India’s education sector saw significant activity this week, with new international collaborations, national initiatives for student well-being, and infrastructure development for tribal education. Key events included an India-Australia creative technology partnership, a workshop focusing on quality infrastructure for Eklavya Model Residential Schools, and the inauguration of a major book festival.
India-Australia Creative Collaboration Formed
The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) and Australia’s Deakin University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2025. The signing took place at the Waves Bazaar. This partnership forms part of the Australia–India Creative Collaboration initiative with NFDC.
The collaboration aims to enhance innovation, academics, and cross-disciplinary work in creative and technology-driven education. IICT CEO Vishwas Deoskar stated the agreement supports global talent development. The MoU includes academic programs, training, research, workshops, masterclasses, and initiatives for student and faculty exchange, alongside industry engagement.
Government Focuses on Academia-Industry Links
Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Science and Technology, announced India is strengthening connections between academia and industry. He spoke at the 9th Convocation of the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research in New Delhi. The initiative aims to support young researchers in emerging technology fields.
Minister Singh stated that India’s economic future will be driven by innovation, technology, and industry. He urged graduating scholars to develop new solutions to advance technological self-reliance and global competitiveness.
Nagpur Hosts First Book Festival
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the first Nagpur Book Festival 2025 on Saturday, November 22 . The festival will run for nine days, concluding on November 30 , at Reshimbagh Ground in East Nagpur.
The National Book Trust (NBT), the Maharashtra Government, and the Zero Mile Youth Foundation jointly organized the event. Minister Gadkari spoke on the importance of reading for personal development and national progress. Over 300 publishers are participating. The festival also features cultural performances.
HEIs Address Student Mental Health
The 2nd National Well-being Conclave took place at IIT Bombay from November 22-23, 2025 . The event focused on integrating mental health and well-being into higher education institutions.
Approximately 80 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) participated, with 115 faculty members and 139 students attending. The conclave released the ‘Compendium of emerging best practices of well-being across the country 2.0’.
Discussions covered policy frameworks, early identification of mental health concerns, collaborative support systems, and digital well-being. Participants announced final recommendations and an Inter-University action plan for 2025–26. This plan aims to coordinate well-being initiatives across HEIs, building on the first conclave held in 2024.
Project Veer Gatha 5.0 Engages Millions of Students
Project Veer Gatha 5.0 saw participation from over 1.92 crore school students across all 36 States and Union Territories. The initiative, launched in 2021, promotes stories of gallantry awardees and Indian warriors.
Students submitted various creative entries. The project also expanded to include Indian schools abroad this year. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force addressed participants.
One hundred national winners will receive a cash prize of Rs. 10,000 and felicitation in New Delhi. Additionally, 2,956 district-level and 288 State/UT-level winners will be honored locally.
Workshop Addresses Tribal Education Infrastructure
The National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) organized a two-day workshop titled “Building Quality Infrastructure for Tribal Education” in New Delhi. The event ran from November 21-22, 2025 . It supports government efforts to enhance educational infrastructure for tribal communities through Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs).
Shri Ajeet K. Srivastava, NESTS Commissioner, reported 499 EMRSs are functional, with 397 school buildings completed. He emphasized the necessity of timely and high-quality construction. Delays prevent tribal children from accessing education.
The workshop brought together engineers from Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), CPWD, State Governments, and construction agencies. Sessions addressed technical areas such as project planning, material testing, and region-specific construction challenges. Experts provided insights on quality assurance and project management.