Etzkowitz and Leydesdorff (1995) in their model ‘Triple Helix Model’ suggest that there should be a harmonious interaction between University, Industry, and Government to foster economic and social growth. It requires certain skills to be learned by the individuals to fulfill the demands of society. NEP 2020 (point no. 11.1) also suggests that some skills needed to be inculcated in individuals in professional development like communication, discussion, and debate. It is also related to teacher education courses as they prepare teachers for school and it is considered as a miniature of the society. In the contemporary scenario, soft skills are also required for teachers to teach in online mode during Covid-19. Teacher education programs are also conducted in online mode to prepare the teachers for the schools. Therefore, this research study aims to understand the views of pre-service teachers regarding the soft skills developed in teacher education courses. The purposive sampling was opted. The structured interview was conducted

with the pre-service teachers who are currently enrolled in a teacher education program in a centraluniversity. It was found that the pre-service teachers are learning in an online mode during pandemic. There was a lack of proper exposure as peer interaction, micro-teaching, and interaction with teachers in face-to-face mode, and library facilities were not provided in an adequate manner due to lockdown. It was concluded that there is a need to inculcate some pedagogical strategies to prepare them in a better way to further develop the teaching-learning process in school.

Quality of learning in higher education is predominantly influenced by students’ perception of the courses, they were studying and their approach to study. The present study is related to these aspects of higher education. The present study in this direction aims to assess the quality of teaching-learning of general undergraduate courses in a central university (Jamia Millia Islamia, JMI) located in New Delhi, India. One hundred thirty-three (133) undergraduate students, studying in their final year of graduation were

conveniently selected, to assess students’ perception of their courses regarding teaching, assessment methods, curriculum workload, etc., and their approaches to study. Two standardized questionnaires; the Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) of Ramsden (1991) and Revised Two Factor Study Process Questionnaire R-SPQ-2F of Biggs et al. (2001) were used to measure attitude of students in 5-point likert scale. Quantitative descriptive survey method (mean, standard deviation and Carl Pearson coefficient of correlation) was used in the study. Students’ perception of academic environment was found significantly related to their study approach. Higher score on good teaching, clear goal, appropriate workload and generic skills were found enhancing deep approach to study in students while higher score on appropriate workload and appropriate assessment were reducing surface approach to study in students. Findings

can be used to improve course design and teaching-learning of higher education students specifically, in context of higher education students of JMI.

India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is regarded as a paradigm shift in the nation’s approach to education. Approved by the Union Cabinet in July 2020, the policy seeks to modernize the current educational structure in order to align with the requirements of the twenty-first century. This is done with the admirable goal of making India a worldwide powerhouse in the field of knowledge. As it marks a comprehensive silver lining towards achieving lifelong learning skills, the National Education Policy (NEP) promotes quality education, thereby leveraging the call of the fourth industrial revolution to take education to new heights by building upon the pillars of equity, quality, accessibility, and accountability. The purpose of this study is to provide a basic summary of the overall features of the 2020 policy. It presents a chronology for the evolution of the educational system. It also aids in comprehending how the underlying policies might result in an educational revolution. It proposes several policy initiatives that have addressed the problems in present policy.

Birth, aging, illness, and death are unavoidable, and the provision of funeral services is an ancient industry. The needs of society and the increased population must be met, although there has been a sharp reduction in resources and deterioration in the environment, which have triggered changes in the funeral industry. Green funerals are options that enable carbon saving, by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting ecological environment. This short communication discusses common topics related to funeral services industry as well as the challenges faced by this industry particularly in India.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a new way of imparting education which has become extremely popular. Educational institutions started taking classes, giving notes, and taking exams online using mediums like Google Meet, Zoom, WhatsApp, etc. This paper examines the effectiveness of this new technique of learning called e-learning based on the perceptions of the parents. It is a quantitative descriptive research in which a questionnaire survey method was employed. A total of hundred parents were selected and asked to fill out a form circulated online through a google form. The results obtained from the analysis conclude that online learning system conducted during the pandemic was helpful but it was no substitute for offline learning. The new method of learning also posed a burden to the lowincome parents and created a learning divide between students attending government and private schools.