India Free Education Movement Launches as Shoolini Hits Top 500
Eduauraa has officially introduced its nationwide Free Education Movement to expand learning accessibility across India. Concurrently, Shoolini University has secured a position within the top 500 global institutions in the latest international academic rankings, marking a major milestone for Indian private higher education.
Key Highlights
- Eduauraa has launched a comprehensive free education campaign targeting skill gaps and competitive exams nationwide.
- The digital campaign debuted during major international sports broadcasts to maximize public awareness across demographics.
- Shoolini University achieved a global rank of 452, making it India’s top-ranked private research institution.
- Persistent Systems received corporate recognition for excellence in physical workplace accessibility and inclusion.
Eduauraa, founded by Akanksha Chaturvedi Jain, has launched India’s Free Education Movement, a nationwide campaign aimed at making quality learning and skill development more accessible. The campaign has gone live during FIFA World Cup telecasts today and marks the beginning of Eduauraa’s broader mission to expand access to free, structured education across India.
As part of the launch, Eduauraa has unveiled a nationwide awareness campaign during FIFA World Cup telecasts to bring its βFree Education Movementβ to audiences across India. The movement begins with their spoken English program which aims at ensuring every Indian is proficient at English, on a journey to improve their communication & focuses on skills beyond the classroom to give individuals the confidence that can level up their lives. Through this initiative, Eduauraa aims to encourage conversations around learning, self-development and employability while making skill-based education more accessible.
While digital content has become increasingly accessible, structured learning and guided skill development remain out of reach for many learners, particularly those from smaller cities. Through this movement, Eduauraa aims to help bridge this gap by offering organised learning pathways focused on both knowledge acquisition and employability-oriented skills.
Speaking about the initiative, Akanksha Chaturvedi Jain, Founder of Eduauraa, said, βWe have always believed that education should be a fundamental right, not a privilege, and our mission has been to democratise access to quality education for every Indian. In a country with the worldβs largest youthful population, democratising education is not merely a social imperative, it is an investment in Indiaβs future and its immense human potential.
Yet, for millions of young Indians, opportunity remains unevenly distributed, not because of a lack of talent or aspiration, but because access to world class education continues to be limited. Through digital education, school digitisation, and grassroots initiatives, we have witnessed the far-reaching impact that quality learning can create.
Through Indiaβs Free Education Movement, we are committed to ensuring that learning reaches every household and that every student, irrespective of geography or circumstance, has access to education without barriers. By expanding access at scale, we hope to create a lasting impact that empowers communities, strengthens families, and contributes meaningfully to Indiaβs growth story. Because when education becomes truly accessible, a nation unlocks the full promise of its people.
The free Spoken English programme marks the first phase of the movement. Going forward, Eduauraa plans to expand into additional learning categories, including Personality Development, UPSC, NEET, IIT-JEE, CAT, Banking, CA, Railway examinations, and other competitive exam-focused courses.
Founded by Columbia University alumna Akanksha Chaturvedi Jain, Eduauraa was built on the belief that access to quality education should not be determined by geography or socio-economic background. Over the years, the platform has reached more than five lakh learners through a combination of digital learning programmes, school digitisation initiatives, and community-led education efforts.
Shoolini University breaks into QS Global Top 500, Retains No. 1 Private University rank in India for Fourth consecutive year
The 2027 edition of the QS World University Rankings, released by QS Quacquarelli Symonds, features more than 1,500 universities across 106 higher education systems.
Shoolini University broke into the QS World University Rankings global top 500, ranked 452nd in the world and 10th in India (Overall). It is the only Indian private university in the global top 500 and the No. 1 private university in the country for the fourth consecutive year.
The 2027 edition of the QS World University Rankings, released today by QS Quacquarelli Symonds, features more than 1,500 universities across 106 higher education systems. India placed 52 universities, its highest representation yet and a fivefold increase from a decade ago. Within that field, Shoolini is the only private institution to have held a place in the national top 10 across four successive ranking cycles.
The trajectory over the past decade tells its own story. The university entered the QS World Rankings in the 801-1000 band, moved to 771-780, then to 587, then 503, and now 452. Each year, without exception, it has climbed.
The decisive gain came in Citations per Faculty, the indicator that measures how widely a university’s research is read and built upon by scholars worldwide. Shoolini moved from rank 138 to rank 76 globally in a single year, a 62-place rise that ranks among the strongest research-impact gains by any Indian institution in this cycle. At 20 per cent weightage, Citations per Faculty is the highest-weighted indicator in the QS methodology, which makes the scale of that climb a direct statement about the reach of Shoolini’s research.
