India with its vast talent pool and skilled manpower is well positioned to drive global growth in coming years, Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said on Saturday.

Addressing a plenary session on “Aligning Education to Emerging Imperatives” at the B20 Summit India 2023, Pradhan also called upon the industry to strengthen its collaboration with academia and set out in detail the skilling requirements of the industry so that academia can help deliver the necessary outcomes.

Pradhan said the government is focused on making India an R&D hub and not just be a back-office for the world. “By strengthening educational institutions, incubators and accelerators, we are strengthening the research and innovation system. The government is focussed not only on “ease of doing business but also ease of doing research”, Pradhan added.

National research body

A National Research Foundation is being established to facilitate research at academic institutions, he said. On the National Education Policy (NEP 2020), Pradhan said that the NEP has Indian roots while also being futuristic, based on the knowledge of both Indian culture and new technology.  “With NEP, we are imparting cutting-edge skills and knowledge including courses in coding, AI, semiconductors and drone technologies. NEP has integrated skill development with the school curriculum from class VI onwards”, Pradhan added.

Pradhan also highlighted how Indian institutes such as IIT-Madras and IIMs continue to make a mark on the global stage. In particular, the Minister noted the trend of IITs going overseas and setting up campuses in foreign countries. 

He noted that the greater well-being of the world has been a cardinal philosophy for India in all its discussions in the G20 forum. “India’s progress and growth is not only for its own people but for global good. It is for Vishwa Kalyan (well-being of the world)”, Pradhan said. 

Rapid progress

India is making rapid progress in four dynamic sectors and areas — energy; agriculture and food security; medicines and healthcare and digitisation. 

Referring to the commitments of net-zero emission by 2070 and sourcing of 50 per cent of its energy requirements through renewables by 2030 is “undeniably a bold step”. “We wish to showcase a model of development, especially for the emerging economies. When the global discourse is sustainability and often marred by posturing, India is ready to take a clear stand and ready to walk the talk”, he said. 

“India is future-ready and poised to drive global growth. India’s macro-economic fundamentals are very strong and despite global headwinds, India is amongst the fastest growing economies in the world. India is now the fifth largest economy with the potential to become the third largest in the next three years”, he said.

Referring to the start-ups, Pradhan highlighted that India is the third largest start-up ecosystem in the world with over 100 unicorns. “ Not only metro cities, India’s startups movement today is driven by tier-2 and tier-3 cities and towns”, he said.

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