Updates: Female enrollment in higher education is rising in India, while Indian student applications to UK courses is down 4%

Indian universities welcomed 10 North Nigerian students who had to flee war-torn Sudan in February 2024. Earlier, thousands of students had to move from the North African nation, leaving their studies midway to escape the violence.

1. Female enrolment in higher education is growing in India. The latest government report All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) data show 43.3 million female students are currently enrolled in higher education institutions in India, up from 41.4 million in 2020-21, and 34.2 million in 2014-15. The figures put India ahead of China as one of the world’s largest higher education systems. In 2022, 36.6 million students were enrolled in higher education in China, according to official figures. The surge is Indian female student enrollment in higher education is noticeable particularly in women from the most disadvantaged groups - the government calls it a “remarkable” increase of 80 percent in female students from the Scheduled Tribes category. The AISHE survey captured total student enrolment in eight different levels: undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD, MPhil, diploma, and other programmes. In all, 10,576 standalone institutions, 42,825 colleges, and 1,162 universities and university-level institutions responded to the survey.

2. Indian student applications to UK down by 4 percent: International applications for undergraduate courses in the United Kingdom are slightly up despite new policies announced by the UK government. However, applications from India fell by 4 percent. The biggest increases were from China, up by 3 percent (+910), and Turkey, which saw a 37 percent (+710) rise in applicants, followed by a 14 percent (+310) increase from Canada, according to the figures released by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

3. Nigerian students flee war-torn Sudan to study in India: 194 Nigerian students studying in Sudan have fled to India and Northern Cyrus to continue the education. The students are from Northern Nigeria and were studying in Sudan before the war started in April 2023. They left Sudan in early February; the government announced that 184 will relocate to Cyprus, while 10 others will head to India by February 2024. It may be recalled that 6,000 Nigerian students in Sudan returned home before the war started in April 2023. In May 2023, the government evacuated a further 2,246 students from the Egyptian border and Port Sudan, according to the publication HumAngle.

4. Airbnb banned indoor security cameras from its listings globally as part of efforts to simplify policy and prioritise the privacy of its community. Historically, Airbnb allowed the use of indoor security cameras in common areas, such as hallways and living rooms, as long as they were disclosed on the listing page before booking, clearly visible and were not located in spaces like sleeping areas and bathrooms. Airbnb is also revising its policy on the use of outdoor security cameras and other devices. Doorbell cameras and noise decibel monitors continue to be permitted on Airbnb, however hosts are required to disclose the presence and general location of any outdoor cameras before the guests make a booking. While Airbnb shared these updates in a statement, it did not specify how it was going to enforce this policy across its listings worldwide.

5. What are the family lanes at Doha airport? Hamad International Airport (DOH) has introduced dedicated screening lanes for families with younger children transferring through the airport. This is expected to reduce wait times at security checkpoints and provide staff assistance to families who need help with their personal belongings. Baby changing rooms and family toilets designed to accommodate children, play areas and 17 quiet rooms with recliner seats and subdued lighting have also been added, among other family-oriented amenities.

6. Munich Airport got the world’s first Snackbot - a self-driving robot: Called Jeeves, the robot is a moving kiosk from which passengers at Munich Airport can buy soft drinks and snacks using cashless payment methods such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and all major credit cards. The Snackbot is 110 centimetres tall and moves autonomously through the gate area on Levels 4 and 5 in Terminal 2 at Munich Airport.

7. Qantas has partnered with Great Barrier Reef Foundation to save coral reefs. Qantas is investing $10 million over 10 years in the Reef Restoration Fund to support scientists, Traditional Owners and local tourism operators restoring corals across the Great Barrier Reef. Part of the funding will go towards Australian Institute of Marine Science's portable coral nurseries in shipping containers that can grow and plant 100,000 corals each year.

