Liverpool University Bengaluru Campus 2026, CBSE 2026 Exam Clarifications, IIT Sustainability Rankings & Free AI Course

Nov 19, 2025

Published: Wednesday, November 19, 2025

University of Liverpool to Open Bengaluru Campus by September 2026

The University of Liverpool will open its India campus in Bengaluru's Whitefield area by September 2026, offering six undergraduate and two postgraduate programmes with fees set at less than half of what students pay in the UK, according to an exclusive interview with Lucy Everest, Chief Operating Officer at the University of Liverpool.

Campus Location and Infrastructure Development

The campus is located in Alembic City—a development converted from an old glass factory—and will offer programmes in computer science, business management, accounting and finance, game design, and biomedical sciences. The site will also house Google's new building, expected to open next autumn. Everest stated that the location allows the university to create "interactive immersive tech-enabled classrooms" similar to its UK facilities.

Speaking to indianexpress.com, Everest said the campus will commence admissions with around 250 students in its first cohort. "They will really be our very special year one cohort that we'll look after very well," she said. Students will study the same curriculum delivered in the UK, with international faculty from both India and the UK working together. The degree certificate will be identical to what students receive from the Liverpool campus, giving graduates access to the university's global alumni network.

Strategic Location and Industry Integration

Explaining the choice of Bengaluru, Everest described the city as "the world's tech capital" and said it offered a setting where "lots of companies from around the world" operate, allowing students greater access to industry-based learning during their degree. The city's global connectivity and scale of activity in technology and business made it the preferred location.

"Probably the most exciting and innovative one is biomedical science, where we will not only have laboratory facilities but we'll also have deep collaborations with industry and research companies," Everest stated. The programme targets pharmaceutical companies based in Bengaluru, while the game design course caters to the city's gaming industry presence.

Application Process and Student Mobility

The application process has been tailored to the Indian market, aligning with various examination boards including Cambridge, IGCSE, and CBSE. Students will submit an application form before being invited for interviews. The university is currently engaging with schools and counsellors to build its first cohort.

Student mobility options will be offered, including student-exchange opportunities during their course of studies. Everest noted this could appeal particularly to parents who prefer their children to study locally for a couple of years before potentially progressing to the UK at a later point.

Industry Partnerships and Faculty Recruitment

Regarding placement opportunities, Everest said the university plans to leverage existing relationships with multinational companies such as Hindustan Unilever, with which it already partners in the UK and Europe. "We offer probably a wider range of embedded industry opportunities for students, and we plan to offer those here as well," she stated.

The university is hiring academic staff for the new campus, with a focus on faculty who have experience across education systems and strong industry engagement. Everest said candidates would need either a PhD from an international university or senior standing in India, along with evidence of "global research and teaching collaborations." The Bengaluru campus will emphasise interactive teaching and industry-integrated learning rather than conventional lecture-based formats.

Cost Structure and Scholarship Support

The cost of a Liverpool degree in Bengaluru will be "under half of the fee that you would typically pay in the UK," with the lower cost of living in India making this viable. Additionally, the university will offer both merit-based and needs-based scholarships to ensure diversity in the first cohort; details on which will be notified in due course.

Liverpool expects interest from students who otherwise might not have gone overseas immediately and believes the India campus will expand its reach rather than compete with its UK programmes. "We think there's a huge growing population of middle-class families who probably would not have sent their children overseas but want a world-class education in India," Everest stated.

CBSE Issues Critical Clarifications for Board Exams 2026

The Central Board of Secondary Education has issued an important notice for Classes 10 and 12 board examinations 2026, providing detailed clarification on the theory and practical paper division for all subjects, according to the official circular released today. Students can check the subject-wise marks distribution for practical and theory papers in the separate notices released by the board at cbse.gov.in.

Comprehensive Assessment Timeline

In a circular issued on Tuesday, CBSE announced that practical examinations, project assessments, and internal assessments for Classes 10 and 12 will be conducted from January 1 to February 14, 2026. The board urged schools to remain vigilant while uploading marks, noting that errors in this process "have been frequently observed" and must be avoided.

The CBSE stated that a detailed list of Class 10 and 12 subjects has been annexed to the circular "to aid and assist the schools in smooth conduct of Practical/Project/Internal Assessment and conduct of Theory Examinations." It further cautioned schools to read the instructions carefully and not seek corrections later with "various excuses".

Detailed Marking Scheme and Guidelines

Along with the schedule, the board has shared the complete marking scheme for all subjects included in the 2026 board examinations. The annexure outlines the class, subject code, subject name, maximum marks for theory, practicals, project work, and internal assessment.

The notice also specifies whether an external examiner will be appointed, whether the practical answer book will be provided by the board, and the type of answer book to be used for theory exams—indicating the page number. The notice reiterates that each subject carries a total of 100 marks, distributed across theory, practical, project, and internal assessment components as detailed in the annexure.

Indian Institutions Fail to Enter Top 200 in QS Sustainability Rankings 2026

No Indian institution made it to the top 200 in the QS Sustainability Rankings 2026, released today, with IIT Delhi, the country's top-ranked institution, slipping to rank 205 from last year's 171, according to the official announcement. IIT Delhi was followed by IIT Bombay at global rank 236 (down from 235 last year), and IIT Kharagpur at 236 (down from 202 last year).

Widespread Ranking Declines Among Top Institutions

Of the top 10 Indian institutions in the rankings, seven have seen their rankings drop this year compared to the previous edition. In addition to IITs Delhi, Bombay and Kharagpur, this includes IIT Madras (dropped from 277 last year to 305 this year), IIT Kanpur (310 this year vs 245 last year), and the Indian Institute of Science, which saw a steep fall from rank 376 last year to 462 this year.

The 'QS World University Rankings: Sustainability' evaluates institutions on their environmental and social impact, and governance. It considers aspects of environmental research (research impact on sustainable development goals), academic reputation in environmental education, and the impact of an institution's alumni in the field of environmental sustainability.

Performance Analysis and Competitive Context

Asked about the drop in ranking among Indian institutions, QS stated that environmental sustainability, which measures alumni impact and staff perception of climate change commitment, is one area where global peers have been outperforming the IITs. QS pointed to heightened competition this year with more than 250 universities debuting in the rankings.

QS added that the rankings are comparative and do not necessarily indicate that universities are doing worse in these areas, but that peers are improving at a faster pace. The rankings feature around 2,000 universities, with Lund University in Sweden taking the top position, followed by the University of Toronto.

Of the 103 universities from India that feature in this year's edition, 32 have improved their ranking, 15 retain the same rank as last year, and 30 have dropped, demonstrating mixed performance across the sector.

Government Launches YUVA AI for ALL Free Course Targeting 1 Crore Indians

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), under the India AI Mission, has introduced 'YUVA AI for ALL', a free online course designed to make the basics of Artificial Intelligence accessible to every Indian, according to today's announcement. Aimed especially at students and young professionals, the programme seeks to equip 1 crore citizens with essential AI skills.

Comprehensive Curriculum and Accessibility

The self-paced course takes just 4.5 hours to complete and uses simple language, real Indian examples, and practical activities to help learners understand what AI is, how it works, and how it influences everyday life. It also emphasises responsible and ethical AI usage. Available on platforms like FutureSkills Prime and iGOT Karmayogi, the course offers an official Government of India certificate upon completion.

The course is 100% free and open to everyone, allows learning at one's own pace anytime, anywhere, offers a Government of India certificate, provides skills that make one future-ready, and forms part of India's journey toward becoming an AI-powered nation.

Learning Outcomes and Course Content

Learners will explore the fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence, how AI is shaping education, creativity, and workplaces, safe and responsible use of AI tools, real-world AI applications from across India, and future opportunities in an AI-driven world.

The initiative supports India's goal of building an AI-aware society and preparing its workforce for emerging tech-driven roles. Institutions across the country can collaborate with IndiaAI to help the course reach more learners. Developed by AI expert Jaspreet Bindra, the programme blends global perspectives with India's unique needs, focusing on inclusivity and ethical use of AI.