NAGPUR: “The workshop on industry academia collaboration aligned with the Skill India Mission is a step closer towards realizing our dream of making India the skill capital of the world,” said Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education. He made these observations while online inaugurating the workshop on “Industry-Academia Collaboration-Impediments & Imperatives” organized by IIT Kharagpur Alumni Foundation India on IIM Nagpur campus on June 26, 2022. Shri Pradhan congratulated IIT Kharagpur Alumni Foundation and IIM Nagpur for taking this initiative.
“This initiative of conducting such workshops will benefit youths, create new employment opportunities and contribute towards making a skilled and fit workforce. NEP 2020 has focused on collaboration between industry and academia and the need to skill our youth. Institutes like IITs and IIMs can set up a world-class skill center in collaboration with the industries. Efforts are required to skill our youth”, Shri Pradhan insisted.
”Today, collaboration between industry and academia is a critical component to catalyze an ecosystem with innovation growth”. “As per some experts, by 2025, the time spent on the current task at work by humans and machines will be equal. In such a fast-changing world we need a highly-skilled workforce. Our defence force also needs skilled and tech-savvy youth hence our government has come up with the ‘Agneepath scheme”, he added.
“In the last 70 years, India has done well in the field of education. However, the recently introduced New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has brought huge transformation in the education sector and it will continue to witness progress in the coming years,” observed Dr Bhimaraya Metri, Director IIM Nagpur, while delivering the keynote address on the occasion.
“The context is changing very often. The industry-academia collaboration is going to play a significant role as lifelong learning is the only way to survive in this constantly changing scenario. Perpetual learners will survive,” Dr Metri added.
Dr V K Tewari, Director IIT Kharagpur, was all praise for the ultra-modern campus developed by IIM Nagpur. “Earlier, there was a trust gap between the industry and academia. However, now the scene is gradually changing. The professors have to understand that industry functions at a fast pace and results need to be delivered quickly. You have to take risks and deliver, Dr Tewari felt. “Industry has no time so the academia too has to match that pace, ” he advised.
Dr Pramod Padole, Director VNIT Nagpur, Shri Varadu Seshamani, President IIT KGP Alumni Foundation, Dr Ranjit Rath, President Nagpur Chapter, IIT KGP Alumni Foundation also shared their views on the occasion. A tree plantation drive was also conducted. The formal inaugural function was followed by a panel discussion.