Reliance to complete JioPhone's shipment by Diwali, tweets Jio Care

New Delhi: Reliance JioPhone's delivery process that began September 24 will be completed by Diwali (October 19, 2017). Tweets from the official handle of the company reveals Reliance Jio's plan to wrap up the shipment of all six million units of the device. 


While replying to a customer's query, Jio Care tweeted - “Thanks for reaching put, We have started the delivery of JioPhone in a phased manner to avoid inconvenience to our customers. Please be assured that all customers who have done the pre-booking of JioPhone will receive it by Diwali.” 


Jio Care added further, “We will send you an SMS informing about the store address and oickup date as soon as it is ready for delivery. The delivery status of your JioPhone order will soon be available on 1800 890 8900.” 

As per PTI reports, rural areas and small town will be given first priority over urban areas regarding feature phone deliveries. 

About JioPhone

1. JioPhone users will have to go for a recharge of atleast Rs 1,500 annually.
    
2. Reliance Jio's official website quotes-''The JioPhone is available for continued use on the Recipient purchasing telecom recharge vouchers of an Authorized Carrier (presently Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited) from the Company or any of its authorized retailers for use in the JioPhone of a minimum value of Rs 1,500/- per annum for a period of 3 years from the date of the first issue of the JioPhone." According to the official data-''The Recipient has no right to sell, lease, assign, and transfer or otherwise dispose-off the JioPhone in any manner whatsoever."
    
3. Customers need to be aware of following returning policy of JioPhone after being used: 

• JioPhone users who return the phone after 12 months will have to pay Rs 1,500 plus GST and other applicable taxes.
   
• JioPhone users who want to return their device after 12 months and up to 24 months from the date of first issue of JioPhone will have to pay Rs 1,000 plus GST and other taxes.
   
• Those who want to return their JioPhone after 24 months and up to 36 months from the date of first issue of the JioPhone will need to pay Rs 500 plus GST and other applicable taxes.

Specifications

• JioPhone is 4G VoLTE feature phone 
   
• The device includes smart features like a voice assistant, the ability to support Jio apps like JioTV. It sports 2.4-inch QVGA display and this is a single SIM phone. 
   
• Reliance Jio JioPhone has a SD card slot, a USB port for charging, speaker, FM Radio, torchlight, and SOS option. 
   
• The handset also has 2MP rear camera and 0.3MP front camera. 
   
• The processor is dual-core SPRD 9820A/QC8905 one and there’s 512MB RAM onboard, coupled with 4GB storage, which is expandable to 128GB. 

CAR FINALS OFF BUILDING

A car plummeted from the fifth floor of a building in Sta. Cruz, Manila Friday night, killing the lone lady occupant.

A car plummeted from the fifth floor of a building in Sta. Cruz, Manila Friday night, killing the lone lady occupant.

Police identified the fatality as Marie Emmanuelle Calderon, a 34-year-old call center trainee from Barangay Daang-bakal, Mandaluyong City.

Fortunately, the street was deserted when the car, a Suzuki Swift, hit the pavement, roof first, almost flattening the vehicle.

The incident took place at around 11:35 p.m. at Vertez One building in Yuseco corner Feliz Huertas streets.

Calderon was rushed to the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center where she was declared dead on arrival at 1:47 a.m.

A witness, who asked not to be named, said he noticed something wrong when he saw debris falling off the building.

“Tumingala ako sa taas. Nakita ko ‘yung kotse na binabangga yung pader na patalikod,” he narrated.

He said he also saw some people whom he presumed to be trying to stop the victim from hitting the glass wall.

After the crash, the witness said he heard the victim calling for help as office workers rushed out of the building.

It took almost two hours for rescuers to get the victim out of the car using hydraulic tools, according to the witness.

A rescuer from the fire department said he did not detect a pulse from the victim when they finally pulled her out of the crushed vehicle.

The 15-floor building was built in 2009 within an office complex known as the Manila Jockey ClubAyala Land Corporate Centre. Aside from the carpark, it houses several offices, including Convergys Philippines, a major call center company.

