Hyderabad: Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy emphasized the significance of skill education and his ambition to establish Hyderabad as a centre for quality education. He announced that prominent figures such as Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen are expected to visit Hyderabad in December.
Reddy stated that the state government aims to leverage their expertise for investments, and skill enhancement, and to elevate the brand image of both Hyderabad and Telangana.
“We aim to establish Hyderabad as a prominent center for quality education, especially in skill development, and to compete globally, making Telangana a benchmark for technical skill training,” he stated.
Skill training program
During the launch of a skill training program designed for 10,000 engineering and non-engineering students to enhance their employability in the banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sectors, the chief minister reflected on his recent meeting with Ajay Banga during his trip to the U.S.
He expressed surprise to learn that Banga is an alumnus of Hyderabad Public School.
“He introduced me to Satya Nadella, Shantanu Narayen, and Azim Premji. These four leaders are at the forefront of global progress and lead renowned institutions and companies. This underscores the importance of educational institutions producing high-quality graduates, which is currently lacking in Hyderabad and Telangana,” Revanth remarked.
He noted that Nadella, Narayen, and Banga, all former HPS students, have shown interest in contributing to Hyderabad’s development.
Revanth’s warning to engineering colleges
The chief minister also issued a stern warning to engineering college managements, stating that their permissions would be revoked if they failed to produce quality graduates by enhancing teaching standards, and faculty, and addressing existing deficiencies.
He pointed out that institutions such as ISB, IIIT, Nalsar University, Osmania University, and JNTU are responsible for producing skilled students who attract multinational corporations to invest in Hyderabad and Telangana, as these companies find a workforce that meets their needs.
Speaking further, Revanth said that during his recent US tour, he and IT minister D Sridhar Babu extended invitations to Oxford and Stanford universities to establish campuses in the region.
Revanth set an ambitious goal of training seven lakh students over the coming years in a phased approach.
‘Critical gap between education, market demand’
He highlighted that while one lakh engineering students graduate annually in Telangana, along with two lakh non-engineering graduates, many struggle to find employment due to a lack of industry-relevant skills.
The chief minister emphasized the critical gap between educational offerings and market demands, asserting that this skill training initiative aims to enhance employability.
He also expressed concern over reports of engineering and degree students being involved in drug-related activities, stating that improving their skills and providing job opportunities is essential for steering youth away from such paths.
The chief minister also expressed deep concern over the recent emergence of engineering and degree students being identified as drug peddlers or ganja sellers in raids.
He stated, “The most effective way to steer youth away from drugs is to enhance their skills and provide them with job opportunities.”
He identified unemployment, stemming from a lack of market-oriented skills, as a significant factor contributing to the youth’s difficulties in securing employment.
“We have created 30,000 jobs and issued notifications for an additional 35,000 positions. However, even if we fill all two lakh vacancies in the government sector, the issue of unemployment will not be resolved,” he noted.
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