Founder Chancellor Prof P.K. Khosla said the result reflects years of building an institution around a clear academic philosophy. βWhen we started Shoolini, our vision was not merely to establish another university but to create an institution that could contribute meaningfully to knowledge creation and innovation. Entering the world’s Top 500 universities is an important milestone, but more importantly, it demonstrates that globally respected universities can be built in India through a commitment to research, academic rigour and a culture of innovation.β
The university has consistently invested in building its academic ecosystem over the years. The strength was not confined to research. Employer Reputation improved from 589 to 576, and Sustainability climbed from 555 to 518 globally – the latter reflecting Shoolini’s work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Shooliniβs Pro Chancellor Vishal Anand said, βStudents today seek institutions that provide global exposure, cutting-edge research opportunities and strong industry connections. Rankings such as these help us build deeper international partnerships, attract exceptional talent and create pathways that prepare students for rapidly changing careers and industries.β
Shoolini University Vice Chancellor Prof Atul Khosla described the ranking as part of a broader transformation taking place within Indian higher education. “India’s future leadership in the global knowledge economy will depend on institutions that prioritise research, innovation and problem-solving. Universities must become engines of discovery and entrepreneurship. This achievement reflects our efforts to create an ecosystem where students and researchers can compete with the best in the world.”
The latest recognition builds upon a series of significant achievements that have established Shoolini University as one of India’s fastest-rising higher education institutions. Earlier this year, the University was ranked among the world’s Top 500 universities in seven subjects in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026. Shoolini has also emerged as a national leader in innovation, crossing 2,000 intellectual property applications, including patents, copyrights, trademarks and designs. The University’s research ecosystem boasts an H-index exceeding 150, while 19 of its scientists have been featured in Stanford University’s list of the World’s Top 2 Percent Scientists.
Shoolini’s entry into the global top 500 places it among India’s strongest universities and confirms its standing as the country’s foremost private research institution. The nine institutions ranked above Shoolini University are IIT Delhi (118), IIT Bombay (134), IIT Madras (170), IIT Kharagpur (205), IIT Kanpur (221), IISc Bangalore (221), Delhi University (322), IIT Roorkee (335), and IIT Guwahati (349) – are all government-funded universities with legacies spanning decades, and in several cases, over a century. In contrast, Shoolini University, founded in 2009, has rapidly emerged as a leading institution, underscoring the strength of its academic and research-driven approach.
Persistent Wins CII Award for Excellence in Disability Inclusion
The CII jury recognized Persistentβs comprehensive approach to accessibility, validated through independent audits and extending across workplace infrastructure, digital platforms, enterprise applications and organizational culture.
Persistent Systems, a global Digital Engineering and Enterprise Modernization leader, has been recognized as the winner of the CII Award for Excellence in Disability Inclusion 2026 in the category βBest Employer β Physical Accessibility.β The recognition acknowledges the Companyβs approach to embedding accessibility across workplaces, digital platforms and talent programs through governance, leadership accountability and the implementation of global accessibility standards.
| Academic Year | International QS Rank | National Rank Standing | Core Milestone / Focus Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 801β1000 | β | Initial global ranking entry |
| 2024 | 771β780 | β | Incremental ranking advancement |
| 2025 | 587 | 12 | Entry into top national tiers |
| 2026 | 503 | 11 | Subject-specific global breakthroughs |
| 2027 | 452 | 10 | Top 10 India overall placement |
Future Outlook
The Indian educational ecosystem is experiencing structural changes driven by public-private advancements. Initiatives like Eduauraa’s educational rollout seek to bridge rural-urban divides by utilizing high-reach television and digital networks. Meanwhile, research-focused institutions like Shoolini University highlight the growing competitiveness of Indian private universities against older state-funded entities. These combined efforts align with corporate inclusion updates from leaders like Persistent Systems, indicating a broader trend toward diversified, accessible, and high-impact educational frameworks throughout India.
FAQs
What is the primary objective of India’s Free Education Movement?
The initiative focuses on democratizing structured educational pathways and skill programs across India, beginning with a specialized program designed to improve communication, language proficiency, and long-term economic employability.
How did Shoolini University perform in the 2027 QS World University Rankings?
The university climbed to global rank 452 and reached the number 10 position overall within India, retaining its status as the top-ranked private university in the nation for four consecutive cycles.
Which specific metrics drove Shoolini University’s ranking gains?
The university saw significant advancement in Citations per Faculty, rising 62 places to rank 76th globally, while securing positive gains in employer reputation and environmental sustainability.
Why did Persistent Systems receive a CII inclusion award in 2026?
Persistent Systems won the corporate excellence award for its comprehensive workplace accessibility strategies, verified by independent infrastructure audits and leadership governance frameworks.
