3.16 Lakh Candidates Placed Under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana in Less than 2 Years of its Launch

In less than two years of its launch, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) (2016-20), the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has taken multi-fold strides. The scheme has achieved a landmark milestone of 3,16,671 placements (as on February 2018).  With nearly 55 per cent successful placements, the Short-Term Training Program (STT) under PMKVY (2016-20) is an effective, refined and demand-driven endeavour, with an over-riding focus on quality of training. 

Under the STT program, over 13 lakh candidates have been trained, of these over 9 lakhs have been certified till February 2018. Placements have been facilitated for 5.98 lakh candidates who were certified by the end of November 2017. Placements for the latter batches who were certified post November 2017 are currently underway. 

Placements under PMKVY (2016-2020) are categorized into wage and self-employment. Approximately 76 per cent of the candidates have been placed in wage employment and 24 per cent placed in self-employment/ entrepreneurship.  80 per cent of the candidates placed in wage employment across various sectors i.e. Electronics and Hardware, Apparel, Beauty and Wellness, Agriculture, Retail, Logistics, Leather, Telecom, Security, Textiles and Handlooms.

Commenting on the progress of the scheme, Rajesh Agrawal, Joint Secretary & CVO, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) said, “PMKVY (2016-2020) scheme is closely aligned with the industry requirement of a job-ready workforce. Embarking on the Skill India Mission, our endeavour has been to provide superlative quality training in industry relevant job role. The Skill India Mission also promotes entrepreneurship, which is further supported by Mudra Loans and other financial provisions.”

“Self-employed candidates are encouraged and supported in availing Mudra Loans through the UdyamiMitra Portal. Currently more than 10,000 candidates have applied for these loans”, Mr. Agrawal further added.

Jayant Krishna, ED & COO, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)commented, “NSDC is working collaboratively with its training providers, sector skill councils and industry for creating and deploying good and quality trained resources, who could cater to the evolving demands of the organisations. Our initiatives such as integrations with organisations, syndication with portals such National Career Service, creation of Labour Market Information System, organizing job fairs (Rozgar Melas) and more, are intended to match demand with supply.”

NSDC is continuously working towards accomplishing the objectives laid down under Skill India Mission by training and facilitating employment for skilled manpower across leading organisations across the country, namely Tata Motors, Pay TM, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter, Accenture, PVR Cinemas, Bata India, G4S Secure Solutions, Lemon Tree Hotels, L&T, Tata Sky, Samsung, Volkswagen, SBI Life etc.

The PMKVY (2016-20), launched in November 2016 with an outlay of Rs. 12,000 crores, is the biggest training and certification program of the Government of India.  It aims to skill one crore youth by 2020. In nearly sixteen months of its launch, the scheme has certified over 13 lakh candidates under its two different programs - Short Term Trainings and Special Projects.  The scheme’s other component - Recognition of Prior Learning is a certification program that gives due importance to learning as an outcome rather than learning as process.

The Short-Term Training (STT) program of PMKVY (2016-20), imparted through NSDC’s approved training centres, is aimed at benefitting youth who are either school/college dropouts or unemployed.   Apart from skills training, the program comprises orientation in soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial and digital literacy. The program encompassing 200 – 1,000 hours of skill training, is designed according to varied job roles. 

The other component of PMKVY (2016-20), is Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) comprising 12 – 80 hours of training. It provides recognition to the informal learning or learning through work to get equal acceptance as the formal levels of education. Focusing on workforce in the unorganised sectors, RPL is designed for those who already have a job or are self- employed and require up-skilling and certification for better prospects. Till date, more than 4.5 lakh candidates have been certified under this component of PMKVY (2016-20).

Internet Users Projected To Cross 500 Million By June 2018: IAMAI

The number of Internet users in India was estimated to be 481 million in December 2017, a growth of 11.34% over December 2016 estimated figures. The number of internet users is expected to reach 500 million by June 2018, according to a report ‘Internet in India 2017’, published jointly by the Internet and Mobile Association of India & Kantar IMRB, today. According to the report, as on December 2017, the overall internet penetration is 35% of total population.

