Union HRD Minister and Minister of State for HRD jointly launch the first on-line NISHTHA programme for 1200 Key Resources Persons of Andhra Pradesh

The first on-line NISHTHA programme for 1200 Key Resources Persons of Andhra Pradesh was launched by Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriya 'Nishank’ and Minister of State for HRD Shri Sanjay Dhotre virtually in New Delhi today.

While addressing the participants the HRD Minister said that NISHTHA is a National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement at the elementary stage under Samagra Shiksha -a flagship programme of MHRD to improve learning outcomes. The Minister added that NISHTHA in face-to-face mode was launched on 21st August, 2019. Thereafter, 33 states/UTs have launched this programme in their states/UTs in collaboration under Samagra Shiksha, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. In 29 States/UTs, the NISHTHA training programme has been completed by the NCERT at the state level. In 4 States/UTs (Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, J&K and Bihar), the training at the state level is still in progress. In two states, it is yet to be launched.  District level teacher training programme has been initiated in 23 States/UTs. 

Shri Pokhriyal highlighted that around 23,000 Key Resource Persons and 17.5 lakh teachers and school heads have been covered under this NISHTHA face to face mode till date.

The Minister informed that due to COVID-19 pandemic situation, sudden lockdown has affected the conduct of this programme in face-to-face mode. Therefore, for providing training to remaining 24 lakh teachers and school heads, NISHTHA has been customized for online mode to be conducted through DIKSHA and NISHTHA portals by the NCERT. He further informed that Andhra Pradesh is the first state for which we are launching on-line NISHTHA programme for 1200 Key Resources Persons through NISHTHA portal. These resource persons will help in the mentoring of teachers of Andhra Pradesh, who will take on-line NISHTHA training on DIKSHA later on.

Shri Pokhriyal informed that the modules developed under NISHTHA focus on holistic development of children and hence include curriculum and inclusive education health and well-being, personal social qualities, art integrated learning, initiatives in school education, subject-specific pedagogies, ICT in teaching-learning, leadership, pre-school education, pre-vocational education, etc.  All the modules are centred around learning outcomes and, learner-centred pedagogy. He added that these modules are made interactive with reflective and engaging activities for teachers providing space to educational games, quizzes, etc. for joyful learning by the teachers and school heads, which in turn will motivate teachers to implement this in their classroom for enhancing students’ learning outcomes.

Shri Pokhriyal appreciated the efforts of MHRD and NCERT for building capacities of teachers and school heads at the elementary level across the country through NISHTHA. This will not only help in enhancing learning outcomes of students but also in their all-round development.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Dhotre said that the world has been developing at a rapid pace. In order to be in sync with this fast-evolving world, our teachers also need to constantly upgrade their world view, understanding, and methods of teaching.It is imperative on us to enable this as an ever-continuing process across the country in the most effective manner.

He added that our in-service teacher education system must be sensitive to the feedback from the teachers and the teachers' individual innovations must be recognised for their pedagogic values and should become part of our standard teaching methods. It is also important for us that our teachers must be very actively sensitized towards diversities of our country. Then only our children can become sensitive to the huge and different diversities is of this vast nation. With these efforts only, our children can grow up with the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat, as envisaged by our honourable Prime Minister.

He further added that technology can't replace good teachers, but good teachers assisted by technology can do wonders in transforming education. Under the visionary leadership of our prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi we are committed to ensure value-based quality education assisted by technology for realising Atmanirbhar Bharat.

 NISHTHA- online includes multiple approaches for interaction. While there are text modules alongwith videos, there will also be live sessions by the National level Resource persons on DTH Swayam Prabha TV Channel. Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) will also be utilized for interaction with teachers. Shri Dhotre congratulated the officials of NCER and MHRD for the initiative.

In NISHTHA-face-to-face, first level training had been provided by the National Resource Group (NRG) to the Key Resource Persons (KRPs) and State Resource Persons-Leadership (SRPs-L) identified by the states/UTs. The NRG had been constituted and oriented by the NCERT drawing members from the NCERT, NIEPA and KVS. KRPs and SRPs-L had provided training directly to teachers at block level reducing the cascading effect of training. In NISHTHA –online also, Key Resource Persons will play a role of mentors for the teachers.

Mobile game developer Nazara buys 51 per cent stake in Paper Boat Apps

Mobile game developer Nazara Technologies acquired a 51 per cent stake in Paper Boat Apps, which offers 'Kiddopia' learning app for pre-schoolers.

