Tata Group partners Centre to set up skilling institutes, will invest Rs 300 crore

In the quest to make India the skill capital of the world, the Union government is setting up a number of Indian Institutes of Skills (IIS), which it says will be world-class skill training centres in line with reputed educational institutes like Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institution of Management (IIM), with first-hand learning facilities from internationally renowned existing skill institutions.

The Union minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, laid the foundation stone for the first Indian Institute of Skills in Mumbai yesterday, which the government says will provide skill training in highly specialised areas to students who want to pursue technical education after completing Class X and Class XII, making them employable and industry ready for India and the global market.

Also present at the inauguration were Amarjeet Mishra, MoS status vice-chairman of Maharashtra Film, Stage & Cultural Development (MFSCDCL); Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chairman, Tata Sons; AM Naik, chairman, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Group Chairman, Larsen & Toubro;  and KP Krishnan, secretary, MSDE and other senior officers of MSDE.

Tata Education Development Trust (TEDT) was selected as the private partner for setting up an IIS at NSTI campus in Mumbai through a competitive bidding process. The Tata Group is investing around Rs 300 crore in the 4.5-acre campus that aims to bring best-in-class infrastructure and facilities to students. The Institute envisions 5,000 trainees will graduate  every year with 70 percent placement opportunities.

The Union Cabinet had given its nod to set up IIS in three locations of the country — Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Kanpur — to provide a fillip to the Skill India Mission. The institutes will be constructed and operated on a PPP (public-private partnership) model and in not-for-profit basis.

Envisaged as world-class skill training centres imbibing best practices from internationally renowned existing skill institutions, the institutes will facilitate learnings and trainings through strong industry connect in both public and private sectors. The courses in this institute will include modern training methodologies using digital and augmented learning platforms. It is also an important step towards promoting apprenticeship-embedded courses and offering higher order qualifications leading up to certificates, diplomas and even degrees in conjunction with universities.

Inaugurating the institute, Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, said, “The concept of Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) was envisaged by the prime minister Narendra Modi when he had visited the Vocational Education and Training Centre in Singapore. It will aspire to earn a similar reputation, stature and world-class infrastructure to cater to the demands of the international market and modern requirements. Just like how we are now being known for ‘Make in India’, soon we will be known for ‘Skilled in India’ as well."

"The driving force behind setting up a state-of-the-art training institution like the IIS's is to help candidates equip themselves with marketable skills. There is a need to build a skilled workforce equipped with the required skillsets to meet the demand of Industry 4.0, powered by technology like automation, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Cyber Technology and Energy Conservation among others. The skill scenario is changing world over, and these institutes will keep us competitive. The setting up of the institute in Mumbai will also cater to aspirations of the youth of Maharashtra eager to become a part of the new-age industrial economy,” he added.

As part of the understanding, the government has provided land to the private partner for a period of 25 years for the institute, with comprehensive project reviews every five years mapping performance outcome.

Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chairman, Tata Sons said: "Tata is privileged to be a part of a project conceptualised by the prime minister himself. Jobs are critical for economic growth and with the current demographic dividend, skill development is the appropriate solution to get the youth productively employed."

Chandrasekaran added that India needs to ensure that the latest market relevant skills are imparted to make the youth ready for jobs of the future.

Image courtesy: Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey/ Twitter