In a few hours of game play, you can get a glimpse of financial matters like mortgages, diversification, property ownership, and cash flow. It’s pretty crazy but Monopoly teaches players money management and the impact of financial and investment choices and situations.
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NCERT plans to ‘Lighten’ Textbooks due to Covid19
NCERT has decided to rationalize syllabus and lighten school textbooks of all classes for the session 2022-23. The new textbooks based on the NCF 2022 are expected to be out by the academic session 2023-24.
National Council of educational research & Training, NCERT has decided to lighten school textbooks of all classes for the academic session 2022-23. The decision on council has come due to the disruption of the learning process due to COVID 19 pandemic in the country. The cases have increased in the past few days leading to the closure of schools and the continuation of online classes.
The NCERT has decided to reduce the syllabus and textbooks for the next year for all the classes as the new National Curriculum Framework, NCF may take time to come out. On December 15, 2021, the NCERT director in charge, Sridhar Srivastava, ordered the heads of departments to carry out a review by involving internal and external experts.
The heads of the departments have been asked to submit the report latest by December 28, 2021. As per reports, the director has also been instructed to send the textbooks for publication with revised proposed changes for the academic session 2022-23.
The decision to “lighten” school textbooks for the 2022-23 session has been taken considering the struggle faced by the students in learning through online and other modes. The other reasons for consideration are the Parliamentary Standing Committee and the National education Policy 2020.
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#5 Crucial Reflections of a Test that may Change Your Mind!
Have you ever had the feeling after an interview that you answered fairly well, but your words were not too impressive? We all know how that feels. Although I am taking the example of an interview in this case, I am sure this applies to many more life situations. In this article I will be discussing psychometric tests and their impact.
Hiring mistakes can have multiple adverse effects on business. In my professional career, I remember one such incident where a senior management employee could not handle his team and deliver what was expected, on account of a sheer lack of leadership abilities. This scenario was never anticipated during the multiple rounds of interviews conducted during the hiring process. One such hiring mistake for the role of a key leader could lead to many problems for a company – loss of momentum, team demotivation or even exits of key team players, financial losses.
The slip-up, in this case, was that the pre-hiring psychometric analysis of the candidate had been omitted. Mostly such tests are conducted prior to the interview, enabling the interviewer to prepare aptly with questions that ratify the test observations.
An impressive resume that meets the job description is not enough for a job seeker to succeed in interviews. Many people do not anticipate interview questions and are not prepared to handle them. The interviewer frames questions with suggestions mentioned in the psychometric tests. 95% of job seekers are either unaware or do not attach importance to this crucial factor and keep wondering about the reasons for failing an interview.
But before you start thinking about cracking psychometric tests, let me explain what these tests are. understanding the analysis of a psychometric test requires reading the report multiple times to find the science behind it. The test comprises simple multiple-choice questions to tap various faculties of your mind, behaviour, and attitude. Similar questions may appear multiple times to ensure that your responses are no different and you are not faking it. Modern-day psychometric tests are AI-enabled and intelligent enough to cull out exact strengths and shortcomings.
Simply put, such tests are meant to dissect the mental ability and competence of job seekers to suggest if the person is an ideal fit for the role. The key factors that the test deals with are detailed hereafter.
“An impressive resume that meets the job description is not enough for a job seeker to succeed in interviews”
Simply put, such tests are meant to dissect the mental ability and competence of job seekers to suggest if the person is an ideal fit for the role
Personality Profile
Personality tests measure individual traits such as your emotional state, reaction to pressure, factors that motivate you, attitude, and interpersonal relations.
Personalities develops over time as you age. It becomes increasingly difficult to alter a negative behaviour or attitude with age. Mostly, people do not recognize or accept such shortcomings. In case the test reveals a detailed analysis of such negative traits, you can consciously suppress them, if not change them. Of course, positive behavioural aspects are used effectively to score better in interviews.
Reasoning Ability
Positive decision making depends on how reasonable you are and how much you can support it with logic and reasons. If your reasoning ability is good, it will be much easier to convince others in single attempt. Many people cannot build a logical framework to support their decisions.
Generally, logical reasoning tests measure your non-verbal abilities. You need to answer correctly from a set of questions that track your logical and abstract reasoning and your mental ability to form reasons.
Motivation Quotient
Motivational Quotient, also called MQ, signifies the inner drive of a person to achieve goals, grow and realize success. If anyone lacks in MQ, the person will never be able to carry forward the company’s mission, despite being diligent and knowledgeable. Again, multiple situational questions need to be answered to decode the motivational quotient of a candidate. You can find out yours if you take the right type of test that deals with MQ.
Ability tests include numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, logical reasoning, and critical thinking, to name a few; while personality tests include tests of motivation and situational judgment.
A candidate’s skills and abilities can be assessed with such tools. These should ideally match what you have mentioned in your resume. Your abilities are ratified with multiple questions that judge your problem-solving and communication abilities.
Achievement Potential
The name suggests the purpose. The potential of every individual varies based on their experience, determination, and risk-taking ability on any job. It is one of the most critical abilities that determine the future performance of the candidate. It analyses the past learning over the present performance. It also measures how a person understands and masters a particular knowledge to maximize success at present state.
My purpose in detailing this subject is to raise awareness among job seekers, to take such tests to get insights on their own psychological and mental parameters. If you take this test, you will find your strengths and weaknesses and it will enable you to prepare well for any interview. Interviews are like stage shows, no replay, no second chances! If you miss such a golden opportunity to impress the interviewer, perhaps you lose it for life.
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Food Speaks for Itself – The Rise of Ghost Kitchens
What is a Ghost Kitchen?
The food industry in India is an ever-growing sector which sees a growth in demand every year. Many budding entrepreneurs are pulled into the idea of opening a restaurant. Opening a restaurant and, more importantly, running a successful one is not an easy task. It takes money, guts, and all kinds of careful consideration of risk factors involved in the process; but there’s been a new trend brewing behind the kitchen doors – the ghost kitchen, which has swooped in as a fascinating concept that has taken the food industry by storm. In simple terms, ghost kitchens, also known as cloud kitchens, are commercial cooking facilities, cooking warehouses with multiple small kitchens that produce dishes only for delivery at your doorsteps, by way of call-in orders and takeout, with no customer facing areas or Dine-in seats. They rely on online orders, usually placed through online food aggregators or directly through their own apps. This allows restaurants to cut costs. It’s cheaper, thanks to negligible overhead operational costs unlike a proper restaurant, and much faster. Digital ordering delivery has grown three times faster than dine-in traffic since 2014, boosting food delivery apps such as Swiggy, Zomato, Uber Eats, Food Panda, and Faaso’s, among others, in turn leading to accelerated growth of ghost kitchens. It’s never been easier to order takeout, thanks to this alluring business model which is only going to grow in the post-pandemic world. To date, there are 1,500 ghost kitchens in the U.S., at least 7,500 in China, 3,500 in India, and 750 in the UK, according to Euromonitor, a research company. Euromonitor also estimates that cloud kitchens could create a USD 1 trillion global opportunity by 2030. Slowly but surely, cloud kitchens have become a staple of the delivery industry and a standard business model for future restaurants.
Euromonitor also estimates that cloud kitchens could create a USD 1 trillion global opportunity by 2030.
