Industrial Economist (IE): Can you brief on the Naan Mudhalvan Scheme.
J Innocent Divya, (JID): Post the pandemic and lock down, there was a serious dearth of skills. In this fast-paced world, the gap between industry and academia is widening fast. It is expected to grow further in the future. To address this, the Naan Mudhalvan programme was instituted in 2022. It acts as a bridge, identifying and filling critical gaps between academic training and practical industry requirements.
Attrition is a huge problem for industries. While some companies have successfully developed earn while you learn programmes to skill the youth and absorb them, many misuse these apprenticeships. The work goes off as unpaid labour where the youth end up both unemployed and lack career progression. The Naan Mudhalvan programme operates as a dynamic plug-in model, where industry feedback directly shapes educational offerings.
Every six months we update the courses that we offer. As we enter our third year, we’ve gained insights into what strategies are effective and which ones aren’t. It’s clear that solely relying on industry placement for every trained student isn’t sustainable. Instead, our focus is on providing industry-relevant training while also nurturing entrepreneurship skills among students.
We’re moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach, towards a more tailored education model where students can choose specialised pathways aligned with their interests and career aspirations. This shift acknowledges that not every student will find immediate placement in the industry due to varying demands and project-based hiring practices. However, it’s crucial that we continue to skill and empower these students so they remain relevant and competitive in the evolving job market.
IE: What is the scale of financial commitment in this programme?
JID: This was started as a Society in 2009 with an initial annual grant of Rs 200 crore. It became a Section 8 company in 2013 with the same grant but have not been able to fully utilise it. Following the introduction of Naan Mudhalvan programme, about Rs 80 crore is effectively utilised every year. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) also plays a significant role, with major companies including Microsoft, Google, IBM, Infosys on board as CSR partners. This collaboration is crucial in achieving targets such as training 14.68 lakh students annually.
IE: Can you brief on the to-be-launched Finishing School programme.
JID: This approach includes supporting unemployed youth and seasoned graduates seeking re-skilling opportunities. By offering subsidies for skill development programmes and ensuring placement assistance or entrepreneurial support upon completion, the aim is to empower individuals with the necessary tools to thrive in today’s competitive job market.
The intiative targets unemployed youth, particularly those out of work for more than a year and also those who graduated around five years back or beyond. We will offer a structured skilling option rather than simply offering financial aid. Many of them seek opportunities to upskill and enter new fields but lack information on available courses and job prospects. We are developing a system to guide them towards suitable programmes based on their educational background. The programmes will be either partially or full subsidised along with a compulsory internship as part of the structure. Upon completion, participants will receive placement assistance or guidance on starting their own businesses, including connections to agencies providing credit support. The duration of these programmes varies from as short as five days to up to six months, with our support extending for a maximum of six months. Beyond this period, participants will be encouraged to seek opportunities independently.
IE: What is the Labour Management Information System (LMIS) that you envisage?
JID: Currently, we have robust systems in place to track the number of children born annually, their enrollment in schools and their progression through various educational stages. However, once they complete college, we lack a systematic way to monitor their career paths and employment statuses. This gap in information prevents us from understanding where young adults go after graduation, what types of jobs they secure and whether they enter into entrepreneurship. This lack of data complicates our ability to conduct effective gap analyses in the job market, hindering our capacity to align educational offerings with industry demands. For instance, if the needs and trends in industries like manufacturing or IT are available ahead, the government would be able to plan and develop or upgrade the necessary education infrastructure through policies and investments.
Countries like Australia have successfully implemented LMIS that involve industry collaboration, ensuring accurate and timely data on workforce needs and skills gaps. Such systems facilitate better long-term planning and policy formulation, enabling governments to adjust educational capacities and curricula to meet evolving industry demands. Implementing a LMIS would not only provide clarity on the demand-supply dynamics in the job market but also support industries in workforce planning. It would help in monitoring compliance with local employment mandates, ensuring that industries contribute to local economic growth and provide employment opportunities to residents.
IE: One of the major strengths of the state is its talented man-power. With changing job profiles how do you see we can still maintain that edge?
JID: Over the years, Tamil Nadu has prioritised higher education and that has created this vast pool of talented man-power. Today the youth’s aspirations are high and they often seek roles that match their educational achievements. They get frustrated when suitable opportunities are scarce. Our goal with Naan Mudhalvan initiative is to equip students with practical skills essential for any career path, whether in arts, engineering, ITI or polytechnic fields. We emphasise skill-based learning, with 70 per cent of our courses focused on practical applications rather than theoretical knowledge alone. Internships, apprenticeships and hackathons are integral parts of our curriculum, ensuring that students are well-prepared and competitive in the job market. We maintain high standards to prepare students for industry demands without compromising on quality. Our approach encourages industries to recognise and harness talent from diverse backgrounds, including students from rural areas who often possess untapped potential. Currently, we collaborate with over 40 partner industries, including global corporations and private companies. However, we aspire to strengthen these partnerships further, welcoming broader involvement from industry associations to enhance our programme’s effectiveness and reach.
In response to this dynamic landscape, we are committed to reskilling current employees. Currently, we have upgraded 71 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to meet Industry 4.0 standards. These facilities can be leveraged for industry upskilling initiatives. Employees interested in enhancing their skills are encouraged to participate in training programmes offered through our Centers of Excellence (COEs) spread across the state. These COEs specialise in sectors such as health, automobile, BFSI, logistics, and soon one for construction. By focusing on reskilling, we aim to ensure employees can remain competitive and contribute effectively to the evolving industrial landscape.
IE: How do you ensure that this initiative can be made sustainable in the long run?
JID: Operating at the scale of 2000 colleges has presented challenges, particularly without a precedent to guide us. Initially, there were hurdles such as faculty adjustment to new roles and responsibilities, but ongoing faculty development programmes and their involvement in student training have improved acceptance and effectiveness. Over time, we’ve evolved our approach, focusing more on achieving outcomes. This programme has served as a model for other states like Karnataka and Odisha. Uttar Pradesh is also to follow suit.
Recently for arts and science institutions, we have introduced a college ranking system that includes criteria such as placement records, faculty performance, and student participation in hackathons. This initiative aims to instill dynamism within institutions, where previously placement metrics were not emphasised. By integrating these factors into our evaluation, we anticipate a positive impact on both student outcomes and institutional dynamics.
Moving forward, our plans include integrating faculty into industry settings through programmes like professors of practice, aiming to deepen their understanding of industry needs. Our aim is for TNSDC to serve as a pivotal platform bridging academia and industry, facilitating meaningful partnerships that enhance educational outcomes and workforce readiness across Tamil Nadu.
