Latest news with #PPOs
Business Standard
09-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Bridging the Employability Gap in Higher Education: A Call for Serious Student Engagement
The industry's expectations of graduating students are changing quickly in the competitive and dynamic job market of today. There is still a significant gap between academic learning and industry demands, despite efforts by higher education institutions to prepare students for corporates. The insincere participation of students in important employability-enhancing programs like industry visits, summer internships, co-curricular activities, and value-added certifications is a major contributing factor to bridge this gap. Industrial Visits: Beyond a Day Out The purpose of industrial visits is to expose students to corporate operations, work culture, and functions in a real-world setting. But in the present situation, a lot of students view these visits more as social events than educational opportunities. Institutions can play a crucial role in the above by emphasising on structured learning outcomes from these visits to get the benefit of the industrial visits. Students should be informed about the company, its industry, and the expected learning before the visit. Meaningful interaction during the session can be ensured by pre-visit assignments, such as preparation of questions and company research. Students must be required to submit reflective reports after their visit that document their learnings and relate them to the ideas covered in class. By taking these actions, industry visits can become productive links between academia and business. Summer Internships: The Opening to Professional Possibilities Another essential opportunity for students to obtain practical experience in a professional setting is the Summer Internship Programme (SIP), which is generally of 45 to 60 days. This is a very good opportunity for the students to show their talent and passion towards the work which can result in Pre-Placement Offers (PPOs) in addition to developing technical and interpersonal skills. Some students fail to use this opportunity. The very foundation of SIPs is undermined by irregular attendance, little participation, and occasionally unethical actions like obtaining forged certificates. On the other hand, rather than employing students as administrative stand-ins, industries must also pledge to provide meaningful mentorship during internships. It is crucial that mentors and students see the internship as a pipeline for developing talent rather than just a formality. Here, the role of the higher education Institutions is very crucial, they need to organize SIP competitions in which the participation of the students should be mandatory. The above step will boost the confidence level and presentation skills of the students which will help for their employability. Co-Curricular and Extracurricular Engagement To enhance he employability among the students there is a need of deliberately participation of the students in various extracurricular and curricular activities specially in the Inter-college competition. Intra-college events can serve as the foundation for the students where there is competition only inside the institute where the competitors are known but I believe Inter-college competition is more challenging which really test and improve a student's ability to perform under pressure. This is the responsibility of the higher education institutes to provide an environment to the students where every student is encouraged to participate and celebrate their achievements outside the classroom. Business plan competition, participation in sports, debates, cultural events, or athletics helps student to develop a well-rounded profile. To promote this institutes can give students some rewards for securing position in the Inter-college competition which will motivate other students as well to participate. Online Certifications: Using MOOC Platforms to Get an Advantage In the present scenario of digital learning students must use platforms such as SWAYAM and others to do the certification courses in fields in which they want to make their career. Now a days digital learning is becoming more accessible and very convenient to use. These certifications help the students to go in technical depth and demonstrate initiative, which helps them to get the job in the present competitive market. As per the current scenario students can opt courses such as data analytics, financial modelling, digital marketing and others which can help them to get their dream job. These certifications help the student to be noticed by the recruiters to be get shortlisted for the interview. Universities can play a crucial role in the above by adding the MOOC courses as mandatory subjects in their curriculum. Peer Learning and Current Affairs: Creating Informed Graduates Peer to peer learning is one of the best ways to improve the skills among the students but unfortunately this is less appreciated by the institutes. To talk about current events, governmental regulations, business news, and cutting-edge technologies, students should organise knowledge groups. The objective behind making the knowledge groups should have to be involved in news analysis sessions and group discussions which can improve critical thinking and awareness which are important skills required to crack the interview. Institutes can play a crucial role in the above by creating the knowledge groups the only responsibility of the institute to assign one faculty member to the group whose responsibilities will be only to see that the group should be active. It can be concluded that industry expectations are increasing hence institutes and students together needs to think beyond textbooks and classrooms. Academic performance is only one of the components in addition to the student's flexibility, initiative, and general personality for employability. It's the right time for students to think in the above direction and put their efforts to show their dedication and desire to make a difference.
