The document states universities from among the top 100 in the world will be able to set up campuses in India. While it doesn’t elaborate the parameters to define the top 100 , the incumbent government may use the ‘QS World University Rankings’ as it has relied on these in the past while selecting universities for the ‘Institute of Eminence’ status. However, none of this can start unless the HRD Ministry brings in a new law that includes details of how foreign universities will operate in India.

The world has changed since COVID-19 pandemic hit us in March. We have become more dependent on technology to stay connected and get our work done than ever before. As social distancing becomes the norm, robots have emerged as a safer option. Whether you have to deliver a package, clean the house or cook a meal, there is a robot for every need. Robots have now become an integral part of our everyday life. They have been a part of the health sector for a long time but now they are doing everything from assisting the police to mixing cocktails for you! In Japan you can even find robot priests in temples. Companies like Boston Dynamics, Plen Robotics, Unista and others are doing groundbreaking work to make your life easier.

Two Indian cities on Thursday made it onto the top 40 of the world’s most favourable ecosystems to build a globally successful startup, topped by the Silicon Valley in California. Bangalore was ranked 26th and Delhi 36th in ‘The Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2020’ by Startup Genome, with Mumbai topping a parallel “Top Emerging Ecosystems” ranking. The Startup Genome report analyses cities around the world where early stage startups have the best shot at building global success.

**Startup India 2020 **
Dreams come alive as soon as you get out of your bed, sip your espresso and start hustling to achieve those goals. These best startups in India mentioned in this publication chose to put in their 110% to transform those lucid entrepreneurial dreams and ideas into reality under the Startup India movement .
The government launched the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana in April 2015 in collaboration with regulated banks and NBFCs that provide Startup India loan to non-corporate, non-farm MSMEs in their initial or growth stage.

Startup India Scheme has helped multiple startups with its financial and other support .

The government provides Income Tax Exemption to startups for the first three years of profits made by the company.

• Capital Gains Tax exemption
• Up to 80% rebate on patent costs
• Simplified registration process

The Start Up India Scheme was initiated by the Government of India back in January 2016 that aims at promoting different startups that, in turn, assists in generating employment, surging the economic state of the country.

The direct-to-consumer revolution led to the creation of oral healthcare startups, multiple personal hygiene brands — a trend perhaps first started by Dollar Shave Club, but now inclusive of female-focused companies like Billie as well — and a lot of private label responses from bigger players like Amazon and Target. And it almost resulted in a major acquisition, until the prospective buyer for Harry's balked after the Federal Trade Commission blocked the brand's sale.

There's been some high profile challenges too, not least of which is the impact the COVID-19 crisis has had on consumer spending, shopping habits and economic realities. Flaws in the DTC model, already beginning to show, are likely to be exasperated as the retail world rethinks how it operates in light of the global health crisis.

Since 2014, the Government of India has announced various initiatives, namely Digital India, Make in India, Start-up India, Skill India and Innovation Fund. The timely and effective implementation of such programs will likely support growth of E-commerce in the country. Some of the major initiatives taken by the Government to promote E-commerce in India

The E-commerce industry has been directly impacting micro, small & medium enterprises (MSME ) in India by providing means of financing, technology and training and has a favourable cascading effect on other industries as well. Indian E-commerce industry has been on an upward growth trajectory and is expected to surpass the US to become the second largest E-commerce market in the world by 2034. Technology enabled innovations like digital payments, hyper-local logistics, analytics driven customer engagement and digital advertisements will likely support the growth in the sector. The growth in E-commerce sector will also boost employment, increase revenues from export, increase tax collection by ex-chequers, and provide better products and services to customers in the long-term. Rise in smartphone usage is expected to rise 84 per cent to reach 859 million by 2022.

Though the line between physical and digital commerce is blurring, the difference in growth trajectories between retail and ecommerce is still stark (though not as stark as it once was.)

