India seeks diaspora help in innovation, skill development

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SME Times News Bureau | 10 Jan, 2014
Indian diaspora can play an important role in innovation and skill development with their fresh ideas and know-how, National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) chairman Subramanian Ramadorai said Thursday.

Addressing a session at the 12th edition of the annual diaspora meet - Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) - in New Delhi, Ramadorai urged the Indian diaspora to help drive innovation in skill development by bringing in ideas, models and collaborations from country of their residence.

He said the Indian government has taken a multi-pronged approach to address the issue of innovation and technology.

"On the one hand, an ecosystem has been set up involving Sector Skills Councils or SSCs for each domain. These SSCs are standardizing the competency framework for all job roles by creating occupational standards," he said.

"This will help streamline the technical education courses in the country.

"We have set up a central body called the National Skill Development Agency which has been tasked to harmonize and coordinate all skill development initiatives in the country," Ramadorai said.

Ramadorai said that innovation and technology can help in deliver training, make free content available for all, it cannot replace trainers but can certainly help in their capacity building. Technology can play the role of an enabler to reach out to the young population of the country.

While highlighting the engagement and exchange opportunities with Indian diaspora, Prof. Prasad Yarlagadda, Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane (Australia), said collaborative partnership between Australian and Indian higher education sector, collaborative research between Australian Indian Research organisations and collaborative Funding Schemes - Strategic Research can be some of the key areas.

"Innovation is about a unique idea and perseverance. Innovators can attract market share, the best people in the industry, improve the economy of the country and help in lifting the living standard of the people," said Birendra Dutt, chairman and CEO of APIC Corp. and PhotonIC Corp.