DGT-MSDE Announces Results Of All India Trade Test For Craft Instructor Training Scheme 2019-2020

• A total of 7535 trainees appeared for AITT across 34 trades and 45 Institutes across the country in October and November 2020; the passing percentage is 80.57%

• Ms. Savitri, trainee of Dress Making trade from National Skill Training Institute for Women, Jaipur, has topped the examination, scoring a phenomenal 95.44%; overall, a total of 242 trainees scored 90 % and above

The Directorate General of Training (DGT), under the aegis of Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), announced results of the All India Trade Test (AITT) for CITS Academic session 2019-2020. For session 2019-20, a total of 7535 trainees across 34 trades and 45 Institutes appeared in the examination, which was held in 79 exam centers across the country. Ms. Savitri, trainee of Dress Making trade from National Skill Training Institute for Women, Jaipur, topped the examination, scoring a phenomenal 95.44%. Overall, a total of 242 trainees scored 90 % and above and 80.57% of candidates passed the test. The results are available at: https://ncvtmis.gov.in/Pages/CFI/Home.aspx .

In view of the Corona pandemic, the theory and practical examinations were conducted in two batches in the months of October and November 2020 in strict adherence to the healthcare and safety guidelines issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Among its wide range of skilling endeavours, DGT offers Crafts Instructor Training programmes under Crafts Instructor Training Scheme (CITS) to ITI trainees who aspire to pursue a career in skill training. Comprehensive training both in skills and training methodology is imparted to the instructor trainees to make them conversant with techniques of transferring hands-on skills, to train skilled manpower for the industry. At the end of the one-year long CITS training, an All India Trade Test (AITT) for each of the 34 trades is conducted online by DGT.

Congratulating the successful trainees, Ms. Neelam Shami Rao, Director General (Training), DGT said, “In view of the PM’s vision of making India the skill capital of the world, CITS plays a pivotal role by way of generating expert skill trainers, who empowered with the knowledge of hands-on-skills and pedagogy, would in turn impart skill training at the grass root level. Also, it is noteworthy to observe that women have fared really well in this examination, which further reflects our focus on women empowerment.”

The test consists of Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) which examines the trade knowledge of the candidates. Apart from this, practical examination is also conducted in the respective Institutes to test the hands-on-skill acquired by the trainee where an external examiner, who is a field expert, assesses performance of the trainees. These practical examinations rigorously test the trade skill as well as pedagogical approach of the trainees. On successful completion of the training, the trainees are awarded National Craft Instructor Certificate (NCIC).

ABOUT Directorate General of Training (DGT)

The Directorate General of Training (DGT) in Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship is the apex organisation for development and coordination at National level for the programmes relating to vocational training including Women's Vocational Training. Industrial Training Institutes are under the administrative and financial control of State Governments or Union Territory Administrations. DGT also operates Vocational Training Schemes in some of the specialized areas through field institutes under its direct control. Development of these programmes at national level, particularly in the area concerning common policies, common standards and procedures, training of instructors and trade testing are the responsibility of the DGT. But, day-to-day administration of Industrial Training Institutes rests with the State Governments/ Union Territories Administrations.

About Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE)

MSDE was formed on November 9, 2014 by the Government of India to focus on enhancing employability of skills. Since its inception, MSDE has undertaken significant initiatives and reforms in terms of formalizing the policy, framework, and standards; launching of new programs and schemes; creating new infrastructure and upgrading the existing institutions; partnering with States; engaging with industries and building societal acceptance and aspirations for skills. The Ministry aims to bridge the gap between demand and supply of skilled manpower to build new skills and innovation not only for existing jobs but also for jobs that are to be created. Till date, close to 5.5 crore people have been trained under Skill India. Under its flagship programme, PMKVY 1.0 and PMKVY 2.0 more than 1.21 crore youth have been trained/ oriented successfully through improved standardized skilling ecosystem in the country.

