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India Today
9 hours ago
- Business
- India Today
14 Delhi government school students set to begin vocational training in Germany
Fourteen students from Delhi government schools are all set to embark on a transformative journey to Germany as part of the APAL Project 2025. This international initiative, led by Germany's Federal Employment Agency (BA), offers selected students a unique opportunity to undergo dual vocational training that combines academic learning with real-world industrial students will spend between three and three-and-a-half years in Germany, gaining hands-on skills and classroom instruction in various technical fields. The programme is designed to boost their employability and equip them with globally recognised a special ceremony held at the Delhi Secretariat on Thursday, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Education Minister Ashish Sood felicitated the students. CM Gupta praised the group for their dedication and perseverance, noting that their achievement stands as a powerful example of what is possible despite economic challenges. 'These young individuals have shown that determination and hard work can overcome all barriers,' she said. 'Their success is a testament to our government's ongoing mission to provide quality education and international exposure to students from all backgrounds.'The APAL Project-short for Ausbildung Programme for Auszubildende in Deutschland aims to strengthen global partnerships in vocational education. The programme not only bridges academic and practical training but also promotes intercultural exchange and long-term career Minister Ashish Sood highlighted the broader vision behind the initiative. 'This collaboration between the Delhi and German governments focusses on enhancing skills and employment opportunities,' he said. 'Once the training is completed, these students are expected to secure jobs in their respective trades.'He further noted that the initiative aligns closely with the national Skill India mission launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking a progressive step in creating a skilled, future-ready students' selection under this prestigious programme signals a growing emphasis on practical, globally relevant education and represents a promising path forward for many more young learners in Delhi.(With PTI inputs)- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
M3M India advances ESG and digital inclusion goals, reaches 4.8 Mn across India
As Indian enterprises integrate ESG priorities and digital inclusion into long-term strategy, the role of corporate-led foundations in enabling grassroots development is gaining renewed relevance. Against this backdrop, the M3M Foundation backed by M3M India has announced that its initiatives have reached 4.8 million individuals across 22 states and 85 districts—through long-term programmes in education, employability, healthcare, and community impact aligns with national efforts such as the Digital India mission, which seeks to promote digital access, skill development, and service delivery in rural and underserved regions. With ESG reporting frameworks now placing greater emphasis on social indicators like education equity, rural skilling, and digital access, enterprises are expected to move beyond CSR optics toward measurable, collaborative outcomes. The Foundation's interventions include enabling first-generation learners, providing academic scholarships, establishing skill training centres , and improving access to clean water and healthcare. More than 600,000 students have benefited from its education initiatives . During the COVID-19 pandemic and recent natural disasters, the Foundation facilitated the distribution of over 21 million meals as part of its emergency response. Its operational model—built on partnerships with over 40 government departments, civil society groups, and local institutions—emphasizes continuity, local ownership, and alignment with public policy, rather than short-term relief-based interventions. A growing mandate for business, technology, and ESG leaders Recent data from the India ESG Alliance (2025) indicates that over two-thirds of large enterprises are now incorporating community impact and digital inclusion into their sustainability disclosures. The M3M Foundation's work reflects this trend, offering a case study in how corporate-linked entities can co-create social and digital infrastructure alongside the state. As businesses adopt more integrated ESG approaches, the expectation is shifting—from one-time contributions to sustained, systems-led engagement that supports national goals like Digital India, Skill India, and inclusive growth. The evolving model positions business not just as an enabler of innovation, but as a long-term partner in building social resilience.