Police have yet to rule the case as suicide, although the victim’s posts in her Facebook account suggest she is nursing a broken heart.

In her last post on Thursday, the day before she died, Calderon wrote:

“When everyone in the world is struggling to survive, there is one person who will carelessly tell you to die and will leave you thinking what freakin harm you did to them for you to deserve it even when you love them whole heartedly,” she said.

Accompanied in the post were two photos: A screen shot of the exchange of messages from a mobile phone and a photo of a male person.

In a previous post on the same day, the victim posted a photo which reads: “I am just a girl. Standing infront of a boy. Asking him to love her.”

Funding the free college tuition bill

THE national budget of trillion for 2018 approved by the House of Representatives last Monday is the biggest ever in the history of the republic.

In line with the constitutional provision that “The state shall assign the highest budgetary priority to education…,” a total of billion was allotted for the four basic departments in our educational system, namely, Department of Education (DepEd), billion; Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), billion; Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), billion; and State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs), billion.

President Duterte signed the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act last August 3, granting free tuition and other fees for students in SUCs, LUCs, and technical-vocational institutions. With this program, the Philippines has become one of only eight countries in the world providing free college education. Many other countries, including the United States, provide free education only up to high school.

The proposed national budget had already been approved by the Cabinet on July 3 and then submitted to Congress; thus, it did not include any funding for the free college tuition law. The leaders of Congress decided to get the billion needed for free tuition from various sources already in the bill and the biggest amount of billion was taken from the DepEd budget for schoolrooms.

The congressmen are to be commended for striving to find funding for the new tuition program but in getting most of it from the school building budget, they are setting back a basic program of education in the country.

Secretary of Education Leonor Briones warned that millions of students will have no classrooms in the coming years because the school building fund was reduced by billion. There are other programs where cuts could be made, she said, and she offered to suggest a list.

CHED Chairwoman Patricia Licuanan added her own misgivings: “This is a very good thing to fund and we all want it funded … but to take it from another important program…. The students will also suffer.”

The national budget bill has now been sent to the Senate and Sen. Loren Legarda, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Finance, vowed to conduct marathon sessions so the chamber can approve the budget bill before Congress adjourns on October 12. The Bicameral Conference Committee can meet afterwards to resolve the differences.

Foreign Internet firms show interest in investing here

President Duterte has said that foreign Internet service providers were trying to enter the country were unable to do so due to alleged inaction by the Department of Information and Communications Technology.

Duterte reiterated his desire to open up the market to foreign telecommunications players to provide cheaper communications service to the public.

Duterte, in an interview over state-run PTV-4 Friday, said he knows that the Philippines is lagging behind in terms of Internet speed in Southeast Asia.

“Kaya nga. That is why I was hurrying up a competition. The only way to improve your service is bigyan kita ng kompetensiya. Or if there are only two of you, maguusap kayo niyan,” he said.

Duterte said if there are only two companies in the playing field, they can set up a price and control the market.

The Chief Executive said there were foreign companies that have expressed intention to enter the country but said he was unsure how many.

“Nandiyan na sa opisina niya eh. I don’t know,” Duterte said, referring to then DICT Secretary Rodolfo Salalima.

“There’s a Chinese company. May mga Amerikano rin but wala kasi, walang action,” he added.

Duterte said he would have understood if Salalima just released the papers if he couldn’t act on them so if they, by chance, reach him, he would have been able to read them.

Game Today (Alonte Sports Arena, Biñan, Laguna) 6:30 p.m. – Meralco vs Star

The Meralco Bolts expect the Star Hotshots to play like a different animal as they begin their bestof-five semifinal series in the PBA Governors’ Cup today at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.

After surviving the underdog Blackwater Elite in the quarterfinals, the Bolts see the road to the championship get even harder with the Hotshots coming off an unexpected trip to the semifinals despite a seesaw campaign in the eliminations.

Meralco still carries the psychological edge, having beaten Star 96-90 last month in nearby Sta. Rosa, Laguna, but Bolts import Allen Durham will be up for a huge task defending Hotshots counterpart Kristofer Acox.

