Atal Rankings on Innovation which is also known as ARIIA (Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements) for 2021 was released on 29 December by Union Minister of State for Education Dr. Subhas Sarkar.

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Atal Rankings on Innovation

The Institute was the only One among the Seven IISERs to be identified in the ‘Promising’ band under ‘Institute of National Importance and Central Universities/CFTIs (Centrally Funded Technical Institutions) (Technical)’ Category

Atal Rankings on Innovation was launched in 2018 by the Innovation Cell of the Ministry of Education, Government of India.

IISER Bhopal has made it to the Atal Ranking on Innovation due to its continuous efforts and focus on startups and commercialization of technologies and translating those technologies for societal benefits.

The Institute has a dedicated Innovation and Incubation Centre (IICE) for entrepreneurship, which is a Technology Business incubator, to promote start-ups and innovation at the Institute.

He also added that Institute’s Atal Rankings on Innovation has improved this year as compared to last year and that has happened as faculty members take interest into start-ups, IPR and technology development along with teaching and research, he said.

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It is generously supported by the Institute and NSTEDB, Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.

IICE is also open for incubation for external entrepreneurs as overall goal is to promote the culture of entrepreneurship within the campus and in the vicinity.

A lot of work has been done at the institution with regards to startups and commercialization of technologies and translating them into those for societal benefits. This work has helped Atal Ranking on Innovation of the institution to witness an upward move.

Atal Ranking for Innovation has seven categories of institutions namely:

1. CFTIs (Centrally Funded Technical Institutions) /Central University/Institute of National Importance (Technical)

2. State University and Deemed University (Govt & Govt aided)(technical)

3. Government College/Institution (Govt and Govt Aided)(technical)

4. University & Deemed University (Self-finance/private)(technical)

5. Private college/Institute (self-finance/private)(technical)

6. Institute of National Importance, Central University and CFIs (non-technical)

7. General (non-technical)

The Atal Rankings on Innovation will prepare our Higher Educational Institutions to position themselves in major international educational rankings and I would like to see Atal Rankings go global as innovation and entrepreneurship has become an integral part of education system across the globe, he said.

The flagship skill development initiative, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), since 2015, has trained more than 1.5 crore candidates; out of which, as many as 40% have been women, according to data provided by the Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Jayant Chaudhary, in the Lok Sabha during Winter Session.

Though women stand out in terms of participation, the figures for other marginalised groups appear to be limited. In the 2015-October 31, 2024 data, SC beneficiaries are 11%, ST mere 4%, and persons with disabilities PwD just 0.32% of the number trained.

Data reflects that the apparel and electronics sectors are emerging as top placement providers. Nearly 4,20,848 students were placed in the apparel sector, while 4,07,892 found opportunities in electronics and hardware.

According to the statistics, pan India 1,57,55,371 candidates have been trained under the scheme. The category-wise trained candidates include:

• Scheduled Castes (SCs): 18,02,380
• Scheduled Tribes (STs): 6,93,547
• Other Backward Castes (OBC): 45,22,893
• Women: 62,33,468
• Minority: 16,60,073
• Persons with Disability (PwD): 51,364

OBC candidates comprised 29% of the ones totally trained and minority candidates comprised 10.53%.

The government according to Minister Jayant Chaudhary, believes the thrust of PMKVY 4.0 is about widening inclusivity by ensuring SC, ST, women, and other marginalized communities receive skill training that eventually goes on to achieve gainful wages and self-employment.

PMKVY Scheme: Placements

Placements were monitored in the STT component of the scheme for the first three editions that were rolled out from FY 2015-16 to FY 2021-22. The present edition has placements delinked.

Under PMKVY4.0, the focus was to empower our trained candidates to choose their varied career paths and they are suitably oriented for the same. Further, various IT tools like Skill India digital hub (SIDH) also give this opportunity,” the minister said while replying to questions in the House on the delinking of placements.

Data released a month ago by the Ministry of Skill Development reveals that out of the 56.88 lakh candidates registered in STT, an estimated 24.3 lakh have been placed for work, taking the percentage of placements to 42.8%. Apparel and electronics have been followed as top sectors, which further includes retail and logistics sectors.

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Specialized sectors like the information technology, hydrocarbon, and aerospace sectors remain relatively low on placements.
The IT sector as well IASC (instrumentation automation surveillance and communication) sectors received no placements.

In the Hydrocarbon sector, a negligible 328 candidates were placed. Similarly in sports, aerospace and aviation, 1,523 and 1,514 candidates were placed respectively.

PMKVY 4.0: Skill courses with maximum enrollment

The electronics and hardware sector has emerged as the frontrunner in India’s skill development mission, training over 15 lakh students under PMKVY. Apparel courses follow closely, having trained more than 13 lakh candidates nationwide.

Conclusion

PMKVY 4.0 continues to achieve new heights in India’s mission of skill development, training over 1.5 crores of individuals since its start. While the initiative stands as an example of prominent participation from women and outstanding success in sectors such as apparel and electronics, statistics do show areas that call for more inclusion of marginalised groups. The focus in the further progression of PMKVY on making equitable opportunities available to SCs, STs, minorities, and PwDs will be quite essential. With its focus on enabling candidates to pursue different career options and utilizing digital resources such as Skill India Digital Hub, the program intends to overcome placement problems and promote self-employment opportunities in all sectors.