Under the transaction, Nazara invested a total of Rs 83 crore (US$ 11.77 million) in Paper Boat Apps in multiple tranches, valuing the company more than Rs 150 crore (US$ 21.28 million).

Under the deal, Paper Boat Apps has issued shares worth Rs 43 crore (US$ 6.10 million) as part of the final tranche, said Nazara founder and Managing Director Mr Nitish Mittersain.

He said, "Gamified edu-tech is the only way to deliver high-quality learning to such young kids on digital devices. Kiddopia is a perfect example of this overlap between gaming and learning, and their popularity amongst parents and kids speaks for itself".

He added that about 20 million children are already part of its ecosystem and Kiddopia will help further strengthen Nazara's position in the kid's edutainment vertical.

There has been strong growth in edu-tech start-ups across markets amid the COVID-19 pandemic as schools and educational institutions are going online to conduct classes.

"Kiddopia is fast becoming one of the most successful 'Made in India' apps globally and is seeing strong usage in the North America market apart from India. The company is also looking at rapidly expanding into other geographies such as Europe and the Far East," Mr Mittersain said.

Kiddopia was launched in 2017 by husband and wife Mr Anupam and Ms Anshu Dhanuka, who own Paper Boat Apps. So far, the app has been downloaded by more than 5 million users globally and has over 300,000 active subscribers.

"This investment has helped us focus on product enhancement and marketing, thereby leading to a 3X growth in subscriber base. We have just finished our best month and we expect our topline to grow 2X in annual revenues by March 2021," Mr Anupam Dhanuka said.

It is expected that Kiddopoa will leverage Nazara's network of 100 million monthly active users to grow its subscriber base.

"As a leading preschool app in the US, we will now use the funding to replicate our success in countries across Europe, Latin America and Asia," he added.

Nazara Technologies has been investing in the gaming ecosystem and so far, invested in many gaming firms like Nextwave Multimedia, Halaplay Technologies, Nodwin Gaming, Qunami, and Bakbuck. It has consummated transactions worth US$ 50 million in the last three years.

It holds the licensed mobile gaming rights for popular Indian IP characters like Chhota Bheem, Motu Patlu, Mighty Raju, Shikari Shambhu, Roll #21, Eena Meena Deeka, Oggy and the Cockroaches and Shin Chan in the kids' category.

Nazara is backed by investors, including West Bridge Capital, IIFL Special Opportunities Fund; Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and Turtle Entertainment GmbH, the IP owner of the world's largest esports franchise (ESL).

Department of Biotechnology supported COVID 19 Vaccine -ZyCoV-D, designed and developed by Zydus, begins Adaptive Phase I/II clinical trials

Vaccine Discovery Programme supported by the Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India under the National Biopharma Mission, implemented by BIRAC moves into clinical trials

BIRAC has announced that ZyCoV-D, the plasmid DNA vaccine designed and developed by Zydus and partially funded by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India has initiated Phase I/ II clinical trials in healthy subjects, making it the first indigenously developed vaccine for COVID-19 to be administered in humans in India.

The adaptive Phase I/II dose escalation, multi-centric study will assess the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of the vaccine. The human dosing of the vaccine marks a key milestone since the launching of the accelerated vaccine development programme for COVID-19 in February 2020.

Dr Renu Swarup, Secretary, DBT and Chairperson, BIRAC said, “The Department of Biotechnology Government of India has partnered with Zydus to address rapid development of an indigenous vaccine for COVID-19 under the National Biopharma Mission. This partnership with Zydus is to serve the country’s need for a vaccine to fight the dreaded pandemic which has put a billion people at risk. Such research endeavours will help the country to develop preventive strategies for future disease outbreaks as well and exemplifies the government’s focus on creating an ecosystem that nurtures and encourages new product innovation to make real and measurable changes to issues most relevant to our society.”

She also mentioned that “This is an important milestone for AtmaNirbhar Bharat as Zydus begins human clinical trials for the indigenously developed vaccine. We hope that the vaccine continues to show positive outcomes as it has done so far in the pre-clinical phase where it was found to be safe, immunogenic, and well tolerated. This will be a big leap forward for Indian scientific research.”

Speaking on the development, Chairman of Zydus Cadila, Mr Pankaj R. Patel said, “This is a very important step in our fight against this pandemic and one that will help the nation combat this healthcare challenge. We are thankful to BIRAC and the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India for their support in our quest to provide a safe and efficacious vaccine to prevent COVID 19.”

