September 2022 - upGrad Campus

EMI Options with upGrad Campus

 

When it comes to your career, there should be no room for hesitation. Which is why upGrad Campus has several flexible modes of payment, so you can take a step towards your dream worry-free.

You can easily apply for an educational credit facility and clear it with pocket-friendly EMIs in no time. We have listed our Third Party Credit Facilitators with an Auto-Debit process so that you can make an informed decision as you invest in your career.

No Cost EMIs on Credit Cards

This process  is applicable for you in case you have the credit cards associated with the following banks:

  1. Kotak Bank 
  2. HDFC Bank 
  3. Axis Bank 
  4. ICICI Bank
  5. RBL Bank
  6. American Express
  7. CITI Bank
  8. IndusInd Bank
  9. HSBC Bank
  10. Standard Chartered Bank
  11. Yes Bank
  12. Bank of Baroda
  13. Federal Bank
  14. IDFC First Bank

(Please note: Diners Club, American Express and Business Cards are NOT applicable for credit card EMI’s). If your credit amount exceeds INR 30,000 then you can avail a tenure of 9 months, 6 months and 3 months (without any interest) and for an amount less than INR 30,000 you can avail a tenure of 6 months and 3 months without any interest.

These are the Third Party Credit Facilitators available for the No Cost EMI process in upGrad Campus and all

The below mentioned Third Party Credit Facilitators will have an Auto-Debit process.

With Auto-debit, you give the Third Party Credit Facilitators  permission to automatically debit the EMI amount from your bank account on the given due date.

Fibe

Fibe

Fibe, earlier known as Early Salary, provides credit facilities for young working professionals enrolling for upGrad Campus for a tenure of 3, 6 or 9 months. A task usually fulfilled by family, relatives or friends, Fibe provides a feasible alternative for young people to arrange for educational costs. Please note: if you opt for a credit amount that exceeds 30,000 – you have the option to pay it in 9 months at an interest rate of 3%

Fibe’s Eligibility Criteria

  1. Applicant age should be 21 years or above if the applicant is salaried and 23 years if the applicant is self employed. 
  2. If the applicant is a working professional, the salary should be above INR 15000. If applicants are self-employed, the income should be above INR 25000/- per month.
  3. Fibe also checks the applicant’s CIBIL Score. The CIBIL Score is derived from the applicant’s Credit history. Fibe requires a minimum CIBIL Score of 650 points and above. 
  4. Other details are also verified like, Name, Date of Birth, Profession,Location and PAN details. This is done by a “Share Code” system, where a code is sent to the applicant to take consent for applying for a credit facility . The “Share Code” has to be shared with the agent to initiate the credit facility process.

Once the eligibility is confirmed, the candidate will have to submit their KYC documents. This is an important step in the credit facility application process. The documents needed to be submitted are as follows:

  • Photograph (facing the camera, without spectacles, scarf, and headphones).
  • Aadhar Card front and back (photo and numbers should be clearly visible)
    • In case of blur/duplicate copy the applicant must download a password protected digital copy of Aadhar Card from UIDAI website.
  • Pan Card with signature or digital Pan card.
    • In case of blur/duplicate copy the applicant must download a password protected digital copy of PAN Card from NSDL website.
  • Bank statement/ Salary Slip with bank details for the past 3 months in case of NTC.
  • For self-employed applicants, providing Income Tax  Returns (ITR) is mandatory.

Note: 

✔A processing fee of INR 200 will be charged upon completion of the credit facility process, which will be divided into 3 or 6 equal EMIs and will be debited along with the actual EMI amount.

✔The EMI amount will be auto-debited from the applicant’s account shared at the time of completing the credit facility process.

✔In case of any discrepancies, Fibe may ask you to submit additional documents for KYC.

✔If the earlier eligibility criteria is not met, the candidate must ask another co-applicant to apply for their credit facility. 

✔If the credit facility is activated during the first half of the month, say 1st May to 20th May, the due date to pay the first EMI will fall on the 5th of the immediate month, i.e. 5th June. If the credit facility gets activated during the second half, say after 20th May, the due date will fall on the next-to-next month, i.e., 5th of July.

Propelld

Propelld

Propelld is a financial institution that focuses solely on providing educational credit facilities to students in partnership with educational institutions through a fully digital credit facility process. Taking on the mantle of family, friends and relatives who normally sponsor further education, Propelld comes to the rescue of learners by arranging for their education costs.

Propelld has partnered with upGrad Campus as a Third Party Credit Facilitator to offer credit facility to young professionals pursuing the upGrad Campus Certification course for a tenure of 3 months to 9 months. 

