t-hub hyderabad incubating future entrepreneurs

By supporting the ideas of budding entrepreneurs, we can help the society to develop job creators along with job seekers. It will help in resolving the problem of unemployment in India up to some extent, says Jay Krishnan, Partner, SRI Capital and Former CEO, T-Hub, Hyderabad, in conversation with Elets News Network (ENN).

How has T-hub, Hyderabad, incubated and helped start-ups to be successful?

We started the T-hub in 2015. In all these years, we have realised that the T-hub is not only meant to focus on the local start-ups rather it must cater to the needs of entire Indian start- up landscape. We are now one of the largest incubators in India.

We also established Corporate Innovation accelerator that attracted start-ups not only from other parts of India but also from across the world.

So now, we have over 300 incubators majority of which are from Telangana. The Corporate Innovation accelerator has so far attracted over 100 start-ups from different parts of India and world. We also conducted different student exchange programmes with Israel, australia and the uS which helped us to attract around 30 start-ups from countries other than India.

What is the genesis behind T-Hub?

The fundamental goal of the T-hub is to become epicentre for start-ups in India and also be a common anchor point for all the start-ups in Telangana. In the coming years, the incubation centre is likely to be bigger, as a new centre for T-hub is under construction. Moreover, with the new centre, the emphasis will be more on software, hardware and production labs. It’s going to be bigger and stronger. Our objective is to become largest incubator of the world.

Can the city be called start-up capital of India as a lot of initiatives have been taken in Hyderabad to support start-ups?

As we want India to become start-up hub of the world, it is must for every city to play its part in achieving this. Mumbai will become the finteck capital, Bengaluru will become the hub for different verticals, Delhi will become the market and e-commerce capital and Hyderabad will become the healthcare technology capital. The combination of these 10+ cities will attract talents from every corner of the world and all of it, when put together, will make India successful.

What are the key reasons for Hyderabad to become healthcare technology capital?

The best with Hyderabad from healthcare perspective is that the city has the best foundation for it. It has genome Valley. a majority of Pharma industries are located in Hyderabad. Moreover the Pharma industry gets a huge support from agriculture industry as Hyderabad is the seed manufacturing capital of the world. So, with such an environment, we may witness a good number of start-ups in healthcare sector from Hyderabad. Venture capitalists play a major role in supporting start-ups financially.

What have been the initiatives of SRI venture capital in this regard?

For a start-up to become successful, it is necessary to have access to pool of capital for converting its idea into a quality product. Once that comes in, the next thing it helps in is business development and pitching in the new customers. So, T-hub incubates the startups and SRI Venture Capital helps in providing funds to the start- up. all these jointly help a start-up to sustain and make a name in its respective market.

Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurates Skill Development Institute’s main campus

Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan has inaugurated the Primary campus of Skill Development Institute (SDI) near Bhubaneshwar.

The institute is located in Taraboi village of Jatni area, nearly 35 km from the Odisha’s Capital. The main campus of the institutes spread over 46 acres of land includes academic block, administrative building, workshop and other facilities.

President Ram Nath Kovind laid the foundation stone for the main campus on March 18 last year.

“Students will get world-class education and training here so that they can work in different parts of the world,” Pradhan said while inaugurating the institute.

Also Read: NSDM aims to train over 40 crore people: Dharmendra Pradhan

The expansion of the institute under first phase is already over whereas the second and third phase are likely to be completed by the year-end. Around Rs 300 crore has been earmarked for the construction of the institute.

Managed by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), SDI has been functioning from Mancheswar industrial estate in the city since May 9, 2016. Currently, the institute is offering courses in seven trades and providing employability skills training to about 200 students per batch.

Also Read: Central Government to boost skilling of youth: Dharmendra Pradhan

The Institute through its new campus is supposed to impart skill development training to over 50,000 students in 25 regular trades keeping the demand in mind in sectors like hydrocarbons and other industries.

It will offer entrepreneurship programmes of national and global interest. Specific local needs will also be taken care of to promote jobs in the local industry.