The Hindu
01-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
BMTC achieves pension milestone under PRAYAS scheme
The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has reached a new milestone in employee welfare by issuing over 110 Pension Payment Orders (PPOs) in a single month under the PRAYAS scheme, setting a new record in June 2025. According to BMTC, this achievement comes on the back of dedicated efforts by the corporation's Accounts Department and collaboration with the Regional Provident Fund Office. Launched on July 21, 2020, the PRAYAS scheme ensures the timely issuance of pension benefits to employees turning 58 within the same month. 'BMTC has now emerged as one of the top organisations in Karnataka and India for issuing the highest number of PPOs under the scheme in a month. In the financial year 2024–25, the corporation processed 338 out of 372 pension applications, achieving a 91% completion rate. In recognition of these efforts, the Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) awarded appreciation certificates to BMTC on July 1, 2025,' BMTC stated in a release.
Indian Express
19-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
EPFO office leads country in processing higher pension claims under SC order
The Regional Office of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Chandigarh, has emerged among the top-performing zones in the country in finalising pension-on-higher-wages cases following the Supreme Court's November 4, 2022 judgment. The apex court had opened a window for eligible employees and their employers to jointly apply for higher pensions under the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS), 1995, on wages exceeding the ceiling limit of ₹15,000, provided contributions were made accordingly, and the employee was in service as on or after September 1, 2014. Following the judgment, the Chandigarh EPFO received a total of 24,250 applications from EPS members, including 19,367 joint option submissions by those still in service after the cut-off date. These were among the highest in the country. To meet the exceptional volume of applications, the regional office worked in a 'mission mode' — beyond office hours and through weekends—- particularly during the last fortnight of the 2024–25 financial year. As a result, 14,158 joint-option applications were processed and approved for higher pension eligibility. Demand letters outlining the lump-sum arrears and interest payable were dispatched by March 31, 2025, with a three-month window for remittance. This accounted for more than 73% of the joint-option applications — ranking the regional office first in the country in percentage terms and third in absolute numbers. EPFO officials said many members have already begun depositing the due amounts, and the office is now in full gear to finalise Pension Payment Orders (PPOs) and disburse arrears by June 30, 2025. Given the high footfall of members seeking status updates, Regional PF Commissioner Dr Kishan Pratap Singh has urged beneficiaries to wait until the first week of July to allow staff to complete the processing efficiently on a first-come, first-served basis. Major gains in claims settlement Dr Singh also highlighted the office's strong overall performance in FY 2024–25. A total of 6,97,372 claims were settled, marking a 37.73% jump from 5,06,325 claims the previous year. Improvements in turnaround time were equally significant. While 91.55% of claims were settled within 10 days in 2024–25, only 77.72% had met that benchmark in 2023–24. Similarly, 99.41% of claims were cleared within 20 days this year, up from 96.86% last year. The claims rejection or return rate also fell to 20.18%, compared to 27.22% in the previous fiscal. This efficiency gain translated into fewer grievances. Complaints dropped from 16,835 in FY 2023–24 to 14,797 in FY 2024–25. In terms of volume, grievances per lakh claims settled fell by 35.6%—from 3,325 to 2, Singh said with the one-time processing of higher wage pension claims nearing completion, subscribers can now expect even faster service delivery and redressal going forward. He said the performance reaffirms EPFO's commitment to improving ease of access, employer facilitation, and overall user satisfaction.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
U.S. HMOs and PPOs Guide 2025: Comprehensive 37th Edition Profiles Nearly 900 U.S. Managed Care Organizations