Acox has yet to play for Star when the two teams last met, but the Icelandic center has proven to be the perfect fit. His presence in the middle and key baskets in the fourth quarter propelled the Hotshots to finishing off the NLEX Road Warriors in their quarters match Tuesday.

Durhan has vowed to play in the 6:30 p.m. match despite spraining his right ankle in Thursday’s 104-96 win over Blackwater at the Smart Araneta Coliseum as he hopes to hold the fort for the Bolts.

“(Acox is) a hardworker. He rebounds well, plays tough defense and he run the break a lot, so he’s a little different from what (Black- water import Henry) Walker was doing and you know he’s playing good with the locals and Star is playing good now,” Durham said.

Baser Amer, Jared Dillinger, Ranidel de Ocampo and Garvo Lanete gave Durham plenty of help in beating the Elite, which coach Norman Black hopes would continue. Chris Newsome, Cliff Hodge and Kelly Nabong are also expected to play key roles in the series.

Countering them are the Hotshots’ main weapons Mark Barroca, Paul Lee, Ian Sangalang, Marc Pingris and Jio Jalalon.

“The Star team has a lot of players who can score, locals who can contribute a lot,” said Black. “I’m not saying the import’s not good because he contributes a lot in their games but it will be a different animal for us to defend.”

The motivating factor carrying Star heading into the series is to finally secure a finals berth after short in the semifinals of this season’s first two conferences. The Hotshots blew a 2-0 lead in a seven-game loss to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the Philippine Cup and absorbed a 3-1 defeat to the San Miguel Beermen in the Commissioner’s Cup.

“Another opportunity para sa amin, I hope makalusot kami,” said Lee. “Dalawang semis na kami. Yun yung aim namin ngayon, makalusot kami ng semifinals. Pagdating ng finals, bahala na.”

Forgotten star Wilshere fights for Arsenal future

LONDON: Jack Wilshere has vowed to force his way back into Arsene Wenger's plans after the Arsenal midfielder stepped up his return from exile.

Wilshere has endured a miserable spell as he slipped down the pecking order with Arsenal and England before finding himself sent on loan to Bournemouth last season.

It was a substantial fall from grace for a player once hailed as "the future of English football" by Barcelona legend Xavi after breaking into the Arsenal team as a teenager.

Dogged by fitness problems, inconsistent form and concerns about his off-field antics, Wilshere has become Arsenal's forgotten man and is fighting for his future at the club, with his contract due to expire at the end of the season.

While many Arsenal fans have consigned Wilshere to the scrapheap, Gunners boss Wenger remains intrigued to see if the 25-year-old can rediscover his best form.

Wilshere gave a tantalising glimpse of his ability in Arsenal's 4-2 victory at BATE Borisov in the Europa League on Thursday and he hopes that leads to a role in Sunday's Premier League clash against Brighton and Hove Albion.

Asked if he felt he had been written off too soon, Wilshere said: "Yeah, but that is football. Football is a game where people forget.

"Everyone says 'you are never fit' but last season I was fit for the whole season.

"I definitely feel I am back. People say it's a long road but I feel good.

"I felt good coming back to Arsenal and into training and Arsene Wenger has been good. He has been speaking to me.

"You are always playing for your future but I am happy to be back, to feel part of the squad.

"It has been a while since I felt a proper Arsenal player but I am back, playing these types of games."

Wilshere has made only two starts this season and is yet to appear in the Premier League, but he could get game time from the bench when Albion visit the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette has scored in each of his opening three home league appearances and hopes to become the first Gunners player to net in his first four since Jackie Henderson in 1958.

Wenger's side have won five of their last six matches in all competitions, but have no margin for error as they try to keep in touch with early pace-setters Manchester City and Manchester United.

Albion boss Chris Hughton was in charge of Newcastle United the last time Arsenal lost at home to a newly-promoted team seven years ago.

But Hughton's hopes of emulating that shock success have been hit by a suspension for Brighton striker Tomer Hemed, who begins a three-match ban after being found guilty of violent conduct against Newcastle.