Ghost Kitchens in the Post-Pandemic World
Covid-19 resulted in millions of workers in the food industry losing their jobs as many restaurants closed for good. But like a silver lining, ghost kitchens, which have been around for some time, skyrocketed in popularity. For the past couple of years, meals are increasingly eaten at home, and the numbers are expected to grow, thanks to the pandemic and people adopting new lifestyles that primarily include work from home. Ghost kitchens have appeared as a lifeline for small businesses that continue to face varied traffic, increased costs, burden of expensive space and labor shortages. The market for online delivery is set to grow from USD 375 billion in 2020 to possibly USD 467 billion in 2025, according to research by Morgan Stanley. Startups as well as restaurants are turning to ghost kitchens to prepare meals or to run commercial kitchen for multiple brands. Experts believe that some restaurants may even totally switch to delivery-only models to cut down infrastructure costs.
Cloud kitchens are easier to launch and keep running, thanks to low entry cost, low capital expenditure, and lower rents. They have helped create a more democratic market space where a new start-up can potentially compete with the biggest players in the business. We can easily take examples of brands like Faaso’s, OvenStory, and Biryani by Kilo to prove it. So far, ghost kitchens have been successful in catering to consumer desire with transparency, efficiency, and flexibility. Customers appreciate convenience, being able to get brands and food they love delivered is a crucial driver for them. An additional advantage is the variety of new dishes and the creativity that comes when opportunities are provided to small-scale businesses. Emphasizing how these new kitchens provide all this will go a long way. The appreciation transforms into revenue, creating great long-term benefits for running a successful ghost kitchen.
“Cloud kitchens are easier to launch and keep running, thanks to low entry cost, low capital expenditure, and lower rents”
Some Examples of Successful Ghost Kitchens
1. Rebel Foods, India
One of the key players in the Indian cloud kitchen market, Rebel Foods recently became a Unicorn company. Rebel Foods is an Indian online restaurant company which operates more than 45 brands, from Behrouz Biryani to OvenStory Pizza and Faaso’s wraps, across 10 countries including India, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia. It is the largest cloud kitchen restaurant chain in India, operating more than 320 cloud kitchens in India and over 500 in overseas markets, as of July 2021. It delivers butter chicken and paneer/cottage cheese-topped pizzas to millions of Indians daily. Among the company’s investors are Sequoia Capital, Coatue Management, Goldman Sachs, Gojek and Travis Kalanick. After Series F round of funding in 2021, the company’s valuation was reported at USD 1.4 billion.
It has become the third Indian startup to achieve a billion-dollar valuation in recent times after securing USD 175 million in a funding round led by the sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority. It said it’s growing at 100% annually and moving towards profitability with an annual run rate of over USD 150 million. Rebel was founded in 2011 by former McKinsey & Co alumnus Jaydeep Barman and his friend Kallol Banerjee. Last year, it struck a deal with American quick service chain Wendy’s to open 250 cloud kitchens. The company is also said to be investing in other brands from its portfolio, such as Slay Coffee and Biryani Blues.
Being #1 in its niche, it gets 10,000 requests per day across India and has recorded a development pace of 20-25%, month-on-month. The organization has scaled up activities to 22 urban areas, with more than 125 fulfillment centers in three years. Ankur Sharma, chief business officer at Rebel Foods, told ET in July that 25 brands were part of its launcher’s program through which it invests, acquires, and helps them scale up via its supply chain. Sharma said the company was planning to add 25 more brands to its program by the end of the year.
2. JustKitchen, Taiwan.
Launched last year, JustKitchen currently offers 14 brands in Taiwan, including Smith & Wollensky and TGI Fridays. Ingredients are first prepped in a ‘hub’ kitchen, before being sent to smaller ‘spokes’ for final assembly and pickup by delivery partners, including Uber Eats and Foodpanda.
One of the main ways JustKitchen differentiates is by focusing on operations and content in addition to kitchen infrastructure. Before partnering with restaurants and other brands, JustKitchen meets with them to design a menu specifically for takeout and delivery. Once a menu is launched, it is produced by JustKitchen instead of the brands, which are paid royalties. For restaurants that operate only one brick-and-mortar location, this gives them an opportunity to expand into multiple neighborhoods and cities.
In addition to partnerships, JustKitchen also develops its own food brands, using data analytics from several sources to predict demand. The first source is its own platform, since customers can order directly from JustKitchen. It also gets high-level data from delivery partners that lets them see food preferences and cart sizes in different regions and uses general demographic data from governments and third-party providers with information about population density, age groups, average income, and spending. This allows it to plan what brands to launch in different locations and during different times of the day, since JustKitchen offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
“Restaurants have much less control over the presentation of their meals as meals have to be tailored for delivery”
A Few Drawbacks to Consider
Ghost kitchens emerged as a great solution; however, they don’t offer the friendliness or artistry of your favorite dine-in restaurant. But for restaurants in the midst of a pandemic, they’re proving to be a cost-effective, efficient work-around. It’s no secret that food delivery app services are rapidly becoming a preferred means of dining for consumers. In 2018 alone, consumers spent over $10.2 billion on these types of services. This number represents a 42% increase over 2017. As a result, companies like Uber Eats, Grubhub, Door Dash, and others have become increasingly popular and restaurateurs have been forced to adapt in the process. For restaurants who could afford delivery commission fees, getting into the delivery app business has been strongly incentivized. Consumer appetite for delivery, especially for restaurant-quality food, has been fueled by ghost kitchens and eateries that are delivery-only locations. But are these food service models sustainable? As with any business pivot, the notion that it will work isn’t necessarily a sweeping one. Along with a list of pros, there are drawbacks to consider:
One major downside for many restaurant owners is that the ghost-kitchen model makes them unable to control the customer experience once an order leaves the kitchen. There’s less connection with customers. If a restaurant owner’s dream is to open a restaurant and build a community there, ghost kitchens won’t fulfill that dream. There are no regulars to share meals with, or even restaurant staff to nurture. Online reviews are a critical component of a business’s reputation, and without control over the level of customer service given by third-party delivery employees, giving away that power is a risky move.
Third-party delivery services can be expensive. Even with Covid-19-related caps on fees, restaurants can pay delivery partners between 20–40% of a restaurant’s revenue. Meals must be tailored for delivery. Restaurants have much less control over the presentation of their meals as meals have to be tailored for delivery. Sauces must be on the side, garnishes get misplaced, and the food may arrive in less-than-desirable condition.
CNBC reports that the proliferation of ghost kitchens and virtual brands – seen as ways for restaurants to cope with indoor seating restrictions – might have created an oversaturated market. Many of these virtual restaurants rely on third-party delivery apps to connect with customers. In December, third-party delivery sales surged 138%, according to Second Measure data. “You can’t keep just throwing up virtual brands – at some point, there’s saturation,” said Dan Fleischmann, vice president of Kitchen Fund. “From what I’m hearing, the demand for those (ghost kitchens) is skyrocketing, and so are the prices,” said Peter Saleh, BTIG analyst. Fleischmann expressed skepticism that many restaurants would be able to make ghost kitchens work in the long run. “It’s still such a low-margin business to begin with, the owner taking 30% out and then having to go through an aggregator like DoorDash or UberEats is really difficult,” he said.
Benefits of Ghost Kitchens
All things considered, however, the pros are proving to outweigh the cons. They allow for menu flexibility and greater experimentation with the menu, which makes many people opt for this model. And since more and more customers prefer delivery over dine-in, removing overhead costs while still being able to grow a business (complete with trial and error) is a major upside. They appeal to earth-conscious consumers as there are several potential benefits related to cost savings in terms of ghost kitchens and virtual restaurants. Both require a much smaller space for food preparation services. This situation allows less to be spent on both rent and utilities while also being more environmentally friendly. Likewise, the front-of-the-house staff is altogether eliminated from the picture with ghost kitchens; and both ghost kitchens and virtual restaurants experience less food wastage. Removing front-of-house operations increases sustainability, and earth-friendliness is a key buying factor with a majority of today’s consumers, especially Generation Z.