Indian education sector’s journey of evolution in last 70 years

Education is a journey which gives the art of living, not just the livelihood. It makes us learn how to grow our life and be more creative. Education makes us understand our conflicts, writes Rakhi Chitnis, Research scholar, Sri Satya Sai University of Technology and Medical Sciences, Sehor (Bhopal), Madhya Pradesh, for Elets News Network (ENN).

“Planets are cultivated by civilization and men by Education” — J. J Rousseau, Genevan philosopher, writer and composer.

What is education? Answer to this question is multidimensional. It is the process of acquiring knowledge, skills, values and habits. Swami Vivekananda rightly said about the education once: “Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in the men.”

Education is a journey which gives the art of living, not just the livelihood. It makes us learn how to grow our life and be more creative. Education makes us understand our conflicts. Thus education is not merely learning of facts but is to training our mind to think. Education systems must provide opportunities to each and every individual to learn through experience and should help to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.

If we through light on the history of   Indian education system, we can categorise it in four generations from Gurukul to today’s age of digital learning.

Education 1.0 is the system of Gurukul began around third century BC. This education system was teacher centric education system where sages and scholars impart the knowledge verbally. They taught mantras and Vedas. Different sections of society like Kshtriyas,  Vaishyas and Shudras were provided with the education according to their jobs. Kshtriyas were trained for war skills, Vaishyas for business skills and Shudras for different works related to houses and localities. Thus, from ancient education system in India people were taught as per the skill required for their development.

With the second generation of education – Education 2.0, started the revolution of printing in India. With the arrival of British, textbooks started. Teachers, the main stakeholder in the education system, started teaching as per the content printed in the textbooks. English was the means of communication. British introduced examinations in Indian education system. Again, the system was not at all learner-centric.

These were the era when students started mugging up the content. They were started memorizing the concept in English rather than learn by heart. Books

Thus this generation of education system has rote learning system in which students was bounded to the textbook content rather than experienced based learning.

The discovery of computers and Internet in early 90s has changed the education system completely. This was the beginning of third generation of education system in India, Education 3.0, and 21st century generation. Integration of technology in education made it a fun learning process. In early years, computers were used only to keep records in administration. But now along with the administrative procedures, technology plays a major role in teaching learning process. This blended system of education provides better avenues of understanding the concept. It helps learner to develop critical thinking and problem solving skill. The digital learning has converted teachers into facilitators who provide learner all possible resources. Thus the 21st century education system is more learner-centric.

Information and communication technology is a boom to the education system. No doubt still there are certain areas where the system has to improve; still today’s generation education system has potential to develop skilled future generation.

As said in the beginning of the article, Education is journey, Now, we must look forward to prepare yourself for the coming generation of education i.e. EDUCATION 4.0 where student is in the core. It focuses on learner with technology. It will be a learner based system, for the learner and by the learner. It will be a skill based learning which meets the individual learner’s need.

Thus in past 70 years, Indian Education system has changed a lot. With the NCF and recent policies on digitalisation in education, has transformed over the centuries basis the social sifts and economical and technological discoveries.

TSBIE Facilitating Digital Transformation in Junior Colleges

The Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE) has introduced various innovative services for the students of junior colleges under its jurisdiction. The major IT achievements of Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education can be classified as:

Implementation of Online Services:

The TSBIE has introduced 15 online services for students and 10 online services for colleges under Digital Telangana programme. The student services include Migration Certificate, Duplicate Marks Memo, Duplicate/Triplicate Pass Certificate, Equivalency Certificate, and Eligibility Certificate among others. The key features of these services include minimal human interference, zero corruption, and effective services.

Online Affiliation Permission to Private Un-aided colleges:  The TSBIE has introduced online process for affiliation and permission to setup private un-aided colleges from 2016-17 onwards.

Mobile Applications: TSBIE has moved from e-governance to Mobile Governance (m-Gov) by launching two mobile applications for students of Intermediate Education.

TSBIE m-Services: Major student services are available in this mobile app.

TSBIE-Exam Centre Locator: This mobile app facilitates students at the time of examinations to locate their examination centre and navigate the route to the location on Google map. The Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education is first of its kind among many boards in the country providing this kind of online services to future citizens of India.

Online Question Papers: The Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education is the first one to provide online question paper. It helped in preventing question paper leak to a great extent.