The digital marketplace and eCommerce landscape is ever-changing and there is no denying the Coronavirus global pandemic has had a real effect on this and digital experience, creating more challenges for marketers. Making online content more accessible means ensuring that all people can read and understand it – taking into account any disabilities they may have or assistive devices they could be using to access it. This includes those with disabilities such as impaired vision, motor difficulties, cognitive impairments or learning disabilities, deafness or impaired hearing.

Before the pandemic hit, while physical interactions were still acceptable and in-store visits more common, email was already a popular communication channel for many consumers and businesses alike. Now, with the recent, sudden, and unprecedented restrictions of movement imposed by governments across the globe, companies have been forced to adjust their communication or risk losing touch with customers.

It is not surprising that a large number of companies turned to email as the channel of choice to reach out to customers with information about their business continuity plans.

Enterprises are turning to sophisticated technology stacks to cut waste and become more efficient. Smart order routing combined with multi-location inventory, and automated rule-based order routing can match orders with stock in warehouses that are closest to the customer. Automatically routing orders in this manner saves time, expedites fulfillment, and reduces shipping costs.

To realize the environmental benefits of sustainable manufacturing distributed manufacturing systems (DMS) are being considered. These are decentralized networks of adaptable and flexible mini-factories. Putting manufacturing closer to the end consumer reduces emissions by cutting transportation requirements. It can also stimulate regional economies that benefit from jobs produced. Decentralizing the manufacturing process can also improve flexibility and position brands to reconfigure faster if consumer taste or behavior shifts.

Cutting edge digitally native brands are experimenting with voice commerce, partnering with luxury Las Vegas hotels on exclusive pop-ups, and testing augmented reality-enabled online-to-offline (O2O) experiences. With headless commerce and progressive web applications (PWA), the world is becoming a storefront as brands enable commerce via smart mirrors, video games, and live streams.

Second and third tier shopping malls are being reborn as experiential destinations with theme parks, ski hills, and water slides. Legacy manufacturers and CPG companies are reinventing themselves by selling direct-to-consumer (DTC) to accelerate growth.

Yes, an estimated 12,000 retail locations were expected to close last year, But don't let the headlines skew your perspective—what dies in the mall is being reborn online, and what was born online is increasingly crossing over to the physical world.

Commerce is being raised from the dead online, offline, and everywhere in between. The future is bright, and is being shaped by the following trends in 2020 atmanirbhar bharat and beyond:

Private label brands now account for approximately 20% of the consumables market. Driving much of this market share growth are the retail partners on which legacy manufacturers have historically relied on for distribution. They’re increasingly offering their own brands that compete against those produced by legacy manufacturers. Selling direct is a response to increased competition from retail partners offering their own DTC private-label brands.

Automation powers productivity
Businesses will increasingly put operations on autopilot in the coming year. Automation will be particularly beneficial to brands expanding internationally which requires operating multiple stores and larger inventory and fulfillment networks. On average, international businesses ship to 31 countries, and brands are increasingly using ecommerce automation to scale faster and more efficiently.

Artificial intelligence
Level 5 automation, or automation that manages itself with no humans involved, will likely require the highest level of machine learning to produce artificial intelligence that can replace human intelligence. Businesses expect to spend big on AI-powered automation. Worldwide AI and process automation expenditures are expected to top $ 15.4 billion by 2021

Sustainable ecommerce goes mainstream
Consumers increasingly want brands to lead with their values. But aligning your brand with a social cause is no longer enough. Consumers increasingly want companies to act as good global citizens by using green manufacturing practices, eco-friendly supply chains, and reduced waste packaging.

Eco-friendly supply chains
Enterprises are turning to sophisticated technology stacks to cut waste and become more efficient. Smart order routing combined with multi-location inventory, and automated rule-based order routing can match orders with stock in warehouses that are closest to the customer. Automatically routing orders in this manner saves time, expedites fulfillment, and reduces shipping costs.

Likewise, consumer demand to know a product’s entire lifecycle also requires the ethical sourcing of sustainable commodities and components. This includes minimizing the impact on the environment as well as treating workers humanely.

