Dr Kiran Bedi, IPS (Retd), Former Lt Governor, Puducherry and Co-Founder & Director, Bharat Skill Exchangeย on Aug 12 while addressing theย FICCI Global Skills Summit 2026ย said that India spends very little on vocational education, around 2 per cent of the education budget, and Indiaโs demographic dividend lasting till 2040 is a rare opportunity that requires major investment in skills. Citing the World Economic Forum, she added that 63 per cent of Indian workers will require training by 2030 while employers require analytical and creative thinking, leadership, resilience, flexibility along with AI capabilities. โIndiaโs youth bulge is a time-bound opportunity, and the dividend will not automatically translate into growth, and it has to be collaborative execution,โ she added.
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While highlighting roadmap for building a future-ready India,ย Dr Bediย stated that we need to move from degree-first to skills-first. โMeasure skilling by livelihoods and outcomes and not by certificates and the ultimate future-ready workers is competent, adaptable, ethical and continuously learning. It has to become part of the education system,โ she emphasized.
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Stressing on the importance of industry participation,ย Dr Bediย further stated that industry plays a direct role and skill development should move from government-led programs to employer-owned systems for white collar jobs. โIndustry must play a direct role in designing and financing training for white collar jobs by providing apprenticeships, internships, real projects, mentoring, problem-solving assignment and exposure to actual workplace pressures,โ she noted.
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Industry,ย Dr Bediย added that must become the co-designer of curriculum, not merely a recruiter at the end. โWe, therefore, move towards demand, skill, training, apprenticeship and employment. There is a need to establish call centers by industry and associations along with technology driven common platforms for providing proper support and knowledge,โ she said.
During the inaugural session-ย โFICCI-KPMGโ reportย on Human Capability in the Age of AI: Indiaโs Roadmap for the Future of Skillsโ &ย โFICCI-PWCโย reportย on Navigating the Skills Imperative for Indiaโs GCCs in the AI era were released in the conference.
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Mr Bijay Sahoo, Chair, FICCI Skills Committeeย and Group President โ Strategic HR, Chairmanโs Office, Reliance Industries Ltd said that technology will shape the future of work, but skills will determine whether that future is inclusive or unequal, empowering or disruptive. For India, this is a defining moment. โWe have one of the worldโs youngest populations, a rapidly growing economy, expanding manufacturing capabilities and a vibrant digital ecosystem. Demographic dividend is not destiny but a time-bound opportunity,โ he added.
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Dr Indu Shahani, Co-Chair, FICCI Skills Committeeย and President & Chancellor, ATLAS SkillTech University said that the world of work is changing rapidly. โThe conversation on skills has traditionally focused on employability but today it needs to move from employability to capability,โ she added.
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Mr Anant Swarup, Secretary General, FICCIย said technology and AI are transforming jobs, new sectors and occupations are emerging, global demand for skilled talent is increasing. At the same time, industrial landscape itself is evolving rapidly with new investments, emerging manufacturing, services sectors, technology-led enterprises and changing modes of employment. โFICCI has been working and contributing through policy advocacy, research, industry consultations, capacity building and partnerships with government, industry, institutions and international organizations. Our objective has been to bring the realities and requirements of the workplace into policy conversation and to help translate policy priorities into industry participation and implementation,โ he added.
