Parliament Question: Allignment of curricula with industry demands

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 514 ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026 Allignment of curricula with industry demands 514. Dr. M. Dhanapal: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) whether Government has evaluated how academic institutions' curricula and teaching methods are aligning with evolving industry demands that prioritise skills, adaptability and practical exposure over formal degrees alone; (b) if so, the details of specific reforms proposed to integrate work-based learning, project portfolios and AI-relevant competencies into campus programmes; and (c) the time frame envisaged by Government for rolling out such a curriculum and employability enhancement reforms nationwide? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR) (a) to (c): Government of India launched National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 with an aim for holistic development of students. NEP aims to transform and enhance the quality of education across the country with an objective to establish an education system that is inclusive, equitable, empowering learners to meet future challenges and contribute to national development. NEP lays emphasis on integrating skill development with mainstream education by embedding practical skills across school and higher education. All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, has undertaken a comprehensive evaluation of Technical Education curricula in most of the emerging areas and core engineering courses along with pedagogical practices to ensure alignment with evolving industry requirements. This evaluation has focused on shifting emphasis from degree-centric learning to skills, adaptability, hands-on exposure and industry relevance. Model curricula is developed in consultation with leading academicians (from Institutes of National importance), industry experts, public sectororganizations and research institutions. These curricula embed experiential learning, internships, multidisciplinary exposure and emerging technology competencies to meet current and future workforce needs. The model curriculum reduces credit requirements to allow for more flexibility and includes "Value-added" courses focused on employability. A key outcome of the evaluation is the requirement for mandatory internships (industrial/social) for students, providing direct exposure to real-world working environments. A dedicated portal connects students directly with industry partners for internship. AICTE has also launched Project PRACTICE in September 2025 that aims to shift focus from theoretical rote learning to hands-on project-based learning and industry-connected, skill-based training in AICTE approved institutions from tier-2/tier-3 cities. Further, AICTE has initiated several key reforms to integrate work-based learning, project portfolios and AI-relevant competencies into campus programmes. The key reforms include integration of Emerging and AI-Relevant Technologies in curricula, inclusion of courses and electives on Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Robotics, Cyber-Physical Systems, in alignment with industry engagement. To ensure that teaching methods evolve, AICTE mandates faculty training in pedagogy and has initiated a scheme called Faculty Industry Fellowship program, which allows faculty to work directly in industries for period of six month to one year to bring the updated practical knowledge into the classroom. Further, AICTE guidelines allow the appointment of industry experts as "Professors of Practice" to bridge the gap between academic theory and industry demand. The curriculum is updated to include AI, Machine Learning, Data Analytics and IoT to meet modern industry demands. A mandatory 3-week induction program is in place for first-year students to develop soft skills and mental adaptability. UGC has facilitated higher education institutions across the country to provide skill based education under National Skill Qualification Framework in Colleges and Universities through its scheme of Community Colleges, B.Voc Degree Programmes and Deen Dayal Upadhyay Centres for Knowledge Acquisition and Upgradation of Skilled Human Abilities and Livelihood (DDU KAUSHAL KENDRA). The Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have been allowed to offer full-time, credit-based programmes at the level of Certificate, Diploma, Degree and Research with multiple entry and exit options. The curriculum in each of the semester/year of the programme(s) is a suitable mix of general education and skill development components. The institutions offer programmes/courses in domain areas which have significant demand in the job market. UGC and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) have formulated guidelines for the introduction of Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programmes to be offered by Higher Education Institutions and Technical Institutions to provide practical exposure during the course of study expected with the aim to enhance competencies of the graduates and the employment thereof. In alignment with the vision of NEP, to enhance employability of the learners, the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with IIT Madras and eminent Industry Partners, has launched theSWAYAM Plus platform in February 2024. The platform offers 504 employability-focused courses. These offerings have been curated from 92 industry partners across more than 15 sectors, including Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Semiconductor Manufacturing, BFSI, Healthcare, Advanced Manufacturing, Management, Hospitality and Indian Knowledge Systems. The ‘AI for All’ courses have been developed by experts from IIT Madras for various domains such as biology, chemistry, accounting etc. These courses have received over 90,000 registrations in the first two batches. The Union Budget 2026-27 has announced setting up of a High-Powered ‘Education to Employment and Enterprise’ Standing Committee to recommend measures that focus on the Services Sector as a core driver of Viksit Bharat 2026-27, with a 10% global share by 2047. *****