MSDE and WOF partner to offer online entrepreneurship education

Online Learning is one of the most cost-effective and consistent way of offering education. Particularly, in the field of Entrepreneurship, there is tremendous scope to offer learning modules through digital devices. As a major boost to promote Entrepreneurship, the government has initiated the adoption of online and blended learning for this purpose. Under the Pradhan Mantri YUVA Yojana, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and Wadhwani Operating Foundation (WOF) have partnered to offer Online Entrepreneurship Education. About 15 lakh youth will benefited through online and experiential learning.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and Wadhwani Operating Foundation (WOF) signed two Agreements for effectuating an earlier understanding of jointly developing and implementing Entrepreneurship and Skill Development initiatives in the country with the Pradhan Mantri YUVA Scheme being the first joint effort in this regard. The Agreements were signed by Ms. Jyotsna Sitling, Joint Secretary in the Ministry and Dr. Ajay Kela, Executive Director, WOF.

Key facts: Pradhan Mantri YUVA Scheme and Online Learning for Entrepreneurs

• Pradhan Mantri YUVA Scheme launched by the Ministry during November, 2016 aims at providing on line Entrepreneurship Education to about 15 lakh students across the country through 3050 Project Institutes consisting of Institutions of Higher Learning; Schools; ITIs and Entrepreneurship Development Centres, both Government and Private.
• The online Entrepreneurship Modules will be duly supplemented by the class room based experiential learning activities and practicums which will be facilitated by specially trained Faculty of the educational institutions.
• The Ministry would also provide financial assistance to these institutions for different activities under the Scheme. The total scheme outlay is Rs.450 crores.
• The five-year Scheme is expected to witness setting up of more than 23,000 enterprises thus resulting into creation of more than 2.30 lakh direct and indirect jobs in the country.
• The Scheme also envisages delivery of specially developed Social Entrepreneurship Modules to interested students in Institutions of Higher Learning.
• The WOF, in capacity of Knowledge Partner is contributing, free of cost, Software, Content and Intangibles such as faculty and field staff training and program consulting services under the Scheme.

Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship,  Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy,  speaking on the occasion expressed confidence that the Scheme would go a long way in realizing the vision of present Central Government in making an Entrepreneurial India. He said that, “it is certainly a great initiative…we are now engaging with schools for skilling and entrepreneurship. We are trying to reach out to urban along with rural areas. We have entrepreneurship courses and this initiative will add value to it.”

Ms. Jyotsna Sitling, Joint Secretary of the Ministry and Nodal Official for implementation of the Scheme briefed as to how the Scheme framed under the National Policy on Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, 2015 aiming at entrepreneurial molding of the youth through the Learning Management System offered by Wadhwani Operating Foundation.

Dr. Ajay Kela, Executive Director of Wadhwani Operating Foundation, the knowledge partner of this scheme, a non-profit Corporation based in California, USA offered the following perspective. “During the next five years both the Centre and State governments are going to experience increasing pressure for jobs from the youth of this country and their parents. The Foundation applauds the Centre and the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship for having the foresight in devising this ambitious scheme to create entrepreneurs and start-ups, at scale. The Foundation has developed highly interactive online multi-media content to massively scale entrepreneurship education and exposure in India and is delighted that this partnership will go a long way in meeting our shared objective of combining job growth with economic growth.”

This article is based on the Press Release from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).