Latest news with #DeepakAgarwal
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Students & parents advised to be careful during admission season
With the admission season having started, several parents across Maharashtra are finding themselves caught in a web of fraudulent agents promising guaranteed seats in prestigious professional colleges under the management quota. In the past two months alone, at least three to four such cases have occurred raising concerns over the transparency of the admission process in private and deemed universities. Many students with average academic marks, along with their parents, attempt to secure seats in reputed institutions through alternative routes. (HT) Despite recent amendments to the Maharashtra Unaided Private Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admissions and Fees) Act, which mandate a transparent admission process for management quota seats in professional courses such as engineering, pharmacy, MBA, MCA, and architecture, the situation on the ground is anything but. While affiliated colleges are required to follow stricter norms, private and deemed universities have been granted complete autonomy which grants agents access to thrive. A parent told Hindustan Times on condition of anonymity, 'I came across an agent through a Prime Shiksha advertisement on social media. When I contacted them, they asked me to visit their office at Agarwal Business Park in Kharadi. The agent's name was Deepak Agarwal, and two others Vineet and Shivam Sharma. They initially asked ₹ 13 lakh for admission to engineering at PICT through the NRI and institute quota. After some discussion, the deal was fixed at ₹ 12 lakh. We even visited the college and filled out a form and I paid them ₹ 12 lakh. They told us that the college would send an admission confirmation through email. However, when I tried to contact them the next day, their phones were switched off, and the office was locked. My son scored 92% which is quite good. I want to warn other parents; please don't fall for such agents.' Responding to this, Kalpesh Yadav, joint secretary of Yuva Sena, said, 'The criteria for management quota admissions is that they should be carried out based on merit. Last year, we successfully completed the admission of 383 students purely on merit, without taking a single rupee and we are also raising voice against it.' Cities like Pune and Nashik, which host some of the state's top institutions, are witnessing a surge in demand for management quota seats. Many students with average academic marks, along with their parents, attempt to secure seats in reputed institutions through alternative routes. In doing so, they often rely on admission agents, many of whom turn out to be fraudsters. In Pune, at least three to four such fraud cases have surfaced in the last year, with parents reportedly losing lakhs of rupees. The agents exploit the urgency and emotional vulnerability of families keen on securing their child's academic future. As a result, many institutes and government officials are urging families to avoid falling for promises of guaranteed admissions. Several institutions have started issuing public advisories, warning against dealing with unverified agents. To address the rising number of complaints, support groups such as the Innovation Foundation and Yuva Sena have set up helplines for students and parents facing admission-related issues. 'Last year, we helped several students who had been defrauded by these agents. This year, too, our helpline is open to assist anyone in need,' said Kalpesh Yadav, joint secretary of Yuva Sena. The helpline number for assistance is 9623337777.
India Gazette
10-06-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
TO THE NEW Excels with Three in India's Top 100 Great People Managers and Over 100 Certified by the Great Manager Institute
iMEQ Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 10: TO THE NEW, a leading digital technology services company, is proud to announce that three of its employees, Deepak Agarwal, Gaurav Kumar, and Sourav Sharma, have been recognized among India's Top 100 Great People Managers by the Great Manager Institute. The Great People Manager Study evaluates managers across various organizations & industries using a comprehensive methodology that includes 360-degree feedback, team engagement metrics, and performance outcomes. The Top 100 list celebrates those who exemplify excellence in people management and leadership. These three managers were among 104 employees from TO THE NEW who have successfully met the criteria and are certified as Great People Managers by the Great Manager Institute. This comprehensive People's Managers Program involved a rigorous evaluation process, including feedback from mentees, peers, mentors, and reporting managers, immersive workshops led by expert facilitators, and continuous support through check-in sessions. The program culminated in a post-program survey measuring growth and reflecting the tangible impact of their efforts. 'We believe that effective leadership is the cornerstone of success. We are extremely proud of our team at TO THE NEW, as three of our employees have been recognized among India's Top 100 Great People Managers, said Narinder Kumar, the Co-Founder and CEO of TO THE NEW. 