According to the findings of the report, Urban India witnessed a growth of 9.66% from December 2016 and is presently estimated to have around 295 million internet users as on December 2017. On the other hand, Rural India witnessed a growth of 14.11% from December 2016 and is presently estimated to have around 186 million Internet users as on December 2017.

Even though the growth rate of Rural India may seem higher, it is mainly due to the low base effect; given overall internet users in Rural India are still critically low. Internet penetration in Urban India was 64.84% in December 2017 as compared to 60.6% last December. In comparison, Rural Internet penetration has grown from 18% last December to 20.26% in December 2017. Given that total Urban Population is much lower than total rural population, the Urban-Rural Digital divide is actually more acute than what the penetration numbers portray.

The future growth policies therefore must focus on bridging the digital divide that exists between urban and rural India today. In terms of numbers, Urban India with an estimated population of 455 million already has 295 million using the internet. Rural India, with an estimated population of 918 million as per 2011 census, has only 186 million internet users. Thus, there are potential 732 million users still in rural India; if only they can be reached out properly.

Frequency:

The report also finds that an estimated 281 Million daily Internet users, out of which 182.9 million or 62% access internet daily in urban area, as compared to only 98 million users or 53%, in rural India. Almost double the proportion of Rural Users access internet less than once a month in rural India as compared to Urban India.

Gender:

Internet user market is still a male preserve in India. There are estimated 143 million Female internet users overall, which is approximately 30% of Total Internet users. While “Digital India” is paving its way in rural India, the underlining digital gender gap still persists. Digital literacy is therefore a key to ensure everyone stays informed, engaged and safe online.

Among the Rural Internet users, the ratio between male to female Internet users is 64:36. The proportion of Internet users by gender in Rural India has seen much change over last year with Internet users among rural females growing steadily. The increasing gender parity in internet usage is a welcome development.

Demographics:

In terms of other parameters of demography, according to the report, internet is the preserve for youngsters, with Students and youngsters accounting for around 60% of all internet users in India. The demographic profile and the purpose of usage are interlinked. Popularity of entertainment, social networking etc makes internet more attractive for youngsters presently. Unless digitalisation of important civic and social services as envisioned under e-governance programmes really take-off, the internet will remain to be perceived as a medium of entertainment for youngsters.

FORME Mobiles to Expand Reach in India to Target 10% Market Share by FY19

Gurugram, 20 February, 2018: FORME Mobiles was launched in India in 2009 and experienced 200% y-o-y growth in FY10 and will close FY18 with more than 30% y-o-y growth. FORME Mobiles is backed by FORME Technology, an international company specializing in the R&D, manufacturing and marketing of digital electronics and mobile communications products. Based in China, FORME operates in India, the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, Europe and other countries and regions.

“India contributes significantly to FORME’s global sales and FORME internet enabled feature phones are very well embraced by India” said  Victor Su, Director, FORME Mobiles India. He further added that“We aim to deepen our relation with India in 2018 as we will double our mobile phone production from March onwards. We witnessed a steep rise in demand for our internet enabled feature phones, especially from Tier 2 and 3 cities, which motivated us to increase our production capacity. We will also offer an extensive portfolio of smartphones in affordable segment in 2018.”

The growing popularity of feature phones

As per IDC report 2018, India market has experienced an increase in shipment of feature phones in 2017 by 17%, which is 3% higher than annual shipment growth rate of smartphones in the same time period. The trend is also similar to other countries like Africa. FORME Mobiles has been able to successfully align with various needs and demands of feature phone users in India. Factors such as unique design, built quality, features and a strong after sales service has led FORME to experience expansion in India so far.

Ajay Solomon, Head – Business Operations, FORME Mobiles said, “India’s feature phone users are becoming more aware and conscious of the quality, durability of phones, aesthetic appeal, and expects to experience services beyond basic functionality and support.” He further added that, “With strong R&D in place, FORME is set to expand its reach in India with refreshed supply chain strategy and partnering with e-commerce players to tap the tech savvy youth of India. Our after-sales support service will continue to be our sharp focus.”