Propelld’s Eligibility Criteria

  • Applicant’s age should be 21 years or above if the applicant is salaried, and 23 years if the applicant is self-employed. 
  • If the applicant is a working professional, the monthly income should be above INR 15,000. If the applicant is self-employed, the monthly income should be above INR 25,000.
  • Propelld also checks the applicant’s CIBIL Score. The CIBIL Score is derived from the applicant’s Credit history. Propelld requires a minimum CIBIL Score of 750 points and above.

Note: If the above eligibility criteria are not met, the candidate must ask another co-applicant (Blood Relation) to apply for them. 

KYC process

Once the eligibility is confirmed, the applicant will have to submit their KYC documents. These include:

  • Photograph (facing the camera, without spectacles, scarf, and headphones)
  • Aadhar Card front and back (photo and numbers should be clearly visible)
    • In case of blur/duplicate copy the applicant must download a password-protected digital copy of the Aadhar Card from the UIDAI website
  • PAN Card with signature or digital PAN card
    • In case of blur/duplicate copy the applicant must download a password-protected digital copy of the PAN Card from the NSDL website.
  • Bank statement/ Salary Slip with bank details for the past 3 months in case of NTC.
  • For self-employed applicants, providing Income Tax Returns (ITR) is mandatory.

Note:In case of any discrepancies, Propelld may ask you to submit additional documents for KYC.How it works

1) Once your credit facility application has been approved, these following steps need to be completed:        

  • Digital Agreement signing
  • ENACH process (more on this explained below in Final Steps)
  • Processing fee payment
  • Video verification

2) You will be charged 1% processing fee and 18% GST for the credit facility process – to be paid during the post-approval steps.

3) The EMI amount will be auto-debited from the applicant’s account shared at the time of completing the credit facility process.

4) If the credit facility is activated during the first half of the month, say 1st May to 20th May, the due date to pay the first EMI will fall on the 4th of the immediate month, i.e. 4th June. If the credit facility gets activated during the second half, say after 20th May, the due date will fall on the next-to-next month, i.e., the 4th of July

Zest Money

Zest Money is a Fintech company that has streamlined the entire credit facility process and made it completely mobile-friendly. They have a 3-step fast approval process which offers credit facilities on 0% interest. Any interest charged during the EMI payback period will be refunded as cash back to the shared bank account at the time of KYC.

Please note that the interest will be credited to the account that was used to make the EMI repayment.

With the minimum age criteria starting from 20 years (if you’re salaried) and 23 years (if you’re self-employed), Zest Money is the perfect option for final-year and post-grad students to apply for an educational credit facility.

 

At the time of registration, the applicant must provide certain details like Name, Email Address,

Phone number, Area pincode.

 Zest Money’s Eligibility Criteria

  • The applicant age should fall between 20 to 65 years.
  • For working professionals, average monthly salary should start from minimum INR 13,000 and above and for self employed applicants the minimum income should be INR 25,000.
  • The applicant shouldn’t have any repayment defaults or bounce payment charges in their bank statements. 
  • Their Applicant Aadhaar has to be linked to their phone and they should have a Net Banking User ID and Password.

Zest Money’s KYC requirements include:

  • Last 3 months of Bank Statement.
  • PAN card copy
  • Aadhar Card
  • Live Selfie

If these criteria are met the Applicant opts for Zest Money.

How it works

Once you register on the official website, you will be assigned a credit limit. The process of paying back the credit is completely online (Auto-debit) with EMI options. 

Like Fibe, Zest Money too follows a Fixed EMI due date pattern. So if the credit facility is activated between 1st May and 15th May, the EMI due date will fall on the 5th June. If the credit facility is activated between 16th May and 31st May, then the EMI due date will fall on the 5th July.

A processing fee of 1% with 18% GST will be charged on the first EMI Payment Date.

The AXIO Digital Private Limited process 

Formerly known as the Walnut 369 Process, this “Buy Now Pay Later” system offered by Capital Float (a Fintech platform) is applicable with Razorpay.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • The applicant must have a minimum cibil score of 650 and above.
  • The applicant age needs to be 23yrs and above.

Documents Required:

  • PAN Card
  • Aadhar Card

In order to use their services, you would have to submit certain documents, including PAN Card and Aadhar Card (Aadhar has to be linked to your Phone Number). The link for this process will be available in your offer letter.

To start the credit process with AXIO an OTP will be generated to the registered phone number with Aadhar and then the applicant must enter the OTP in order to continue the Credit facility Process with AXIO Digital Private Limited.

Final Steps for Loan Disbursal

Final Steps for Loan Disbursal

Once you have applied for your credit facility successfully, with all necessary paperwork in order, your Credit Facilitator will release a Mandate that has to be filled as a registration procedure for Auto Debit. For Fibe the mandate process is called Smart Re-pay.

Mandates are standing instructions that you, as an account holder, give to a bank authorising them to debit money from your account and crediting it to another institution on a periodic basis.

 

Auto Debit

This Payment option automatically makes recurring payments on your behalf. Our platform supports several mandates to simplify this payment process. We have listed below the various Mandates that may be applicable for you. The Mandates applicable for you depend solely on your Third Party Credit Facilitator.

ENACH

E-mandates are payment solutions built to simplify the process of recurring payments for financial institutions and companies that accept EMIs. E-mandates are built on the already existing payment model NACH. NACH stands for National Automated Clearing House.

To complete the E-sign Mandate process you can use the following:

  • API Mandate (Applicable for Fibe, Zest Money, Eduvanz, AXIO)

API stands for Application Programming Interface. Using this process you can complete your E-sign Mandate, via either Net Banking or your Debit Card. 

  • Aadhar-based OTP (Applicable for Fibe, Zest Money)

Using this option you can authenticate your mandates, using an Aadhar based OTP. You would require your Aadhar Card and Bank account to be linked to your Phone number.

Using API Mandates or Aadhar based OTP, you give your respective Bank authority to Auto Debit your account every month for recurring payments.

  • UPI Mandate (Applicable only for AXIO)

If you have opted for the AXIO process you have the option to use UPI Mandates as well, to set up Auto Debit for recurring payments. You must have a bank account linked to any UPI platform and ensure that you keep that account sufficiently funded every month for the payment to get processed without a hitch. To go forward with this option applicants must enter a valid UPI id of their respective UPI apps (like Google Pay, PhonePe, etc.). Once that is entered, a request will be sent to their UPI id that the applicant must approve.

 

Documentation required for E-mandates
E-mandate signed form. This will be given to you by the credit facilitators directly.
– Pan Card 
– Netbanking or Debit Card
– Aadhar Card which should be linked to your Phone Number

PNACH (Applicable for Fibe, Eduvanz)

PNACH stands for Physical National Automated Clearing House. In cases where candidates are unable to complete the E-sign Mandate process they will be offered a physical form to complete the Auto Debit process.

Reach out to us

Reach out to us

As you sign up for one of our courses, we hope these details on all our Third Party Credit Facilitators prove helpful to you and make the process of applying for an educational credit facility a hassle-free process.

However, if you have any further queries, please feel free to connect with us at campus.admissions@upgrad.com

We’ll be more than happy to assist you.

 

Which are the Best Programming Languages for Beginners to Learn First?

Programming and coding for beginners especially, seems like a daunting task for most, however it doesn’t have to be. Taking it slow and starting with any one of these top programming languages will definitely help you start your journey as a programmer smoothly. 

In this blog, we will cover several such languages you can start your IT career with. There are several considerations you must take into account before you start learning any programming language. 

You should consider what level you would like to start at and the difficulty of the language you choose. You must also consider why you are picking up a programming language. Are you looking to build Mobile Apps or develop software? Knowing your end goal is important before you make a choice.

But first, let’s understand the various programming languages out there.

What is a programming language?

What is a Programming Language?

A programming language is the way developers communicate with computers. In order to get a computer to perform a particular task or for it to control an external device, we need to communicate using machine language. 

To put it simply, a program is a set of rules written in a programming language, in order for a computer to execute a particular task.

What are the different levels of programming languages?

There are three main levels of programming languages. They are Machine Language, Assembly Language and High-level Language. 

Machine language is closer to what computers work with and is therefore easier for machines to understand. But these are not understood by human beings easily.

Assembly languages are slightly easier to understand by people. In assembly languages, computer language is converted into English commands and numbers. Before the Assembly code is executed however, it is converted back into machine language by an Assembler.

High-Level Languages are almost entirely based on English syntax and numbers. Most High-level languages are scripting languages. This means that they aren’t converted back into machine language right until the very last moment when the code has to be executed. These kinds of languages are much easier to understand for programmers and developers. Most high-level languages need compilers for their instructions to be converted into machine language.

Different types of Programming Languages

Different types of Programming Languages

We can still further classify programming languages into:

  • Object Oriented Programming Languages, or OOP, are taught and used by most programmers. OOP relies on the use of Objects and Classes. To put it simply, OOP runs on these reusable blueprints of code (Classes) that are used to make different objects that mimic the real world. Examples of Object Oriented Programming Languages would include Java, Javascript, C, C++ and Python.
  • Logic Programming Languages are based completely on facts and rules. To compute logic, there must be a base of facts and knowledge. This base is known as Predicates. These predicates are used to create queries. Most Logic Programming Languages are based on queries which are further based on facts. For example, this is what Logic Programming looks like – F is true if D1, B2, and E3 are true. 
  • Procedural Languages follow a set of orders or commands chronologically. They make use of functions, conditional statements, and variables to build programs that the computer uses to calculate and display the wanted outcome. Some Examples include Pascal and FORTRAN. 
  • Functional programming binds everything together with pure mathematical functions. They are designed in a way that can handle complex symbolic computations. Some famous examples of functional programming include – Lisp, Python and Haskell.
  • Scripting Languages, use a high-level construct and they interpret and execute one command at a time. These languages are easy to understand and execute for programmers. Some examples include C and C++.

Now that you have an idea of the different kinds of coding languages, it brings us back to the original question, what coding languages should beginners learn?

We have listed our top picks for you!

Coding and Programming Language for Beginners

Coding and Programming Language for Beginners 

Python

Python is a free, open-source programming language that has extensive support modules. It is easy to integrate with web services, making it popular for machine learning and deep learning.

Python for beginners especially is the easiest to pick up and is one the most popular programming languages out there today. It is based entirely on English syntax. Instead of having to start with complicated syntax rules, you can directly start learning Python because it reads like English itself. So you get coding experience, without having to worry about small rules that are important in other languages.

Python is also majorly in demand! Since it can be used for web development, graphic user interfaces (GUIs) and software development, recruiters are always on the lookout for Python programmers. 

And for good reason too – Python was used to build Instagram, Youtube and Spotify.

Java

Java is an object-oriented programming language that is widely used for almost all types of software development and web applications. It is a high-level language making it easy to understand. 

The defining principle of Java is “written once run anywhere”, meaning that, once written, it can be executed on any device and can work across platforms. This is why Java programming is a very important skill, highly coveted by recruiters. 

Apart from this, Java programming was used to build the foundation for the Android operating system. It is also used in software development for iOS. Java is also used in the back-end development for Amazon, Google and Twitter.

A major pro about learning Java is its large online community, you can always receive help if you ever have any queries. 

However, it is important to note that Java programming for beginners is slightly more difficult to grasp, compared to Python.

C++ & C Programming for Beginners

C was the first programming language that all other programming languages were based on, making learning C programming almost fundamental. Once you learn C programming, you can easily pick up any other programming language. C and C++ were one of the most popular languages back in the day. C has a flexible and efficient memory management system, making it ideal to build the UNIX operating system. 

If you learn C programming, it will become very easy for you to pick up C++ as well. C++ was built as a more advanced version of C as a system programming language. Both languages are used extensively in Computer Science and programming. 

A key difference between C and C++ is that C is a procedural language whereas C++ is an object oriented programming language.

Both C and C++ are regarded as high-performance languages. They are used extensively in places where developers want to target the performance of a certain program. 

This is why most video games and intensive applications like Adobe and Mozilla Firefox, make use of C or C++.

How to learn coding online?

How to learn coding online?

Now that you know about the various programming languages, let’s get to work. How can you learn the programming language of your choice?

Back in the day, lack of options and facilities usually meant that people had to opt for Computer Science classes and invest a lot of money to learn programming. However, that isn’t the case anymore. 

Now with the advent and advancement of computers, we can easily learn coding online. Through online tutorials, study materials and other available resources. In fact, you don’t even need to search that far when it comes to the most popular programming languages. 

upGrad Campus has a course made especially for you! Watch out for our Essentials of Programming course which explains in-depth concepts for C, C++, Java, Python and Data Structures. You get to practice these with hands-on examples and apply the learnings to real-world problems.

We hope this article aided you in your decision about which programming languages to learn first. 

If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments section below.

A guide to your first payslip

We all get thrilled at the prospect of earning our first salary, but we often forget to consider the technicalities mentioned in the fine print of our offer letters. At least until we are presented with our first pay cheque and it’s too late to rethink our salary structure.

It’s safe to say that as we enter the next phase of adulting and start our careers, we must take a good look at the fine print of our offer letter and salary slip. 

So read along so that you can be thoroughly prepared and give a resounding “Yes!” when you inevitably land your first job.

Don't (Salary) Slip up

Did you know that it is compulsory for employers to provide a salary slip to their employees? 

Under the Minimum wage Act (1948) –A wage slip in Form XI shall be issued by every employer to every person employed by him at least a day prior to the disbursement of wages.” 

But why is it important for you to receive your salary slip, you ask? There are a couple of reasons.

Firstly, your salary slip acts as a legal proof of wage for you. It also provides a legal proof of association with the employer or the firm you work for. You require proof of wages especially when you’re applying for loans of any kind.

Secondly, your payslip also contains a complete breakdown of your salary, including all the deductions made on it. It can help you evaluate the amount you have to pay in taxes. Furthermore, it will help you estimate your tax refunds if any.

And lastly, your old salary slips can be used to negotiate a better offer with any new organisation you’re planning on working with.

What your payslip looks like

What your payslip looks like

Your salary slip, as you can see, comprises 2 main sections – Earnings and Deductions

We will look into each of these in detail, but before we go any further however, there is one term you should be familiar with.

CTC stands for cost-to-company. Your CTC won’t be mentioned on your payslip, but you will hear the word thrown around a lot during your salary negotiation. It is important to know that your CTC is not the same as what you will get in-hand.
Income or Earning side

All these components make for your total Earnings on the payslip.

  • Regular or Basic Earnings

    As the name suggests this component is the base of your salary. It should make up for around 35-50% of your total earnings. It is the fully taxable component of your earnings, and is subject to income taxes. Your employers will usually keep your Basic salary to a minimum, so that you don’t end up overpaying your taxes.
  • Overtime

    You probably already know what overtime stands for. It’s the compensation an employee gets for working past the determined work hours. Most companies have fixed overtime rates on a per hour basis. Make sure you are aware of what your overtime pay will amount to before you put in all those extra hours!
  • Dearness Allowance

    DA is given to match the high costs of living. It is fully taxable as well and makes part of your take-home pay. DA varies in different places, depending on how high the inflation is over there.
  • House Rent Allowance

    HRA is meant to compensate for your rent, only if you’re renting a house at the time. It typically comprises 50% of your pay in large metropolitan cities where rent is high, whereas 40% is more typical in smaller cities. The maximum you can claim is based on the extent of your actual rent however, since it is an reimbursement. 
  • Medical Allowance

    A lot of established companies provide their employees with Medical Insurance. You can claim this allowance by supplying the company with proof of a medical treatment needed during your employment.
  • Conveyance Allowance

    Also known as Travel allowance, this component makes up for all your travel expenses, between your home and office. It forms a part of your take-home salary and is not taxable until a certain limit. 
  • Variable Component

    Most jobs split a portion of your Salary into Fixed and Variable. The variable is given as an incentive or bonus to motivate their employees to deliver consistent good work. It is also based on your performance. 
  • Other Allowances

    Any additional allowances given to employees is mentioned here. For example, some companies offer meal coupons that get added here. 
Deductions

Like the Earnings side, the Deductions side is also made up of a few components:

  • Provident Fund (PF)
    PF is the mandatory contribution an employer or employee makes towards the employee’s pension. By law an employer must deduct 12% of the basic salary every month. The employer must then submit a similar amount towards the employee’s PF. Your PF is an investment and gains interest every year and is meant for post retirement purposes. It is also completely exempt from further taxation.
  • Gratuity
    Gratuity is a form of thanks an employer gives their employees. It is deducted from the basic salary and added to the Gratuity fund. Employees can claim this amount, however they need to complete a tenure of 5 years to be eligible.
  • Professional Tax
    Most states in India tax this amount from self-employed or salaried employees and it is collected by the Government of India. It is an allowance paid towards the State Government to practice your profession. It differs from state to state, however the maximum amount payable is Rs.2500/- per annum. 
  • Income Tax or TDS
    TDS stands for Tax Deducted at Source. The income tax is the final deduction made to your Salary after considering all the exemptions that apply to the respective Tax Slabs individuals fall under (e.g., if your annual income is less than Rs. 2.5 lakhs, then you won’t be charged an income tax. If it is between Rs. 2.5 lakhs and Rs. 5 lakhs, you will be charged 5%).

    You can reduce the amount paid as income tax by declaring your investments and tax saving portfolios like various insurance policies, provident fund or any loans taken. 

That makes up the total of the deductions made on your Salary. 

Not quite done yet

We’ve covered all the important aspects that you should know about, but to give you a clearer picture, let’s take a look at the additional components as well. 

Under the Earnings and Deductions, your Net Pay after all the necessary calculations will be displayed, along with the Authorised Signatory and Company Stamp.

Understand that there your salary slip format will differ slightly according to the organisation you work for, however the main components should remain the same. 

We hope this blog helps you prepare you for the Job World and helps you negotiate better for your first salary. 

If you have any queries or any notes to add, leave them in the comments below.