International meeting on AI kicks off at NRIIT
VIJAYAWADA: The second International Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Computational Intelligence, and Inclusive Technologies (ICRAIC2IT – 2025) began at NRI Institute of Technology in Agiripalli. Sponsored by ANRF, the event drew 284 global paper submissions, with 114 accepted for Scopus-indexed publication.
Inaugurated with lamp-lighting and opening remarks by Dr D Suneetha, the event featured dignitaries including Conference Chairman and Dean, Dr KV Sambasivarao, Director (Academics) Dr G Sambasivarao, NRIIT Principal Dr C Naga Bhaskar, and Chairman R Venkat Rao.
Keynote speaker Dr Dasari Ramakrishna, CEO of Efftronics, highlighted engineering-driven innovation in smart systems. He urged researchers to focus on application-oriented, deterministic solutions over probabilistic AI models. The conference includes technical sessions, keynote talks, and global networking. It continues on May 3.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
IT ministry mulling to fund 2D material research project
New Delhi: Electronics and IT ministry is mulling to support research on 2D material and planning to float expressions of interest to select the project, senior officials said on Friday. 2D materials have the potential to produce over 10 times smaller chips than silicon-based chips being developed at present. "We have volunteered and come forward to support programmes... with ANRF - which means putting our own research money alongside what ANRF does and trying to encourage the industry to come forward. One of the early ones that we are pushing in that space is a 2D research centre," Meity Secretary S Krishnan said while speaking at the Tec-Verse event. The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) was established by the government to seed, grow and promote research and development (R&D) and foster a culture of research and innovation throughout Indian universities, colleges, research institutions, and R&D laboratories. A team of 30 scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has submitted a proposal to the government for developing technologies using a new class of semiconductor materials, called 2D materials, that could enable chip sizes as small as one-tenth of the smallest chips currently in global production and develop India's leadership in semiconductors. Krishnan said that efforts should be made to collaboratively develop technologies that are supported with public funds, and duplication of projects must be avoided. "We are in the age of Deepseek (Chinese AI platform)...building on each other's efforts to go forward. This may not be pure greenfield research. A lot of it is innovation (and ), a lot of it is building on existing models on things which we can take forward. Ultimately, the test of the pudding is in what we deliver, what it is people of the country are able to benefit from," Krishnan said. Ministry of Electronics and IT, Additional Secretary, Amitesh Sinha said the role of materials in semiconductors is very important. "Earlier, everybody was focusing on electronics and communication, but now material science and chemical engineering are all very important," he said. Sinha said that Meity is mulling to float an expression of interest to select the project for funding support. PTI
The Hindu
21-06-2025
- The Hindu
How rankings lead to the rise of academic commodification
Academic brilliance was once defined by the depth of scholarship, rigorous institutional processes, and a culture of inquiry nurtured by universities. Today, the focus has shifted to metrics, badges, and rankings. Institutions showcase it, scholars highlight it, and stakeholders treat it as a seal of quality. Yet, as with all that glitters, one must ask: what lies beneath? Today, Stanford is gaining recognition, alongside THE and QS rankings, despite the inherent flaws in all three. The Stanford ranking, for instance, seeks to identify the top 2% scientists in various disciplines based on a composite indicator. This includes bibliometric indicators such as total citations, h-index, co-authorship-adjusted metrics, and citations to papers in different authorship positions. While it appears scientific and data-driven, the exercise is not without flaws. For one, it depends entirely on Scopus data, a commercial database that does not cover all disciplines equally. Humanities and some Social Sciences are grossly underrepresented, leaving a large swath of global academia invisible in the analysis. Moreover, the focus on citation-based metrics incentivises quantity over quality. A well-written, widely-cited review paper can push a researcher up the ranks, while a game-changing monograph in philosophy may not even register. What makes it even more problematic is the blind application of these rankings by institutions. Without context, nuance, or disciplinary sensitivity, they are turned into marketing tools. It is less about a commitment to excellence and more about optics and prestige. The ranking becomes currency; a transactional marker to attract funding, students, and media attention. Indian context In India, the situation is more troubling. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has come under intense scrutiny after the recent revelation of a university in Andhra Pradesh allegedly paying crores to secure an A++ grade. Shockingly, nearly 20% of NAAC assessors were later removed due to various irregularities. The demand for a comprehensive probe into the assessments conducted by these discredited evaluators is reasonable and urgent. In recent years, many institutions have managed to secure top grades, which many argue is inconsistent with the ground reality of poor infrastructure, faculty shortages, and abysmal student outcomes. This raises a troubling question: Have we reduced institutional quality to a game of strategic networking, financial leverage, and performative documentation? One cannot ignore the systemic pressures at play. The increasing corporatisation of academia has introduced market logic into the university system. As public funding shrinks, universities — especially private ones — are forced to rely on student fees and external rankings to remain afloat. This leads to a dangerous feedback loop. To attract students, institutions ease academic regulations, reduce penalties for indiscipline, and adopt student-centric policies that often border on appeasement. Faculty, burdened with teaching, administrative tasks, and publication requirements, face burnout. In such an environment, rankings become not just desirable but necessary. They are wielded as shields in an ever-intensifying battle for survival. Institutions chase Scopus-indexed journals to meet regulatory demands, not for the love of scholarship. Researchers pay exorbitant fees to get published and, when that fails, some resort to unethical practices, only for their papers to be retracted later. Flawed model In this matrix of manipulation, it is easy to blame the institutions. But the deeper malaise lies in the very education model we have embraced: one that equates visibility with value, metrics with meaning, and reputation with reality. Awards, too, have not been spared. Today, one can pay a tidy sum and receive an 'Excellence in Research' award in a foreign country with a sightseeing tour and conference pass thrown in. These packages are marketed as academic opportunities but are, in truth, commodified experiences engineered to inflate CVs. We must ask: did our finest institutions of yesteryear depend on such scaffolding? The situation may seem bleak, but not hopeless. To reverse the tide, we need to recalibrate our priorities. First, we must advocate for more context-sensitive and peer-reviewed models of assessment that go beyond metrics. Second, public funding for education must be restored and enhanced. The commodification of education is not an inevitable outcome; it is the result of deliberate policy choices. Third, academia must reclaim its soul. Universities are not businesses, and education is not a product. Rankings can be tools, but they must not become our tyrants. The rot will deepen until we resist the seduction of easy prestige and short-term gains. It's time to stop asking how to climb the ranks and start asking how to make learning meaningful again. Views are personal The writer is a retired professor and former Dean, School of Arts and Humanities, Christ Deemed-to-be University, Bengaluru.