Economic Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Skills ministry launches AI programme for school students
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The ministry of skills development and entrepreneurship, on Tuesday, launched a national level initiative SOAR (Skilling for AI Readiness) aimed at embedding AI awareness and foundational skills among school students (classes 6–12) and building AI literacy among educators.'The programme seeks to bridge the digital divide by ensuring equitable access to AI education across geographies, thereby supporting the national agenda of inclusive, future-ready skilling,' the ministry said in a statement issued to mark the 10 years of Skill India Mission SOAR comprises three progressive 15-hour modules for students—AI to be Aware, AI to Acquire, and AI to Aspire—and one independent 45-hour module for teachers titled AI for program introduces concepts such as AI basics, generative AI, AI in daily life, programming fundamentals, ethics, cybersecurity and future career the occasion, Jayant Chaudhary, minister of state (independent charge), MSDE, said his ministry, through the National Skills Development Corporation , has mobilised $14.4 million through Skill Impact Bond (SIB) to transform how skilling is financed, with a clear focus on employment the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) operationalized its advanced digital enterprise portal (DEP), officially named KaushalVerse and launched its revised comprehensive guidelines for the recognition and regulation of assessment agencies, 2025.'This state-of-the-art platform has been developed to streamline and democratize the core regulatory functions of NCVET, ensuring efficient, transparent, and responsive service delivery in the skill ecosystem,' the ministry guidelines mark a significant step forward ensuring standardized, transparent, and outcome-based assessment across the country, it the revised guidelines for the recognition and regulation of awarding bodies, 2025, were unveiled to align with the evolving education and employment ecosystem and the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Credit Framework (NCrF).'These guidelines accentuate the integration of vocational education into mainstream systems, promoting flexible, multidisciplinary learning pathways,' it added.
Hans India
4 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
30 pc STEM graduates likely to join AI-enabled workforce
A clear shift from traditional learning to dynamic, AI-led skilling that prioritises adaptability, innovation, and real-world problem-solving. Home to one of the world's largest pools of STEM graduates, India's strength is now evolving into a digital edge. With over 25.5 lakh students graduating from the STEM field each year, the opportunity to build a future-ready, AI-enabled workforce has never been more promising. Of these, an estimated 30 per cent are expected to take up roles directly linked to AI by the end of FY26, highlighting how AI is becoming core to India's future of work strategy. Even as the country marks 10 years of the Skill India Mission, its ripple effects are being seen right from urban campuses to small towns where youth are equipping them with practical, job-ready skills like - AI/ML engineering, cybersecurity, and cloud engineering Hans News Service New Delhi About 30 per cent of students in India graduating from the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields are likely to join the artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled workforce by the end of FY26, according to a report. The report by talent solutions company NLB Services highlighted how AI is becoming core to India's future work strategy. It noted a clear shift from traditional learning to dynamic, AI-led skilling that prioritises adaptability, innovation, and real-world problem-solving. 'Home to one of the world's largest pools of STEM graduates, India's strength is now evolving into a digital edge. With over 25.5 lakh students graduating from the STEM field each year, the opportunity to build a future-ready, AI-enabled workforce has never been more promising,' said Sachin Alug, CEO, NLB Services 'Of these, an estimated 30 per cent are expected to take up roles directly linked to AI by the end of FY26, highlighting how AI is becoming core to India's future of work strategy,' he added. Even as the country marks 10 years of the Skill India Mission, its ripple effects are being seen 'right from urban campuses to small towns where youth are equipping themselves with practical, job-ready skills like - AI/ML engineering, cybersecurity, and cloud engineering,' Alug said. In addition, India is projected to require 1 million AI professionals by 2026, which underscores the urgency of this trend, he stated. Moreover, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are emerging as new entrepreneurial potential, where young Indians are not just job seekers but also job creators. They are leveraging AI tools to launch businesses, solve local challenges, and participate in the global economy. To fully unlock this potential, we must double down on inclusive, accessible skilling models and invest in strong public-private partnerships, Alug said. The report noted that the journey from Skill India to a $10 trillion digital-first economy hinges on empowering every young Indian with the tools to lead and not just participate in the future of work.
