National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) has deemed that the IT and ITeS sector is one of the major contributors that are strengthening the Indian economy. The sector has gradually yet steadily amassed financial competence to the tune of increasing its endowment to India’s GDP “from 1.2% in FY 1998 to 7.5% in FY 2012” [1]. In light of this fact, the Government of India has rightly poised its course by drawing the National Policy on Information Technology, 2012 (NPIT-2012). The Policy is aimed at empowering the Indian nation to evolve as a prominent Global Hub and destination for IT and ITeS by the year 2020
NPIT-2012 is devised to simultaneously ease and expedite the accessibility of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to all the people of India while also uniting the Human Resources of the Nation as a total integrated entity. Listed below are the objectives that are set as milestones to draw the action plan and measure the success of the NPIT-2012:
- To increase revenues of IT & ITeS from the present USD 100 billion to USD 300 billion by 2020 and expand exports from the present USD 69 billion to USD 200 billion by 2020.
- To create a pool of 10 million additional skilled manpower in ICT sector
- To gain significant global market-share in emerging technologies and services
Many States of India have readily latched on to the Centre’s initiative to boost the IT quotient of the nation and have carried the legacy to greater levels by investing individual interest in the cause. Gujarat is one among the Indian States to have successfully deployed the Government’s key e-governance infrastructure, policies, and projects through its “think big, start small, and scale fast” [2] approach. Gujarat is also a hot choice of independent agencies for the position of India’s most e-prepared State.
The resolve of the State Government of Gujarat to realize the objectives of NPIT-2012 is indelibly registered by its new IT Policy.The policy is the manifestation of the State’s complete awareness of the “infinite potential of the Equation: IT + IT = IT that is Indian Talent + Information Technology = India Tomorrow to create and build a vibrant and sturdy edifice of IT/ITeS Eco-system on the basis of Innovation and Knowledge Capital, to utilize the huge talent pool of Young India and to contribute to the overall economy and prosperity of the State and the Nation.” [3]
Gujarat has gone the extra mile by practically applying one of the purposes of NPIT-2012, which is to make Information and Communication Technology (ICT) accessible to all the people of India. The strategic medium that has been tactically deployed by the State to accomplish the task is Gujarat Technological University (GTU), Ahmedabad. Incepted in the year 2007, GTU offers courses that are infused with the essence of its mission to furnish innovative and global perspective to professional education. The online classroom that employs the innovative ‘Active Learning’ methodology is one of the examples for its pioneering efforts. Within a decade of its inception the spirited progress of the University has earned it numerous national accolades.
The International Experience Program of GTU gives its students the precious scope to function in tandem with the universities of the USA, Canada, China, and Germany and acquire such competencies that make them globally relevant. GTU also observes “Research Week”, which is conceptually unique evaluation process of the dissertations of the University’s Master’s and Doctoral Program students that involves seasoned experts from various fields from across the globe.
GTU encourages interaction between international industry players and its students by periodically hosting industry-academia interactions of global standards. These interactions expose its students to endless opportunities and absorb infinite knowledge to groom themselves as professionals who would set new global benchmarks.
In line with its unbridled progress to deploy novel means to ensure that nothing less than the best is rendered unto its students, GTU has joined hands with ICT Academy. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in this regard between the two epitomes of excellence on the 11th of September 2019.
B Anbuthambi, Executive Vice President, ICT Academy signed and exchanged the MoU with Dr. K.N. Kher, Registrar, GTU in the presence of Dr. Navin Sheth, ViceChancellor of GTU, Dr. Keyur Darji, Deputy Director and Head International relations, GTU, Harinarayanan, State Head- Gujarat, ICT Academy, and Naveen Kumar, Relationship Manager, ICT Academy.
GTU has come to be adorned as another gem in the crown of ICT Academy by joining the Academy’s prestigious list of partnering universities in India that function as its Nodal Universities. As a Nodal University, GTU will provide infrastructure support to ICT Academy, thereby enabling ICT Academy to deliver its training programs in various parts of the State of Gujarat. The nodal universities also provide lab facilities and classroom facilities for conducting the courses that would benefit the faculty members of the university and its affiliated colleges.