Path Ahead 2026-27
12th Annual Path Ahead: DAY 1: Beyond the Classroom
The first day of the 12th Annual Path Ahead, held on Wednesday, 12 August, brought together students from Classes IX to XII for a series of four sessions designed to offer a holistic perspective on the journey from high school to higher education, with university professors and members of admissions teams from four leading private Indian universities offering insights.
Session I of the day, titled “Human Brain, Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics,” was facilitated by Dr. Santosh Singh, Associate Professor of Mathematics at Shiv Nadar University. The session introduced students to the significant role of mathematics in the development and functioning of Artificial Intelligence and focused on exploration of mathematical concepts underlying intelligent systems. Students gained an understanding of how mathematical principles contribute to processes such as learning, pattern recognition and decision-making in AI. The session also provided students with insights into contemporary research in the field, particularly efforts to develop intelligent systems that can learn effectively from limited data. By connecting mathematics with applications in AI, medical imaging and computer vision, the session helped students appreciate the interdisciplinary nature of emerging fields and the growing relevance of mathematical thinking in technological innovation.
Session II of the day, titled Navigating the Applications Process, was facilitated by Ms. Niyati Gautam, Member of Outreach Team at Ashoka University. The session, designed and curated specifically for Class XII, offered practical insights into the university application process, with a particular focus on what admissions officers look for and what distinguishes one application from another. Students explored the difference between a personal essay and a Statement of Purpose, the importance of preserving their individual voice in their writing, and ways to present their authentic selves through an application. The session also addressed how students can prepare effectively for personal interviews, equipping them with strategies to communicate their experiences, aspirations and individuality with confidence.
Dr. Jaslene Bawa, Assistant Professor, Finance at FLAME University, introduced the students to the Fundamentals of Business Decision-Making while highlighting how finance, entrepreneurship, and strategy shape organisations and economies. The session was designed as a hands-on, team-based business simulation in which students took on the challenge of starting and running a business. Working in teams, they selected a business from a given list and made decisions around initial investment, branding, aesthetics and sales strategy, culminating in a pitch for their venture. The objective was to generate a profit, giving students a practical understanding of business, finance and investment, and the relationship between inputs, outputs, revenue, costs, profit and loss. The activity encouraged collaboration, strategic thinking and decision-making while making core business concepts tangible and engaging for the students.
Mr. Vikram Patel, Director Outreach at Plaksha University, conducted a session on Emerging Careers and Interdisciplinary Pathways for students of Classes IX and XI. The session explored how technology is increasingly intersecting with diverse disciplines such as biology, economics, finance and business, creating new academic pathways and career possibilities. Students participated in a group activity on emerging career pathways, exploring the subjects in focus, areas of specialisation and institutions where they could pursue these fields. This was followed by a presentation highlighting courses and higher education opportunities in India across technology- and science-related domains, helping students connect their interests and subject choices with evolving academic and career opportunities.
With age-appropriate sessions tailored to the needs of students across Classes IX to XII, Day 1 encouraged students to look beyond conventional academic choices. The day set the tone for Day 2 emphasising that planning for the future is about understanding oneself and exploring possibilities while making informed choices along the way.
12th Annual Path Ahead: DAY 2: University Representation
Day 2 of the 12th Annual Path Ahead offered students an opportunity to engage directly with representatives from a diverse range of universities and institutions from India and across the world.
A key highlight was the strong representation of liberal arts and interdisciplinary universities, with institutions such as Ashoka University, Ahmedabad University, Flame University, KREA University, OP Jindal Global University, Mahindra University, Plaksha and ISBF engaging with students. These conversations encouraged students to think about education beyond fixed subject streams and understand how interdisciplinary learning can open pathways across fields and careers.Students also had meaningful interactions with universities from Ireland and the UK, getting insights into undergraduate programmes, university life, admissions processes and opportunities for students considering an international education.
The international focus extended to Europe and Japan, with representatives from institutions such as Bocconi University, Italy; Cologne Business School, Germany; and Ritsumeikan University, Japan. These interactions gave students a valuable glimpse into specialised programmes, global career opportunities and distinctive models of higher education across different countries.Students also explored specialised pathways in business, hospitality, design, technology, entrepreneurship and management through institutions such as Indian School of Hospitality, ISDI – ATLAS SkillTech University, Pearl Academy, UPES, S.P. Jain Global, Masters’ Union, Christ University and G.D. Goenka University.