The 30-year-old, who scored the winner in his side's 1-0 victory, appeared to stamp on Newcastle defender DeAndre Yedlin in the 88th minute.

The incident was not seen by the match officials but was caught on video and although Hemed denied the Football Association charge, an independent commission found him guilty.

"We know the player, we still feel that there was no intent and that's why we appealed, so we are very disappointed. But we just have to deal with it," Hughton said.

Brighton have only beaten Arsenal twice in 16 attempts, with their last victory coming in 1982, and they have never won at the Gunners. - AFP

Final countdown:

Formula 1 fans attending the F1nale Concert at the Sepang International Circuit before the start of the qualifying session.

JOHOR BARU: The final Formula One Malaysia Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) will be a bittersweet one for Azlan Akil (pic) who has never missed attending the race since Malaysia first hosted the race in 1999.

Azlan, 48, previously the corporate communications chief at SIC for 10 years, said he had the chance to meet not only Formula One drivers and teams but also those working tirelessly behind the scenes.

He said when the country first hosted Formula One back in 1999, Malaysians had no experience and had to learn a lot of things from the Formula One management team.

“We have come a long way since then. SIC has become a benchmark for other new circuits within the Formula One calendar.

“European circuits have so much tradition and history but Sepang was the first purpose-built and modern circuit in the world then,” he said yesterday.

He also said that Sepang had helped lay the foundation for a strong Formula One fan base not only within Malaysia but also in the region.

Azlan said the Malaysia Grand Prix had always attracted strong support from motoring fans in Asia.

“It is the sound of the roaring engines and action in the sport that continues to attract fans to watch Formula One, especially in Sepang,” he added.

As for his most memorable race through the years, he recalled the event in 2001 where Brazilian driver Ruben Barrichello drove for Ferrari when he won the Grand Prix.

“Certain parts of the circuit were affected by the rain and many teams were forced to change their tactics to help their drivers.

“This is why Sepang is considered as one of the best races in Formula One because it is unpredictable.

“I hope that Mercedes-Benz AMG Petronas team will win the race as it would be a fitting farewell to the Grand Prix in Malaysia as Sepang is considered a home base for the team,” he added.

Azlan said the upcoming race would also be a reunion with his “motorhead” friends who would be visiting from regional countries, especially from Indonesia, to attend the race.

Poll shows Tokyo governor Koike’s party threat to Abe

TOKYO: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s lead in next month’s election has shrunk as the popular Tokyo governor pushes to unite opposition forces, a survey by Japan’s top-selling daily indicated yesterday.

Thirty-four percent of Japanese plan to vote for Abe’s conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) while 19 per cent favour a party formed this week by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, according to the poll in the Yomiuri Shimbun.

It also showed one quarter of those polled were still undecided on how vote in the Oct 22 election.

The findings suggest Abe’s path to victory may not be as easy as earlier believed.

The poll was taken on Thursday and Friday, right after the main opposition Democratic Party made a surprise move to join forces with Koike’s newborn ‘Party of Hope’.

Koike is also talking with smaller opposition groups to explore possibilities of cooperation.

A survey in the leading business daily Nikkei last weekend had showed 44 per cent of Japanese plan to vote for the LDP while only eight per cent favoured the Democratic Party.

Abe on Monday called the snap election, seeking a fresh term at the helm of the world’s thirdlargest economy.

He hoped to capitalise on a weak and fractured opposition to sweep back into power, as polls had shown him regaining ground for his hawkish stance on rising tensions with nearby North Korea.

But Koike stole his limelight by launching her party with the criticism that the pace of muchneeded reforms under Abe’s government is too slow.

The Yomiuri conducted the survey on which party voters plan to cast their ballots for under the proportional representation system.

A total of 465 seats are up for grabs in the lower-house election on Oct 22, of which 289 are to be elected from single-seat districts and 176 by proportional representation.

Both Yomiuri and Nikkei surveys were telephone polls that covered more than 1,000 eligible voters across the nation. — AFP

BIG THREE BECOMES TOP TWO

AFTER 14 years as brothers in arms, all that remains is two special hours.

