New Delhi, September 2023.

Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launched a 3-year partnership “Education to Entrepreneurship: Empowering a generation of students, educators and entrepreneurs” between Ministry of Education, Ministry Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Meta in New Delhi today. 3 Letters of Intent (LoI) were exchanged between Meta and NIESBUD, AICTE and CBSE. Minister of State for Education Smt. Annpurna Devi and Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar also graced the occasion.

Speaking at the event, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said that the initiative launched today is in furtherance to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of making India a skill capital of the world and empowering our AmritPeedhi.

He further said that ‘Education to Entrepreneurship’ partnership is a game-changer, which will take Digital Skilling to the grassroots. This will build capacities of our talent pool, seamlessly connect students, youth, workforce & micro-entrepreneurs, with futuristic technologies and transform our Amrit Peedhi into new-age problem solvers and entrepreneurs.

He stated that India’s democracy, demography, and diversity are to be connected with technology conversion so that technology becomes the equalizer for the entire society. Guided by the tenets of NEP, META’s partnerships with NIESBUD, CBSE & AICTE will catalyse infinite possibilities for equipping our population with critical digital skills and empowering micro entrepreneurs and small businesses, he added.

Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, in his address, highlighted the Government’s focus on preparing our youth and workforce in these rapidly transforming times, to be equipped with the skills to succeed and play important roles in the evolving landscape of technology and the global economy. Digital skills, while representing skilling and entrepreneurship in the innovation ecosystem, more importantly represents a bridge between lakhs of small rural, micro and self-employed entrepreneurs, enabling them to expand, grow and succeed, he added.

In a video message Meta President, Global Affairs, Sir Nick Clegg, thanked Shri Dharmendra Pradhan for his support in bringing the partnership together between the two most important sectors of the workforce, education and skilling. India’s talent base and rapid digital adoption make it the perfect place for us to invest in emerging technologies, he added. He looked forward to Meta’s contribution in empowering India’s students, young people and entrepreneurs, with significant focus on skill development for Indian startups and businesses, having worked closely with India during its G20 Presidency in areas such as education, job creation, skill development and user safety.

Under the partnership with NIESBUD, 5 lakh entrepreneurs will get access to digital marketing skills by Meta over the next 3 years. Budding and existing entrepreneurs will be trained in digital marketing skills using Meta platforms in 7 regional languages to begin with. Three short films were also showcased highlighting the details about the partnerships.

Secretary, Higher Education, Shri K. Sanjay Murthy; Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy, Shri Sanjay Kumar; Secretary, MSDE Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari; Chairman, AICTE, Prof. T.G. Sitharam; Chairman, National Educational Technology Forum NBA NAAC, Prof. Anil Sahasrabudhe; President, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Shri Subhrakant Panda and senior officials of the Ministries, AICTE, CBSE, National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD); Shri ShivnathThukral, Director, Public Policy, India and South Asia, Meta and Sandhya Devanathan as the Vice President of Meta India were also present.