Edtech LEAD Appoints Nirav Jagad - Ex-Nykaa CHRO To Strengthens Leadership Team

* With more than 20 years of experience, Nirav Jagad will further the company values and promote its growth culture

LEAD, a major EdTech player in India’s K-12 education segment, today announced the appointment of Nirav Jagad as Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO). Nirav joined LEAD from one of India's biggest online destination for beauty & wellness, Nykaa where he was the CHRO since 2017.

In this new role, he will further the company values and promote its growth culture. Nirav will closely work with the leadership team and look after Employee Engagement, Talent Management, Talent Development, Stakeholder Engagement, Internal Communication, Compliance and Health, Safety, Environment at LEAD.

Nirav is a seasoned HR professional with more than 20 years of experience across industries. He has worked with organisations in Education, BFSI, E-commerce and HR consulting. He is a strong communicator and Relationship Manager at all levels with an excellent track record of developing, delivering, and leading transformational solutions and operations. He is seen highly effective in engaging and building relationships with executives, team members, business leaders, and partners to achieve strategic and tactical performance results. He brings to the table a proven ability to lead diverse cross-functional team members to produce quality deliverables within time and budget constraints and is recognized for being highly energetic, result-oriented, creative, and a problem-solver.

LEAD Co-founder & CEO Sumeet Mehta said, “Today, we have a unique opportunity to reimagine how we manage and lead people, especially during the pandemic. We are excited to welcome Nirav to our core leadership team. He brings in a wealth of experience and best practices from global companies that will empower us in achieving our long-term vision of providing high quality education to affordable private schools in India. Nirav’s skills and experience give us huge confidence in building a high performance and culture centered organization.”

Having begun his career in 2001, Nirav has worked at IL&FS for over five years. He was also associated with Randstad India and Cerberus Consultants before that. As the CHRO at Nykaa, he helped the organization scale its business being part of the Management Team and building a strong talent pipeline. He is an MBA in Human Resources from Welingkar Institute of Management.

Nirav Jagad, CHRO, LEAD said, “I am thrilled to be part of this exciting journey called LEAD. It is a great opportunity to be a part of a fast-evolving industry like EdTech. The problem statement that ‘LEAD’ is attempting to solve is challenging but a hugely engaging one. I look forward to contribute to the company’s growth journey.”

LEAD has been aggressively strengthening its leadership team. The company recently announced the appointment of two senior level appointments including Arpit Mundra as Chief Financial Officer and Vipul Redey as Chief Excellence Officer.

About LEAD:

LEAD (formerly known as LEAD School) is promoted by Leadership Boulevard, one of the fastest growing EdTech companies in India. It combines technology, curriculum and pedagogy into an integrated system of teaching and learning, thus improving student learning and teacher performance in schools across the country. LEAD School partners with 1700+ schools with an estimated 6 lakh+ students in more than 400 cities, including tier 2 to tier 4 cities, in 20 States.

MPL Renews RCB Sponsorship In IPL Games For A Two-Year Deal

 
* The gaming platform will be RCB’s Principal Sponsor for the 2021 and 2022 editions of the T20 league

Mobile Premier League (MPL), Asia’s largest esports and skill gaming platform, today announced its partnership with IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for a period of two years as a Principal Sponsor.

The partnership will see MPL continue to be featured on the RCB kit for the upcoming edition of the T20 tournament this year, as well as the 2022 edition. MPL began its association with RCB in the 2020 T20 edition, played in the UAE, which was a very successful partnership.

Associating with T20 teams has proven to be a good return on investment for startups in the past, with many brands becoming easily recognisable thanks to huge fan followings that teams like the RCB command, as well as the T20 tournament’s record-breaking viewership numbers.

“We are glad to extend our association with RCB for two more years. Last year’s partnership was fruitful for both RCB and MPL. With our Brand Ambassador Virat Kohli leading a strong RCB side, we are confident that the team will have a good season this year too. Bangalore is MPL’s home base and we are proud to partner with this city’s Cricket team,” said Abhishek Madhavan, Senior Vice President, Growth and Marketing, MPL.