Melbourne’s big three of Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and the departing Cooper Cronk will combine for their 231st and final match together in tonight’s NRL grand final at ANZ Stadium. Their final assignment? Tearing up the pages in the fairytale story of the never-saydie North Queensland Cowboys.

The title-deciding result aside, it will be a moment to cherish for a Sydney crowd expected to tick just over 80,000, and almost two million TV viewers.

Because from 9.30pm, Melbourne’s big three will become the terrific two.

In a massive boost for Slater, Storm fans and the entire game, the world’s greatest fullback can pour his entire focus tonight into sending out Cronk with a premiership, in the knowledge that he’s preparing to play on in 2018.

The Sunday Telegraph has learned that Slater is being lured towards a 16th season with the Storm by a string of milestones and achievements, including an unforgettable Origin series swan song at the MCG.

Only Slater’s intense focus on winning tonight’s grand final has stopped him from ending all speculation about his future prior to kick-off.

All that awaits the intricate paperwork — which has been agreed upon in principle by both Slater’s management and the Storm hierarchy — is the 34-yearold’s signature.

It’s been suggested to The Sunday Telegraph that a new contract could be announced at Melbourne’s end-of-season club awards night on Wednesday.

However, Slater will prioritise savouring the Storm’s premiership success, or absorbing the pain of defeat, over any announcement.

He will also have World Cup selection and team commitments to manage over the next 48 hours, before being physically able to put pen to paper. Playing in his 299th NRL match tonight, Slater is acutely aware that a new deal would enable him to join the elite 300game club in round one next season.

Also included in Slater’s discussions with the Storm, is the club’s encouragement for their greatest No. 1 to resist retiring from the State of Origin arena.

Slater has played 29 Origin matches for Queensland and should he play all three matches in next year’s series, he would enter the most elite of company by surpassing the number of Origin appearances by Maroons legends Wally Lewis (31) and Greg Inglis (30), while also equalling one of the greatest Canetoads of all, Mal Meninga (32).

The appeal of launching the 2018 series at the MCG in Origin I, with a chance to say thanks and farewell to the supporters from the city he’s called home since 2003, would be treated as a major celebration, not just for Queenslanders, but for the entire game.

Slater’s presence would give the NRL every chance of surpassing the record MCG crowd of 91,513, from game two in 2015.

The club’s willingness to have Slater involved in representative football also includes the option of being “rested” from selection during the regular season, in order to manage his playing load.

Similar to how the club designed the regular season load this year of Cooper Cronk (18 of 26 games) and Cam Smith (19 of 26 rounds), Slater would be afforded the opportunity to be “rested”.

The football department at the Storm view

this option as not only a benefit for Slater’s long-term health and success, but also a chance to continue their proven formula for development and the blooding of the club’s next crop of rising stars, including 22year-old fullback Jahrome Hughes.

Undeniably, Slater’s comeback from a career-threatening shoulder injury has also contributed to the protracted decision-making process.

The gifted Queenslander has stunned even his closest companions with his will, desire and want to return to the game, after suffering such severe shoulder damage.

His surgeon Dr John Trantalis compared the injury to that of a car crash victim. However, Slater’s blistering form in 2017 for the Storm — 18 try-assists in 20 appearances and averaging 102-metres per game — has left every league fan in no doubt, he can continue playing in 2018 — and possibly beyond.

The Melbourne camp have been loath to exert any added pressure or expectation on Slater and indeed Cronk’s final match in their club colours, by deflecting all questions proposed about their futures, with a “team first” response.

“This week is about everyone — there’s not to many chances, you get to play in a grand final,’’ Storm coach Craig Bellamy said.

“He ( Cronk) hasn’t made a point of it, so that’s where it sits.’’

The Storm are the heavilybacked $1.28 favourites with the TAB. The Cowboys are $3.75. Both sides completed their preparations without concern yesterday; Melbourne putting their finishing touches together at ANZ Stadium, the Cowboys at Kogarah Oval.

Matt Scott has been ruled out of a grand final salvo by Paul Green.

If you live that Melbourne Storm philosophy, you're going to be successful in anything you do in life.