'It is a testament to their dedication and the strength of our leadership development initiatives. This recognition not only demonstrates their individual brilliance but also reaffirms our collective purpose to build a workplace where every person is valued, cared for, and empowered to do their best.' Dalreen Patrao, Co-founder & Director, Great Manager Institute said, 'At GMI, we believe that a Great People Manager impacts culture by building high-trust, high-performing teams. Our capability program begins with a rigorous assessment, helping managers identify blind spots and focus areas. Guided by our Connect, Develop, Inspire(c) framework, managers translate insight into action by designing relevant team practices. The Top 100 Managers we recognize today are those who have consistently implemented team practices, showing that lasting cultural change only comes from bridging the knowing-doing gap. We are thrilled to celebrate TO THE NEW's remarkable achievement, with 104 of their managers certified as Great People Managers and three of them earning a well-deserved place among India's Top 100 Great People Managers for their outstanding commitment to fostering impactful and inspiring workplaces.' TO THE NEW has consistently been recognized as a Great Place to Work for the last 9 years in a row. The company is continuously focusing on creating a supportive and high-performing work culture that has repeatedly made it a winner. About TO THE NEW: TO THE NEW is a digital technology services company providing innovative product engineering solutions to diverse industries across the globe. We design and build digital platforms with Cloud, Data, and AI as the main pillars. Global analyst firms like Gartner, Forrester, Everest, ISG, and Zinnov have recognized TO THE NEW for its capabilities across Digital Engineering, Cloud, Media & Entertainment Solutions, Data & AI, and Digital Marketing. We have also been recognized as a 'Great Place to Work' consecutively for many years and have a team of 2200+ passionate 'Newers' spread across India, North America, EMEA, SEA, and ANZ with our headquarters in Singapore. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by iMEQ. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Business Standard
10-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
TO THE NEW Excels with Three in India's Top 100 Great People Managers and Over 100 Certified by the Great Manager Institute®
iMEQ Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 10: TO THE NEW, a leading digital technology services company, is proud to announce that three of its employees, Deepak Agarwal, Gaurav Kumar, and Sourav Sharma, have been recognized among India's Top 100 Great People Managers by the Great Manager Institute®. The Great People Manager Study® evaluates managers across various organizations & industries using a comprehensive methodology that includes 360-degree feedback, team engagement metrics, and performance outcomes. The Top 100 list celebrates those who exemplify excellence in people management and leadership. These three managers were among 104 employees from TO THE NEW who have successfully met the criteria and are certified as Great People Managers by the Great Manager Institute®. This comprehensive People's Managers Program involved a rigorous evaluation process, including feedback from mentees, peers, mentors, and reporting managers, immersive workshops led by expert facilitators, and continuous support through check-in sessions. The program culminated in a post-program survey measuring growth and reflecting the tangible impact of their efforts. "We believe that effective leadership is the cornerstone of success. We are extremely proud of our team at TO THE NEW, as three of our employees have been recognized among India's Top 100 Great People Managers™, said Narinder Kumar, the Co-Founder and CEO of TO THE NEW. "It is a testament to their dedication and the strength of our leadership development initiatives. This recognition not only demonstrates their individual brilliance but also reaffirms our collective purpose to build a workplace where every person is valued, cared for, and empowered to do their best." Dalreen Patrao, Co-founder & Director, Great Manager Institute® said, "At GMI, we believe that a Great People Manager™ impacts culture by building high-trust, high-performing teams. Our capability program begins with a rigorous assessment, helping managers identify blind spots and focus areas. Guided by our Connect, Develop, Inspire(c) framework, managers translate insight into action by designing relevant team practices. The Top 100 Managers we recognize today are those who have consistently implemented team practices, showing that lasting cultural change only comes from bridging the knowing-doing gap. We are thrilled to celebrate TO THE NEW's remarkable achievement, with 104 of their managers certified as Great People Managers and three of them earning a well-deserved place among India's Top 100 Great People Managers for their outstanding commitment to fostering impactful and inspiring workplaces." TO THE NEW has consistently been recognized as a Great Place to Work for the last 9 years in a row. The company is continuously focusing on creating a supportive and high-performing work culture that has repeatedly made it a winner. About TO THE NEW: TO THE NEW is a digital technology services company providing innovative product engineering solutions to diverse industries across the globe. We design and build digital platforms with Cloud, Data, and AI as the main pillars. Global analyst firms like Gartner, Forrester, Everest, ISG, and Zinnov have recognized TO THE NEW for its capabilities across Digital Engineering, Cloud, Media & Entertainment Solutions, Data & AI, and Digital Marketing. We have also been recognized as a 'Great Place to Work' consecutively for many years and have a team of 2200+ passionate 'Newers' spread across India, North America, EMEA, SEA, and ANZ with our headquarters in Singapore.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Companies pause packaged food price hikes as input costs stabilise