Speaking of the partnership, Rajesh V Menon, Vice President & Head of Royal Challengers Bangalore said, “We are delighted to have Mobile Premier League as one of our key jersey partners again for this season and the next. MPL and RCB share a common ethos of being at the forefront of creating cutting edge mobile gaming experiences and engaging content platforms respectively and this partnership combines the power of both to further create heightened levels of engagement for our fans.”

About MPL

MPL is Asia’s biggest eSports and mobile gaming platform, with over 70 million users in India and 3.5 million in Indonesia. MPL has worked with numerous game developers and on-boarded over 70 games on its platform. It was founded in 2018 by Sai Srinivas and Shubh Malhotra. The gaming platform currently employs over 600 personnel with offices in Bengaluru, Pune, Jakarta, and Singapore.

About Royal Challengers Bangalore: 

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is owned by Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited, a subsidiary of Diageo India. The Royal Challengers Bangalore (often abbreviated as RCB) are a franchise cricket team based in Bangalore, Karnataka, that plays in the Indian Premier League (IPL). One of the original eight teams, the team has made three final appearances in the IPL (in 2009 to the Deccan Chargers, in 2011 to the Chennai Super Kings and in 2016 to the Sunrisers Hyderabad) for which they finished runners-up in all.  It is one of the most followed and loved T-20 teams and has tremendous international star power. 

Lotus Herbals Invites You To Wear The Color Of Your Spirit In Their Newest Campaign #WearYourColor

The prototype of beauty for women has become so gravely etched in the masses’ minds that it is pivotal to re-conceptualize what beauty truly means and how one should embrace it. In the wake of this insight, Lotus Herbals encourages women to reclaim the narrative by asking them to wear the colors that define them. 

The campaign, #WearYourColor, is a new manoeuvre for women to make their own rules of beauty. The campaign is designed by HerHQ Media in partnership with Stylecraze and Lotus Herbals, for women to make this viewpoint a part of their lives every time they reach out for lipstick from their shelf. Whether they choose to ramp it up with red lips, be bodacious with burgundy, or keep it nonchalant with nudes, the campaign emboldens women to express themselves through colors.

At the epicentre of the campaign lies the seed thought of deconstructing the beauty adage of women being in the shadows, inhibited or curtailed, incinerating their authentic and distinctive inclinations to doll up and express themselves. Lotus Herbals playfully dwells upon the premise that a woman can conquer the world with the right shade of lipstick. 

Talking about the campaign, Vishal Singh, Head of Digital, Lotus Herbals, says, "Women have always been the driving force behind change and revolution. Reclaiming Fashion as their own is one of them. For today’s woman, Fashion is the Freedom to wear what she wants, when she wants, and how she wants. Through #WearYourColor, we want to acknowledge all these women who are undeterred, confident, and do not fear the judgments that follow. Your unfettered freedom is an inspiration for many!"

Talking about the campaign, Natasha Garyali, VP, Business Development & Strategic Partnership, IncNut, says, "Lipstick has always been seen as a powerful statement in a patriarchal society that has constricted the choices a woman can make by forcing norms and regulating their freedom. Leveraging Stylecraze, India's largest community driven beauty platform, we power up the bold and powerful  #WearYourColor message by bringing the lipstick back to the forefront as a language of protest, rebellion, self-assertion, confidence, and liberation for women. Nothing can be more liberating than the power to choose what you want and the confidence to be you at all times."

