MAM
upGrad highlights importance of online degrees in new ad film
MUMBAI: Edtech platform upGrad has launched a new ad film addressing the disenchantment experienced by the youth across the country due to the shutting down of institutes in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, as they stare at an uncertain job market and future unemployment.
Taking ahead its ‘Sirf Naam Ki Nahin, Kaam Ki Degree’ campaign, the film aims to highlight the edtech’s offering of online graduation courses from universities across the country.
Conceptualised by The Womb, the film targets the youth disillusioned about their future amid the pandemic, especially those hailing from smaller towns lacking in reputed institutes. The video shot in a scenic location in the country’s interiors showcases a group of friends who harbour dreams of education in the big cities. They vocalise their misery of having to forgo those dreams in these testing times by means of a melancholic jingle.
The creative aims to reassure the aspiring learners that while there may be no visible end to the pandemic on the horizon, all their hopes for a bright future need not be lost and that they need not give up on earning a suitable degree from a respected college.
upGrad chief executive officer – India Arjun Mohan said, “We have partnered with the leading universities to provide young India with UGC entitled, and WES recognised degree courses to give them a 360-degree university experience online. Post the course completion, we will also assist these learners with career services that involve a paid internship up to six months and placement support up to three years based on their performance.”
The Womb co-founder Kawal Shoor added, “Now, with upGrad tying up with many universities to provide value-added under-graduate education online, there’s a new opportunity for young students to access high-quality education in their own hometowns, without having to leave to bigger cities as has been the norm. Our campaign borrows from the current reality but also is geared towards positioning online undergraduate education as a powerful alternative to trudging to a nearby big city to access quality education. And also, to nudge them to believe that even online graduation can lead to a ‘Kaam ki Degree’.”
The commercial will be aired across 50 TV channels across geographies, along with 360-degree amplifications in other media channels.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
