New Delhi: According to Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), India would account for at least 25% of the estimated 100 crore additional jobs the world economy expects to see in the next 20 years.

In his keynote speech at a FICCI event held in the nation’s capital, he emphasised India’s potential to become a talent nation. He pointed out that the country, with its growing young population, is positioned to become the global hub for talent.

Reportedly, the fiscal years 2014–24 saw the development of up to 12.5 crore employment, a four-fold increase over the roughly 2.9 crore jobs produced between 2004 and 2014.

The Chief Coordinating Officer of the AICTE, Dr Buddha Chandrashekhar, highlighted the importance of academia in converting knowledge into valuable applications and pushed for a thorough skill survey to pinpoint skill gaps and adjust education appropriately.

According to Mayank Kumar, co-founder and MD of upGrad and chair of the FICCI New Education Providers Sub-Committee, the government has implemented several innovative initiatives to accelerate skilling and propel India’s workforce onto the international stage. These include the SIDH (Skill India Digital Hub) platform and the Skill Loan Scheme.

More than 200 ed-tech industry leaders, including academicians, vice-chancellors, deans, CEOs, and CXOs, participated in the event.

Furthermore, the future of education in the digital age was discussed at the conclave.

Reportedly, next week’s Union Budget will concentrate on creating jobs and boosting consumption by increasing funding for agriculture, welfare programmes, and the rural economy, emphasising PMAY and MNREGA.