On Screen Evolution of Answer Books

The TSBIE has introduced on screen evaluation system from 2016-17 examinations. Students will be allowed to download the re-verified answer scripts with password protection.

Video Conference Facility

The TSBIE has introduced Video conferencing system in State head office, Hyderabad. The Head Office is connected with all District Intermediate Education Officers (DIEO) and Nodal Officers of 31 Districts Offices with video conferencing system to discuss various issues related to conduct of examinations and to issue instructions for effective administration.

Online Admission System

It is proposed to implement online admission system from the Academic Year 2017-18 for all the junior colleges. This system facilitates the students to know online options for exercising the college options. The system will allot the admission cards to the students based on their merit in qualifying exams (SSC/CBSE/ ICSE etc.) duly following rule of reservations.

Nurturing Employable Youth is Our Sole Objective’

The sole objective of the Telangana State Council of Higher Education is to nurture employable youths, says Prof Tummala Papi Reddy, Chairman, Telangana State Higher Education Council, in an interview with Sudheer Goutham of Elets News Network (ENN).

How has TSCHE planned to fulfill the industry requirements to nurture employable youth?

Telangana State Council of Higher Education is the apex body to coordinate between Central Government, State Government and Higher Education Institutes in the State for implementing new practices and bring innovations in the system. In order to achieve the objective, the council has devised a curriculum which is not only fulfilling the needs of the students but also the industry requirements.

How is the council planning to bring a marked improvement in the Higher Education ecosystem in Telangana?

We have adopted some of the best practices in higher education ecosystem of Telangana like Online Admission System, setting up Incubation Centres in all the State Universities and encouraging engineering students for internships in their respective branches or industry. We are also encouraging innovation and research-based activities in all the universities and for that we are recognising the contributions of scientists or innovators to education system.

In line with Government of India’s Skill India Mission, what are the initiatives taken by the council to impart skill training to students?

 

The council has taken various initiatives for effective skill training among the youth of Telangana. Through Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge (TASK), we are imparting skill education to students. We are also introducing new courses which are industry relevant and enhance employability among the students.

TSCHE Ensuring Quality Education in Telangana

Telangana is the youngest State of India, which is rich in human resource. It has a long tradition of encouraging higher education. The Government of Telangana gives full autonomy to the universities ensuring full accountability and transparency. It has the highest Gross Enrolment Ration in Higher Education, i.e. 36.3 percent against the national average of 24.5 percent.

Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) was established by the Telangana State Government in 2014 to monitor and help the growth of higher education in the State. It functions primarily as a coordinating body between the University Grants Commission (UGC), the State Government and the Universities.

TSCHE coordinates with six Conventional Universities, nine Specialised Universities, one Technological University, one National Institute, one State Institute of University Status, three Central Universities, and three Deemed Universities. The State Government launched many programmes and initiated many reforms in education resulting in:

Low cost education in comparison to other States

Easy access for all and equity in higher education

Free education to girls up to PG level

Free education from KG to PG

Special education centres for women in residential degree colleges

The role and Functions of TSCHE can be classified as :

Planning & Coordination

To prepare consolidated programmes in sphere of Higher Education in the State

To assist the UGC in respect of determination & maintenance of standards

To evolve perspective plans for development of Higher Education in the State

To forward developmental programmes of Universities and Colleges in UGC

Academic Functions

To encourage and promote innovations in curricular development, restructuring of courses and updating of syllabi in the university and the college

To develop programmes for greater academic cooperation and interaction between university and college teachers

To conduct entrance examinations for admission into institutions of Higher Education and render advise on admissions

To prepare an overview report on working of the Universities and Colleges in the State

Advisory Functions

On the status & ordinances to various universities in the State

To work in liaison with the SRC of AICTE in the formulation of the schemes in the State

To make new institutions self sufficient and viable

To perform any other functions necessary for the furtherance of Higher Education in the State

TSBIE has moved from e-governance to Mobile Governance (m-Gov) by launching two mobile applications for students of Intermediate Education

TSBIE M-services

Institutional collaborations in teaching and learning

International partnership

Research funding

Pockets of excellence across different institution types (public/private, central/state-funded)

Enhancement of employability skills and researcher skills

Expansion of digital learning technologies, blended learning and MOOCS