“At HerHQ Media, our aim is to design communication for women, and not simply targeted at women. #WearYourColor campaign for Lotus Herbals was crafted keeping this in mind. We firmly believe women define their own freedom, life and ambitions. When it comes to beauty, every woman owns it, her way. With #WearYourColour campaign, women will express that definition of beauty. All we are doing is provide her with a palette and a canvas to share that, with a mission to reach over 4 million women through deep content integration and influencer amplification. This is her lipstick, her colour, her choice, her freedom. She can wear her confidence up her sleeve with this initiative.” concludes Meera Chopra, Founder, HerHQ Media.”

iRobot Launches New Range Of Intelligent Robotic Vacuum Cleaners Roomba i3 And i3+ In India

* The latest product lineup comes with intelligent navigation and an expanded range of personalized cleaning features

* Puresight Systems, the exclusive and official distributor of iRobot products in India brings the new Roomba for Indian customers at their online and offline stores

* Announces special launch offer with slashed pricing

iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT), the leader in consumer robots, today expanded its Roomba® robot vacuum lineup with the launch of the new Roomba iSeries products i3 and i3+ in India. Puresight Systems, the exclusive and official distributor of iRobot products in India brings the pack of stylish robotic vacuum cleaners with advanced features available for customers at their offline and online stores. Starting at INR 69,900/- the Roomba i3+ offers intelligent navigation, self-emptying capability with Clean Base® Automatic Dirt Disposal, and an expanded range of personalized cleaning features powered by the recently launched iRobot Genius™ Home Intelligence. For customers interested in purchasing the robotic vacuum cleaner without the Clean Base® feature, the Roomba i3 is also available at a selling price of INR 49,900/-.

Adding on to the customer delight, iRobot has announced a limited period launch offer on the two smart home appliances. As part of the exclusive offer, the Roomba i3 will be available at INR 39,900/- and the Roomba  i3+ at INR 59,900 /-.

“Innovative cleaning experiences have been, and always will be, the core aim of our product offerings,” said Keith Hartsfield, Executive Vice President, and Chief Product Officer at iRobot. “We have a proven track record of delivering products that make consumers’ lives easier. The Roomba i3+ expands our lineup to offer not only exceptional cleaning performance but greater personalization and control delivered by iRobot Genius. The iRobot Genius platform also allows the new Roomba i3+ to evolve and get smarter over time, providing new ways for customers to clean their unique homes.”

Take vacuuming off your plate

Similar to the iRobot Roomba i7+ and Roomba s9+ robot vacuums, the Roomba i3+ comes equipped with the Clean Base® Automatic Dirt Disposal. With Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal, the robot empties debris on its own, with no intervention from the user. Consumers don’t have to think about emptying the bin for months at a time or worrying the robot won’t finish the job due to a full bin. The Roomba i3+ automatically empties up to 60 days’ worth of dirt and debris into the Clean Base, which doubles as the robot’s charging station. The debris is then locked away in the Clean Base’s enclosed AllergenLock™ bag that uses four layers of allergen blocking material to trap 99 percent of pollen and mold.

The Roomba i3+ purposefully and logically cleans in neat rows to navigate multiple rooms within the home, across hard floors and carpet. If the robot’s battery runs low, the Roomba i3+ will automatically recharge and resume cleaning until the job is complete.

The Roomba i3+ is also equipped with a High-Efficiency Filter that captures 99 percent of pollen, mold, dust mites, and cat and dog allergens. The robot’s 3-Stage Cleaning System consists of Dual Multi-Surface Rubber Brushes that work together to effectively clean, a specially designed Edge-Sweeping Brush to get into corners, and 10X the Power-Lifting Suction as compared to Roomba 600 Series. Using patented Dirt Detect™ technology, the Roomba i3+ knows where dirt builds up and focuses cleaning in those specific areas.

Adapts to your life, listens to your voice

The Roomba i3+ brings a thoughtful new design that fits well into consumers’ homes, with a durable, woven texture that minimizes fingerprints and collects less dust. The hidden-until-lit light ring helps the robot blend into the background, only lighting up to communicate robot behaviors or notifications when the robot is actively cleaning.

