TN poised to turn skill capital of SE Asia by 2025: ASSOCHAM study

As many as 585 engineering colleges and 650-plus arts and science colleges function in the state, creating a talent pool that can be absorbed across diverse industries, observes Vinod Surana, Co-Chairman, ASSOCHAM, after releasing a report here. ‘India – The Human Resource Capital’ is a research report by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), focusing on skill-development. Vinod says, “Despite being a top manufacturing state in India, we face significant industrial, economic and social uncertainty as economies move towards innovation, multi-disciplinary training, Artificial Intelligence and manufacturing 2.0 i.e. intelligent and interconnected equipment.” Noting that TN is at the threshold of the next stage, he said, “To retain its status as a top performing state, it looks to the education and educational institutions to help transition from a manufacturing, electrical and electromechanical computer and equipment driven economy to an economy led by automation, computing, data analytics and intelligent equipment.” 

TN’s vision 2023 specifically speaks about training and developing the skills of about 20 million people in the next seven years. The focus is on the middle and bottom of the pyramid where about 72 million people are being targeted. The vision further emphasises improving accessibility to education. The government lays increasing emphasis on technical skills, multidisciplinary education and application of knowledge while acknowledging the academic excellence present in this part of the country, he said. The ASSOCHAM report shows that if companies optimise the time, money and energy spent on training its new recruits to make them employable, the gross domestic product (GDP) can grow by at least .75 to 1.5 %, Vinod said. “Our research also shows that it is vital for academia and industry to move beyond collaboration – towards integration: a model where key representations of the industry and academia are embedded in each other to pursue higher quality R&D, patentability, productivity pedagogy, placements and publication at the educational institutions,” he elaborated. Citing the example of recently concluded multi-billion-dollar fighter contract whereby 30 to 40% offsets are to be procured or produced in India, Vinod said, “The Indian industry is grappling with the issue of lack of skilled manpower – technical and management, which is preventing the easy and early absorption of sophisticated technology and manufacturing processes.” 

The Central government has been promoting programs like Make in India, Design in India, Digital India and Start-up India to position the country as a global destination in manufacturing services and education, he said. But to achieve a long-term sustained growth rate of 10%, he underscored the vital role that educators and educational institutions had to take up. “This goal is achievable and possible when all stakeholders coordinate, cooperate and integrate,” Vinod said, pointing to the national policy for skill development. Apart from several initiatives to encourage entrepreneurs who contribute to the overall growth, he said the National Educators Policy speaks of main-streaming of vocational education. Keeping in line with this, TN speaks of the PPP or the public private partnership model at the district-level. ASSOCHAM, which is regarded as India’s knowledge chamber has been called upon to represent the industry’s interests and requests before any high-level expert committee of different ministries. “Our research reports and analysis is relied upon by the PMIO, CMDs and ministries at the central and state levels. ASSOCHAM has played a key role in formulation of policies on education, skill development at the central level. Our recommendations are being considered by the state governments as well,” sums up Vinod.