New Delhi: Makers of grocery staples such as snacks, biscuits and tea have paused price hikes after three back-to-back quarters of 5-10% increases across pack sizes, as key commodity prices like palm oil and wheat stabilise. Executives at companies such as Britannia, Wipro Consumer, Parle Products and Bikaji Foods said they are pausing price increases. Some said they are also bringing back selective consumer promotions to boost sales even as urban demand remains under stress, their executives said. "(While) we see no price reduction or grammage increase in the next couple of quarters, there will be no more price increases for sure," Varun Berry, managing director of Britannia Industries , told ET. While the maker of Nutrichoice biscuits and Laughing Cow cheese did some strategic buying of wheat and flour, most of its commodities are priced at the same level as at the end of FY25, he said. "Flour is just slightly lower than the exit price of last year despite the wheat season," he added. Deepak Agarwal, MD, Bikaji Foods, too, said the snacks firm would not increase prices as some inflation is under control and raw material costs are reducing. "Selective consumer offerings and promotions will be reintroduced to get better market share and momentum," he added. Companies making daily essentials and grocery products had been increasing prices by 5-10% on higher raw material costs while maintaining that they withheld some of the cost pressures amid stagnating sales in cities. With food inflation expected to remain low, company executives expect their retail prices to remain steady. "Core inflation will likely remain range-bound, led by weaker commodity prices, softer growth and a stronger rupee," HSBC Research said in a report released on Monday. This, it said, is a relief for consumers and "may fuel the purchasing power of households." Anil Chugh, president, food business, at Wipro Consumer Care , said the overall food inflation is expected to remain in the region of 3-4% in the coming two quarters. "This is because of commodity prices stabilising, expected good monsoon and companies taking cautious approach to price increases," he said. Wipro Consumer Care makes Nirapara ready-to-cook foods and Granamma snacks. "For 3 quarters, prices were increasing," said Mayank Shah, vice president at Parle Products. "Now the hikes have been paused as some commodities are stable. Some key commodities are still higher than a year ago, but what's happened is that the rate of inflation has come down for now." The food inflation rate dropped to 1.78% year-on-year in April 2025, compared to a year-on-year Consumer Food Price Index of 10.87% in October 2024, according to government data. "Going forward, we expect tea pricing/ tea costs to soften rather than pricing going up (if the tea crop is normal). So, therefore, margins will come back," Sunil D'Souza, managing director, Tata Consumer Products , said in a quarter four post earnings call. NielsenIQ in its January-March quarter update earlier this month had said the FMCG industry grew 11% year-on-year by value, driven by a 5.6% price hike. Growth of packaged foods slowed to 4.9% in the January-March quarter compared to 6% in the fourth quarter of 2024, which the report attributed to declining lower volumes in edible oils and palm oil, impacted by higher prices. The past three quarters had seen surging prices of wheat (which increased 17.4% year-on-year in the March quarter), palm oil (17.2%) and cocoa (78%).
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Companies pause packaged food price hikes as input costs stabilise
New Delhi: Makers of grocery staples such as snacks, biscuits and tea have paused price hikes after three back-to-back quarters of 5-10% increases across pack sizes, as key commodity prices like palm oil and wheat stabilise. Executives at companies such as Britannia, Wipro Consumer, Parle Products and Bikaji Foods said they are pausing price increases. Some said they are also bringing back selective consumer promotions to boost sales even as urban demand remains under stress, their executives said. "(While) we see no price reduction or grammage increase in the next couple of quarters, there will be no more price increases for sure," Varun Berry, managing director of Britannia Industries , told ET. While the maker of Nutrichoice biscuits and Laughing Cow cheese did some strategic buying of wheat and flour, most of its commodities are priced at the same level as at the end of FY25, he said. "Flour is just slightly lower than the exit price of last year despite the wheat season," he added. Deepak Agarwal, MD, Bikaji Foods, too, said the snacks firm would not increase prices as some inflation is under control and raw material costs are reducing. "Selective consumer offerings and promotions will be reintroduced to get better market share and momentum," he added. Companies making daily essentials and grocery products had been increasing prices by 5-10% on higher raw material costs while maintaining that they withheld some of the cost pressures amid stagnating sales in cities. With food inflation expected to remain low, company executives expect their retail prices to remain steady. "Core inflation will likely remain range-bound, led by weaker commodity prices, softer growth and a stronger rupee," HSBC Research said in a report released on Monday. This, it said, is a relief for consumers and "may fuel the purchasing power of households." Anil Chugh, president, food business, at Wipro Consumer Care , said the overall food inflation is expected to remain in the region of 3-4% in the coming two quarters. "This is because of commodity prices stabilising, expected good monsoon and companies taking cautious approach to price increases," he said. Wipro Consumer Care makes Nirapara ready-to-cook foods and Granamma snacks. "For 3 quarters, prices were increasing," said Mayank Shah, vice president at Parle Products. "Now the hikes have been paused as some commodities are stable. Some key commodities are still higher than a year ago, but what's happened is that the rate of inflation has come down for now." The food inflation rate dropped to 1.78% year-on-year in April 2025, compared to a year-on-year Consumer Food Price Index of 10.87% in October 2024, according to government data. "Going forward, we expect tea pricing/ tea costs to soften rather than pricing going up (if the tea crop is normal). So, therefore, margins will come back," Sunil D'Souza, managing director, Tata Consumer Products , said in a quarter four post earnings call. NielsenIQ in its January-March quarter update earlier this month had said the FMCG industry grew 11% year-on-year by value, driven by a 5.6% price hike. Growth of packaged foods slowed to 4.9% in the January-March quarter compared to 6% in the fourth quarter of 2024, which the report attributed to declining lower volumes in edible oils and palm oil, impacted by higher prices. The past three quarters had seen surging prices of wheat (which increased 17.4% year-on-year in the March quarter), palm oil (17.2%) and cocoa (78%).
