Image Caption (L-R): Mr Pradip Agarwal, CEO of Heritage Group of Institutions, Prof (Dr) Samit Ray, Co-Chairman, CII Eastern Region Education & Skill Development Subcommittee and Founder & Chancellor, Adamas University, Mr Madan Mohanka, Executive Chairman, Tega Industries Limited, Mr Ujjal Chakraborti, Chairman, CII Eastern Region Education & Skill Development Subcommittee and Executive In Charge – Tinplate Division, Tata Steel Limited, and Mr Subhankar Chakraborty, Deputy Director, CII Eastern Region
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is a visionary initiative designed to build a multidisciplinary and globally competitive education ecosystem, however its success depends on the collective implementation by educational institutions, industry leaders, and policymakers. There is the need for stronger collaboration between industry and academia to fully realise the goals of the NEP 2020, highlighted Dr Buddha Chandrasekhar, Chief Coordinating Officer of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), at the CII Education East Summit 2025 held in Kolkata. Today CII Eastern Region has initiated Industry – Academia Yatra, a focused roundtable between industry and academia industrial clusters that will help align education with industry needs and creating pathways for internships, skills, and future careers.
Dr Chandrasekhar observed that the current education system often encourages individual competition rather than teamwork and collaboration. He stressed the importance of reorienting education to be more industry-driven, enabling students to evolve into professionals or entrepreneurs capable of contributing to national growth. He further underlined that fostering risk-taking, teamwork, and experiential learning would help students build resilience, creativity, and the innovative spirit essential for India’s aspiration to become a “Vishwa Guru” once again.
Speaking at the Summit, Mr Madan Mohanka, Executive Chairman, Tega Industries Limited, underscored that entrepreneurship, rather than employment alone, will be central to achieving India’s vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047. Stressing the need to channel the creativity and energy of India’s youth, over 60 percent of whom are under 35, he highlighted the importance of transforming education from rote learning to experiential and innovation-led models that build problem-solving and leadership skills. Mr Mohanka called for stronger support to first-time entrepreneurs and MSMEs, which contribute 35% to India’s GDP, alongside greater inclusion of women in the workforce.
Reaffirming CII’s long-term vision, Mr Ujjal Chakraborti, Chairman, CII Eastern Region Education & Skill Development Subcommittee and Executive In Charge – Tinplate Division, Tata Steel Limited emphasised that the future of industry is being shaped in classrooms today, and that aligning education with emerging technologies, research, and employability will be key to realising India’s aspiration of becoming a developed nation by 2047.
Prof (Dr) Samit Ray, Co-Chairman, CII Eastern Region Education & Skill Development Subcommittee and Founder & Chancellor, Adamas University, noted that higher education in India stands at a defining moment of transformation, an era driven by creativity, agility, and innovation. He outlined eastern region’s potential to become a model for regional collaboration in national educational advancement.
