Amitabh Kant , a well-known Indian policy leader, recently spoke about making India's education system better. He is currently the head of NIIT University . Earlier, he was India's G20 Sherpa and the CEO of NITI Aayog , where he started big projects like Startup India. Kant believes India needs to change how it teaches students so they are ready for future jobs and can come up with new ideas.
Making Education Ready for Jobs
Kant pointed out that even though many students get degrees, they find it hard to get jobs. This is because colleges often teach old subjects, but the world is changing very fast. New technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) , robots , and drones are changing how we work. Many new companies (startups) need people with skills in data science , machine learning , and AI analysis . But there are not enough skilled people for these jobs in India.
He said that higher education colleges must update their courses. They should teach skills needed today, such as courses in electric vehicles , green hydrogen , and advanced technology. This change is important for India to lead in technology.
Encouraging New Ideas and Startups
Kant strongly feels that colleges should push students to think creatively and solve problems from their first year. This helps students learn to ask questions and find solutions.
He wants to see more incubators (places that help new businesses) and a strong startup culture in all engineering colleges, not just the famous IITs. Professors should be allowed to guide students and even join their startups, owning a part of these new ventures. Finding money from big investors (like venture capital funds) for these startups is also key. This new way of teaching will make innovation and starting businesses central to learning.
More Freedom for Colleges
Changing course material can be tough because of existing rules. Kant suggested giving more freedom to universities and colleges. They should be allowed to create new courses and be more flexible. He believes that colleges linked to bigger universities should also get this freedom to innovate more easily.
Advice for Government Officers
For young people joining government service, Kant gave important advice. He told them to always be positive and look to the future. Most importantly, he said they should use data to make government work better (known as good governance). They should use real-time data to understand problems in their area, like a district. They need to set clear goals for things like education , health , and nutrition , and work to achieve them. Sharing this data with the public is also vital for good governance.
Foreign Universities Coming to India
Kant sees foreign universities coming to India as a good development. He said it means Indian students can get world-class education here instead of going abroad. He believes this will not harm Indian private universities. Instead, it will create healthy competition and improve the quality of education for everyone. Indian and foreign universities can learn from each other.
Advice for Young People Entering Work
Finally, Kant gave three key pieces of advice for young Indians starting their careers:
- Work hard: He noted that countries like Japan, China, and Korea became strong through hard work.
- Use technology: Technology helps people grow and do better in their jobs.
- Solve problems: Young people should look for challenges around them, such as waste, water supply, or improving learning outcomes. They should use technology to find quick solutions to these problems. Today, with data and AI , solving problems is faster and easier than ever before.
