Building Professional Confidence and Career Readiness: iRISE ECR Workshop at CUJ, Ranchi

A three-day iRISE Level 1 Capacity Building Workshop for Early Career Researchers was hosted by the Central University of Jharkhand (CUJ), Ranchi, from 28–30 July 2026 in collaboration with the iRISE Early Career Researcher Development Strand. The workshop saw participation from 101 researchers—45 female and 56 male participants representing diverse academic disciplines.

The programme was conceived as a practical professional-development experience, with an emphasis on communication, entrepreneurship, pedagogy and broader career readiness. Rather than relying solely on lectures, the three-day format incorporated group work, simulations, experiential activities and opportunities for participants to apply concepts in real time.

The opening day explored the role of effective communication across academia, industry and business. Ms. Anita Nagarajan, Communications and Editing Consultant and Educator, used LEGO-based learning and the P.R.E.S.E.N.T. framework to help participants think about audience, purpose, storytelling and engagement. Collaborative presentation development allowed participants to put these ideas into practice.

Entrepreneurship formed the focus of the second day through Dr. Milind Choudhari’s hands-on startup simulation. Participants explored product development, market understanding, retailer partnerships, financial planning, funding sources and investor perspectives. Teams concluded the exercise by presenting their products and financial calculations, bringing innovation, teamwork and strategic decision-making together in one activity.

The final day shifted the focus to teaching and learning in STEM. Dr. Manawa Diwekar-Joshi, Senior Technical Officer, iRISE, IISER Pune, introduced Inquiry-Based Learning, metacognition and constructive alignment. Participants designed concept-map-based lesson plans with measurable learning outcomes, assessment strategies and classroom activities, followed by peer assessment.

The workshop opened in the presence of Dr. Saneep Ghugre, Director, UGC, DAE-CSR; Prof. Sarang Medhekar, Vice-Chancellor, CUJ; and Dr. Sunil Chandra Dubey, Vice-Chancellor, Birsa Agricultural University of Jharkhand, along with the organising team. The programme concluded with certificates and reflections on the importance of interdisciplinary skills, innovation and confidence in shaping early-career pathways