Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Thursday, 22 May 2025

MU ties up with polytechnic institutes

 MU ties up with polytechnic institutes to start 14 courses to boost job prospects

Extract from the article:
The University of Mumbai is poised to launch a pioneering initiative beginning with the 2025-26 academic year, introducing skill-based courses aimed squarely at arts students—a demographic traditionally distanced from vocational training. These courses include practical, employment-relevant skills such as solar panel installation, electrical work, and web development. This initiative reflects a progressive response to the glaring employability gap faced by arts graduates in today’s competitive job market. Instead of limiting education to theoretical knowledge, the university’s plan focuses on empowering students with tangible skills tailored to current industry demands, enhancing their prospects of meaningful employment.

This shift stems from both a governmental recognition and institutional acknowledgement that conventional academic degrees often fail to bridge the divide between education and employability, especially in non-technical streams. Through this integrated curriculum extension, the University of Mumbai is attempting to democratize vocational training by making it accessible to all students, not just those in STEM or commerce fields. The emphasis on solar panel installation signals a strategic alignment with sustainable energy sectors, electrical skills cater to core infrastructural development needs, and web development addresses the pervasive digital economy, collectively reflecting a diverse skill-set designed for future resilience.

My Take:

A. National Skills University: Virtual Is the Future of Vocational Training
Reflecting on my blog from 2021, I had already underscored the critical need to integrate skilling with formal education to meet burgeoning workforce demands. I wrote, “Despite all efforts, Indian youths entering the workforce are NOT inspired enough to undertake skilling. They prefer to pursue University Courses rather than Skilling Courses.” Today’s move by the University of Mumbai validates this premise by offering arts students what was previously the domain of technical education: vocational skills.

What strikes me is how prescient the government’s roadmap was—to skill 15 million individuals over 5 years and introduce mechanisms like Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). The Mumbai initiative complements these broader efforts by targeting the very strata that had traditionally been overlooked. This reflects a holistic approach that I originally advocated: not merely skilling but mainstreaming skilling as a key pillar of academic curricula, ensuring youth don’t merely graduate—they graduate employable.

B. Skill Courses Planned to Make Graduates Employable
Back in 2019, I engaged with the idea of skill hubs proliferating across India, questioning the practicality and scalability of such initiatives. The need to reskill 60 lakh graduates yearly seemed daunting, and I proposed a “much better/faster/cheaper alternative” via a reimagined Earth Mission, underscoring speed, breadth, and affordability.

The University of Mumbai’s targeted skill courses echo those very principles. By embedding skill acquisition within existing university frameworks, the approach inherently reduces the extra cost and time burden on students and institutions alike. As I had argued, making skill-building a natural extension of academic programs rather than a separate adjunct makes adoption more seamless and scalable—a tangible step closer to that vision I nurtured years ago.

C. Skill Capital of the World: Walking the Talk
Recently, Maharashtra’s launch of new Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) dedicated to global placement epitomizes the state’s commitment to craft a skilled workforce aligned with international standards. Adding foreign language training to meet the manpower needs of non-English speaking countries was a masterstroke. I highlighted how this multidimensional approach could position Maharashtra as a global leader.

The University of Mumbai’s new courses dovetail elegantly with this narrative, emphasizing multidisciplinary, practical training that goes beyond generic skills to address specialized market demands—solar energy, electrical trades, and digital tech. I see a natural synergy here: institutional initiatives like Mumbai University’s courses prepare a robust feeder pipeline ready for placement in both national and international spheres. Today’s announcement is not isolated; it is a strategic overlay in Maharashtra’s larger skill capital ambition.

Call to Action:
To the University of Mumbai and other academic institutions across India, I urge you to accelerate this paradigm shift in curriculum design. Skill integration must extend beyond pilot courses to become a standardized feature within every faculty and discipline. Policymakers, collaborate closely with industry stakeholders to continuously calibrate course content to the evolving landscape of employability across sectors—from sustainable energy to digital economies.

Employers and private sector leaders: partner proactively to offer apprenticeships, internships, and real-world projects tied to these skill-based courses. This collaborative ecosystem is vital to transform graduates into workforce-ready professionals. The time to act is now—let us move beyond rhetoric and ensure skill acquisition becomes embedded in the DNA of higher education, especially for arts and humanities students historically sidelined in this discourse.

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.My-Teacher.in

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