feelings and sentiments) of the employees, proper care and considerations should be taken by the employer. Employees need to be handled in a very tactful manner. The concept of Emotional Intelligence (EI) is aroused here. It is the most important driver of leadership and personal achievement and also the best success predictor. EI is a best practice of corporate management technique. Goleman also emphasizes on IQ which are the requisites for the new aspirants in the procurement process. In order to build congenial rapport with superiors, subordinates and colleagues, managerial skills are of utmost importance [11]. With good IQ, the new aspirant will be well placed and EI helps him for the survival and makes him successful in the organization [12–14]. For better results, EI in a company is an important part of negotiating the dynamics and dilemmas of the relationship between employees and customers. Some causal factors are (a) The speedy growth and heavy emphasis on AI and ML have also echoed the importance of integrating digital transformation with human strengths such as empathy and emotional intelligence, (b) As more successful and innovative workers are happier, leaders with a higher EQ get better results. Emotionally intelligent leaders discover what works for each person instead of pushing a one-size-fits-all approach and adapt their strategy accordingly. Happier workers make higher profits from happier customers, and (c) Improves relationships where relationships with people are important; improves communication with people, improves empathy abilities, behaves with honesty, allows one to gain respect from others, enhances career projections, handles variation more confidently, enjoys the job enthusiastically, feels optimistic and positive in attitude, decreases levels of stress, increases creativity, and to learn from mistakes. Thus, organizations need to promote emotional intelligence at the work place.
Bar-On emphasizes more on EQ. He stated that a person becomes more competent, faces difficulties and handles all the pressures of everyday life. Thus, EI significantly contributes to the happiness and well-being of a person’s life [15, 16].
Mayer and Salovey introduced EI as an ‘ability’ model. He stated broad three skills as (i) social skills where a person could able to perceive, respond, and express emotions accurately to others; (ii) emotions can be regulated effectively by a person who could be adaptive to the prevailing situation or influence others and lastly (iii) emotions are utilized in a constructive manner where people with EI solve complex problems and promote intellectual growth.
1.1.1.5 Theme: Migrant Labor
Problem: Migrant labor continuously returned to their native places in India due to unemployment and COVID-19 pandemic. It was a very challenging task faced by the government to take a very large number of migrant laborers to their native places in this pandemic. The migrant labor came out of their native places because of unemployability. Again, they are facing the same difficulty of finding employment, once they come home. Industries cannot be shut down for an indefinite period as this move affects the nation’s economy to a very large extent. In the Unlock-1 industries have started along with other establishments which are going to result into generation of employment and revenue for them. The labor which has gone back to their native places may not be interested in coming back again in this pandemic.
Overcome
Major employment can be related with agriculture for the migrant labors. The government should make trained societies and teams, who can train villagers to encourage organic farming, food processing, etc. Plants producing organic manure can be setup in rural areas. This organic manure can be easily made available to the local farmers at a lower cost and can be a good source of income for rural people. For large scale requirements of food processing industries, contract farming of vegetables, fruits, food grains can be introduced in rural area.
The state which are endowed with a wide variety of medicinal plants and herbs are very good market potential. A tie or Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) can be done with the pharmaceutical companies for these medicinal plants and herbs.
Floriculture activities can be taken up in rural areas to employ migrant labor as this activity is a highly labor intensive one. Floriculture is having a good market potential both in domestic market as well as in the export market [17].
Dairying industry can be developed in rural areas as per the climatic condition that suits to the area [18].
Migrant labor can also be employed in sericulture, pisciculture and piggery which can be undertaken in rural areas. Some other allied agroforestry activities like social forestry where trees like Eucalyptus and poplar trees can be grown in rural areas which can both bring revenue and employment generation. The rest of the migrant labor can be absorbed in cottage industry and small-scale industry.
Instant employment generation has been possible only in construction sector like road construction, building construction, etc. The government can tie up with other states and organizations where there is a requirement of skilled and unskilled labor.
1.1.1.6 Theme: Digital Transformation (DT) of Educational Institutions
Problem: DT should have a wider emphasis on the university education system which should include the redesign of the management of corporate IT architecture, which could make an important contribution to structuring innovation efforts in education [19]. Tremendous pain and insecurity have prevailed in the minds of our students and their parents and teachers as well. All were passing through uncertainty keeping future at stake. As there is scope of everything in India, the young generation is keen to learn new technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) that are the value propositions to the society [20]. Adoption issue of technology is the biggest challenge. But user experience was most intuitive and innovative. Thus, it became a student centric education where joy of learning took place in multidisciplinary activities. Technology is an enabler. The most important thing is to build the workforce. Hopefully, conventional system of education is going to be a matter of the past. Challenges faced are properly understood and accepted for better educational facilities. Institutions are now looking ahead for Human Development Index thereby adding value to the lives of students and trying to make them more educated in this pandemic. Software adopted by the institutions should be flexible and agile to bring down the cost to observe that operational excellence can happen. Costs are becoming exorbitant. Teachers these days have to be more scientific in online classes, students’ assessments and inclined towards learning processes.
Overcome
These are some of the relevant topics and discussions to the current scenario in India’s education sector. They are discussed in a brief manner.
Many live webinars and conferences have been conducted internationally and nationally. There are sponsored workshops been conducted by TEQIP III, Indian Academicians and Researchers Association (IARA), AICTE, IQAC Cell, National Project Implementation Unit (NPIU), ASMA, and Institutions of Indian Council (IIC). The projects are sponsored by the HRD Ministry, Government of India.
Technology has played a crucial role in managing new admissions cycle over the course of the pandemic. Students are engaged through virtual means including webinars and video lectures. Starting from student admission to placements, virtual mode of communication has been conducted. Technology, thus, has enhanced the learning process.
Every higher education institution introspects during pandemic. Technology resistance, adaptation and penetration have become major issues but still every institution has adopted the best method of learning management system and online plus face-to-face learning to remain competitive. On the way digital has been used to create a unified digital experience for students throughout the education process.
Admission of any institution is