Malaysian Reserve
4 days ago
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
the^delta prize launches ₹5.25 crore national challenge to power local foodpreneurs and advance India's women-led development goals
BENGALURU, India, July 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — the^delta prize has launched the aahaar bazaar challenge, a ₹5.25 crore nationwide incentive competition to unlock the potential of India's home-based women food entrepreneurs and help them grow thriving, revenue-generating businesses by tapping into local and regional market demand. The challenge is granted by State Street Foundation, the philanthropic arm of State Street Corporation. This mission aligns closely with India's national priorities on women-led development, particularly the government's Lakhpati Didi initiative, the PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme, and efforts under Digital India and Skill India. Together, these aim to strengthen the economic agency of women, especially in rural and low-income urban communities. India's packaged food market is expected to grow from USD 2.8 billion in 2023 to USD 6.4 billion by 2029, driven by consumer appetite for healthier, artisanal, and locally rooted products. Yet, despite producing high-quality, regionally significant food products from their homes, most women entrepreneurs remain locked into subsistence-level operations, often earning less than ₹4,000 a month and selling only within a 2 km radius. Over 90% of women-owned businesses in India generate under ₹10 lakh annually, keeping them outside the fold of even 'micro' enterprises by formal standards. The aahaar bazaar challenge, spanning over 18 months, seeks to change this by identifying and backing scalable, technology-first solutions that empower home-based women foodpreneurs to improve business readiness, achieve compliance, upgrade packaging, increase digital visibility, and access new customer segments across local and regional markets. 'There's already a strong entrepreneurial spirit among many women in India, and these women are not waiting to be empowered,' said Kanishka Chatterjee, Managing Director of the^delta prize. 'The problem is not aspiration; it's access. These women are running viable businesses from their kitchens. With this challenge, we're creating conditions for recognition, revenue, and resilience by enabling them to move from invisibility to economic inclusion, while fueling India's broader vision of women-led development.' The challenge offers a total prize purse of ₹5.25 crore to reward impactful tech models that can unlock income growth and long-term business viability for thousands of home-based women food entrepreneurs. 'At State Street Foundation, we believe that access, when coupled with the right tools, networks, and know-how, can shift the trajectory of livelihoods for home-based women entrepreneurs in India. Our grant support to the^delta prize on the aahaar bazaar challenge is rooted in that belief. By backing solutions that expand market access and enable sustained revenue growth, we aim to support thousands of these women 'foodpreneurs' to move from the margins to meaningful economic inclusion, on their own terms, and at scale,' said Joan Christel, President, State Street Foundation. Beyond financial rewards, the aahaar bazaar challenge provides access to a powerful support ecosystem including ACT Grants, Acumen, IIMA Ventures, Villgro, RangDe, Mann Deshi, GAME, Frontier Markets, PRADAN, LEAD at Krea University, Nasscom Foundation, The Udaiti Foundation, Udyogini, Sauramandala Foundation, Aapti Institute, i-Saksham, iSPIRT, Project Potential, Navgurukul, deAsra, and The/Nudge Institute. The challenge is also guided by a distinguished advisory council comprising Chetna Gala Sinha, Founder of Mann Deshi Foundation, Gayathri Vasudevan, Chairperson of LabourNet, Rituparna Chakraborty, Co-founder of TeamLease, and Sharad Sharma, Co-founder of iSPIRT Foundation. Participants will also benefit from mentorship by Dhiren Kanwar, Founder of Zaad Ventures, a veteran in the retail and food innovation space, who will guide scale-up and branding strategies. Applications are now open to solution providers across domains such as food-based marketplaces, packaging, retail intelligence, logistics, compliance tech, and small business services. To learn more and apply, visit: About the^delta the^delta enables entrepreneurs to create social impact at scale. Through our incubator, accelerator and grand challenges, we provide capital, mentorship and ecosystem support to early-stage, livelihoods-focused, impact-first entrepreneurs. Learn more at PR Contact:Name: Preyashi Roy Email ID: Photo:
