NDTV World Summit: The Viksit Bharat 2047 initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasizes the importance of equipping the youth with skills for employment. At the NDTV World Summit, Ravneet Pawha, CEO and Vice President of Deakin University, along with Dr. Payal Kanodia, Chairperson and Trustee of the M3M Foundation, talked about the partnership between international and Indian universities to improve skill development in India and equip the youth for employment opportunities.
Ms. Ravneet suggested that merging Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) with global universities could steer the nation toward a developed Bharat.
"If we concentrate on grouping ITIs and IITs while focusing on a single skill area, such as the green revolution, and select five ITIs for global collaboration, we can implement a new curriculum, leverage technology, and guide the youth to enhance their skills for future employment opportunities."
She further explained that India's challenge lies in the mismatch between the graduation rates and the requisite skills and education provided to students. "The issue in India is that we produce more graduates lacking the necessary skills and knowledge, making them unprepared for jobs."
Dr. Payal Kanodia highlighted the importance of offering jobs that are ready for the future, with a strong emphasis on technology to ensure the youth are prepared for the workforce.
"Jobs that are future-oriented and technology-driven are crucial today since they will equip the youth for the demands of the future." Dr. Payal said.
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Ms. Ravneet established the first foreign university in India and is dedicated to promoting women's empowerment in Pune, collaborating with five institutions from India and overseas while emphasizing digital marketing.
"We are working in collaboration with an educational institution in Pune, focusing on 200 villages with an emphasis on women's empowerment. This initiative involves partnerships with two universities from the UK, one from the US, two from Australia, and our own institution." she said.
Adani Cement, via its FutureX initiative-a program aimed at providing students with hands-on learning experiences, insights into research and innovation, and chances to enhance their employability and entrepreneurial abilities-has made a significant advancement towards India's goal of Viksit Bharat 2047.