Users can also get more out of their Roomba i3+ with the newly redesigned iRobot Home App, powered by iRobot Genius™, which takes users beyond standard app control to give them a personalized cleaning experience. Available for iOS and Android devices, iRobot’s state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and home understanding capabilities enable the Roomba i3+ to learn how you like to clean. The Roomba i3+ will offer personalized suggestions via the iRobot Home App, such as recommended cleaning schedules based on past cleaning jobs and helpful cleaning suggestions during pet-shedding or allergy seasons.

Event-based automation can be set up directly within the iRobot Home App, an exclusive capability for iRobot customers that is powered by iRobot Genius™ and IFTTT Connect. Whether you’re heading off to work or going for a hike, the Roomba i3+ can begin cleaning when prompted by smart home devices, like the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock. When paired with Alexa-enabled devices or Google, users can control the Roomba i3+ with just the sound of their voice. The Roomba i3+ also supports Imprint Link™ Technology so that it can team up with the iRobot Braava jet® m6 mopping robot to deliver an extra level of clean.

Pricing and Availability

The Roomba i3+ robot vacuum is available for purchase online in India for INR 69,900 and the Roomba i3 robot vacuum can also be purchased without the Clean Base® starting at a selling price of INR 49,900.

As an exclusive launch offer to the consumers for a limited time period, iRobot has priced the Roomba  i3+ at INR 59,900 /- and the Roomba i3 at INR 39,900/-.

Roomba i3 and i3+ will be available at all physical iRobot official stores in India. Customers can avail of these online from www.irobot.in and ecommerce platforms Amazon and Flipkart. Later in April, 2021 the products can also be bought at the Croma and Reliance Digital stores. 

About iRobot Corp.

iRobot, the leading global consumer robot company, designs and builds robots that empower people to do more both inside and outside of the home. iRobot created the home robot cleaning category with the introduction of its Roomba® Robot Vacuum in 2002. Today, iRobot is a global enterprise that has sold more than 30 million robots worldwide. iRobot's product line, including the Roomba and the Braava® family of mopping robots, feature proprietary technologies and advanced concepts in cleaning, mapping, and navigation. iRobot engineers are building an ecosystem of robots and technologies to enable the smart home. 

About Puresight Systems:

Puresight Systems Pvt Ltd. was established with a vision of becoming a leading provider of home robotic appliances in India. Established in 2014, Puresight Systems has an exclusive partnership with iRobot to distribute iRobot home robots in India. Since 2015 Puresight Systems imports iRobot home robots, the world’s best-selling robotic floor cleaners into India.

Criteo Affirms Its Commitment To Diversity And Inclusion Globally

* Company appoints first Head of D&I and unveils Pay Parity Action Plan

Criteo (NASDAQ: CRTO), the global technology company powering the world’s marketers with trusted and impactful advertising, today announced two milestones in its commitment to diversity and inclusion, including the appointment of Rachel Scheel, former GE Healthcare Executive for Culture, Inclusion, Diversity and Engagement, as its first Senior Vice President of Global Diversity and Inclusion, and the unveiling of its Pay Parity Action Plan, in which the company commits to regular gender pay equity analysis for full pay parity across the organization. These investments underscore Criteo’s ongoing efforts to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace and drive sustainable and meaningful change across the industry. 

Cultivating an Inclusive Workforce

As Criteo’s first leader dedicated to D&I, Scheel will be responsible for designing and driving Criteo’s Global Diversity and Inclusion program, collaborating across the organization to launch strategic initiatives that foster a more diverse and inclusive culture. In this role, Scheel will work closely with executives to define and execute on long-term and data-driven strategies to improve organizational culture, ensure alignment of people management processes, and enact a successful diversity recruitment program. Additionally, she will provide strategic guidance to Criteo’s multiple Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and Allyship group, while developing resources and trainings for employees to contribute to creating an environment where diversity thrives.

Scheel joins Criteo with over 20 years of experience in HR leadership roles. She started her career in Brisbane, Australia after receiving her Bachelor of Business (HRM) and recently completed her Executive MBA. Prior to joining Criteo, she was the Global Executive for Culture, Inclusion, Diversity and Engagement at GE Healthcare. In this role, she was responsible for driving employee engagement for the business along with the diversity and inclusion strategy, and aligning with learning and development, talent, reward and employee life-cycle mechanisms to do so.