Ghost kitchens meet modern customer expectations. Customers demand pickup and delivery, and studies show that even after stay-at-home orders lift, that behavior tends to continue. According to a recent survey by Raydiant, “28% of surveyed restaurants expect to close their dine-in spaces to become exclusively delivery and pick-up locations.” They’re cost-effective. Opening a traditional brick-and-mortar restaurant requires a whole slew of permits, inspections, licenses, equipment, and more. Ghost kitchens have none of the overheads associated with customer-facing operations – and many aren’t even owned by the restaurant themselves, eliminating a lot of the costs of opening and maintaining a restaurant, like permits, inspections, furniture, equipment and more. At the end of the day, consumers love delivery. Euromonitor stated that, “food delivery could account for up to a third of consumers’ USD 3 trillion food spend globally” by 2030. On top of that, 53% of consumers surveyed said they felt “comfortable ordering from a delivery-only restaurant”, demonstrating a lasting shifting preference.
Another segment that has benefitted from the rise of ghost kitchens is that of home chefs, as consumers have become more familiar with the idea of ordering from delivery-only restaurants, home chefs have also seen an increase in business and customers.
“Consumer appetite for delivery, especially for restaurant-quality food, has been fueled by ghost kitchens and eateries that are delivery-only locations”
“Ghost kitchens will continue to play a role, particularly for a generation of consumers that enjoys the flexibility of consuming food anytime and anywhere”
The Future of Ghost Kitchens: From Pandemic Necessity to Future of Food and Hospitality Industry?
Today, we’ve entered a new phase of consumer dining that is less about the place and more about convenience. With food delivery apps continuing to gain market share, restaurants are being forced to adapt. Ghost kitchens are one example of the resiliency of restaurant owners worldwide in the face of a global pandemic. Instead of shutting down their business entirely, restauranteurs can meet consumers’ high demand for delivery with a ghost kitchen. These virtual kitchens are also a way to empower chefs with little financial backing and encourage experimentation. In this sense, ghost kitchens are helping to bring the artistry of cooking back to where it all started: the kitchen.
Currently, the boom of delivery app services—and the consumer demand for them—certainly supports these new restaurant concepts. Faster delivery services, more varied selections, and enhanced convenience are all driving these changes. Therefore, ghost kitchens and virtual restaurants are well-supported as a business strategy. The key is for restauranteurs to maximize efficiency and economies of scale while lowering costs in the process. In truth, with delivery commission fees likely to remain significant, these strategies provide much needed solutions. Still, at least for the foreseeable future, ghost kitchens and virtual restaurants look to be a wise business consideration.
During the pandemic, leading hotel chains have also claimed a piece of the food delivery business by starting or expanding their delivery services and curating special menus for customers. A few examples are Qmin app by IHCL and Marriot on Wheels. More brands will certainly venture into this market, yet it remains to be seen how focused they will continue to be on this space in the post-pandemic scenario.
Ghost kitchens will continue to play a role, particularly for a generation of consumers that enjoys the flexibility of consuming food anytime and anywhere. While consumers can’t check on the food provenance when ordering from ghost kitchens, that does not mean that transparency cannot be guaranteed. In a world where consumers increasingly value the sustainability of food, from origins to transformation (Khan et al., 2020) and where health and wellbeing play an important role in food consumption, ghost kitchens’ stance on their sourcing policy, transformation practices, and work etiquette should be provided. Food delivery companies must have a clear plan for the implementation of various emission reduction activities and carbon offsetting plans as steps towards carbon neutrality. Governments are called to set the accepted minimum standard on all those topics and consumers have a duty to demand greater transparency. As consumers increasingly choose delivery and have more positive experiences with ghost kitchens, there is potential for these virtual brands to become a permanent part of the restaurant landscape. Operators can build trust – and therefore loyalty – by being honest and transparent with consumers. At the end of the day, consumers value taste, quality, and experience. The opportunity is immense. The changes we’re seeing will provide unprecedented opportunities to experiment, test, and refine. Ghost kitchens and today’s digital-first world make all of this more accessible and manageable.
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How To Survive Squid Game – 7 Clever Marketing Strategies To Learn From the Show
This Netflix series has taken the world by storm, and it is not only Netflix viewers who are infatuated with this series. It is fast becoming a marketing juggernaut.
Let’s assume we’re the VIPs inside the squid games. Consuming the performance of life and death as a spectacle. What do we bet on? Let’s figure out the strategy and intentions that went to work.
The immense popularity of this non-English language dystopian show has taught us one thing – you can never play by the rulebook or rely on one strategy alone, there are no certain rules. This Netflix series has taken the world by storm, and it is not only Netflix viewers who are infatuated with this series.
It is fast becoming a marketing juggernaut. Since its September 17 premiere, the show’s magenta guard costumes, minimalist business cards, and life-or-death Dalgona game have become ingrained in pop culture.
Following the popularity of Squid Game, companies rushed to incorporate the show into ad campaigns, weaving brand logos into Dalgona treats and the game’s symbols, brands hopped on the bandwagon of show’s success to get free exposure, by making their brands the part of a conversation that is so pervasive that the algorithms can’t suppress it. With no promotion whatsoever in other countries and the US, this show still topped the chart in 23 countries and it all happened due to various factors combined, which we will be discovered below.
1. The Game of STORYTELLING
‘Know your audience’ is the first rule of marketing, and it has proven to be a key reason for the incredible success of Squid Game. The show has all the ingredients of a successful recipe. A high-quality show, an unbeatable story that appeals to a wide audience. A unique eye-catching premise with a deep focus on character development. Suppose you’ve just signed up and have no idea what’s coming next. It leaves us pondering what strategies even we, the audience, the consumers can come up with. It gives us space to think about what we want and then gives us what we want the very next second. It touches on a lot of topical themes such as social and economic inequality. High watch time and good engagement become the foundation for any show to take off.
This goes to prove that we can’t always follow conventional norms and depend on historic data to tell us what’s next – innovative businesses should always consider taking calculated risks with their marketing strategy. Squid Game redefined the boundaries of a TV show, revolutionized the way we view and interact with content. Regular content can give your business mediocre attention, but a strong concept that is intriguing and fresh can make you go viral, resulting in a lot of free marketing.
2. The Game of Relatability – BASIC HUMAN EMOTIONS
This show is gripping. Right from the start, we’re invited to lurk in the misery of the desperate, poor people, as they’re asked to compete in a children’s themed game that is given a deathly twist. Even if you’re not familiar with the culture you simply cannot ignore the dark universal themes of suffering, need, desire, pain, and desperation. The easy-to-understand rules in the visually enriched universe of Squid Game and the flickering friendship move us as we start rooting for the characters and start wanting more, right along with them. The series catches the viewers on a basic human emotional level so that everyone can relate to the characters’ dilemmas and build a connection with them. And when that’s the case, cultural discrepancies don’t matter. So, brands are not selling products, they are selling emotions you relate with the product, and human emotions are generic, unaffected by ethnic backgrounds.
