Araina Patnaik’s (LKG) art work on Santa Claus was published in 9th Jan Bangalore Mirror (Times of India).
Araina Patnaik’s (LKG) art work on Santa Claus was published in 9th Jan Bangalore Mirror (Times of India).
“To leverage India’s demographic advantage and become a global skills capital, Budget 2026 must make skills-embedded higher education central to nation-building. A 20% funding increase (₹10,000 crore) should support AI-powered, industry-aligned experiential labs in 500 tier-2 and tier-3 institutions, alongside stronger research funding for deep tech, climate-resilient agriculture and allied health sciences. Tax incentives and simpler CSR norms can unlock ₹5,000 crore annually for apprenticeships. Mandatory health coverage for contractual educators will strengthen workforce resilience, bridging the rural–urban skills gap. meaningfully to India’s research and technology aspirations.
- Supriya Pattanayak, Vice Chancellor, Centurion University, Odisha
“Budget 2026 can turn India’s demographic dividend into a future-ready workforce by prioritising project-led learning in AI, data science and emerging technologies, alongside multilingual digital platforms under Digital India. Funding must cover labs, faculty development and industry-led projects to realise NEP in classrooms. Affordability is critical: expand subsidised education loans, strengthen credit guarantees, and increase scholarships for underserved students. Tax incentives for skill certifications and employer-sponsored learning credits will normalise lifelong learning, boost employability, and accelerate India’s shift to an innovation-driven economy.
- Ashish Munjal, Co-founder and CEO, SUNSTONE
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