Tata Motors bags EESL order for 10,000 e-cars

Central government entity Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), has awarded a contract to Tata Motors to procure 10,000 electric vehicles for government departments. The company was selected through an international competitive bidding. Others in the race included Mahindra & Mahindra and Nissan Motors.

Two phases

TATA Motors will supply the Electric Vehicles (EVs) in two phases – first 500 e-cars will be supplied to EESL in November 2017 and the remaining 9,500 EVs will be delivered in the second phase, EESL said in a statement.

TATA Motor quoted the lowest price of ₹10.16 lakh, exclusive of GST, in the competitive bidding.

The vehicle will be provided to EESL for ₹11.2 lakh which will be inclusive of GST, and a comprehensive five-year warranty which is 25% below the current retail price of a similar e-car with three-year warranty.

EESL will also identify a service provider agency, which will carry out end-toend fleet management of the procured vehicles for the government customer.

These electric cars will replace the petrol and diesel cars used by government and its agencies over a three to four-year period.

Commenting on the order Guenter Butschek, CEO & MD, Tata Motors said: “We are extremely proud to partner with the Government of India in its journey to facilitate faster adoption of electric vehicles and to build a sustainable India.”

“Tata Motors has been collaboratively working to develop electric powertrain technology for its selected products. EESL tender provided us the opportunity to participate in boosting emobility in the country, at the same time accelerate our efforts to offer full range of electric vehicles to the Indian consumers,” he added.

Trump aide quits over pvt plane travel scandal, more in firing line

Yet another Donald Trump aide resigned on Friday after the US President roasted him for flying in private charter planes at taxpayer expense, even as his eight-month old administration is getting hammered for corruption and unethical practices despite famously pledging to clean up Washington DC.

Health secretary and human services secretary Tom Price joined the long list of those who resigned or were fired by Trump — including his national security adviser, his chief of staff, his chief strategist, his press secretary, his communications director, the FBI director among others — after he embarrassed the administration by racking up $400,000 in travel bills for work-related chartered flights in just eight months.

As much as the scandal, the President was reportedly disturbed by the “optics” of the scam amid growing disquiet from the Trump base about corruption and privileged abuse of power. “I’m not happy, OK?” Trump fumed to reporters who asked about Price just an hour before the resigna- tion was announced. “I can tell you, I’m not happy.”

Price, who was already in trouble with the President for the perception that he did not do enough in helping repeal Obamacare, reportedly got a tongue-lashing from Trump in the Oval Office before being asked to turn in his resignation. He had earlier attempted to ride out the scandal by offering to partially reimburse the costs to the tune of about $ 50,000, a move that aggravated the optics.

More trouble is in store for the administration with the disclosure just hours later that another cabinet member, veteran affairs secretary David Shulkin, took in a Wimbledon tennis match and a Thames cruise for himself and his wife during a trip to Europe. Two other Trump aides, treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin and education secretary Betsy Devos, both billionaires, are also under the lens.

Faced with an already hostile liberal media, Trump also has to contend now with a base that is getting restive about the graft and cronyism he pledged to end amid tall promises of “draining the swamp”.

In a withering cover story that asked whether the Trump administration is the most corrupt and unethical in American history, Newsweek magazine lit into the President, reminding voters of his own fixation with private jets and gaudy lifestyle. “What we have is a private jet presidency, a low- class orgy of first-class kleptocrats. Remember when people thought Trump would usher in an era of American totalitarianism? Remember when credible, serious people compared Trump to some of the 20th century’s worst dictators? They, like the people who voted for Trump, believed what he said. How foolish,” the magazine said in a scathing commentary

Trump’s latest troubles come on the heels of some of his family and staff using private emails for official correspondence, a violation of administration practices for which Trump and his supporters had chastised Hillary Clinton and other Democrats. Amid a scandal and slip-up almost every week in Washington DC, the President also got into unseemly brawl with administrators of the hurricane-battered US territory of Puerto Rico, berating the mayor of its capital San Juan for poor leadership and shredding the island’s handling of its finances at a time its people are on their knees.