To realize the environmental benefits of sustainable manufacturing distributed manufacturing systems (DMS) are being considered. These are decentralized networks of adaptable and flexible mini-factories. Putting manufacturing closer to the end consumer reduces emissions by cutting transportation requirements. It can also stimulate regional economies that benefit from jobs produced. Decentralizing the manufacturing process can also improve flexibility and position brands to reconfigure faster if consumer taste or behavior shifts.

Zero Waste Packaging
Zero waste packaging is a packaging system where all materials are used, reused, or recycled so there’s no waste product. Driven by consumer demand, it requires that brands do more than simply use sustainable packaging supplies. Besides eliminating waste, the effort requires that all packaging resources be recovered and none burned or buried.

Minimalist packaging, reduced package sizes, and redesigned shipping cases are also shaping the future of ecommerce. To reduce packaging waste and its fulfillment costs, Amazon is now charging fees to sellers that don’t comply with its packaging guidelines. Oversized or unnecessary packaging results in a $1.99 charge. The requirements include replacing boxes with flexible mailers, using fully recyclable mailers, and better matching products with appropriate sized boxes.

Marketers target new channels and devices
Connected TVs (also known as smart TVs) and audio will emerge as two new hotbeds for advertisers. While Facebook and Instagram will continue to be the bread and butter on which many brands rely, expect significant growth in ad dollars targeting consumers who are streaming their favorite streaming television or music services.

The Trade Desk, a programmatic advertising platform, illustrates the momentum new devices and channels have heading into 2020. On Black Friday 2019, the company suggests the connected TV became an essential digital media device for marketers, and audio was not far behind.

Expect brands to increasingly bid on high quality streaming ad inventory as part of a well rounded omnichannel approach in 2020 and beyond. The trend may even stretch into the middle of the decade when you consider the many new streaming entrants as well as the expected growth in Connected TV purchases.

Consultancy Business

Opportunity
The window of opportunity for accessible digital customer communication is now, and companies must ensure they are considering accessibility throughout all their processes to maintain their clientele. The pandemic has emphasised the undeniable value of these communications, and as is the value of email as a channel for everyone, it makes sense for organisations to put energy into making email accessibility a key focus in their digital accessibility strategy.

Opportunity in PV Solar Industry
Mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has impacted the supply chain as well as execution of projects, according to a report by rating agency ICRA. The solar capacity addition in 2019-20 was also 15 per cent lower at 6.5 GW than its earlier forecast of around 7-7.5 GW.

India, with 750 GW of solar potential, has also one of the highest transmission and distribution losses in the world. So, while there is immense scope in PV deployment, there is a need for greater investment in grid related projects also to help the country best utilise its renewable energy potential , says the latest report by SolarPower Europe and National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) which also makes recommendations to help accelerate investments in the solar sector. India presents vast market entry opportunities for investors as it is set to emerge as the second largest PV market over the next five years. The country is expected to install close to 90 GW of new solar capacity between 2019 and 2023.

The United States and the People’s Republic of China (hereafter, “China”) are both expected to see an increase in capacity additions in 2020 and 2021 compared with last year. The phase-out of subsidies in China and the expiry of tax credits in the United States (in 2020 and 2021, respectively) are resulting in project development rushes. However, both governments are expected to provide some flexibility, allowing projects to be commissioned in 2021 without losing their incentives. As a result, the forecast expects that some wind and solar PV will be rescheduled and commissioned in 2021.

Opportunity in Electric Vehicle Industry
As a rule of thumb, the energy consumption of an average household will double with the installation of an EV charging point, assuming the car is regularly charged at home. As EV adoption increases, both the grid connection of a household and power grid as a whole will have to accommodate rising demand. Given the differing charging needs of average households compared to commercial fleets, energy suppliers can mitigate some of this effect through effective load management.