8. VFS Global, a visa outsourcing company, has warned all United Arab Emirates (UAE) foreign residents of scammers who are offering help with Schengen visa for large amounts of money. VFS has advised all applicants to apply for the Schengen visa appointment on their own and not through agents. Taking into account the high number of people who have already fallen victim to such scams in UAE, the VFS Global UAE Regional Head, Monaz Billimoria, advised everyone to make their appointments on their own. Foreign UAE residents have also been advised to make an appointment in advance to avoid last-minute inconveniences.

9. British Council announced the winners of the Study UK Alumni Awards 2023-24 in India. In its tenth year, the award received almost 1,500 applications from international UK alumni from nearly 100 countries, representing more than 130 UK higher education institutions across the UK. The Science and Sustainability Award was presented to Sandhya Sukumaran who studied at the University of East Anglia. She is currently working as a scientist at ICAR and specialises in marine genomics and aquaculture innovations. The Culture and Creativity Award was presented to Kajri Babbar, an alumnus of the Arts University Bournemouth. She is a filmmaker and theatre artist and likes to make films on social issues. The Social Action Award winner was Gaurav Brahmbhatt who studied at Aston University and is a successful pharmaceutical and healthcare industry professional. He is the founding member of HCAH India. The Business and Innovation Award is bestowed upon alumni who are active in initiating and contributing to innovative or creative new ideas, solutions or business opportunities that have the potential for growth. The award was presented to Purva Aggarwal, an alumnus of the University of Hertfordshire. She is the founder of Good Good Piggy, an EdFintech startup that works on educating kids and improving their financial literacy.

10. Malaysia Airlines has introduced the ‘Best of Asia’ menu, to be offered to both Business and Economy Class cabins. The menu has almost 40 Asian dishes, including Pad Krapow Gai (also known as Thai Basil Chicken) on flights from Kuala Lumpur to the Regional and China sectors. Murgh Makhani or Butter Chicken Masala with Pulao Rice on flights across the Domestic Crossing (Sabah and Sarawak), Regional, South Asian, Australian, New Zealand, and London sectors until April 30, 2024. Nasi Padang with Chicken Kalio, Bergedil, and Terung Balado on flights to Domestic Crossing (Sabah and Sarawak), Regional, Indonesia, Doha and London sectors from  May 1 to June 30, 2024.

11. New visa rules for international students in Japan: Japan has announced new visa rules that pave the way for more foreign graduates of Japanese vocational schools to find work and obtain the right to stay on after graduation. Easing the requirements was aimed at keeping skilled foreigners in the country that is reeling under acute labour shortage. Areas of work particularly affected by a shortage of personnel are labour-intensive sectors such as construction, elderly care and hotels. The new measures will give graduates of vocational schools and colleges – which mainly offer two-year courses – the same opportunity to obtain residency status currently available to university graduates.

12. Travel process for Romania and Bulgaria easier from March 31: Since April 1, Bulgaria and Romania have been issuing Schengen C visas that allow entry and stay in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Romania and Bulgaria joined the Schengen area by air the sea on March 31. The two countries have partial - and not full - accession to the Schengen membership. As such, the removal of passport checks only applies to air and sea transport. Earlier this year, the Council of the European Union said that the date of accession by land would be decided only after March 31.

13. Saudi Arabia issuance of Hajj visas to Muslim pilgrims will last until April 29. Hajj pilgrimage cannot be performed with a tourist visa. A Hajj visa is issued specifically for performing the Hajj pilgrimage, and it is valid only during the Hajj season. In addition, it cannot be used for work or residency purposes.

14. Fali S Nariman passed away. It is the end of an era: Tributes poured in for Fali S Nariman who was often called the Bhishma Pitamah of lawyers’ community. His contributions not only shaped landmark cases, but have also inspired generations of jurists to uphold the Constitution and civil liberties.

