Skill, Industry Integration with Education Essential: Mahipal Dhanda

Vijay Gaur Channel Head - Delhi

SVSU hosts Haryana State Higher Education Council workshop on skill-based curricula and micro-credentials in higher education

Vice-Chancellors and academic representatives from universities across Haryana deliberate on integrating skills into higher education

Palwal: Shri Vishwakarma Skill University (SVSU) on Friday hosted a follow-up workshop on Skill-Based Curricula and Micro-Credentials in Higher Education under the aegis of the Haryana State Higher Education Council (HSHEC).

Inaugurating the workshop as the chief guest, Haryana Higher Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda said that integrating education with skills and industry is the need of the hour. He urged Vice-Chancellors and academic representatives from universities across the State to equip students with employability and entrepreneurial capabilities.

The Minister was accorded a warm welcome by Prof. Kailash Chandra Sharma, Chairman of the Haryana State Higher Education Council, and Prof. Dinesh Kumar, Vice-Chancellor of SVSU.

Addressing the gathering, Mr Dhanda said the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has made higher education more flexible and employment-oriented, and stressed that its provisions must now be implemented effectively at the grassroots level. "This alone will help India emerge as an economic superpower and achieve the goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047," he said.

Welcoming the Council's initiative, the Minister said skill education must be integrated into the academic framework of every university, which would enable Haryana's higher education institutions to gain recognition at the national level. He also reviewed the progress made by universities in implementing skill-based programmes and micro-credentials.

Dr Raj Nehru, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Chief Minister and the guest of honour, emphasised the need to improve the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education. He said Haryana's GER currently stands at around 33 per cent, and the target is to connect 50 per cent of youth in the 18-24 years age group with the higher education ecosystem. He added that industries increasingly value micro-credentials, making it imperative for universities to focus on them.

Prof. Kailash Chandra Sharma said the workshop was significant for ensuring compliance with the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines. The objective, he said, is to integrate internships and experiential learning with academic curricula. Calling upon Vice-Chancellors and academicians to embrace innovation and strengthen industry linkages, he remarked that institutions failing to innovate would fall behind. "Students should not merely possess degrees; they should be skilled," he added.

Prof. S.K. Gakhar, Vice-Chairman of the Haryana State Higher Education Council, observed that degrees alone are no longer sufficient in the present era and stressed the growing importance of skill-based education. He said Shri Vishwakarma Skill University has the potential to transform the direction of the entire National Capital Region (NCR) through its skill-focused approach.

SVSU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dinesh Kumar said skill programmes should be designed in accordance with the NEP and must incorporate provisions for micro-credentials, which can significantly enhance students' placement prospects. He reiterated that promoting skill education remains the University's foremost mission and thanked Prof. Kailash Chandra Sharma for facilitating the organisation of the workshop at SVSU.

Earlier, Prof. R.S. Rathore, State Project Director of the Council, presented the concept note and outlined the objectives of the workshop.

The Higher Education Minister and other dignitaries also visited the Centre of Excellence at SVSU and interacted with students showcasing their startups. Earlier in the day, Mr Dhanda inaugurated the University's newly constructed Conference Room, released the latest edition of the University's newsletter, Kaushal Samvad, and planted a sapling on the campus.

On the occasion, SVSU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dinesh Kumar honoured the chief guest, Mahipal Dhanda; HSHEC Chairman Prof. Kailash Chandra Sharma; Chief Minister's OSD Dr Raj Nehru; Vice-Chairman Prof. S.K. Gakhar; Prof. Deepti Dharmani, Vice-Chancellor, Chaudhary Bansi Lal University; Prof. Rajendra Anayat, Vice-Chancellor, Maharshi Valmiki Sanskrit University; Prof. Sanjay Kaushik, Vice-Chancellor, Gurugram University; Prof. Sudesh Chhikara, Vice-Chancellor, Bhagat Phool Singh University; Prof. Shri Prakash Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology; and Prof. Aseem Miglani, Vice-Chancellor, Indira Gandhi University, Meerpur, by presenting them with a statue of Lord Vishwakarma and a ceremonial shawl.

SVSU Registrar Suman Vashishtha presented mementoes to representatives from various universities and proposed the vote of thanks.

Among those present were Prof. Vikram Singh, Academic Dean; Prof. Jyoti Rana, Dean; Prof. Ashish Srivastava, Dean; Chanchal Bhardwaj, Director, IRA; and Shikha Gupta, Joint Director, ACD, who also interacted with delegates from different universities on issues relating to skill education.

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