Various educationists appreciated the government of Maharashtra for its contribution towards the skill development. Maharashtra has topped the list of states in terms of progress in skill development. The government has been successful in imparting skill-based training to 10 lakh people across 40 sectors since 2011. The state’s vision in terms of progress in skill development clearly indicates that there would not be a shortage of employment opportunities over the next decade. The target of the state government is to impart skill-based training to 45 million people by 2022. The state government is expected to generate better employment opportunities in the coming years with the help of private sector.
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Currently, India is facing an acute shortage of skilled workforce in various domains. According to statistics, the demographic advantage of India is predicted to last only until 2040. Therefore, it is time for the country to harness its demographic dividend for overcoming skill shortages.
HOD of Communication and Journalism at the University of Mumbai, Mr. Sanjay Ranade pointed that Polytechnic was one of the best options for the students as it ensured better employment opportunities. However, the demand for polytechnic courses started to witness a decline when the nation began to cater to Euro-American job markets. Employment in these fields requires higher and technical education. It was then many students craved for superficial degrees sacrificing skill training and development, he added.
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According to Ranade, the government is on track now. It must focus on developing polytechnics which create job creators instead of job seekers. He pointed that Maharashtra has given an impressive performance in terms of skill development.
The government of Maharashtra is not only supporting the modern sectors including Information Technology (IT) and Telecom but also giving more emphasis to traditional sectors like banking, apparels and textiles. The state government has signed MoUs with 61 private companies to promote skill development. Currently, the government is in process of approving tailor-made courses that will match the contemporary requirements of the market.