MGNF – Decoding district level skilling and entrepreneurship

Jazreen Deboo

Porbandar, Gujarat

“Working to strengthen and promote skill development in a district is not like switching on a light bulb. It is a gently rising sun. I have spent the last six months in the Porbandar district, carefully identifying the systemic gaps in the skill development ecosystem and scoping out areas of potential employment. I conducted a Youth Aspiration Survey at ITIs and interacted with 250 trainees.

I could understand how our students are in need of a strong system that offers career guidance at key points in their school life. At the moment, we are looking to develop a mobile application that helps students to match their aptitudes, interests, and personalities to the right career options. The app would also help connect students to government-appointed counselors by video call.

I deal with a variety of stakeholders on a daily basis. These may be district officials, key industry players, trainers, local artisans, rural entrepreneurs, and many more.

In my opinion, it is really important to identify points of convergence because skill development cannot be looked at in isolation. Once these convergence points are identified, we need implementable policies, backed with strong strategic steps and realistic timelines to bring a gradual change on the ground.”

Sapan Shah

Sabarkantha, Gujarat

“MGNF has been a natural progression for me after completion of my post-graduation in rural development from IRMA as it has directly involved me with policy implementation at the district level and at the same time has kept the academic rigor intact that you expect from IIMB, required for any policy recommendations.

Through MGNF you get to be part of the administration and still be able to maintain the independent outlook required for having innovative solutions to everlasting developmental challenges.

I am also involved in the implementation of PMKVY and the recent changes made to the scheme have increased focus on DSC, which has surely paved the way for decentralized management of centrally funded schemes ensuring its effective implementation.

The National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) did bring me in direct contact with some of the prominent industrialists in the district and helped me in knowing their human resource requirements.”

Hiranya Kallakuri

Narmada, Gujarat

“The MGNF has been a continuous learning curve for me, as is expected from most new immersive experiences. The most significant of all takeaways would undoubtedly be the opportunity to engage/interact and fully immerse within the communities that we serve.

Having been posted in a predominantly tribal district, I soon realized, conceptualizing skilling ideas and interventions for Aadivasi communities,  required understanding their unique way of life. I understood the distinct relationship that tribal societies share with their homeland, owing to their lifestyle and cultural make-up which include immersive interlinkages with the forests and lands that they inhabit.

Working within the government apparatus, gave me a first-hand inside look into the varied complexities of administration. Frequent discussions with mentors at IIM helped navigate many ideological differences with respect to the idea of development and other difficulties that crept up while working within the district administration.

Concluding points

The fellowship structure is quite fluid and allows for creative out-of-the-box thinking and all such experimentation that may follow these discourses with all stakeholders across government, civil society, private actors, and the people.

Developing our villages shouldn’t mean ‘urbanizing’ them. This is a thought that I’ve realized, echoes across all stakeholders. This fellowship allows me to build or at least think of that common ground, wherein all of them can converge.”