100 Cr. New Workers In The Next 20 years; Making India 25 % Partner Of Total Population: Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO, NSDC

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) successfully concluded its 1st FICCI Edtech Conclave last evening at FICCI Federation House, New Delhi. Under the strategic theme of building a more equitable and inclusive education and skilling ecosystem, the conclave united key stakeholders from the Ministry, Regulatory Bodies, Academicians, and industry leaders to shape the future of education in the digital age.

Shri Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO of National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Managing Director, NSDC International (NSDCI), delivered a keynote highlighting India's opportunity to become a talent nation. He said, “India is poised to be the talent capital of the world, with a burgeoning young population”.

Buddha Chandrashekhar, Chief Coordinating Officer, AICTE, emphasised the role of academia in translating knowledge into practical applications. Dr Chandrashekhar advocated for a comprehensive skill survey to identify skill gaps and align education accordingly.

Mayank Kumar, Chair, FICCI New Education Providers Sub-Committee and Co-Founder & MD of upGrad, highlighted India's demographic dividend and its potential to become a global economic powerhouse. He outlined the government's visionary initiatives, such as the SIDH platform and Skill Loan Scheme, designed to accelerate skilling and catapult India's workforce onto the global stage. Kumar also emphasized the emergence of Global Capability Centers in India as a watershed opportunity for the Edtech sector to empower the nation's human capital, drive economic growth, and cement India's status as a leader of innovation and progress.

Nitin Kukreja, Co-Chair of the FICCI New Education Providers Sub-Committee and CEO of Allen, underscored the importance of quality education beyond mere access in his keynote. He also emphasized the role of technology in enhancing teaching and learning outcomes. Mr. Kukreja highlighted the need for a holistic approach to student development, including mentorship and personalized learning, to ensure all parameters are met for a successful academic career.

The conclave featured a diverse range of experts, including Aditya Agrawal (Physics Wallah), Abhimanyu Saxena (Scaler), Vishal Makhija (AWS), Madhur Singhal (Praxis Global Alliance), Abha Maheshwari (Allen Digital), Amit Malhotra (Trobe University, Australia), Dipankar Chakraborty (University of Birmingham), Piyush Kumar (IDP Education), Piyush Bhartiya (Admirkard), Ankur Dhawan (upGrad), and Nishidhar R. Borra (AAERI) amongst others. These leaders engaged in impactful discussions, fostering a collaborative environment for knowledge sharing, partnership building, and driving innovation in education through technology.

The event saw participation from over 200 leaders in the Edtech space, including CEOs, CXOs, CTOs, Vice Chancellors, Deans, and academicians.