About ZyCoV-D

In the pre-clinical phase, the vaccine was found to elicit a strong immune response in multiple animal species like mice, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits. The antibodies produced by the vaccine were able to neutralize the wild type virus in virus neutralization assay indicating the protective potential of the vaccine candidate. No safety concerns were observed for the vaccine candidate in repeat dose toxicology studies by both intramuscular and intradermal routes of administration. In rabbits, up to three times the intended human dose was found to be safe, well tolerated, and immunogenic.

With ZyCoV-D, the Company has successfully established the DNA vaccine platform in the country using non-replicating and non-integrating plasmid carrying the gene of interest making it very safe. Further, no vector response and with absence of any infectious agent, the platform provides ease of manufacturing the vaccine with minimal biosafety requirements (BSL-1). The platform is also known to show much improved vaccine stability and lower cold chain requirements making it easy for transportation to remotest regions of the country. Furthermore, the platform can be rapidly used to modify the vaccine in couple of weeks in case thevirus mutates to ensure that the vaccine still elicits protection.

About National Biopharma Mission, DBT:

The Industry-Academia Collaborative Mission of Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt of India for accelerating discovery research to early development for Biopharmaceuticals approved by the Cabinet for a total cost US$ 250 million and 50 per cent co-funded by the World Bank is being implemented at Biotechnology Research Assistance Council (BIRAC). This program is dedicated to deliver affordable products to the nation with an aim to improve the health standards of India’s population. Vaccines, medical devices, and diagnostics and biotherapeutics are few of its most important domains, besides, strengthening the clinical trial capacity and building technology transfer capabilities in the country.

About BIRAC:

Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is a not-for-profit Section 8, Schedule B, Public Sector Enterprise, set up by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India as an Interface Agency to strengthen and empower the emerging Biotech enterprise to undertake strategic research and innovation, addressing nationally relevant product development needs. To find out more visit https://birac.nic.in

About Zydus

Zydus Cadila is an innovative, global pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets a broad range of healthcare therapies, including small molecule drugs, biologic therapeutics, and vaccines.

KVIC opens state-of-the-art Footwear Training Center for Leather Artisans in Delhi

The first-of-its-kind footwear training center in Delhi to train the marginalized community of leather artisans was inaugurated by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). The center has been established with the technical knowhow of Central Footwear Training Institute (CFTI), Agra, a unit of the Ministry of MSME. The “KVIC-CFTI Footwear Training Cum Production Center” located at Gandhi Darshan, Rajghat, will provide a comprehensive 2-months training program to leather artisans for making high-quality footwear.

KVIC Chairman Shri VK Saxena while inaugurating the centre termed the leather artisans as “Charm Chikitsak” (leather doctors). The training center will also provide logistical support to the trained artisans in starting their own shoe-making business once their two-months training is successfully completed. The artisans will also be provided a tool kit worth Rs 5,000 (US$ 70.93) for carrying out their activities in future.

The KVIC-CFTI Footwear Training Cum Production Center equipped with advanced tool kits and machinery has been set up in a record time of less than two months. The inauguration was, however, delayed due to lockdown. Initially the training programs was designed for a batch of 40 leather artisans but keeping in view the social distancing norms in wake of Corona disease, the number has been reduced to a batch of 20 artisans. KVIC is setting up a similar footwear training center in Varanasi also.

The KVIC Chairman said the training of leather artisans or the 'charm chikitsak' is aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision of “Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas”.

He said footwear has become an integral part of fashion and shoe-making no longer remains a menial job. “Through this training center, we are trying to rope in maximum people with shoe-making activities. The program has been so designed that in just two months’ time, the artisans will be able to manufacture all kinds of footwear. This will increase their income by manifold,” the KVIC Chairman said.

India Records all time high Export of Coir and Coir Products

 

The export, of coir and coir products from India worth Rs 2,757.90 crore (US$ 391.25 million) for the year 2019-20, registers an all-time high record, which is around Rs 30 crore (US$ 4.26 million) higher than that of the last year i.e. 2018-19 which stood at Rs 2,728.04 crore (US$ 387.01 million). 988,996 MT of coir and coir products were exported during the year 2019-20 from the country as against 964,046 MT exported during the preceding year. While the exports of coir pith, tufted mats, coir Geo-textiles, coir rugs and carpets, coir other sorts, coir rope and power-loom mats registered growth both in terms of quantity and value. The products like hand-loom mats, coir yarn, rubberized coir and power-loom matting showed decline in terms of quantity and increase in terms of value.