3. THE GATEKEEPERS
For any show, there are some early audiences, who have been rooting for it. In this case, it was Korean drama and K-pop fans, along with fans of dark thrillers, etc.; the people who’ve already been swept by the Hallyu wave. They become the show’s initial cheerleaders, the gatekeepers. They got the ball rolling as the show’s popularity snowballed then hit number 1. Netflix’s extremely powerful platform with more than 209 million users acted as a catalyst by giving it homepage placement and visibility.
4. The Game of Conformity: WORD OF MOUTH
A movie series accompanied by trends and memes results in one thing for certain: you’re almost forced to watch it so that you can relate to the community around you, understand the sub-cultural jokes being told, and enjoy the memes being created and shared.
WOM is very hard to predict or synthetically create for marketers, as a combination of luck and perfect timing needs to come along with it. Word of mouth is a classic marketing strategy, a minimal, organic yet powerful factor, it has stayed with us from the beginning. Squid Game proved it can be a major marketing strategy in advertising. Social media is now so accessible to brands and businesses that it can trigger a wave of buzz to get things going.
Suppose you aren’t interested in the show at all. You hear how good the series was from your friend. You register the name. There are a lot of people discussing it as well. Now it’s not something you can ignore. Suddenly social media is flooded with memes and trends based on the show and you feel left out, at the same time it provokes your curiosity. A movie series accompanied by trends and memes results in one thing for certain: you’re almost forced to watch it so that you can relate to the community around you, understand the sub-cultural jokes being told, and enjoy the memes being created and shared. The violence and the gore of the show in a colorful setting get the buzz going and give us the pleasure of being the conversation starter.
5. DESIGN MATTERS
Familiarity is a powerful way to appeal to audiences. It creates a sense of comfort and belonging, which are key to building trust and boosting affinity.
One of the impressive aspects of the series is its visual design, which pops out and sticks with you as an indelible part of the show’s character and identity. The show creators incorporated many elements that reference familiar art, like the Escherian stairwell and the red suits from Money Heist. This is important to note because familiarity is a powerful way to appeal to audiences. It creates a sense of comfort and belonging, which are key to building trust and boosting affinity. The series uses colors smartly, as if from a set palette. The backgrounds are pastels, which effectively counteract with the vivid red of the staff uniforms and the players’ green. The colors reinforce the underlying sense of the story – innocent childlike settings in light pastel tones, nasty devil colors for the staff, and the hope and renewal of green for the players whose lives we are rooting for! Marketers know that color drives different emotions and the use of different colors can have a huge impact on a campaign. Squid Game just makes it all the more clear.
When it comes to creating brand logos, simplicity is essential. It provides the viewer with a somewhat blank slate on which to project their feelings and perceptions, which is a large part of building a relationship with a brand.
Another element of design that deserves a mention is the simple, clean symbols representing the games and those on the masks of the guards. When it comes to creating brand logos, simplicity is essential. It provides the viewer with a somewhat blank slate on which to project their feelings and perceptions, which is a large part of building a relationship with a brand. Plus, it’s a good lesson to remind marketers to simplify their message, making it easier for customers to assimilate.
6. The Game of MEMES – Viral Fever of Trends
TikTok not only reinvented the way brands reach their audiences, but it also set a new standard for how companies should approach their consumers.
Going viral is not necessarily something you can plan for or predict. But the Squid Game references have jumped from community to community. For example, a Squid Game meme can be contextualized into a finance meme or a tech meme which allows to spread it to new audiences who might not have heard of it otherwise from their direct social circles. Even if you have no interest in it, the sheer volume of discussion and buzz will bring you into its vicinity and drive you to probably check it out. Even Netflix may have been taken by surprise with the viral success of Squid Game. As one senior strategy analyst in the streaming industry put it, “I’m assuming that the [Netflix] executives knew because of the talent they used, because of the region they released it in, that this was going to be a hit in South Korea. I would put good money that the executives had no idea this was going to be a global hit.”
Make your campaign so unique and specific that you turn your audiences into advocates for the story.
Squid Game has proven to be the quintessential example of contemporary ‘virality’. The iconic scenes and props continue to have a ripple effect on pop culture. It’s now a familiar reference and mainstay in popular culture. Since the show’s release, there has been a tsunami of TikTokers posting videos of themselves playing the games. And new challenges around it are being formed and catered to. Memes are erupting and proliferating in new ways every day. Mentions of Squid Game have exploded on social media networks and feeds such as Google Discover. Check out the steady and continual increase in YouTube views of the show’s trailer: TikTok not only reinvented the way brands reach their audiences, but it also set a new standard for how companies should approach their consumers.
Squid Game is almost forming an army of viewers that advocate and share the inside jokes. The great advantage for Squid Game is that the only way to understand the jokes going viral is to watch the show because of how specific they are. This is great for a marketing strategy. Make your campaign so unique and specific that you turn your audiences into advocates for the story.
7. The Game of Inspiring – MOMENT MARKETING
With all things that go viral, it’s always hard to point out exactly what makes things tick and grow. But we do know that Squid Game’s success story is an uncommon one and, deservingly, demands our attention.
Unlike mainstream TV, Netflix doesn’t offer brands the opportunity to run commercials, so marketers must look elsewhere and get creative to tap into the show’s hit status. Brands and independent creators alike have been having fun with Squid Game memes that utilize some of the show’s most iconic scenes. Today, it’s acceptable for a large brand to comment on a post without having to be professional; in fact, serious brands that take an informal approach on the platform get a lot more praise and attention, resulting in higher free impressions. The dating app Tinder, for example, gets a ton of impressions by simply commenting funny phrases on any content related to relationships.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and in marketing, if you’re ‘copied’, then you know you’ve succeeded. The success of Squid Game has spawned a host of marketing campaigns, inspired by the popularity of the series (this blog post included!). Brands rushed to engage their target audiences with social media posts, ads, and images that draw on themes and visuals from the show. The key element here is timing: brands had to move fast to join the Squid Game bandwagon while it was at its peak. Luckily, the show’s symbols and visuals are so distinctive and simple, many brands could easily put together a quick-win campaign at low cost, designed to attract instant attention from audiences with notoriously low attention spans. Some brands decided to go heavier than just social media posts. RHB, the fourth largest financial services group in Malaysia, even issued a limited-edition visa card featuring the Squid Game design.
With all things that go viral, it’s always hard to point out exactly what makes things tick and grow. But we do know that Squid Game’s success story is an uncommon one and, deservingly, demands our attention.
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7 Offbeat Careers that Gen Z Must Explore
Gen Z is different. We create our own narratives sitting in our bedroom. It’s an interconnected world of login and logout where we turn to technology for almost everything. Gone are the days when you were deemed a misfit for thinking out of the box. Gen Z is quickly discarding traditional jobs and coming up with ways to stand out. We were born in a time when connections can be easily made, reaching across is easier, and the internet has become a miracle that can change your entire perspective and lead you through unexpected doors. We’re growing up tech savvy, we’re our own marketing experts, and we’ve all been developing a personal brand on social media. We are living and driving rapid change while picking and choosing our own terms in the buffet of careers flowing in a stream of opportunities. Gen Z can pursue their ambitions from anywhere at any time, without any physical restrictions.
Gen Z is quickly discarding traditional jobs and coming up with ways to stand out.
