NSDC signs MoU with VTU to establish skill hub centres

Bengaluru, Jul 11 (PTI) Bridging the gap between academia and industry, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding Thursday in Bengaluru.

According to NSDC, the partnership aims to establish skill hub centres in 150 colleges affiliated with VTU and set up centres of excellence in select engineering colleges.

The idea is to enroll about 240 students from each college in the Future Skills programme of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna, the flagship scheme of Skill India Mission.

Speaking at the event, Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO of NSDC and NSDC International said three years ago when NSDC was started, the idea was to do away with the disconnect between vocational and general education.

“Post Covid, how the global companies recruit has changed and mere degree is no more the key,” he added.

According to him, the partnership between VTU and NSDC is very important as it will integrate advanced skill programmes into the academic framework.

“This collaboration enhances the employability of India’s youth while fostering a culture of innovation and excellence. It empowers them to lead in fields such as AI, machine learning and robotics, driving the future of technology and industry,” said Tiwari.

S Vidya Shankar, vice chancellor of VTU said as part of the collaboration VTU students will have the opportunity to participate in the ‘hack to hire’ hackathon where they can tackle AI-based problem statements and compete for job opportunities with some of India’s most innovative startups.

“This partnership between NSDC and VTU marks a transformative step towards a more integrated and skill-oriented education system, setting a new benchmark for higher education and workforce readiness in India,” added Shankar.

NSDC, a public-private partnership enterprise, working under the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship, is tasked with the creation of a skill ecosystem in the country. It provides support to enterprises, startups, companies and organisations that are creating an impact by offering a world of opportunities in futuristic skills to the potential workforce. PTI JR ROH