Aligning with India’s demands further

-       The e-Commerce way! FORME Mobiles plans to strengthen their presence on e-commerce platforms to reach out to existing, potential consumers and expects to sell 30% of their mobile phones through e-commerce in FY19. With growth in e-shopping in tier 2, 3 cities, where FORME has a strong hold, the company expects to fulfill significant amount of orders from tier 2, 3 cities. As per various reports, the next leg of growth for e-commerce as well mobile companies is expected to come from tier 2 and 3 cities. Until now the company was majorly focusing on offline channels for sale that contributed to 95% of their revenues.

-       Sturdy and styled feature phones for smart India: FORME has been at the forefront to deliver the desired. For instance, basis its market research and demand for durable as well as stylish phones FORMEdesigned and launched FORME N5+ Selfie Phone in June 2017. The brand successfully sold more than 2 lac units within 3 months of the launch of product. Similarly, the brand has various mobile designs in pipeline to be launched during 2018, with special focus on India.

-       Make in India: FORME’s Gurugram based factory carefully builds each and every mobile unit to be further sold across India. The process also involves domestic value addition to mobiles units. With aim to double its mobile phone sale in India, FORME is also looking to increase its workforce. Currently, FORMEfactory employees more than 500 workers and has more than 50% women workers associated with the brand.

With objective of “Quality first, customer first” FORME Mobiles began its journey in 2009 and over the period has evolved as one of the world's leading and fastest growing Mobiles & Accessories Brand. FORMEMobiles started its operations in India in 2009.  FORME Mobiles established its own factory in Gurugram in 2015 and has more than 200 service centers pan India. The company offers a wide range of easy-to-use internet enabled feature phones and smartphones with 100+ days replacement and 1 year warranty.

FORME aims to provide most innovative and reliable products & services at an affordable price. In this fast pace changing trend in design and technology FORME heavily invests its time and effort in R&D to understand and fulfill the needs of current and upcoming generation. FORME’s dedication to excellence has always been rewarded by the kind of loyalty the brand has received from across the globe.

ABB Digital Chief Guido Jouret Receives India’s NASSCOM ‘Digital Evangelist’ Award

ABB Chief Digital Officer (CDO) Guido Jouret received the NASSCOM Global Leadership Award on Monday at the WCIT-NASSCOM ILF 2018 conference in Hyderabad, India. With the award the main trade organization of Indian IT-BPM companies recognizes Jouret’s leadership in the IT sector in India.

A technology strategist, Jouret has over 24 years of experience in the IT-sector and is committed to creating high-tech solutions for businesses in digital transformations. Jouret is the driving force behind ABB Ability, the company’s unified, cross-industry digital capability — extending from device to edge to cloud — with devices, systems, solutions, services and a platform, enabling customers to increase productivity and efficiency.

“It has always been my passion and focus to drive innovation and build transformational businesses to benefit customers across sectors. Today, the world faces some of the biggest challenges of providing greener power, transportation, and automation to people and industry,” said Jouret.

“At ABB, we are using our deep domain knowledge and experience of developing software for 40 years with ABB Ability^, our industry leading portfolio of digital solutions, to solve these problems. It is a pleasure to witness and be a part of discussions about the future of work and digital disruption with other prominent leaders across the globe at the NASSCOM India Leadership Summit 2018.”

Jouret has built an extensive experience in Silicon Valley. He was Chief Technology Officer at Nokia Technologies and Cisco. He also ran Cisco’s Emerging Technologies Group, where he became an authority of the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and digitalization.

Simplilearn Launches Digital Transformation Academy for Enterprises

Today, in a venture to help enterprises gain the skills and strategies necessary to become digital-ready, edtech company Simplilearn announced the launch of the Simplilearn Digital Transformation Academy. Through a comprehensive online self-paced and instructor-led curriculum, Simplilearn’s Digital Transformation Academy provides enterprises with the insights and training to guide their digital strategy, identify opportunities and correct skill deficits in emerging technologies, while quickly creating the platform for the entire organization, from employees to executives, to digitally transform themselves.