In the spirit of all this, here’s a list of 7 offbeat careers Gen Z must explore:
1. Ethical Hacker
“To beat a hacker, you have to think like one” – Ethical Hacking Council
Computer experts are often hired by companies to hack into their system to find vulnerabilities and weak endpoints so that they can be fixed. People who hack into a system with permission, without any malicious intent, are known as ethical hackers and the process is known as ethical hacking. An ethical hacker’s primary purpose is to view security from the adversary’s perspective in an effort to find vulnerabilities that could be exploited by someone from the outside. This provides defensive teams the opportunity to mitigate the problem by devising a patch before a real attack can occur, they also look more broadly for weaknesses that can be exploited deep within a network or application, such as data exfiltration vulnerabilities.
To become an ethical hacker a candidate must understand networks, both wired and wireless. They must be proficient with operating systems, especially Windows and Linux. They need to understand firewalls and file systems. They must know how file permissions work and be familiar with servers, workstations, and computer science generally. The two certifications that are specific to ethical hacking are Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) and Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP). A bachelor’s degree in a computer-related field is a good place to start your career. Computer science or network engineering education provides a recommended foundation for work in the security field. When considering a bachelor’s program in the field of cybersecurity, give priority to programs with a strong interdisciplinary focus.
2. Pet Groomer
Pets needs as much care as infants do. It’s a responsibility that needs to be taken seriously. Modern day life brings busy schedules that leave us with little time for much else. Here is where pet groomers can offer a helping hand. Skilled pet groomers know the grooming standards for all breeds of dogs, understand small-animal anatomy and know how to spot changes in a pet’s hygiene that might indicate a health concern.
There is no specific educational requirement for becoming a pet groomer, although training programs are available through online courses and some vocational schools. Experience, more than formal training, is often considered the most important factor when customers are choosing a pet groomer. Pet groomers who wish to run their own salons may benefit from some training in the basics of business management.
The demand for professional dog grooming services is projected to increase by 11% from 2014 to 2024 – faster than the average for all occupations. This represents one of the largest growth opportunities available as the pet care industry continues to expand, giving you many possibilities to start a pet grooming career or pursue other animal-related careers.
3. Game Designer
A game designer is the creative driver responsible for bringing a game to life. They are generally a cross between a writer, artist, and programmer. A game designer conceptualizes game plots and storylines, levels and environments, character interactions, and other creative aspects. It’s their job to work with other specialists – such as developers, artists, and others – to communicate ideas and then project manage those ideas through to game production.
An understanding of programming languages and software programs such as 3D Max and Maya is equally important. Game development requires clarity in presentation of ideas, both verbally and on paper, for which you need basic visual design and drawing skills.
Depending on the situation, game designers can specialize in a particular game element, and can work among a team of others for a commercial or independent game development company. They can even work on their own – conceiving, creating, programming, and publishing their own titles.
4. Social Media Influencer
Influencers are individuals who have essentially established personal credibility in a specific area or industry. To be successful they need to have access to an audience, preferably a large audience; which is the source of their ‘influence’. Today, this form of marketing has become the most favored tool among brands to promote their products and services online. Earlier, social media was known as a platform to connect socially, but now, it has become a mode of income for many. Almost every major industry has seen a tremendous rise in influencers, and brands are leaning towards influencers now more than ever.
Degrees don’t matter in this line of work as much as credibility and relatability. Increasingly, influencers are driving brand awareness, brand affinity, and growth as reflected in metrics such as social and web traffic, content, and sales.
The very first step to developing a career as a social media influencer is to select your niche and start posting relevant, high-quality posts, videos, stories, and carousels on your social media page. This will ensure a timely and impactful message that resonates with your audience and followers.
5. Professional Gamer
A professional gamer is a full-time competitive player who is ultimately paid to play video games to a high level of standard. Most professional players are paid by sponsors and their teams to play in the biggest eSports tournaments on a global scale. There are additional incentives for everyone, such as large prize pay-outs. Large monetary payouts are a normal occurrence for big eSports events or other gaming events.
The overall aim for a professional gamer looking to fully achieve pro status is to win tournaments and achieve a big sponsorship deal. This is where the branding and big money is within pro gaming.
The job takes the same amount of daily practice and dedication that is required of a professional athlete. If you’re a natural at games, spend hours repeating the same level until you’ve mastered it, and have wicked-fast reflexes, then a professional gaming sponsorship may be calling your name.
6. Travel Blogger
A travel blogger has become the new-age journalist who takes us places. Travel blogging is a gig that unlocks freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to travel the world and make money by providing travel tips to readers. A travel blogger travels to a destination country in order to obtain exciting, informative experiences which they will then share on their blog site. They will also usually be required to upload good quality photography to illustrate their pieces.
Although the actual process of travelling and blogging does not result in any form of salary, revenues can be obtained from a variety of methods such as advertising or sponsorships. Often, a hotel may contact a blogger and offer them a free stay in exchange for a positive feature about their property. Other companies may offer the blogger free travel equipment, or simply purchase banner advertising on the site. Additionally, completed features hosted on the blog can be offered to print media who will publish travel stories in exchange for cash.
There are no academic requirements for travel blogging, just experience. In fact, many people choose this option because they lack sufficient qualifications, often travelling during university breaks, or to gather experience working in different territories, thereby adding to the experience on their CV.
7. Food Taster
A food taster is a professional whose main task is to taste food that was prepared by someone else with the purpose of testing for safety or specific characteristics. They do this by taking a small bite out of a certain food and focusing on its key components. They usually avoid swallowing the food and use water to clean their palates between samples.
Whether you’re going the professional route or that of a part-time amateur, you must have sensory acuity – a superior sense of taste and extensive knowledge of foods and ingredients. If you’re interested in becoming a professional food taster, you’ll most likely need a degree in food science or the culinary arts. A nutrition degree can also be helpful, as well as a work experience in product development at a food or beverage company. This means you can identify, for instance, the sugar, salt, or acid levels in various products, and articulate this information to others. One can improve their odds of being successful in the role by undertaking palate training courses.
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5 Trust Winning Hacks for Video Interviews
“An interviewer decides on whether to hire a candidate depending on how much trust that person can garner”
I was once assigned to hunt talent for a critical regional role to manage a substantial part of our business. I sought out a few candidates and sent them across to the hiring manager for a video interview round to take a final call. I was optimistic about a candidate and almost sure that person would make it to the final. Sadly, he failed.
I was surprised to hear the reason. I got a straight answer from the interviewer, the candidate never looked him directly in the eyes! Simply put, looking away raises doubts that the person is not confident and might shroud facts. This incident brought home the fact that one may miss the opportunity to crack an interview only because their straying eyes failed to garner the trust of the interviewer.
An interviewer decides on whether to hire a candidate depending on how much trust that person can garner. Interviews are like watching a movie trailer, which are intended to intensify your craving to watch the entire movie.
The selection process goes through multiple validations before the best candidate is chosen. Sometimes the choice is not easy, especially when contenders put up a neck-to-neck fight. Here, trust plays a pivotal role. That is the deciding factor in the final decision. Years of research could not determine how trust is built. Many psychologists and NLP experts have conducted trials to map strategies to earn trust. The most recent book named ‘Trust Game’ somewhat deciphered the anatomy of trust.
They involved two sets of players. One set was given $10 each and asked to invest whatever they feel best to the other set of individuals, who played the role of businessmen. Here the promise of maximum return on capital and the ability of the businessman to raise confidence was the key. The borrower happened to convince the lender in an almost similar manner as how interviews take place. Imagine you are the businessman, and the interviewer is deciding whether to invest in you! The key is how you will ensure the interviewer is convinced of your ability to deliver on the job, to do justice to their investment in you.
