ET Digital UP Conclave: Educational institutes must consult experts to prepare curricula to suit market needs
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To make college students job-ready, colleges must regularly consult industry experts and design curricula to match market needs.
In a panel discussion titled 'Skilling UP – Building a Future-Ready Workforce' in the second edition of the ET Digital UP Conclave on Friday, experts highlighted the stark employability gap.
The discussion set the stage for a crucial national conversation on what kind of skills will truly prepare our youth for the future.
Principal secretary, labour & employment, MK Shanmuga Sundaram focused on the disconnect between education and industry.
"Almost half of college graduates are not job-ready. Colleges should regularly consult industry experts and make necessary changes in the curricula to cater to market needs.
Educational institutions must become active feeders into the industrial ecosystem," he said.
"Curricula must evolve. Institutions must prepare students to work with AI tools while building real-world problem-solving abilities," Sundaram said.
Secretary, irrigation and water resources, GS Naveen Kumar said, "AI can replace consultants but not plumbers."
Kumar explained how AI was being used in governance to flag inefficiencies and track progress in minutes — tasks that once took consultants weeks.
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He, however, warned that AI was not foolproof as it could "hallucinate or produce inaccurate results".
"The real power of AI lies in using it wisely — alongside human expertise, not instead of it," he said.
He likened the current shift to earlier digital transitions —from SMS to WhatsApp — and called for a similar leap in vocational education.
Principal secretary, vocational education and skill development, Hari Om said that skilling should be rooted in Uttar Pradesh's economic realities, where many still rely on agriculture.
"
The state upgraded over 200 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), adding courses in electric vehicle repair, robotics, CNC machining, and laser cutting, while continuing to teach essential trades like plumbing and electrical work. We are not just building workers, we are nurturing entrepreneurs," he said, underscoring the importance of self-reliant, skill-based livelihoods in competitive job market.
India launched Glance AI, an AI-native commerce platform by InMobi, marking a major step in tech leadership.
Announced at the ET Digital UP Conclave, Global SVP, chief corporate affairs & public policy officer at InMobi, Subi Chaturvedi said it was a turning point for Indian innovation.
Designed to personalise shopping with cultural and AI intelligence, Glance AI reflects India's shift from tech user to global creator. "The state is playing a key role in driving digital revolution. With Glance AI, India isn't waiting for future but building it," Chaturvedi said.
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