Business
Thousands more university jobs cut as financial crisis deepens
Hayley ClarkeEducation reporter and
Emily Doughty
PA MediaUniversities have collectively announced more than 12,000 job cuts in the last year, new analysis from the University and College Union (UCU) suggests.
Additional cost savings announced in the same period are equivalent to a further 3,000 jobs, the union says, but universities have not confirmed whether these savings will be made by cutting staff.
UCU members will vote on potential UK-wide strike action later this month over a 1.4% pay offer made over the summer.
Employers say that offer “clearly does not reflect the true value employers place on staff”, but that it is the “only prudent option” given the scale of the financial challenge facing the higher education sector.
Four in 10 English universities are now believed to be in financial deficit, according to the Office for Students.
Raj Jethwa, chief executive of the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), says difficult decisions like redundancies and restructures are having to be “carefully considered” by all institutions, but that they were striving to do so in an “open and fair way”.
But Jo Grady, UCU general secretary, described the cuts as “brutal”, adding that staff had become “demoralised, exhausted and furious” and that “undervalued and poorly served” students were feeling the impact too.
She told the Today programme there was “no replacement for stable funding from government” to address the financial challenges and that the current model was “destroying higher education”.
The government said it had taken the “tough but necessary decision” to increase tuition fees last year to boost income for universities, and would soon set out further plans for reforms in new legislation.
‘I will have to live with my mum in my forties’
Zak HughesDr Zak Hughes, a chemistry lecturer at the University of Bradford, is at risk of redundancy.
“There are a lot of stressed and upset people who are struggling to deal with it, both within the school but also more widely within the institution,” he says.
Zak, who has worked at the university since 2018, says he now faces the prospect of having to move back home to live with his mum if he loses his job.
“I won’t be able to pay my rent, I will be in my forties and living back at home,” he says.
Even if the 44-year-old retains his job, the chemistry course at the university is being phased out, with similar closures happening across the country.
Zak says this limits the opportunities for him and his colleagues.
“People could, even if they lost their job, get a job at another institution. That’s not happening now,” he says.
“They’re probably looking not only at the end of the a job, but really the end of their career in academia.”
Sanskrity Baraili, sabbatical officer at the students’ union in Bradford, says she has already seen the impact of cuts on students, especially in support services such as cleaning teams and disability services.
While she believes the cuts come from a wider issue within higher education, she says “students are worried about what’s going to happen next”.
Sanskrity BarailiA spokesperson for the university said: “Like many other universities, we are having to make cost-savings to protect the student experience and ensure we deliver meaningful outcomes for graduates.”
They said they had expanded the support services available to students, adding that “our priority remains putting students first and widening access to higher education.”
They said the university had a responsibility to ensure it remained financially stable, including regularly reviewing courses with “persistently low intake such as chemistry”.
They called on the government to take “swift and decisive action” to tackle the challenges faced by the sector.
‘I’d have had second thoughts about uni if I knew’
The University of Edinburgh has announced it plans to make £140m in cuts, equivalent to about 1,800 jobs, according to the UCU.
Caspar Cubitt, who is studying theology, says the uncertainty has “put all of us on edge”.
“There’s a lot of gossip which swirls around you,” he says.
“It’s when you write back to your mum and dad and they ask how uni is going, you say, ‘Well, my degree is in trouble.'”
While the 22-year-old says he is still receiving the same level of support from his department, he has found that access to study spaces and module choices has been affected.
Caspar CubittWith two years left at university, he is now worried what further cuts may mean.
“I would have had second thoughts [about going to Edinburgh] if I knew that this is how they handle budget crisis and this is how they run finances,” he says.
Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, principal and vice chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, said the university had been “fully transparent about the necessary steps we need to take to safeguard the future of our university”.
“We remain firmly committed to ongoing dialogue as we take the necessary steps to enable us to deliver excellence and continue to be a bold, imaginative and world-leading university.”
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NEW DELHI: People with job cards assigned under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Guarantee Scheme will be able to get work without disruption when transition takes place to new rural employment framework under Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act.Even though exact timeframe is not known yet, rural development ministry officials said the VB-G RAM G scheme will come into force in the coming financial year after the Centre frames and notifies the rules. After govt notifies the Act’s commencement date, states will get six months to make their schemes to enable implementation of the law.To ensure there is no disruption and job guarantee is upheld during transition from MGNREGA, it has been proposed to enable workers to use the same job cards issued under MGNREGA with Aadhaar-based eKYC.The officials said that as of now, around 75% of job cards have been verified with eKYC under the ongoing scheme. Moreover, ongoing projects under MGNREGA, if incomplete when the transition happens to the new scheme, would stay on course.Meanwhile, work is on to frame rules, lay out regulations on normative allocations, fund flow plan, IT framework, a national-level steering panel and social audits.Under the new law, focus will be on transparency to weed out leakages and duplicacy of work,the social audit system will be strengthened, and technology leveraged to create systems to establish work progress, timely wage payment and accountability through ‘e-measurement’ books, sources said. Demand for work will have to be entered on a digital platform. Officials made it clear the new law in no way interferes with demand-driven character of the scheme.
