NITI Aayog preparing vision document for 2047; education to play key role in it: CEO NITI Aayog

• Working to achieve target of half a million foreign students coming to India for higher education by 2047 as per NITI Aayog’s draft document • Need to focus on revamping educational system to ensure students are industry ready

NEW DELHI : Mr BVR Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog today stressed that we would like to see more and more foreign students coming to India for higher education. “NITI Aayog is preparing a vision document for 2047 and education has a separate role in it. One of the important points in this include that by 2047 we aim to target half a million foreign students in India. We should become the global provider of education by improving our quality, brand value and improve our rankings which are globally recognized,” he added.

 

Addressing the 18th edition of ‘FICCI Higher Education Summit 2023’, Mr Subrahmanyam also asserted that there is a need to create more educational cities in India. He further urged the private sector to further expand the higher education eco-system in the country and ensure more international students are attracted to India along with encouraging domestic students also to study in India. “We need to be more innovative in the higher education sector. We need to focus on revamping the educational system so that the students are industry ready,” he emphasized.

 

Highlighting the importance of newer technology impacting the higher education sector in India, Mr Subrahmanyam added, “Technology is going to blow up the higher education sector. The universities have to embrace AI in a big way to stay relevant and competitive,” he stated.

 

Speaking on the youth, Mr Subrahmanyam further stated that students are the future of India and will play a key role during India’s journey in the Amrit Kaal. Universities will invariably play a huge role in developing the right thought process of the students. The Indian universities, higher educational institutions have a period of 25 years to exploit the potential of India’s demographic dividend, he added.

 

Dr Vidya Yeravdekar, Chair, FICCI Higher Education Committee & Pro-chancellor, Symbiosis International University said that higher education sector requires the support from not just the Ministry of Education but other ministries and think tanks including NITI Aayog to build a conducive eco-system. We aim to cultivate an ecosystem that fosters a conducive environment for both teaching staff and researchers in university campuses. This ecosystem will embody the identity of the high-quality Indian higher education system, she added.

 

Mr Shailesh K Pathak, Secretary General, FICCI said that that our country’s future will depend on the productivity and skill-readiness of our youth and workforce. This in turn will depend on the quality and supply of excellent higher education, incorporating technological change. “The National Education Policy 2020 has a very effective blueprint for higher education in India,” he added.

 

Mr Ashutosh Gupta, Country Manager, LinkedIn India said that India is home to the world’s largest youth population. It is more than just a demographic advantage, but it is a reservoir of untapped potential ready to redefine global talent dynamics.

 

Prof Souvik Bhattacharyya, Co-Chair, FICCI Higher Education Committee and Senior Vice President, TCG Crest delivered the vote of thanks.

 

FICCI-EY knowledge report ‘Transformation of Indian Higher Education: Strategies to leapfrog’, was released during the inaugural session.