The day was largely about choice, exposure and informed decision-making, helping students explore the wide range of higher education options, emerging disciplines and career possibilities available to them. The interactions encouraged students to approach university selection not simply as a question of where to study, but also as an opportunity to reflect on what they want to learn and how
Path Ahead Session: UK Universities
On Monday, 20th April 2026, Shikshantar students of Classes XI and XII had the unique opportunity to interact with representatives from three prestigious Russell Group universities - Imperial College London, University of Birmingham, and University of Nottingham - in a session focused on studying in the UK.
The session focused on helping students understand the UK university application process in a comprehensive manner. University representatives discussed the importance of academic consistency, super-curricular involvement, personal statements, interviews, and entrance assessments while also addressing common student queries regarding international applications and course requirements. Students were introduced to assessments such as the LSAT, ESAT, and TMUA, and were guided on how universities evaluate applicants holistically beyond academic scores alone. The speakers also highlighted the advantages of studying in the UK, including globally recognised qualifications, shorter course durations, research opportunities, and exposure to diverse academic and cultural environments. Students gained valuable insights into the importance of early preparation while exploring courses and universities best suited to their interests and aspirations.
The session concluded with an interactive question-and-answer round, where students clarified doubts related to courses, career prospects, and student life in the UK. The active participation reflected the growing interest among students in exploring international academic opportunities and preparing for higher education abroad.
Path Ahead Session: Global Academic Pathways with UCD, Ireland
On 23rd April 2026, an insightful and engaging international education session was held at Shikshantar exclusively for the students of Classes XI and XII. The session was conducted by Cliodhna Martin from University College Dublin, who brought with her extensive experience in international recruitment and admissions strategy.
The session focused on academic pathways and programme opportunities in the fields of Social Sciences and Law at University College Dublin. Ms. Martin guided students through the admissions process, programme selection, and application requirements, helping them better understand the expectations of international universities. She also shared insights into employability trends, industry expectations, and global career prospects available to graduates in today’s competitive world.
In addition, students received a detailed overview of studying in Ireland, including campus life, cultural experiences, and the various academic and personal support services available for international students. The session was highly interactive, encouraging children to ask questions and explore future study opportunities abroad.
Design and Dreams 2026
On Saturday, May 9, 2026, three talented young designers shared their work and spoke about their journey of learning and practicing in their respective specialisations! Design and Dreams is an annual event that aims to bring aspiring designers of Shikshantar face to face with alumni and other designers or design students from different colleges and courses.
This year we had two alumni, Nandini Khorana, Batch of 2017 and Aishi Garg, who graduated from Shikshantar very recently in 2023. While Nandini studied Fashion Designing at Pearl Academy and at University of Creative Arts, UK, Aishi just completed her 3 rd year at NID, Ahmedabad, pursuing Film and Video Communication. Sanchita Muherjee, the third speaker, graduated from NID, in 2022 in Graphic Design.
Incidentally, both Nandini and Sanchita drew attention to the flexibility of options open to designers over the years, that their own career paths demonstrated. Nandini spoke about how she has switched to graphic design, digital marketing and illustration, as she realized that this is what she enjoys the most! Similarly, Sanchita shared her own experience of how she is confidently doing product design along with graphic design at Zomato, seizing the opportunities that came her way, and is excited about what she does every day, in spite of the work pressure and long days!
Aishi’s films left no doubt about her extraordinary story-telling skills! Her presentation focused on the many unique aspects of film making, the collaborative nature of the field, and the challenges it brings with it. Her anecdotes threw light on the multi-dimensional aptitude and skills that are required to make a film, like script writing, story boarding, cinematography to set design, costume design, sound recording, editing etc., summing it up crisply as “it takes a village to make a film!”
The select but enthusiastic audience enjoyed every minute of the session, and felt that it helped them build a lot of clarity and understanding about design courses and careers. The children were happy to connect personally with the young designers after the presentation.