Digital transformation is the process of “transforming” the mindset of an organization and implementing strategies that use digital technologies in all stages of business. The Simplilearn Digital Transformation Academy covers all aspects of people, process and technology to achieve competency in digital technologies including Design Thinking, Big Data, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing and DevOps, Programming and Automation, Digital Marketing and more.  The Digital Transformation Academy is designed to be customizable across a wide variety of industries and for all employee and management levels and roles while delivering on Simplilearn’s outcome-centric, high engagement learning approach.

“Simplilearn began with the goal of helping professionals upskill, become future job-ready and bridge industry skill gaps,” said Krishna Kumar, Founder and & CEO of Simplilearn. “In the last few years, the digital talent shortage has widened, threatening to create a bottleneck for enterprises that are struggling to achieve their digital transformation objectives. Our Digital Transformation Academy promises to bring these organizations’ people, processes and technology skills up to speed for a successful digital shift.”  

Simplilearn’s Digital Transformation Academy offerings include:

·  Up-to-date, in-depth content developed by industry leaders. The learning content are designed and updated by world-class, subject matter experts and industry thought leaders.

·  Comprehensive, outcome-centric curriculum. Offering more than 130 courses in 9 categories specific to topics essential to digital transformation, the Academy’s curriculum focuses on developing proficiency in immediately usable skills. Each course is supplemented with applied learning projects and real-world case studies, with hands-on practice via Simplilearn’s CloudLab online development environment.

·  Flexible learning approach. Simplilearn is the first online training company that provides a global, anytime, anywhere approach to employee training. So people can learn in the way they want to learn, our courses combine self-paced online content and instructor-led live virtual classrooms, backed by 24/7 global teaching assistants to enable learners to quickly resolve questions.

·  Progress tracking and assessments. The learning management system (LMS) is intuitive and has built-in tools for enterprises to track the learning progress of employees, including reports and alerts that help ensure high course completions. All learning programs come with pre- and post-course assessments as well as independent certifications.

“The rapid pace of technological change has triggered businesses to embrace evolving digital technologies or risk becoming obsolete,” said Anand Narayanan, Chief Product Officer at Simplilearn. “We look forward to embarking on our Digital Transformation Academy to support organizations with our advanced learning approach , to create better outcomes  in achieving a digital savvy workforce.”

Simplilearn has partnered with leading Global System Integrators, FMCG, Banking and Telecom companies to support their digital transformation journeys.  With integrated learning programs across key technology and business domains, Simplilearn continues to be the preferred training company for individuals, working professionals, and higher institutions of higher education.

Communitech Forms Indo-Canada Innovation Bridge with India’s T-Hub

Communitech has signed a memorandum of understanding with T-Hub of India today, announcing the intent to partner in support of global commercialization of each other’s technology companies. 

The memorandum of understanding was signed during a ceremony in Mumbai, India by Lisa Cashmore, Communitech’s Director of International Strategy and Jay Krishnan, T-Hub CEO in the presence of the Bardish Chagger, Leader of the Government in the Canadian House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism.

The partnership forms an Indo-Canada Innovation Bridge anchored by Communitech, an industry-led innovation center that supports, fosters and celebrates a community of more than 1400 tech companies in Waterloo Region, Canada and T-Hub, India’s largest startup incubator.

Communitech and T-Hub will share office space, programming and mentorship as well as create a program where companies of both countries will join to resolve corporate innovation challenges. The partnership presents three goals:

• A co-innovation program with joint development between Canadian and Indian innovators and entrepreneurs,

• Market access for Communitech entrepreneurs through T-Hub’s India Market Access Program based on product-market fit, and

• Indian and Canadian startups and researchers working together on solutions to innovation challenges corporate businesses face in both countries.

