TCS iON to provide digital support for NSDC Skill India campaign
The operations of Skill India – a scheme launched by the Prime Minister of India to promote skill development in the country – will now be endowed with Tata Consultancy Services’ dedicated Learning and Assessment platform TCS iON, after the firm signed a partnership with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).
Launched in 2015, Skill India is a comprehensive national campaign, launched with the mammoth objective of bringing 400 million people across the country up to a minimum level of skill by as early as 2022, primarily through nationwide training initiatives such as the ‘National policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship’ and the ‘Skill Loan Scheme.’
The flagship scheme initiative under the campaign, however, is the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (Prime Ministers Skill Development Programme, PMKVY), which lays emphasis on industry-specific development of skills, and incorporates mechanisms to assess the existing skill-level of the trainee – termed as recognition of prior learning (RPL).
For support with implementing PMKVY and the range of other initiatives, the executive division of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship – NSDC – has been engaging the services of leading consulting firms from across the world. Earlier this year, McKinsey & Company’s dedicated global skill development division – Generation – was called upon for a pilot project to train 5,000 individuals and ensure their eventual employment.
The NSDC has now signed a memorandum of understanding with India’s largest IT services firm by market capitalisation – TCS – under which the latter will offer the advantages of its extensive digital capabilities and considerable network of partners, alongside access to its specialised iON platform.
iON is a cloud-based platform that caters to the various segments in the education sector. For students, the platform offers a forum for collaboration, access to study materials, and the opportunity to get feedback. Instructors can use the technology to design courses and conduct tests and assignments. The platform also includes mechanisms for educational institutions and their administrative departments to send communication and aggregate content.
Commenting on the partnership, Managing Director & CEO of the NSDC, Manish Kumar said, “Today's skilling environment needs digital impetus to achieve volume and speed. Our partnership with reputed organisations such as TCS is a step towards accelerating the Skill India Mission. TCS, with its proven expertise in creating growth and transformation by leveraging technology, will support us to deliver impact at scale, which is directed towards making skilling progressive and inclusive for the country.”
V. Ramaswamy, Global Head of TCS iON added, “TCS is proud to partner with NSDC and participate in the mission of skill development of youth in the country. We have heavily invested in large-scale platforms, content, process, and infrastructure to deliver value to the youth of this country in a unique 'Phygital'* delivery model. We believe, this will help to redefine the country's skill mission for scale at speed.”
*'Phygital' is TCS iON's unique delivery model, and denotes the integration of physical assets with digital platforms.
