The HRD Minster Dr. M.M. Pallam Raju asked the industry to participate more vigorously with government in skill development. Speaking at a conference on Government public initiative for skill building in information technology and telecom sector in New Delhi today, he said we have to provide necessary skill to one crore twenty lakh youth joining the work force every year to take full advantage of demographic dividend. He said that Industry has to contribute in achieving the target of skilling 50 crore youth by 2022. 

Stressing the need for putting skill in education, he said we need to periodically revise curriculum to make it more industry friendly. Dr. Raju said, it will also enhance the employability of our youth and their income. Speaking on the occasion the Communication and Information Technology Minister, Shri Kapil Sibal said there has to be a paradigm shift in our education sector following fast paced technology changes. He said skill requirement cannot be adequately met through usual university system. Asking for a tripartite system for skill developmen , Shri Sibal said that skill development system needs to work closely with all the sectors of the economy to meet their peculiar requirements. Pushing for PPP model the Minister said the country has to be ready for cyber space. Speaking on the occasion, Secretary (Higher Education) Shri Ashok Thakur said that all the centrally funded Institutions, right from IIT to polytechnique, will have to co-opt the community colleges to meet skill development at the community level by the end of current five year plan in 2017. Expressing satisfaction over development in community colleges area, he said funds have been released to 120 community colleges this year. The Secretary said Universities have started implementing National Vocational Education Qualification Framework (NVEQF) guidelines and they will work with 200 medical colleges for skill development. 

An MoU was also signed between All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and NIELIT – National Institute of Electronics and Information and Information Technology on the occasion to establish a new specialization under the IT/IITs sector of NVEQF namely NIELIT certified IT professional (NCITP). Under NCIPT, the NIELIT O & A level courses are proposed to be aligned to level 5 and level 7 of NVEQF. 

The one day conference was organized by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) of Department of Information and Technology.

Source: Press Information Bureau