“Our government is committed to making Canada a world leader in innovation. In order to truly achieve this objective, we also understand that in a globally connected world, we need to partner with like-minded countries, like India, to build strong connections and help our entrepreneurs create world-class companies,” said Minister Chagger.

“These partnerships also help to encourage investment and forward thinking, giving our best and brightest a stage on which they can shine. Today’s agreement between Communitech and T-Hub will help to enable this important work. I congratulate both organizations on this agreement, and wish them, and the many great companies they will work with, the best of success for many years to come.” “Forming a partnership to support Canadian and Indian innovation in tech companies is a huge opportunity. India is in the top five most requested markets through the Canadian Digital Media Network (CDMN) Soft

Landing program, so we know it is a market that is of interest and importance to the companies we work with,” said Cashmore. “This partnership will help Canadian startups and technology firms have direct access to Indian markets and support on the ground.” “T-Hub and Communitech share a common philosophy to make our corresponding ecosystems vibrant, technology-driven, and also driven by international aspirations. With the signing of this MOU, we will be providing a platform and opportunity for startups and corporates from both countries to access each other with support provided on the ground in a structured, programmatic way,” said Krishnan.

Accenture Launches New Artificial Intelligence Dual Testing Services

Accenture has launched new services for testing artificial intelligence (AI) systems, powered by a unique “Teach and Test” methodology designed to help companies build, monitor and measure reliable AI systems within their own infrastructure or in the cloud.

Accenture’s “Teach and Test” methodology ensures that AI systems are producing the right decisions in two phases. The “Teach” phase focuses on the choice of data, models and algorithms that are used to train machine learning. This phase experiments and statistically evaluates different models to select the best performing model to be deployed into production, while avoiding gender, ethnic and other biases, as well as ethical and compliance risks.

During the “Test” phase, AI system outputs are compared to key performance indicators, and assessed for whether the system can explain how a decision or outcome was determined. It uses innovative techniques and cloud-based tools to monitor the system on an ongoing basis for sustained performance. For instance, a patent-pending normalization technique uses a unique algorithm to test object recognition more quickly.
 
“The adoption of AI is accelerating as businesses see it’s transformational value to power new innovations and growth,” said Bhaskar Ghosh, group chief executive, Accenture Technology Services. “As organizations embrace AI, it is critical to find better ways to train and sustain these systems – securely and with quality – to avoid adverse effects on business performance, brand reputation, compliance and humans.”
 
According the Accenture Technology Vision 2018, AI systems require addressing many of the same challenges faced in human education and growth: fostering an understanding of right and wrong, and what it means to behave responsibly; imparting knowledge without bias; and building self-reliance while emphasizing the importance of collaborating and communicating with others.
 
“Testing AI systems presents a completely new set of challenges. While traditional application testing is deterministic, with a finite number of scenarios that can be defined in advance, AI systems require a limitless approach to testing,” said Kishore Durg, senior managing director, Growth and Strategy and Global Testing Services Lead for Accenture. “There is also a need for new capabilities for evaluating data and learning models, choosing algorithms, and monitoring for bias and ethical and regulatory compliance. Accenture’s “Teach and Test” methodology takes all of this into consideration to help companies develop and validate AI systems with confidence.”
 
Accenture used its “Teach and Test” methodology to train a conversational virtual agent for a financial services company’s website, so that it could engage in accurate, unbiased conversations and know when to refer conversations to a human. The agent was trained 80 percent faster than previously possible and achieved an 85 percent accuracy rate on customer recommendations.
 
The methodology was also used to teach a sentiment analysis solution to evaluate a brand’s service performance by analyzing social media, news and other sources in real time. Having the right training data enabled the solution to correctly interpret sentiments in different contexts and domains. The training time for models was cut in half, enabling faster analysis and business results.
 
Accenture AI Testing is part of a complete range of testing services that helps quality engineering professionals be a catalyst for speed, agility and business performance while achieving radical productivity. Accenture serves over 1,000 testing clients across more than 40 industries and is recognized as an industry leader in testing innovation. More information on the ”Teach and Test” methodology can be found here.