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Adani Logistics, O9 Solutions, Dr Reddy’s Labs, State Bank of India (SBI), National Academy of Construction (NAC), Retailers Association of India, and Telangana VFX, Animation and Gaming Association will be the industry partners for Telangana's Skill University, the state Assembly was informed on Thursday.  

The Assembly passed the Young India Skill University Telangana (Public-Private Partnership) Bill, 2024, setting the stage for setting up of the institution which will equip students with skills to meet the industry demand.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy announced that the partner companies will design curriculum, train students in their respective sectors and provide jobs.

The university, which will start functioning from a temporary campus at the Engineering Staff College of India, will give admission to 2,000 students for the academic year 2024-25. To begin with, it will offer courses in six verticals in partnership with industries.

For the School of Pharma and Life Sciences, the industrial partner will be Dr Reddy’s Labs. School of E-commerce and Logistics will be established in partnership with Adani Logistics and O9 Solutions. The State Bank of India (SBI) and Physics Wallah will be partners for the School of Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI). The National Academy of Construction (NAC) has come forward for the School of Construction and Interiors. The School of Retail Operations and Management will be operated in partnership with the Retailers Association of India. For the School of Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics, Telangana VFX, Animation and Gaming Association will be the partner.

Replying to the debate on the Bill, the Chief Minister said he would be laying the foundation stone for the permanent campus of the university at Net Zero City at Mucherla on the outskirts of Hyderabad later on Thursday.

To come up in a public-private partnership, the university will focus on delivering comprehensive skill training and job opportunities to students.

Assuring that it will not charge like the Indian School of Business (ISB) or corporate universities, he said the average annual fee for the courses will be Rs 50,000.

"If necessary, the government will reimburse the fee of SC, ST, OCBC, and minority students," he said.

Earlier, Industry and Information Technology Minister D. Sridhar Babu said the Skill University would help create skilled human resources and thus enable the state to attract new industries and investors from all over the world. The minister said 17 verticals have been identified for starting courses - Healthcare, Pharma & Life Sciences, Artificial Intelligence & Information Sciences, Tourism & Hospitality, Automotive & Electric Vehicles, Banking, Financial Services & Insurance (BFSI), Animation & Visual Effects, Gaming & Comics, Construction and Interiors, Advanced Manufacturing, Retail Operations & Management, E-commerce & Logistics, Renewable Energy, Food Processing & Agriculture, Beauty & Wellness, Media, Gaming & Films, and Electronics & Semiconductor and Digital Designs.

From the academic year 2025-26, the intake will be increased to 10,000. The university will offer degree, undergraduate, PG, diploma, certificate courses, and executive programmes.

While focusing on the requirements of Telangana, Skill University will prepare students for the national and international market. It will also have a career development centre and will impart soft skills, communication, social awareness, and digital and financial literacy.

While reiterating the government’s commitment to fill 2 lakh vacancies in government departments, the minister said the government can’t provide jobs to all the unemployed.

Stating that there are over 20 lakh unemployed youth in the state, he said the Skill University would fill the skill gap to make them job-ready to meet the requirements of the industry. “This will be a win-win situation for both students and industry,” he said. He said the government prepared the plan for the Skill University after holding a series of discussions with industrialists, vice-chancellors, principals of colleges, and students.

He said 50 per cent of all courses will have a practical component. Industrial apprenticeship will also be part of the courses. The courses will be in tune with the framework of the University Grants Commission and the National Council for Vocational Education and Training. It will also be in line with National Education Policy 2020.

The university will be modelled on the lines of IIIT Hyderabad, Skill and Entrepreneurship University, Delhi, and Shri Vishwakarma Skill University, Haryana. The PPP project will be in the line with IIIT Hyderabad framework. He said the educational systems of Germany, China, South Korea, and Singapore were also analysed. These countries have linked vocational education with their traditional education system in tune with industrial demand.