I will share five strategic interventions that one needs to deal with consciously to build a level of trust. I have tried these with my community while practicing mock interviews and have seen the results. Here I will discuss everything from the perspective of virtual interview rounds.
1. Welcoming Facial Expression
Your first look, beheld for the initial 6 seconds, decides the impression you create on the interviewer. Many people maintain an emotionally neutral face or put up a fake smile. You must have met people who you connect instantaneously with a welcoming gesture. Keep your camera on at the start of the meeting and begin with a welcoming smile. Thank the interviewer for inviting you and finding you worthy of a discussion. Wearing your smile all through helps to instill familiarity.
2. Positive Eye Contact
You must have understood the importance of maintaining eye contact. There is an obvious video-conferencing faux pas – the tendency of looking down is natural and no amount of strategic laptop positioning can resolve this. We are prone to look at people on the screen rather than focus on the webcam, thereby missing that all-important opportunity to make eye contact! You may achieve this by fixing the camera at eye level by raising the base of the laptop. If you connect via phone, use a tripod. Practice looking at the lens and not at the screen, this will help you maintain the right eye contact.
“You have one opportunity to strike a chord with the interviewer while being one of the many contenders that appear before them”
3. Confident Hand Gestures
You must have felt clumsy with your hands in crucial meetings. There are many views about how aptly our hands could be used and rested. Hand gestures certainly build impact while you try to make a point. Using hands effectively in a face-to-face interaction is easier, but making it work for a video round seems difficult. People usually see up to your bust while your hands remain out of the frame. One needs to practice using hand gestures within the frame effectively. It makes the conversation more engaging, helps stress upon your views, and builds trust as people find you expressing genuinely.
4. Convincing Answering Strategy
This trick is effective even when you have the answer, pause before you respond. Decipher the connotation of the interviewer’s question well to coin the apt reply. Remember sometimes interview questions come like multiheaded spears! You need to decode the real purpose behind the question. Make sure you satisfy the query of the interviewer. Your poise, aplomb, and rational mind must reflect in every response you give. You have one opportunity to create an impression and to move towards building the trust of the interviewer.
5 Curating a Professional Ambiance
While preparing for a virtual interview, there are a few mandatory practical hacks that may play spoilsports if ignored. Start with what you wear. Imagine how you would have dressed if you were going for an in-person interview. Wear a look that you carry well.
A professional background goes a long way in creating a professional look for yourself. The best backgrounds are either single colored or an office interior. You may simply choose a background from free stock photos. There are hundreds of images available for you to use. If you are in haste, remember to blur the background before you start the meeting! Never ignore the lighting and efficiency of your internet connection. These two may cause you enough embarrassment if not dealt with beforehand. Building trust does not depend only on how you deal with an array of questions, the ambiance you create as well as your conduct play critical roles.
You have one opportunity to strike a chord with the interviewer while being one of the many contenders that appear before them. If you consider with these five strategies consciously and ensure you play it right, I am confident you will be in control of the conversation and successfully build the trust of the interviewer. Trust is the only element that steers the apex decision when the interview scores of top candidates are close. Interviews are like performing in a stage show – you cannot repeat your performance. Prepare well to make it a pleasant experience at first go and score your best!
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Impacting the SDGs: Building the Global Economy on Collaboration
“Collaboration is a mindset, and to be successful during this time of disruption, we must recognize that, as global citizens, through the mandate of technology during this time when we must come together whilst staying apart, the entire world must now be seen and embraced as a ‘community marketplace’”
As we prepare to bid adieu to another year defined by the challenges of COVID-19, we continue to be – and will be forevermore – hyper-dependent on technology to innovate the operations and processes of our global future; from our supply chains to logistics, commerce to currencies. Technology is the epicenter of businesses in all industries and sectors, however, to achieve a competitive advantage, we must place collaboration at the center of our business models.
Where once a successful business model mandated that you put your nose to the proverbial grindstone, focusing inward, securing your intellectual property, building your team, and putting profitability above all else, this is a broken model when looking toward the future. Companies who position themselves as islands of isolation will almost assuredly find themselves struggling for relevancy, or worse, going the way of Kodak, Blockbuster, and other companies who failed to understand the evolving marketplace and innovate. The one element that all these redundant companies missed… the secret to a strong and dominant business future is COLLABORATION.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs), a 17-goal, 169 target framework for the future viability of our planet – environmentally, socially, and economically, has the most critical goal sitting in the anchor position. Goal 17 – Partnerships and Collaborations for the Goals, is the magic formula to ensure large-scale impact to each of the other goals, and economic viability and durability of business. Collaboration is a mindset, and to be successful during this time of disruption, we must recognize that, as global citizens, through the mandate of technology during this time when we must come together whilst staying apart, the entire world must now be seen and embraced as a ‘community marketplace’.
Historically, collaboration – especially within the same sector, was seen as detrimental, somehow threatening a business’s success. If you shared ideas, knowledge, or approaches, you were setting yourself up for compromised intellectual property and positioning yourself to have the competition run away with your strategies and/or customers. This is fundamentally not true, and in fact, is dangerous to business growth and acceleration. Those who can’t play nicely with their competitors in the sandbox of strategy and innovation, will struggle to realize their full growth potential. While other companies are working together, passing the symbolic baton between one another, remaining fresh, accelerating growth and building strength in numbers, the lone runner, carrying the unaided baton for the entire race, will run out of steam. Ideas will become stale, innovation will be marginal, and you won’t be able to keep up with the other runners, let alone, pass them. Collaboration allows us to find new pathways, charting unexpected ways-forward. The business of tomorrow must find these unexpected pathways, or else they will be stuck in the middle of the pack, in the middle of the road. This is not a place you want to find your business, because in the middle of the road is where you get killed.
“Technology is the epicenter of businesses in all industries and sectors, however, to achieve a competitive advantage, we must place collaboration at the center of our business models”
“An economy built on collaboration, is essentially global teamwork for financial gain through impact, sustainability, economic viability, and shared knowledge”
So, what is competitive collaboration and how can you benefit from the formation of strategic alliances? An economy built on collaboration, while it can and has been defined in a myriad of ways, is essentially global teamwork for financial gain through impact, sustainability, economic viability, and shared knowledge. Several studies have shown that there is a definitive link between the efficiency, optimization, and profitability if a company incorporates collaboration as key pillar of their business strategy. Businesses who integrate collaboration were four times more likely to see strong growth to their bottom line, while seeing increased organizational agility, innovation, decision-making and resiliency. It is not only possible, but essential for companies to come together to share mutual challenges and brainstorm common solutions, without giving up a competitive advantage. A study conducted by the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute finds the benefits outweigh the disadvantages, with companies who have a competitive collaboration for a period of 3-5 years, having more than 50% chance of mutually reducing company costs.
Amazon cooperates with third-party sellers to give customers options, opening the third-party sellers up to a mega pool of consumers, while giving Amazon a slice of the pie for providing customers and sellers with this opportunity to expand the marketplace.
YouTube realized a measurable value-add by collaborating with competitor Vimeo, allowing Vimeo customers to post videos to YouTube. This allowed YouTube to unlock an entirely new strategy, adding one of the most significant value-adds to their platform.
“Those who can’t play nicely with their competitors in the sandbox of strategy and innovation, will struggle to realize their full growth potential”
“…while collaboration can be a somewhat unsettling proposition, if a company has an appetite for market growth, the old adage of “nothing ventured, nothing gained” applies”
A collaboration between Microsoft and Intel allowed them both to become the unified and dominant name in the hardware and software platforms, present in almost every home and business in the world, owning one of the largest segments of the marketspace.
