CabSec seeks programmes in colleges to build an advanced Indian economy

The Cabinet Secretariat has directed major rural, agriculture, social and welfare ministries to design programmes in universities and colleges that would build a youth movement towards making India an advanced economy.

 

The instructions focused on youth, universities, technical and industrial training institutes and agricultural universities and also proposed process reforms and deregulation in the pharmaceutical sector, keeping the dynamic scientific environment in view.

 

It also called upon the ministries to identify gaps in rules, regulations, processes and systems to facilitate reforms in them.

 

Sources said the directions have also been issued to prepare a model for increasing employability and upskilling opportunities for ITI students and rejigging the method of granting them degrees.

 

 

The ministries and departments were also encouraged to use domestic digital, AI and messaging platforms like Zoho, Sarvam, Arattai, etc., to ensure the safety of government data.

 

The letter follows a high-level meeting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with secretaries of major social, agriculture and rural ministries.

 

Sources said the secretaries have also been told to map demand for skilled human resources in various sectors and accordingly impart skill training to meet global demand, for example, by linking the northeastern states to Japan.

 

In addition, they have also been told to provide training in soft skills and digital technology so that youths can get employed in other countries.

 

The secretaries were told to place more emphasis on developing more construction companies capable of executing complex projects and on developing capacity to manufacture heavy and complex machinery and equipment in the country.

 

With an eye on the 2036 Olympics, the secretaries were told to encourage schools and colleges and even younger children to showcase their achievements in various sports competitions and events at various levels.

 

“Those who will participate in the 2036 Olympics are at present in the age group of 5-10 years and are in schools,” the Cabinet Secretary said.

 

On agriculture, the participating secretaries were directed to examine the syllabus in agricultural universities in different parts of the country to ascertain whether it is in accordance with the requirements of the agro-climatic zone of the region or whether a general or common syllabus is being followed.

 

They were also directed to expand irrigation facilities with certain conditions (e.g. excluding water-intensive crops) for crop diversification.

 

Also, students of agricultural universities could be trained and engaged in related schemes, such as installing solar panels on the boundaries of fields for additional assured revenue for farmers, the directive said.

 

The officials, according to sources, were also told to engage senior citizens as mentors in ITIs by paying them an honorarium, similar to the approach of professors of practice in the NEP.

 

“Similarly, it may also be explored whether final year engineering students can volunteer for 2-3 months on honorarium basis in ITIs for sharing advance technical knowledge. Syllabus of ITIs also to be reviewed,” the directive said.