• Coir pith with export earnings of Rs 1,349.63 crore (US$ 191.46 million) constituted 49 per cent of the total export of coir products from the country.
• Coir fibre with an export of Rs 498.43 crore (US$ 70.71 million) constituted to 18 per cent of the total exports.
• The value-added items put together constituted 33 per cent of the total exports.
• Tufted Mats topped among the value-added products (20 per cent in value).
• The export of coir and coir products never showed decrease during the period, which shows there is no chance for the coir entrepreneur to worry about the business.
• The domestic market for coir and coir products also shows an increasing trend.
• Exports are made through several ports of India out of which around 99 per cent of the Exports of Coir and Coir Products are made through Tuticorin, Cochin and Chennai Ports. The other main ports of export of coir and coir products are Vishakapattanam, Mumbai, Kolkata etc. Small quantities of exports were made through roads from Kannur, Coimbatore and Rexual.

Port-wise Export (2019-20)
Sl. No.	Port/ Place of Export	Qty. (MT)	Value (Rs Lakh)	Value (US$ million)
1	Tuticorin	519144	122910.39	174.37
2	Cochin	217930	107023.69	151.84
3	Chennai	238970	43159.93	61.23
4	Vishakhapatnam	11578	1871.26	2.65
5	Mumbai	1145	596.15	0.85
6	Kolkata	113	131.89	0.19
7	Bangalore	41	58.19	0.08
8	Others (By Road)	75	38.63	0.06
	Total	988996	275790.13	391.25

 

Prime Minister, on the occasion of World Youth Skills Day, exhorts Youth to Skill, Reskill and Upskill

In his message to the Digital Skills Conclave held today on the occasion of the World Youth Skills Day and the fifth anniversary of ‘Skill India’ mission, the Prime Minister exhorted the youth to skill, reskill and upskill in order to remain relevant in the rapidly changing business environment and market conditions. He congratulated the youth of the country on the occasion and said the world belongs to the youth due to their ability to acquire new skills all the time.

He stated that the Skill India Mission launched five years back on the same day has led to creation of a vast infrastructure for skilling, reskilling and upskilling and enhancing opportunities to access employment both locally and globally. It has led to hundreds of PM Kaushal Kendras being set up across the country and increase in the capacity of the ITI ecosystem. Due to these concerted efforts, more than five crore youth have been skilled in the last five years. Referring to  the portal launched recently for mapping the skilled employees and employers, he stated that this would help the skilled workers, including the migrant workers who have returned to their homes, to access jobs easily and the employers to contact skilled employees at the click of a mouse. He emphasized that the skills of migrant workers would also help in changing the local economy.

He described skills as a gift which we can give to ourselves and added that skills are timeless, unique, a treasure trove and a means by which one can not only become employable but also help in leading a satisfying life. He said that a natural attraction to acquire new skills provides new energy and encouragement in one’s life. Skills are not only a means to a livelihood but also a reason to feel lively and energetic in our daily routine.

The Prime Minster also brought out the distinction between ‘knowledge’ and ‘skills’ in his address. He illustrated this with an example – that knowing how a cycle runs is ‘knowledge’ while actually being able to ride a cycle was a ‘skill’. It is important for the youth to realize the difference between the two and their different contexts and implications. With an example from carpentry, he explained the nuances between skilling, reskilling, and upskilling.

He further highlighted the potential of the country to capitalize on the skilling opportunities available in the country. He gave the example of the healthcare sector where Indian skilled manpower can supplement the global demand. He stressed the need to map this demand and align Indian standards with those of other countries. Similarly, he suggested that the Indian youth with a long maritime tradition can contribute as expert sailors to merchant navies across the world due to the growing demand in this sector.

The World Youth Skills Day, which is celebrated every year on 15th of July, was celebrated in virtual mode this year. Minister of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister of State of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Shri R.K.Singh, and Group Chairman, Larsen & Toubro Ltd., Shri A.M.Naik addressed the conclave. All stakeholders of the system, including the extensive network of trainees going into lakhs, participated in the conclave.

India turns net exporter for first time in almost two decades; records trade surplus in June

India has managed a trade surplus for the first time in almost 18 years as imports declined faster than exports. There was decease in demand for crude oil, gold, and other goods, indicating a slowing economy. 

Since March 2020, India has seen a decrease in both imports and exports because of decline in global demand, India-China tensions, and disruption of global trade due to the pandemic.     