How a gurukul for coders is changing lives

Shivam Monga’s Dilliwala accent gives way to an American twang as he explains in soft, polite tones how the listener has won a lottery from the US government. It was a bait the 21-year-old would belt out with ease 400 times a night. Some unsuspecting Americans even fell for it. But then, news of police raids on the Gurugram call centre started doing the rounds. Fearing a shutdown, Shivam took his month’s salary and quit. Nine months on, he’s headed to become a software engineer.

From playing hide-and-seek with a life of hopelessness and possibly crime, Shivam has come a long way. Thanks to NavGurukul, the past year has been lifechanging for him and some other youngsters. A brainchild of two techies, the non-profit initiative teaches coding to academically bright but underprivileged students. The course has been rewritten in Hindi and designed to aid self-learning by the two founders, Abhishek Gupta and Rishabh Verma, who were joined by their disillusionment with India’s higher education system.

Both IIT-Delhi alumnus Abhishek and Class X dropout Rishabh felt that college education in India did not equip students with the tools to prepare for the future. “For any middle-class student, higher education is a transformative experience. But there are so many barriers for those from poor socio-economic backgrounds, whether it is their scores or the high fees. Even if they do succeed in getting a college degree, it is worthless for getting a job,’’ Abhishek says.

Rishabh, who feels his school education had nothing to offer, rattles off numbers: “Only 7% of the engineers produced are employable and only 5% of software engineers that pass out annually actually know how to code.”

In such an environment, the duo last year decided to create a minigurukul in a three-bedroom flat in Sarita Vihar, where selected students could live and study. Students in the age group of 18-22 years went through a selection process that included three tests to judge if they could grasp software programming. After eight to nine months of training, they were placed for internship in companies as software programmers. Today, all six have job offers from IT start-ups such as Bengaluru based Pando.in, Delhi- based TestRocket and ScaleDesk based in Noida.

Classes start at 8:30am after a quick breakfast and clean- up. Manoj Kumar, among the oldest of the group, is in charge of ensuring everyone sticks to their assigned work, like cooking, cleaning and studying. Class continues till 1:30 in the afternoon before the group breaks for lunch and then continues till late evening. Often the students are up till 3-4am practising and writing programs.

The rigour is not everyone’s cup of tea. Manoj, 27, recalls how he had walked out of the course initially. He used to get 40-45% and passed school exams by cheating. At NavGurukul, Manoj was faced with the challenge of studying for the first time. “I was much slower than others and this just got to me. I thought I could not do it,’’ he says. He went back to his home in a one- room flat in R K Puram where his parents, older brother and his wife lived. ‘’The reality hit me then. There was no future at home. If I wanted to earn, own a house, marry of my own choice, I had to make this work for myself,’’ he says. He threw himself back in the course with renewed vigour. Today, Manoj acts as a mentor to new students.

Shivam, whose father drives an autorickshaw in Rohini, recently finished an internship as a software programmer. He could not have imagined this in his wildest dreams. ‘’I didn’t know what I wanted to do, what I could be. For the first time, I feel that I can work in an office,’’ he says.

The youngsters’ lack of selfbelief was a big challenge for Abhishek and Rishabh. ‘’Software engineering is easy. Figuring out how to build their confidence was the tough part,’’ Rishabh says. The students have sessions with a counsellor, learn meditation and yoga, and have been introduced to ideas of gender empowerment and LGBT rights through guest lecturers. The students have been taught about office culture, whether it is reaching work on time or meeting project deadlines.

Like Shivam, 24-year-old Dhanno worked in call centres and held odd jobs till NavGurukul came his way. “I kept getting laid off. It felt so bad. Jaise koi izzat hi nahi hain (Like no one respects me). It was very disheartening,’’ he says. But the stint at NavGurukul has given him confidence to face the world.

NavGurukul is based on the concept of paying back to society. The two techies have spent about Rs 70,000 on each student over a year and this amount will be paid back once the student starts earning to ensure the platform stays sustainable.

Having tasted success with the first batch of six students, Abhishek and Rishabh now plan to expand the number of students they take and include girls as well.