Maharashtra to get elite education hubs

By Staff Report October 14, 2024 12:21 pm IST

The collaboration aims to establish a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, IoT, Industry 4.0, 3D Printing, and Allied Technologies at Maharashtra State’s government polytechnics and engineering colleges.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology and the Maharashtra Government, aimed at strengthening technical education in India, on October 11, 2024, in New Delhi.

“The collaboration between NIELIT and the Government of Maharashtra will ensure that students receive practical education tailored to the current needs of the industry. This effort, beginning in Maharashtra, will be extended to other states, focussing particularly on polytechnic institutions, ITIs, and the newly established university in the state. This is an exciting opportunity for our youth, especially in the IT industry,” said Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Electronics & Information Technology, Railways, and Information & Broadcasting, while addressing the gathering at the signing ceremony of this MoU in New Delhi.

This MoU aims to establish a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, IoT, Industry 4.0, 3D Printing, and Allied Technologies at Maharashtra State’s government polytechnics and engineering colleges. The centre seeks funding from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and other government organisations through joint project proposals.

Chandrakant (Dada) Patil, Minister of Higher & Technical Education, Govt. of Maharashtra, Dr. Vinod Mohitkar, Director, Technical Education, M.S., Dr. Pramod Naik, Director, Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education, Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), and various officials from MeitY were also present at the signing ceremony.

Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Electronics & Information Technology, Railways, and Information & Broadcasting, praised the initiative and willingness of Shri Chandrakant Dada Patil, Maharashtra’s Higher and Technical Education Minister, in setting up the CoEs, which was actively taken up by the Ministry. Addressing a gathering at the signing ceremony of this MoU, Vaishnaw emphasised the importance of aligning education with industry demands.

Maharashtra has built a strong foundation through its well-established network of polytechnics, ITIs, and higher education institutions, which have developed the necessary capacities to house Centres of Excellence in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, and IoT. It is based on these developed capabilities that the Government of Maharashtra was able to seek funding from the central government, a proposal that was actively supported and delivered by MeitY, ensuring that Maharashtra can lead in cutting-edge technical education and innovation.

Vaishnaw highlighted Patil’s foresight in recognising the industrial strength of Maharashtra and the need for equipping its youth with relevant skills in today’s economy. He remarked, “The industrial strength of Maharashtra, which has a 150-200-year-old industrial base, is combined with the technical education necessary for today’s youth. This framework aligns perfectly with the National Education Policy by focussing on practical and technical education.”

The initiative is expected to create significant opportunities for students, providing them with the necessary skills and job placements to succeed in the rapidly evolving technological landscape. The Government of Maharashtra has a total of 40 government polytechnics and 300 private polytechnics in the state, and the state government, through the Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education, has already established the Centre of Excellence in IoT at 6 government. polytechnics and the Centre of Excellence in Robotics & Automation at 3 government polytechnics. At the remaining Govt. Polytechnics, the Centre of Excellence will be established through the funds made available through this MoU.