An alliance between Merck and Pfizer allowed these two pharmaceutical giants to unite to bring new cancer treatments to the market in an expedited fashion.
So how can collaboration positively impact your brand? Through collaboration, you can mutually introduce your brand to new markets, with the increased potential for sales, customers and monetization offsetting the competitive disadvantages. Collaboration allows you to create fresh branding and new content, reaching clients in new geographical locales or demographics. It takes so much money for a company to penetrate new markets, that many companies with brilliant global prospects often stay moored to their familiar communities. Through mutual cooperation, two competitive collaborators can work together to step into these new territories, accelerating rather than diminishing their prospects.
While we must recognize that collaboration is essential to our success and longevity, allowing our businesses to scale to new levels, we must proceed responsibly with eyes fully open. With clear objectives, understanding what each party will contribute and how each party will benefit, competitive collaboration can be a strong catalyst for business growth and expansion. Both parties must contribute equal value, either in the form of R&D, distribution network, manufacturing capacity, product development or education; and both should be comparable in size, capacity and profitability. And while collaboration can be a somewhat unsettling proposition, if a company has an appetite for market growth, the old adage of “nothing ventured, nothing gained” applies. The world is now our global marketplace, and with sustainability being the business mandate of the future, if we embrace the Sustainable Development Goals, recognizing the importance of Goal 17 – Partnerships for the Goals, we will position our businesses to be the leaders driving the future. Together, we are stronger.
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Beyond Neet – 5 Career Options PCB Students Must Explore
The NEET 2021 results were announced by NTA on 1st November 2021. The NEET-UG 2021 recorded the highest attendance in five years with 16.14 lakh candidates. There are nearly 550 medical colleges in India and their total annual intake is about 80,000. This means less than 10% of students who appear for the exam have a chance to get admission to a medical college. A huge number of medical aspirants are left disappointed, considering it’s one of the toughest exams to crack. Losing hope after securing a low NEET SCORE is not the solution, as aspirants have done their best in the exam and this one result cannot decide their future. Candidates should focus on the other available options after NEET because Biology is an interdisciplinary, vast, and diverse field with applications in many areas. Instead of limiting their options to MBBS, students can go for a variety of courses like life sciences, research, and inter-disciplinary fields in Biology, such as Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Biostatistics, etc. Here are the top 5 alternatives to pursuing an MBBS that you can try if you love this field.
1. Optometry
Optometrists are independent primary health care specialists trained to examine the eyes to detect defects in vision, signs of injury, ocular diseases or abnormality, and problems with eye care and visual health. An Optometrist is a medical professional, but not a physician. They focus on regular vision care and prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses. Optometrists examine the internal and external structure of the eyes. To become an Optometrist, you have to take a 4-year bachelor’s degree program, preferably in a relevant field such as biology, chemistry, or physiology. You require a bachelor’s degree to apply for optometry programs. Optometry programs typically take an additional four years to complete.
Optometrists can work with optician showrooms, with eye doctors, contact lens and ophthalmic lens industry, or become consultants in the eye care industry, or research optometry colleges. They can take work as post-secondary teachers. They can also seek employment with any multinational organization dealing with eye care products as professional service executives. Optometrists can also set up their private clinics and work independently or take up the work of occupational health specialists in vision care of industrial workers. They can also choose a career in sports vision, public health, and government service, or community health centers.
2. Food Engineering
Food engineers, also known as agricultural and food scientists, combine engineering concepts with microbiology, chemistry, and other sciences to create the best ways to make processed foods tasty, healthy, and safe. They are responsible for every step of food production, from production to distribution. Food engineers utilize the latest innovative technology to process, package, preserve and improve food products. This type of engineer works in combination with the agricultural and food processing industry to ensure food safety, supply, nutrition, and value.
A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in agriculture, life sciences, or food sciences is typically required to acquire an entry-level position in this field. Higher-level degrees offer greater job opportunities and higher compensation. Applications include food safety and quality, biorefining, pharmaceuticals, and environment-friendly packaging.
3. Nutritionist
With a boom in the health and nutrition industry, a student can also consider a career as a Nutritionist. A Nutrition Professional offers guidance to people, families, and organizations on how to change food, lifestyle, and mindsets for optimum health promotion. They can work with a licensed healthcare provider to help individuals with previously diagnosed diseases recognize biochemical imbalances and toxicity which lead to poor health.
Some nutritionists work in educational settings, others in a hospital or small clinic. Where you work has to do with the credentials you earn before entering the field. While most nutritionists earn a bachelor’s degree, others join the profession through a certificate program or non-traditional setting, like a for-profit wellness center.
4. Pharmacology
One of the main study domains under Biomedical Science and the pharmaceutical industry, pharmacology is studying how medicines affect a living organism and how the body responds to the medicine. The domain comprises the sources, chemical features, biological impacts, and therapeutic uses of medicines. These impacts can be therapeutic or lethal, based on various determinants. The domain of pharmacology explores drugs and medicines, which are later dispersed by pharmacists. Additionally, pharmacologists determine the medicine doses and how they can be safely administered.
A major in Biology and Chemistry and a bachelor’s degree in pharmacology are required. You can then pursue a master’s degree in pharmacology, where you can choose a specialization of your choice. Most pharmacologists pursue Pharm.D., from a pharmacy school (4 years of undergraduate, pre-professional college coursework, including 4 years of professional study).
5. Veterinarian
If you love animals as much as science, this might be the most rewarding career for you. You must have compassion and love for animals. Veterinarians tend to the health of pets, livestock, lab animals, and all kinds of animals. They examine animals to find health problems and fulfill their healthcare requirements. Most veterinarians work in private clinics and hospitals. Others travel to farms or work in settings such as laboratories, classrooms, or zoos.
Veterinarians must complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at an accredited college of veterinary medicine. Most applicants to veterinary school have a bachelor’s degree. Veterinary medical colleges typically require applicants to have taken many science classes, including biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, zoology, microbiology, and animal science. Most programs also require math, humanities, and social science courses.
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TOP 10 SCHOOLS IN DELHI – 2021
People flock to the city of Delhi carrying their own weighty bundle of inspirations, ambitions, and other big dreams. No matter where you come from, Delhi welcomes you with open arms full of opportunities and better standards of life, great atmosphere, and exposure. It’s a city that lets you showcase your talents as you climb up the ladder and hone your skills. When it comes to primary and secondary education, Delhi can offer schools that provide the best foundation along with a colorful mixture of experiences. Delhi is home to many prestigious schools, each with their own special features and array of facilities. Here’s a list of the top 10 schools in Delhi, if you’re set on sending your child to the best schools for a great learning experience.
1. Modern School (1920)
Affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curriculum, this is a day school with boarding facilities that consistently ranks at the top of the list. The vision of its founders perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the school, which combines ‘best of ancient Indian tradition with the needs of the time.’
The school has computer labs, canteens, medical facilities, science laboratories, a special education room, Lala Pratap Singh library along with a junior library, computer resource room, mathematics, a language laboratory, as well as dance and music rooms. The school also provides cricket, basketball, table tennis, and squash courts, an Olympic sized swimming pool, gymnasium, horse-riding arena, and facilities to learn golf.
Fun fact: Modern School was the first private school in India and was established before independence.
Notable alumni: Indira Gandhi, Gautam Gambhir, Barkha Dutt.