The 37th edition of the "Guide to U.S. HMOs & PPOs" offers detailed profiles of nearly 900 U.S. managed care organizations, including HMO, PPO, POS, Vision & Dental Plans. It features state listings, contact details, financials, and coverage summaries. The guide includes appendices and indexes, making it an essential resource for healthcare professionals and consumers. Dublin, June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Guide to U.S. HMOs and PPOs, 2025" has been added to offering. This Guide to U.S. HMOs & PPOs profiles nearly 900 managed care organizations in the United States. It lists current, comprehensive information for HMO, PPO, POS, and Vision & Dental Plans. Comprehensive coverage - from state listings to consolidations in the health insurance industry - is the cornerstone of this new edition. In addition to detailed profiles of managed healthcare organizations, this edition contains many up-to-date reports containing charts, data, and maps that provide readers with a bigger picture of both healthcare plans and organizations in the United States. Plan profiles are arranged alphabetically by state. The first page of each state chapter is a State Summary chart of Health Insurance Coverage Status and Type of Coverage by Age. This chart includes a number of categories, from "Covered by some type of health insurance" to "Not covered at any time during the year." Directly following the State Summary, plan listings provide crucial contact information, including key executives, often with direct phones and e-mails where available, fax numbers, web sites and hundreds of e-mail addresses. Each profile provides a detailed summary of the plan, including the following: Type of Plan, including Specialty and Benefits Type of Coverage Type of Payment Plan Subscriber Information Financial History Average Compensation Information Employer References Current Member Enrollment Hospital Affiliations Number of Primary Care and Specialty Physicians Federal Qualification Status For Profit Status Specialty Managed Care Partners Regional Business Coalitions Employer References Peer Review Information Accreditation Information In addition to the detailed front matter, state statistics, and comprehensive plan profiles, the Guide to U.S. HMOs & PPOs includes two Appendices and five Indexes. Appendix A: Glossary of Health Insurance Terms: Includes more than 150 terms such as Aggregate Indemnity, Diagnostic Related Groups, Non-participating Provider, and Waiting Period. Appendix B: Industry Web Sites: Contains dozens of the most valuable health care web sites and a detailed description, from Alliance of Community Health Plans to National Society of Certified Healthcare Business Consultants. Plan Index: Alphabetical list of insurance plans by seven plan types: HMO; PPO; HMO/PPO; Dental; Vision; Medicare; and Multiple. Personnel Index: Alphabetical list of all executives listed, with their affiliated organization. Membership Enrollment Index: List of organizations by member enrollment. Primary Care Physician Index: List of organizations by their number of primary care physicians. Referral/Specialty Care Physician Index: List of organizations by their number of referral and specialty care physicians. The Guide to U.S. HMOs and PPOs is an invaluable resource for anyone within the healthcare industry, a much-used marketing tool for companies who provide materials and services to the managed care industry, and a useful reference for consumers seeking education and information about the world of managed care. This one-stop source has proven to be the premier guide in its field, containing an unprecedented amount of up-to-date information in a clear and easy-to-use format. Key Topics Covered: Introduction User Guide User Key Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2022 Small Area Health Insurance Estimates: 2019 National Health Interview Survey, 2022 Long-term Trends in Health Insurance Coverage Demographic Variation in Health Insurance Coverage: United States, 2022 Geographic Variation in Health Insurance Coverage: United States, 2022 Sociodemographic Differences in Nonfinancial Access Barriers to Health Care Among Adults: United States, 2022 State Statistics & Rankings Health Insurance Coverage by State and Age Managed Care Organizations Ranked by Total Enrollment. Managed Care Organizations Ranked by State Enrollment HMO/PPO Profiles State Profiles and Listings by State Appendices Appendix A: Glossary of Terms Appendix B: Industry Websites Indexes Plan Index Personnel Index Membership Enrollment Index Primary Care Physician Index Referral/Specialty Physician Index For more information about this book visit Grey House Publishing Inc About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. CONTACT: CONTACT: Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@ For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Hindu
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
EPFO distributes Pension Payment Orders under ‘PRAYAAS' initiative
As part of its 'PRAYAAS' initiative, which stands for prioritising pensioners, the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), regional office in Chennai distributed Pension Payment Orders on Monday to 29 members of the Employees' Pension Scheme, who retired in May 2025. The initiative aims to streamline the process and ensure PPOs are handed over on the day of retirement for timely pension disbursement. According to a press release, the Pension Payment Orders were presented by Debi Prasad Bhattacharya, Regional PF Commissioner-I, in the presence of officials including Assistant PF Commissioner (Accts), Bipin Kumar, Assistant PF Commissioner (Pension), Accounts Officer (Pension), S. Senthilvel, Nodal officer (PRAYAAS) and Section Supervisor (Pension).