“In my career, I have been a passionate advocate for diversity and making a real difference both inside and outside of an organization,” said Scheel. “I am eager to drive Criteo forward in becoming equitable throughout every level of the company, driving engagement from leadership, to management and employees to deliver an inclusive culture.” 

Achieving Full Pay Parity

In its efforts towards gender equality, Criteo has focused in on providing wage parity across genders. Today, the company has closed the salary gap of men and women to zero, reaching full pay parity regardless of gender. Moving forward, as part of its Pay Parity Action Plan, the company has committed to regular gender pay equity analysis and will remedy any discrepancies as appropriate. Furthermore, in order to remove bias, new hires will be assessed by their relevant skills and experience against internal and external compensation benchmarking data in order to determine a suitable offer, rather than historical salary levels.

“At Criteo, we strive to foster a diverse and inclusive culture that aligns with our greater corporate strategy and values, and we realize that in order to drive change, we need to take action. Our achievement in closing the pay gap companywide is just the first step in our greater plan and I am thrilled to have Rachel join the team to continue these efforts and accelerate Criteo’s journey to becoming fully equitable,” said Denis Collin, Chief People Officer at Criteo. “She has been a positive agent of change at multiple organizations throughout her career and I am confident that she will do the same for Criteo.”

About Criteo

Criteo (NASDAQ: CRTO) is the global technology company powering the world's marketers with trusted and impactful advertising. 2,600 Criteo team members partner with over 21,000 customers and thousands of publishers around the globe to deliver effective advertising across all channels, by applying advanced machine learning to unparalleled data sets. Criteo empowers companies of all sizes with the technology they need to better know and serve their customers.

Honeywell Introduces BluTag 360 Asset Monitoring Solution To Enable Safer Shipments Of Sensitive Products

* “Make in India” offering provides supply chains with temperature and humidity data for pharmaceuticals, perishables and electronic goods from manufacturing to point of use

Honeywell today introduced a data-monitoring solution that leverages machine learning and blockchain technology to capture critical shipping-condition data of temperature-sensitive goods ranging from pharmaceuticals and perishables to electronics – and can even help address counterfeiting problems that can arise while goods are in transit.

A “Make in India” offering, Honeywell BluTag 360™ incorporates temperature and humidity sensors to monitor shipment conditions. BluTag 360 will be manufactured locally and is one of the first products to be launched under the recently-announced Impact by Honeywell brand.

Sensitive goods need to be properly monitored during their journey from manufacturing to distribution and point of use to ensure temperature does not impact product integrity. Designed for reusability and repeatability, BluTag 360 can enable supply chain visibility by documenting product authenticity from box to pallet – and from pallet to containers. It can support pharmaceutical and logistics companies in building robust supply chains through software that allows end-to-end condition monitoring of shipments.

“The COVID-19 vaccine distribution process underscores the criticality of knowing specific environmental details about these sensitive products during the logistics process. BluTag 360 enables users to digitally capture, record and retrieve critical data on a single dashboard and generate reports across cold chain shipments,” said Chaitanya Paspuleti, General Manager, Impact by Honeywell.

BluTag 360 comes with USB interface connectivity and provides digitized shipment records in PDF. It can function in an offline mode when network connectivity is poor. The solution can integrate into Enterprise Resource Planning and transportation systems to help with regulatory compliance, and it features proprietary software that supports global data integrity and security standards.

BluTag 360 is the first of an upcoming portfolio of offerings with global certifications to address various regulatory requirements enabling safe vaccine distribution. Watch the video of the condition-monitoring technology here.

Impact by Honeywell brings the global recognition of Honeywell’s technology capabilities to offer world-class, affordable, easy-to-install and easy-to-use products and digital solutions that are specifically designed for the rapidly growing mid-segment in India.