The exposure through these courses would equip students with not only theoretical
knowledge but also the skills, practices and latest trends demanded by the job
market. It would bridge the gap between academia and industry, making college
graduates more job-ready and competitive.

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has launched 'SWAYAM Plus' platform that
will offer courses developed collaboratively with the Industry at an event in Delhi
today (27th Feb 2024). These employability and professional development"focused
programs have been developed with leading industry players such as L&T, Microsoft,
CISCO etc. to bring to its learners.

Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) will be operating the 'SWAYAM
Plus' Platform. IIT Madras was among the founder institutions of Swayam-NPTEL,
the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform providing educational
opportunities for a vast number of learners. A popular e-learning platform, SWAYAM
has the largest enrolment base today, with the total enrolment increasing from 31
lakh in 2017 to more than 72 lakh by end of 2023.

The establishment of SWAYAM Plus would enhance employability of both college
students and lifelong learners. The Industry-academia partnership would combine
the academic rigour of SWAYAM's educational platform with the real-world expertise
and relevance offered by industry partners. SWAYAM Plus platform will offer
programs in sectors like Manufacturing, Energy, Computer Science and Engineering/IT/ITES, Management Studies, Healthcare, Hospitality and Tourism
besides Indian Knowledge Systems, among many others.

Launching the 'SWAYAM Plus'portal, Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of
Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, said,
"The National Education Policy (NEP) is on roll and for the first time, reputed
industrial houses will be coming with their own academy, partnering with the UGC,
esteemed education departments, and prestigious institutes like IIT Madras. All
these courses will be accredited."

Elaborating on 'SWAYAM Plus', Dharmendra Pradhan said, "SWAYAM Plus offers
employability, entrepreneurial mode, and job-centric courses, emphasizing practical,
hands-on learning. Our goal is to make education industry-fit, providing learners
with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the professional world."
Further, he said, "Higher education is no longer limited to the traditional student. It
is now accessible to the working population as well. The NEP 2020's provision for
multiple entry and exit points allows individuals to pursue education at their own
pace. This concept is embodied in SWAYAM Plus, a vehicle that enables working
professionals to balance their work and studies by offering a plethora of online
courses. With SWAYAM Plus, we are empowering individuals to upskill and reskill,
enhancing their career prospects and contributing to India's knowledge economy."

Speaking during the launch event, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said,
"There is an exponentially growing demand for trained manpower in core areas
spanning across not restricted to health care, logistics, technology, energy,
infrastructure and manufacturing. With rapid changes in these areas, there is a
need to augment certain recent topics for fresh students and upskilling for the
already employed. Swayam Plus will be a single window solution serving the above
National cause."

Highlighting the importance of this platform, Prof. R. Sarathi, Dean (Planning), and
Faculty, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras, and the IIT Madras
Coordinator for 'SWAYAM Plus', said, "the initiative enables students and working
personals to upgrade their skills in their domain. Internship opportunities will be
provided through this portal. Skill based courses are provided with credit
recognition that will be recorded in the respective academic bank of credits of the
student."

Key Features of SWAYAM Plus
Multilingual content: The platform will be multilingual, encouraging a diverse
audience to choose SWAYAM Plus as a platform of choice. An AI-enabled chatbot will assist the students choose the right courses based on their needs. Credit
equivalency shall be established for courses offered by industry players. It also
enables students of HEIs to earn credits simultaneously for their degree
requirement, thereby providing academic flexibility.