Growth in EV sales has been impressive in recent years. From 500,000 units manufactured in 2015 to 2.2 million in 2019. However, real growth is yet to come, and it will be a huge challenge for humanity, because it will require a change in the energy model that is necessary for the decarbonization of the planet.
Without any doubt, we are experiencing a shifting landscape, prompting many questions and challenges. Some of these relate to the technology itself, to the capacity of strategic sectors to support EV demand, and to business models that may emerge, in addition to many others. In this article we will try to respond to some of these questions, especially focusing on the European electric vehicle market.

A total of 564 thousand of these units were sold in Europe. For 2020, before the COVID-19 crisis, the outlook for global growth stood at around 36%, with 3 million new unit deliveries. This trend was set to continue in 2021, with 4 million units (5% of all vehicles). Although COVID-19 has impacted the current sales, it has also proved how big is the impact of the fuel road transport to the overall pollution. Now more than ever we realize how important is to care our environment. The total electric vehicle stock was forecasted to be 13 million (9.2% penetration), and this trend will continue to rise for decades. This growth will be influenced by several factors, according to specialist firms and pacesetters in the sector.

Gaining access to e-mobility customers through one of these three entry points will allow the utility to collect data from households as well as EVs. This data set has the potential to provide a great deal of insight into consumer behavior—such as charging times, frequently visited charging points and even commuting patterns. It also means a greater level of insight into the consumption habits of that household.

Opportunity in Retail Industry
Overall, the global retail market was expected to top $25 trillion USD in 2019. However, growth has slowed considerably versus the prior five years and is not expected to pick up through 2023. With 16.1% of all retail sales expected to happen online in 2020, manufacturers and traditional brands are increasingly bypassing retail partners and selling DTC. In fact, it’s ecommerce growth that is helping legacy manufacturers offset stagnant in-store sales growth. With a direct customer relationship brands no longer have to rely on retail partners to protect and promote your brand. Establishing a direct relationship with the end consumer also lets you continue to give support after the sale.

Opportunity in E-commerce Industry
Businesses will increasingly put operations on autopilot in the coming year. Automation will be particularly beneficial to brands expanding internationally which requires operating multiple stores and larger inventory and fulfillment networks. On average, international businesses ship to 31 countries, and brands are increasingly using ecommerce automation to scale faster and more efficiently. Ecommerce automation eliminates many of the manual, repetitive, and time-consuming tasks that reduce productivity.

National Education Policy (NEP) is a comprehensive framework to guide the development of education in the country. The need for a policy was first felt in 1964 when Congress MP Siddheshwar Prasad criticised the then government for lacking a vision and philosophy for education. The same year, a 17-member Education Commission, headed by then UGC Chairperson D S Kothari, was constituted to draft a national and coordinated policy on education. Based on the suggestions of this Commission, Parliament passed the first education policy in 1968.

Skill Training for Startups

In-house Hands-on Practical Training

Online E-learning
Online learning has been on the rise in recent years, and it’s really not hard to see why. On the one hand, eLearning courses have become hugely popular by the simple virtue of being so much more convenient than traditional face to face courses.
Many students are put off enrolling in a face to face course due to the time investment it will require. This generally involves the time to get back and forth to classes, plus the time spent waiting for tutors and other students. A Brandon Hall report on eLearning within corporations found that this style of learning typically requires 40-60% less employee time than learning in a traditional classroom setting.

Online Virtual Courses

Virtual Classroom allows you to learn everywhere at anytime. … It provides an opportunity to learn and practice a language without being physically present at a local center. This option works like a face-to-face webinar where you are able to interact with your trainer and other students in a dynamic environment.

Beyond 2020
Predictions about the future don’t come with probabilities or precise timelines. But the creative destruction happening in retail presents both threats and opportunities, the likes of which merchants have never seen before.

You don’t have to seize every trend vying to shape 2020 and beyond. What your customers do expect is that you’ll meet them where they are, providing a valuable customer experience regardless of whether it comes offline, via voice, or the expectation that you operate in eco-friendly ways.

Nothing is for certain. But when one channel, device, or big idea in commerce becomes obsolete, expect another to emerge in its place. Retail death loses its sting when merchants realize they can be reborn.

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