For June 2020, the trade surplus was estimated at US$ 790 million as against the deficit of US$ 15.28 billion in June 2019.

Merchandise exports in June 2020 stood at US$ 21.91 billion, as compared to US$ 25.01 billion in June 2019, a decline of 12.41 per cent year-on-year.

However, imports in the month were recorded at US$ 21.11 billion, down by 47.59 per cent as compared to the imports of US$ 40.29 billion in June last year.

In June 2020, Oil imports were US$ 4.93 billion, which was 55.29 percent lower, as compared to June last year, as per the data released by the Ministry of Commerce.

“Rapid Turnaround of Exports: Realising PM @NarendraModi ji’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, for the first time in 18 years, India records a monthly goods trade surplus in June!” Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal tweeted.

India’s current account balance saw a small uptick at 0.1 per cent of GDP in the March quarter of the financial year 2019-20. It shrank to 0.9 per cent in FY20 from 2.1 per cent in FY19 due to lowering trade deficit.     

It is estimated that the Indian economy will shrink by 5 per cent in the current financial year 2020-21.

Whereas IMF expects the Indian economy to contract by 4.5 per cent following a longer period of lockdown and slower recovery, the World Bank says it India's GDP to contract 3.2 per cent.

Market approval for Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine given by DCGI

Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has given approval to the first fully indigenously developed Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine. This vaccine has been developed by M/s. Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd, Pune. Serum Institute first obtained the approval of DCGI to conduct Phase I, Phase II and Phase III clinical trials of Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine in India. These trials have since been concluded within the country. The said Company has also conducted these clinical trials in another country i.e. Gambia.

Thereafter, the said Company applied for approval and permission to manufacture this vaccine. The application along with the clinical trial data has been reviewed by the Office of Drug Controller General of India with the help of Special Expert Committee (SEC) for vaccines.The Committee recommended for grant of permission of market authorization to the said vaccine. On 14/07/2020, M/s. Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd, Pune has been granted permission to manufacture domestically developed first Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine. This is the first indigenously developed vaccine in the field of pneumonia. Earlier the demand of such vaccine was substantially met by licensed importers in the country since the manufacturers were all vaccine companies based outside India.

This vaccine is used for active immunization against invasive disease and pneumonia caused by “Streptococcus pneumonia” in infants.The vaccine is administered in an intramuscular manner.

 

Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' Launches World's Most Affordable COVID-19 Diagnostic Kit Corosure Developed by IIT Delhi

Union Human Resource Development Minister, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' e-launched the World’s most affordable RT-PCR based COVID-19 diagnostic kit developed by IIT Delhi and approved by the ICMR and DCGI in New Delhi today. MoS for HRD Shri Sanjay Dhotre was also present on the occasion. Secretary, Higher Education, Shri Amit Khare and senior officials of the Ministry were present during the launch.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Pokhriyal said that Corosure, COVID-19 Diagnostic Kit developed by Indian Institute of Technology Delhi is a step towards Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision of a self-reliant India. He said that the country requires cheap and reliable testing for the country which can help to control the pandemic. The Corosure Kit has been developed indigenously and is much cheaper than other kits. The HRD Minister said that our Prime Minister has always been encouraging the youth of the country to come forward and ensure a healthier India especially in the times of COVID 19 pandemic with their innovative research. The kit has received ICMR approval with the highest score and DCGI approved with a very high sensitivity and specificity.

Shri Pokhriyal lauded the work done by the IIT Delhi researchers and congratulated everyone involved in the development and manufacturing of the kit. The Minister appreciated Prof Vivekanandan Perumal and his research team of IIT Delhi for developing of COVID 19 diagnostic kit. The team includes Prashant Pradhan (PhD Scholar), Ashutosh Pandey (PhD Scholar), Praveen Tripathi (PhD Scholar), Dr Akhilesh Mishra, Dr Parul Gupta, Dr Sonam Dhamija, Prof Manoj B. Menon, Prof Bishwajit Kundu and Prof James Gomes.

He said that this affordable detection kit will help the country amid the ongoing crisis. Shri Pokhriyal informed that Corosure, the probe-free diagnostic kit has been manufactured by Delhi NCR-based New tech Medical Devices. The Minister appreciated that a leading educational institution under MHRD and a private company have joined hands during this epidemic in the interest of the nation. Shri Pokhriyal  informed that the diagnostic kit developed by IIT Delhi, which will be now available for use by the authorised testing labs with this launch, will significantly bring down the cost of COVID-19 RT-PCR testing. The base price of the RT-PCR assay is Rs 399. Even after adding the RNA isolation and laboratory charges, the cost per test will be considerably cheaper compared to currently available kits in the market.  The Minister further informed that IIT Delhi has given license to 10 companies to manufacture COVID-19 diagnostic kit using the technology developed by its researchers.