2. The British School New Delhi (1963)
The British school is a co-educational, not-for-profit school that follows the National Curriculum of England (adapted to an international context) to the end of Year 9, IGCSE in Years 10 and 11, and the IB Diploma in Years 12 and 13. With students of 66 nationalities, the school aims to provide well-rounded development, student friendly multi-cultural environment and exposure. The school also maintains a smaller teacher to student ratio of 1:8 to ensure all students get individual attention in a safe protected environment.
The school provides organic food, ensures clean air with an air purification system, and interactive ICT-enabled air-conditioned classrooms. The school is equipped with outdoor play areas, a reception hall, a multimedia computer lab, art studio, green house library, and various labs for different disciplines such as geography, language, math, and history.
Fun fact: The British School was awarded the Top British International School Award by BISA (British International School Awards) in London in January 2018.
Notable alumni: Malini Aggarwal, Prof John Windsor
3. Springdales School (1955)
Springdales is a co-educational day school, affiliated to the CBSE board. It offers classes from pre-primary to grade 12. It also offers a foreign languages department and a cultural exchange program.
The infrastructure of the school includes various educational and art and science clubs, library, science and computer labs, biotechnology lab, teachers’ research center, and a holiday home in Mussoorie. The sports facilities include athletics, basketball, cricket, football, gymnasium, and skating facilities, among others.
Fun fact: Springdales school has a work experience farm at Chhatarpur to teach children about the dignity of labor, working with nature, and community living.
Notable alumni: Vikas Jain, Sahil Sangha
4. The Mother’s International School (1956)
The Mother’s International School is a co-educational school affiliated to the CBSE board. It is managed by the Sri Aurobindo Education Society. The school provides a clean, eco-friendly environment for students. It has three wings, Pre-Primary, Primary and Secondary.
The school teaches four languages – English, Hindi, Sanskrit, and French. It offers a lavish infrastructure with all modern amenities and technology. The school has a great library as well as Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Computer Labs. It also has clubs/societies that organize various activities to develop the students’ skills and extract the best out of every child in fields such as art and craft, dance, debate, publication, nature, and music.
Fun facts: The campus also hosts a bakery, iron-work unit, wood-work unit, candle-making and handmade paper unit, vocational training center, and book store.
5. Sardar Patel Vidyalaya (1958)
Popularly known as SPV Lodhi Estate, this is a co-educational school affiliated to the CBSE board, managed by Gujarat Education Society. The school provides a lush green campus, library, medical and transport bus facilities.
There are two computer labs, an Audio/Visual Room that meets the audio and video requirements for presentations, training workshops, etc. The school has football, basketball, volleyball, and cricket teams, and has produced many top-class cricketers and athletes who have played for the nation or in Ranji teams, including Ajay Jadeja, Rahul Sanghvi, Gagan Khoda, Deep Dasgupta, Vivek Razdan, and National Record holder high jumper Tejaswin Shankar. SPV has produced several Rhodes Scholars.
Fun fact: It is the only private school in India that employs Hindi as a medium of instruction in the primary school.
Notable alumni: Swara Bhaskar, Nandita Das.
6. The Shri Ram School (1988)
The Shri Ram School is affiliated to Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE). The school is a co-educational day school. The school also offers the IB Diploma Program, administered by the International Baccalaureate (IB), and the National Indian Open Schooling (NIOS) Certificate. Facilities include a science laboratory, computer and ICT labs, music and dance rooms, lunchroom, assembly hall, sports facilities, a yoga room, and an all-weather performance area – Shri Manch.
The campus infrastructure includes the library, the computer and science laboratories, AV room, workshop room, the liberal arts studio, the auditorium, the gymnasium, the medical room, the SEN/NIOS rooms, the kitchens, the lunch area, and staff rooms. Extra-curricular activities such as sport, dance, music, art, clay, drama, and hobby classes are run along with the academic curriculum for further enrichment of students.
7. Vasant Valley School, Delhi (1990)
Vasant Valley School, is a co-educational, private day school, affiliated to the CBSE board, National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) curriculum, with classes from Nursery to grade 12, located in Vasant Kunj, Delhi. The school is divided into two wings, with an open amphitheater connecting them. The school has well-equipped science laboratories, two libraries, a state-of-the-art Occupational Therapy facility, an auditorium and gymnasium, extensive sports facilities, and a specialized center for the Visual and Performing Arts.
Fun fact: In 2012, Vasant Valley found a mention in Forbes India’s list of ‘5 Tough Schools to Get Your Kid Into’.
Notable alumni: Jayati Modi
8. Delhi Public School, RK Puram (1972)
Delhi Public School (DPS), RK Puram, is affiliated to the CBSE board and is a co-educational day and boarding private school in South Delhi. In addition, two separate campuses in Vasant Vihar and East of Kailash comprise the Junior or Elementary School Branch, for students from Nursery through grade 5.
The school offers a world class education in a highly competitive, tech-savvy environment with updated teaching methods. It includes 20 labs with latest facilities, libraries, music center, sports complex, assembly area and well-equipped presentation venues. The school also has one of the first robotics labs at school level. There is a fitness center, basketball court, billiards, swimming pools, yoga center, squash, chess, football, and other sport facilities.
Fun fact: In May 2017, a team of two students from the school was awarded the Grand Prize at the 2017 NASA Ames Space Settlement Contest.
Notable alumni: Kunal Bahl, Rohit Bansal, Raghuram Rajan
9. Sanskriti School, Delhi (1998)
Sanskriti school is affiliated to the CBSE board and offers education from Nursery to grade 12. The school is run by Civil Services Society, an NGO formed by senior civil servants and their wives, with the spouse of the serving Cabinet Secretary of India as its chairperson.
The amphitheater built at the very center of the school hosts all assemblies, special ceremonies. The school has a swimming pool that is built to international standards, and a centrally air-conditioned circular building over three floors houses the junior, middle, and senior school libraries. The school also has its own museum and canteen. The lush campus houses various science labs and a playground, and there are many art clubs that provide opportunities for extracurricular activities.
Fun fact: Sanskriti School annuals hosts the Sanskriti Model United Nations conference witnessing a footfall of 100-500 delegates from across India and its neighboring countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka.
10. Army Public School, Dhaula Kuan (1953)
Army Public School is affiliated to the CBSE board and offers classes up to grade 12. There are no formal tests at the primary level. The school follows the CBSE system of Comprehensive and Continuous Evaluation (CCE) and a grading system is used instead of marks. Students are evaluated in scholastic as well as co-scholastic areas. The school provides a world-class education with a progressive, tech-savvy attitude, ICT curriculum integrated into educational practices, while also giving considerable emphasis to sports and arts.
The 31.5-acre school campus hosts four wings – primary wing, secondary wing, senior secondary wing, and activity wing. The activity wing houses a computer lab, activity rooms for music and dance, bank, MI room, and book and uniform shops. There are separate libraries for senior and junior students, an auditorium, three cafeterias, a science park, a boys’ hostel, a mini golf course, six basketball courts, two tennis courts and one football field. Students are encouraged to engage in debate, drama, music, art, dance and clay modeling, besides educational programs such as seminars and workshops. There is a greater emphasis on sports and students participate in state and national level tournaments. The school promotes sports such as swimming, basketball, football, volleyball, tennis, golf, hockey, squash, horse-riding, and shooting.
Notable alumni: Ritu Beri, Chetan Bhagat.
Disclaimer: The list is in no particular order and includes only co-ed schools of Delhi. The article solely reflects the personal opinion of the author.