Business
Gurugram Attracts Rs 86,588 Crore In Real Estate Investments In 2025 As RERA Clears 131 Projects
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Alongside rising investments, Gurugram RERA strengthened regulatory oversight to safeguard homebuyer and investor interests
Gurgaon Real Estate (Representative Image)
Gurugram emerged as one of India’s top real estate investment destinations in 2025, with projects worth Rs 86,588 crore receiving regulatory approvals during the year, according to data from the Gurugram Real Estate Regulatory Authority (Gurugram RERA).
Market observers said the numbers reflect strong investor confidence in the NCR’s largest commercial and residential hub.
Gurugram RERA registered 131 projects in calendar year 2025, representing development potential of 35,455 units across housing and commercial segments.
A striking feature of the data was the dominance of large-ticket projects. Just 28 major developments accounted for investments worth Rs 59,360 crore, highlighting the growing influence of institutional capital and large developers in shaping Gurugram’s property market.
Residential assets continued to attract the bulk of investment interest. Of the total units approved, 31,455 were residential, underscoring sustained end-user demand and long-term confidence in the city’s housing fundamentals.
According to Authority data, the residential mix included 17,405 group housing units, 5,720 mixed land use units, 4,040 residential floor units, 2,122 affordable group housing units, 1,954 units under the Deen Dayal housing scheme, and 214 residential plotted colony units.
Market observers said this diversified supply pipeline indicates capital deployment across both premium and mass segments, helping reduce concentration risk and deepen market resilience.
On the commercial side, Gurugram RERA approved about 4,000 commercial units, of which 168 were dedicated to IT parks, reinforcing Gurugram’s position as a preferred hub for technology firms and Global Capability Centres.
Analysts noted that the combination of office-led employment growth and residential expansion continues to make Gurugram attractive for long-term capital deployment.
Industry experts said the scale of investments approved in 2025 highlights Gurugram’s ability to attract capital despite global uncertainty, supported by infrastructure growth, a strong corporate base and an improving regulatory environment.
“With a large pipeline of approved projects and sustained interest from developers and institutional investors, Gurugram is expected to remain a key real estate investment destination in the coming years,” a Gurugram-based real estate expert said.
Tighter regulatory checks
Alongside rising investments, Gurugram RERA strengthened regulatory oversight to enhance transparency and safeguard homebuyer and investor interests.
“These steps included stricter scrutiny of developer submissions, mandatory site inspections by domain experts, and public consultation through mandatory notices before project registration,” an Authority official said.
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January 16, 2026, 07:44 IST
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National Startup Day highlights India’s thriving startup ecosystem, celebrating innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation driven by founders, unicorns and Startup India mission
National Startup Day 2026 honours Indian startups, entrepreneurs and innovators driving economic growth and job creation.
National Startup Day 2026: India’s startup ecosystem has evolved into one of the world’s most vibrant and promising innovation hubs. To recognise the contribution of entrepreneurs, founders and startups transforming ideas into impactful solutions, National Startup Day is observed every year on January 16 across the country.
Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2022, the day celebrates visionary entrepreneurs who play a crucial role in economic growth, employment generation and technological advancement.
National Startup Day serves as a reminder that innovation, backed by determination and policy support, can reshape society and create global impact.
National Startup Day 2026 Theme
The official theme for National Startup Day 2026 is yet to be announced. However, the core focus areas are expected to revolve around:
- Innovation and emerging technologies
- Entrepreneurship and leadership
- Self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat)
- Startup India Mission
- Youth empowerment
- Job creation
How Startups Are Shaping India’s Future
India currently ranks as the third-largest startup ecosystem globally, with over 1.59 lakh startups recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) as of early 2025. Backed by 100+ unicorns, the ecosystem continues to grow rapidly.
Metro cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi-NCR lead this expansion, while Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are emerging as new innovation centres, adding diversity and scale to India’s entrepreneurial journey.
Startups across fintech, edtech, health-tech, e-commerce and deep-tech are addressing real-world challenges and gaining global recognition. Technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain and IoT are increasingly driving innovation, according to Startup India ecosystem reports.
Industry-Wise Startup Impact
DPIIT-recognised startups have generated over 16.6 lakh direct jobs across sectors as of October 31, 2024, strengthening India’s employment landscape.
- IT Services: 2.04 lakh jobs
- Healthcare & Life Sciences: 1.47 lakh jobs
- Commercial & Professional Services: 94,000 jobs
Through the Startup India initiative, the government continues to focus on skill development, funding access, ecosystem collaboration and global outreach.
Key Initiatives Under Startup India
- Capacity building and mentorship
- Outreach and awareness programmes
- Ecosystem development events
- International exposure and global linkages
- Collaboration between startups, corporates and institutions.
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January 16, 2026, 07:00 IST
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