While addressing the participants, Shri Dhotre said that amid the coronavirus crisis, when widespread testing is most needed, this very low-cost diagnostic kit is a great feat that the IIT Delhi has achieved in such a short period. He added that Innovation and entrepreneurship are complimentary to each other and are also most crucial for an Atmanirbhar Bharat. IITs have very robustly nurtured these two. Even in schools across the country, climate for innovation and new technology is being created very actively.

Shri Dhotre further said that IIT Delhi's 40-year old Centre for Rural Development and Technology has been playing a crucial role in application of new technology in the uplift of rural life so that benefit of technology could reach the last man. He added that country's youth have a lot of passion and potential for innovation and entrepreneurship. They only need to be provided right climate, resources, and motivation. IITs have done a great job in this sphere.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Khare informed that IIT Delhi became the first academic institution to obtain the ICMR’s approval for a real-time PCR-based diagnostic assay. It was also the first probe-free as say for COVID-19 approved by the ICMR. He added that the assay was validated at the government’s medical research body with a sensitivity and specificity of 100 per cent. Shri Khare appreciated the efforts of IIT Delhi towards the betterment of society and wished them success in their endeavours.

Prof V. Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi said that IIT Delhi is thankful to the support it has received from the Indian government, HRD ministry, Health Ministry and the ICMR for the development and manufacturing of the affordable kit. Our researchers will continue to focus on COVID-19 related research and development to help the country as well as the World in the fight against Coronavirus.

Toppr to raise US$ 50 million in Series D to expand, launch two products

Toppr, an edtech start-up, plans to raise US$ 50 million in a Series D round from existing and new investors to scale up operations and launch two products, Toppr Codr and a learning platform for schools.

Mr Zishaan Hayath, CEO and co-founder Toppr, said that the company is in talks with new investors and will close the round before the end of the September quarter. Existing investors will contribute about 10-30 per cent of the funding, he added.

The company is backed by Saif Partners and Helion Ventures and joined bigger edtech players that have successfully raised capital despite the COVID crisis. Byju’s raised about US$ 100 million from US technology investor Bond in May, while Unacademy raised US$ 110 million from Facebook and General Atlantic in February 2020.

“The funding will fuel development and distribution of all three products, the Toppr learning app that is our core app, Toppr Codr and an online platform for schools which will be launched in about six weeks’ time," said Mr Hayath.

In December 2018, Toppr had raised US$ 60 million as part of its Series C led by Kaizen PE, along with existing investors Eight Roads Ventures, Helion Ventures and SAIF Partners.

Since then, the startup has been putting in more efforts to reach new students. Its entry into coding by launching Toppr Codr is one such initiative.

“Coding is an essential skill for the 21st century and helps kids with logical thinking, concentration, creativity and even maths. There is a clear gap in demand and supply and this starting point should fit in nicely with the start of a school year," said Mr Hayath.

Toppr Codr offer specially designed curriculum for children between 6-18 years of age, on-demand and self-paced modules, adaptive paths, and personalised live classes. It will be working along 100 plus experts as coding tutors - including those from IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur.

“So far the learning apps have been focused on children, with this platform for schools we will close the gap and children will be able to learn what is taught in schools," he added.

The work of teachers will be reduced by the help of automatic assignments and tests among other things.

The company has seen an increase like other ed tech platforms because of the lockdown when the coronavirus outbreak had forced educational institutions to suspend classroom teaching in March.

Mr Hayath claims that there has been a 150 per cent growth in paid users after the lockdown was imposed, with revenue growing 2.5 times. Subscribers of Live Classes grew by 125 per cent while there was a 100 per cent growth in Free user engagement overall. Daily active users spent 110 minutes per day on the Toppr app, the highest user-engagement in the segment.

Currently, Toppr has 1,500 employees and 60,000 educators on its platform and is not worried about competition from the big players. “With 300 million school children in India, the ed tech space is not crowded," added Mr Hayath.

It is expected that edtech adoption in India is being driven by the COVID-19 outbreak and even after the crisis is contained, it will be one of the key technology themes to look out for in the country’s education sector, said Mr Nidhi Gupta, technology analyst at data firm GlobalData.