahalli taluk. Sushanth feels that the visit to Suratkal sparked his dream of studying at an IIT. 'That day, my teacher spoke about IIT-JEE and the importance of studying at IITs. He wanted me to take it as a challenge to get a seat,' he said. He cleared the SSLC with a score of 620 out of 625. After clearing the tough selection process, he joined a residential school run by Rashtrotthana Parishat in Bengaluru. The institute offers free PU education with coaching for IIT-JEE for meritorious students from rural backgrounds. He did well in the entrance test and secured a seat for BTech in chemical engineering in the first round of seat allotment. 'I am planning to work and later become an entrepreneur. Besides that, I have also plans to prepare for the civil service examinations,' said Sushanth.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Physics Wallah's journey from YouTube to unicorn: IPO, expansion, and what's next
Physics Wallah's report card shows a swift rise since 2016, successful investment rounds, national footprint and the down-to-earth attitude of founders. But the answer awaited is the market reaction to its upcoming Initial Public Offering. First, let's look at the edtech company's core: academic coaching. The exam prep and subjects covered are hardly limited by the name, Physics Wallah. From Class 7 to 12, from UPSC exams to NEET, IIT-JEE to IIM, CA to NDA, and Upskilling to Mentoring, the Institute set up by a physics enthusiast is now an all-rounder that helps students prepare for more than 35 exam categories. Over 36 million students log on to its channels and 15 million use the PW App for competitive exams preparation. As a company, Physics Wallah (PW) has set new financial benchmarks and emerged as a unicorn, meaning its value has crossed $1 billion. Currently, PW has filed draft papers for an initial public offering of around $500 million, as per media reports. Impact of fundraising The consistent growth and funding rounds have had an impact on ground. Scaling from a model of online education, Physics Wallah now operates more than 130 offline centers under four categories: 'Vidyapeeth,' which is completely offline, 'Pathshala,' hybrid learning centre, 'PW Tuition' for offline tuition and the 'Vidyapeeth Residential Program.' The offline Vidyapeeth model is restricted to Foundation programs for Class 8 to 10 students, IIT-JEE for Class 11 and 12, and NEET coaching for Class 11 and 12 students. 'Dropper' batches are designed for students keen on a second attempt at NEET or JNV Olympiad. SIP, School Integrated Learning Center by Physics Wallah, is a hub within a school's campus and is blended with online interactive classes. Going a step further, PW has set up its school brand 'Gurukulam School,' at Varanasi, Indore and Gurugram under the CBSE curriculum. Admission is open to students from the age of three years, though the age category may vary depending on the location. Not everything in academics is about learning, not every student can excel in exams, and there are obstacles in the prep process for every aspirant. 'PW Prerna,' staffed by counselors, is a free teleconsultation platform that students can dial into to overcome exam stress, anxiety and nervousness. In Kota and Patna, they can walk in for an in-person consultation. With all the positives outlined herein, is Physics Wallah an almost perfect example of an educator-turned-entrepreneur success story? Time to find out more. Riding the wave It all started with a man named Alakh Pandey. Hailing from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, Alakh Sir, as he would be affectionately called later by millions of students, began teaching while he was in school. The story goes that around 2016 he started a YouTube channel with an investment of ₹30,000. By 2019, the subscriber base had increased to 2 million and scaled to 6.8 million in 2022. COVID came into our lives, and into Alakh Sir's life came a spark… in the name of Prateek Maheswari, a Mechanical Engineering graduate from IIT-BHU, who helped build the PW App, which students could download during the pandemic and the lean times thereafter. PW was charging one-tenth of the price of competitors, and the quality was as good as anyone else's, reports say. His teachers were rated highly; hence poached periodically. Alakh Sir put an end to this by raising funds from investors and strengthening the business with the help of Maheswari, who had become a co-founder. From 2022 onwards, Physics Wallah found its place in India's edtech map as a brand that delivered quality coaching at an affordable price, and at nil or subsidized cost to several segments. The man who started the company from humble beginnings did not forget his roots. In June 2025, PW signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the CRPF Family Welfare Association (CWA) to provide educational support to the families of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. The initiative outlines multiple tiers of scholarships, including full scholarships for the families of CRPF martyrs and personnel who passed away during service. Additionally, families of serving and retired CRPF members are eligible for a 35% scholarship on offline coaching and a 25% scholarship for online courses. According to CSR Mandate magazine, for the 2023-24 academic session, PW granted a full fee waiver to 51,000 students at a total cost of ₹17 crore, to those from economically weaker sections of society. Further, as it has been from day one, students have free access to the content on PW's YouTube channel. Co-founder Maheswari said in a media interview last year that Physics Wallah hosts 81 YouTube channels with the total number of subscribers exceeding 36 million and the count of daily active users (DAU) exceeding 2.1 million. Alakh Sir's and his co-founder's natural ability to address the TG of students who may not be comfortable in English is evident from the repertoire of over 12 vernacular channels on YouTube, such as Teluguwallah, PW Gujarati and PW Bangla, which cater to K-12 and IIT-JEE/NEET preparations. Empathizing with the challenges faced by first-generation, first-time entrepreneurs, Alakh Sir and his co-founder launched in 2024 the PW School of Startups (SOS) with an initial corpus of ₹100 crore. The entity will nurture at least 100 startups over the next five years. Too much growth? If we look back in time, how have the last three years been in terms of financial performance? In edtech, the fashion or trend for a company on a growth curve is the acquisition of allied enterprises, and while it seems the right step, it is also a reason the acquirer starts to falter. Consider this: With a strategic intent of increasing market share and widening its product suite, Physics Wallah made a series of investments and acquisitions in 2022 and 2023, according to data published on industry portals. These include: Xylem Learning, a hybrid learning platform in South India; Knowledge Planet, a UAE-based K-12 online and offline learning startup; iNeuron, a platform focused on upskilling; Altis Vortex, a publisher and supplier of NCERT-based books for classes 11 and 12, along with NEET, and CUET-UG exam preparations; PrepOnline, an online learning platform for NEET, board exams, and state-level government exams preparation; FreeCo, a doubt-solving and resource management company in the edtech space. For FY 24, as per regulatory filings, Physics Wallah reported an operating revenue increase of 161% from ₹744 crore in FY 23 to ₹1,940 crore in FY 24. However, for the year under review, the company's losses jumped from ₹84 crore to ₹1,130 crore. A company spokesperson, while commenting on the financials of that period, has said that the losses were higher due to non-cash expenses such as Compulsorily Convertible Preference Shares (CCPS) to the extent of 756 crores. Despite the loss figure, the confidence of equity investors is evident from the fund raise in September 2024. Investment platform Zerodha says Physics Wallah raised $210 million in a funding round led by Hornbill Capital, boosting its valuation to $2.8 billion - a 2.5x increase from the previous round. Other backers from the investment world include Westbridge Capital, GSV Ventures and Lightspeed Venture Partners. The IPO date is yet to be announced, but indications are it will be sooner than later. Meanwhile, questions being asked by PW watchers and analysts are: Will retail and bulk investors give the public offering a thumbs up? Will the market condone last year's losses and wait for FY 25 results, and for what is projected by its founders as its highest ever EBITDA year? Will doomsayers be proved right, specifically those who contend Physics Wallah has not learnt a lesson from the errors of erstwhile peers, which went on an acquisition spree and expansion into offline centers? Doubt-solving is integral to a teacher's DNA. Likely that Alakh Sir will clarify… and list with a premium on the issue price. (The writer is a former journalist and advertising professional now serving as a communications advisor. Views expressed are his own).
