Directorate General of Training (DGT), MSDE, inks Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with BITS Pilani for incubation program for fostering entrepreneurship

New Delhi: In a bid to strengthen industry-academia partnership and promote entrepreneurship and hands-on skilling, the Directorate General of Training (DGT) inked an MoU with the Pilani Innovation & Entrepreneurship Development Society, BITS Pilani, for conducting innovation and incubation programs for NSTI students and make them future-ready. This collaboration is expected to create opportunities for start-ups.

“The collaboration between DGT and PIEDS (Pilani Innovation & Entrepreneurship Development Society) is a transformative step in bridging the gap between education and industry. We aim to combine the academic excellence of BITS Pilani with the robust training and skilling ecosystem of DGT. The aim is to equip youths with practical skills, fostering entrepreneurship and creating a future-ready workforce for the job market,” said Trishaljit Sethi, Director General Training, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

The partnership has two major components: The Innovation Challenge and The Open Incubation Program. They nurture the entrepreneurial mindset and help spot talent and sweep up creative thoughts to be successful startups.  The Innovation Challenge encourages NSTI trainees and alumni, featuring an Open Track for all participants and a Women NSTI Track that helps women pursue entrepreneurship and fill the gender gap in innovation. The Open Incubation Program is a 6-month grant-based initiative that covers ideation, incubation, mentorship, workshops, and funding to help participants scale their ideas. Projects supported by PIEDS are reviewed at the institute level, zonal level, and DGT level to identify innovations with high potential for recognition and rewards.

“The new trend underscores the value of hands-on training and job-oriented skills given by ITIs and NSTIs, which are known for skilling, practical training, and experienced faculty,” the DGT training said, amid the government setting out Rs. 60,000 crores for five years for overhauling hundreds of ITIs across the country in the last budgetary allocation.

The event observed that engineering students are keen to upskill themselves by joining skill-oriented programs, which indicates demand for job-ready, future-ready skills in the current job market. The partnership between DGT and PIED, BITS aims to integrate industry-relevant skilling into the curriculum and encourage stronger collaboration with industry for on-the-job training and apprenticeship, including dual training systems.

The partnership is set to address a unique phenomenon in India’s education and skill training landscape as the skill ecosystem is set to be overhauled, courtesy of multiple initiatives of the government with the support of the industry. The meet observed a phenomenon of reverse pathway where engineering students, postgraduates, and even diploma holders are enrolling in skilling programs like the Crafts Instructor Training Scheme (CITS) offered by various National Skill Training Institutes.

Prof. Arya Kumar, Dean of Alumni Relations, BITS Pilani, said, “The collaboration between PIEDS and BITS Pilani for promoting competencies and capabilities amongst skilled youth, especially women, will go a long way in giving momentum to the creation of startups, employment, and wealth creation for the nation.”

Head Alumni & PIEDS Society Sachin Arya also played a crucial role in setting up these entrepreneurial pathways for NSTI and ITI students for creation of a supporting excelling ecosystem. The DGT expects leveraging the industry connection and historic reputation of BITs Pilani to further spread awareness about ITIs and NSTIs among the student community and industry stakeholders. The tie-up will also create opportunities for start-ups and entrepreneurial ventures in order to enrich the skilling ecosystem of India.

The initiative aims to align skill training with industry needs by facilitating internships and apprenticeship programs to boost employability. The central government has been taking a slew of steps to make skilling a mass movement, and the recent inaugural QS World Future Skills Index report is a testament to the efforts of the government, which said that India is one of the world’s most-ready job markets to recruit talent skilled in the key areas, such as that of AI, digital, and green technologies.