15. Things Fali S Nariman, upholder of Constitutional law, said: “I have lived and flourished in a secular India. In the fullness of time if God wills, I would also like to die in a secular India,” said Fali S. Nariman. Here's another gem: “We should avoid relying on high-profile lawyers (with political inclinations) because with their argumentative skills, they are able to rationalize all forms of tyranny.”

16. Takeaways from Fali S Nariman's autobiography 'Before Memory Fades': Nariman talked of the need to reaffirm the 'moral foundation’ of the profession. “Although our country's lawyer-to-people ratio is 1:1800, and compares poorly with developed countries like Great Britain (where it is 1:300), mere numbers and statistics do not disclose the real malady. The quality of legal education is more important than the numbers of lawyers. What matters a great deal in India is the quality of law teachers and professors, and how they are treated," he wrote.

17. ‘Turning point’ in Fali S Nariman’s life: In his autobiography Before Memory Fades, Fali S Nariman wrote about joining the Bombay Bar in 1950 - a year after the Constitution of India was formally adopted on 26 November 1949 - as a turning point in his professional career. “I had no 'godfathers' in Bombay. But God helped. My father spoke about me to A.D. Shroff of Tatas. Shroff was the chairman of the New India Assurance Co. Ltd - my father's boss. He, in turn, spoke to Dinsha Daji, seniormost partner in Payne & Co., a leading solicitor's firm in Bombay, and I was permitted to sit there as a trainee. After working for a year (1950-51) as an apprentice with Kaikobad Lala, one of the senior partners of the firm, Dinsha Daji (a fine avuncular old gentleman) very kindly helped me to secure entry into one of the most prestigious 'chambers in Bombay - the chambers of Sir Jamshedji Kanga, whom he knew personally. This was the most important prop to my professional career.”

18. Lessons in the ‘school of hard knocks’: Fali S Nariman | “I am frequently asked by law students around the country as to how a lawyer must prepare for and argue important cases... The most important lesson I had learnt was from C. K. Daphtary (Chandubhai). He once quite casually passed it on to me when my wife and I entertained him - and his wife, Cicily - to dinner in our flat in Bombay, more than 30 years ago. He said (and he was not the kind of man who would preach to the young), 'Always remember, Fali, it is better to spend more time thinking about a case than merely reading the brief.' This is an advice that I have found invaluable in my entire working life."

19. Bapsi Contractor: Another turning point in Fali S Nariman’s life | In his autobiography, Fali S Nariman wrote about his marriage to Bapsi Contractor, “In October 1955, I was married to Bapsi Contractor. When I invited Sir Jamshedji to the wedding, he asked me who I was getting married to and I told him. He knew Bapsi's family, and gave me the entire history of the Contractors. He then mentioned that Bapsi's paternal grandfather had constructed Jamshedji Tata's Taj Mahal Hotel in Bombay (in 1903), and he had also built the Gateway of India. During the period when he (Kanga) was advocate general of Bombay for 13 years, he had heard the then viceroy of India (Lord Reading) declare open the Gateway of India (in 1924) and make laudatory remarks about Khan Sahib Sorabji Contractor. At this point of time, I can frankly tell you I am a long-married man - not to be confused with a much-married man! Bapsi and I celebrated our golden anniversary.”

20. Ericsson and DoT now offer accredited courses on 5G: Ericsson and Department of Telecommunications (DoT) collaborate to offer accredited courses on 5G for DoT’s initiative on 100 5G use case labs. Ericsson and the Department of Telecom (DOT) have entered into a collaboration to offer access to Ericsson Educate -21st Century Technologies Programme, Ericsson’s online learning platform to 100 institutes with 5G Labs. The subjects covered as part of the Program at an introductory level include: Automation, Telecommunications, AI, IoT, 5G and Machine Learning.

The collaboration will provide both students and lecturers with access to quality digital learning resources that draw on Ericsson’s 145-year experience in telecommunications and Information & Communication Technology (ICT). Content from the Ericsson Educate portal will be provided at no cost to the students.