The Wire
20-06-2025
- The Wire
Somaiya Vidyavihar University Hosts Global Conference on Technologies for Energy, Agriculture & Healthcare (ICTEAH 2025) at the Somaiya Vidyavihar campus
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (NewsVoir) Somaiya Vidyavihar University, built on the proud 84-year legacy of the Somaiya Trust, successfully hosted the 2nd International Conference on Technologies for Energy, Agriculture, and Healthcare (ICTEAH-2025). Organised by the K J Somaiya School of Engineering, the conference brought together researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders to explore transformative technologies shaping our collective future. The conference was inaugurated in the presence of distinguished dignitaries, including Dr. Sanjay Jambhulkar (Senior Scientist, BARC), Prof. V N Rajasekharan Pillai (Vice Chancellor, SVU and former Chairman, UGC), Dr. Suresh Ukarande (Director & Dean, K J Somaiya School of Engineering, Somaiya Vidyavihar University), Dr. Nandkumar Gilke (Registrar, SVU), and Dr. Shailesh Nikam (Organising Secretary and Professor). 'A new domain of epidemics is emerging from environmental risk factors. Climate change, even a rise of just 0.5 to 1 degree in temperature, is impacting 12% of the population by exacerbating heat-related diseases. Additionally, exposure to various artificial environmental agents poses significant health risks. This has led to the rise of exposomics, a new discipline focused on understanding the health effects of environmental exposures. Given these challenges, healthcare remains a critical focus area worldwide,' said Prof. V N Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice Chancellor, Somaiya Vidyavihar University. With over 120 delegates, the conference featured 93 paper presentations and 7 posters, creating a vibrant platform for knowledge exchange in clean energy, precision agriculture, and digital healthcare. Selected papers will be published by Taylor & Francis with individual DOIs and will be submitted for Scopus indexing, significantly contributing to the global body of academic research. The highlights of the conference were dignitaries from various fields. Dr. Sanjay Jambhulkar (Senior Scientist, BARC) spoke about the use of new technologies in agriculture and food security, emphasising their critical role in building sustainable food systems. Dr. Sudhir Ranjan Jain (Somaiya Vidyavihar University) presented insights into quantum computation for energy, highlighting its potential to revolutionise energy systems and contribute to sustainability. Dr. Nandkumar Kunchge (Director, K J Somaiya Institute of Applied Agricultural Research, Sameerwadi) presented regenerative agriculture methods which are hoping to take agriculture back to its deep connection with Mother Nature. Dr. S. D. Sharma (Founder Auflows CardioTech Pvt. Ltd. and Retired Professor from IIT Bombay) presented palliative surgical procedures required for congenital heart disease patients having Univentricular hearts to help their pulmonary circulation. 'Energy, agriculture, and healthcare are the three critical pillars of our future. With rising population and urbanisation, the demand for renewable energy (i.e. solar, wind, tidal, and hydrogen) is only going to increase. Research in these areas is not just ongoing, it's essential. Tomorrow's breakthroughs may come from innovations and research e.g 2cm x 2cm solar panel generating the same power as today's larger systems (2m x 2m). This is where scientists, academicians, and industry leaders must come together to solve real-world challenges," said Dr. Suresh Ukarande, Director & Dean, K J Somaiya School of Engineering, Somaiya Vidyavihar University. In recognition of outstanding contributions, Best Paper Award from each domain were presented to Dr. Sarika Bukkawar, Mr. Haseen Shaikh, Ms. Sonia Pol and Mr. Nitish Yadav. Further, the best poster award was given to Ms. Alka Dattatray Gadakh. Certificates of Excellence acknowledged the commitment and performance of participants and student volunteers throughout the conference. The conference reaffirmed Somaiya Vidyavihar University's mission to bridge academic research with real-world impact. Through initiatives like ICTEAH, the University continues to align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, fostering innovation that serves both industry and society. About K J Somaiya School of Engineering - (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Newsvoir and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR This is an auto-published feed from PTI with no editorial input from The Wire.
