Creative Industries must partner with the Govt and Academia to achieve the mission of New India: Sabbas Joseph

FICCI Frames is an Annual Convention by The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)  and is one of the largest in the world that brings together leading minds to deliberate and influence the road ahead. 

The LEAP (Learn Educate Apply and Progress) initiative by FICCI focusses on education and skills in an attempt to engage with the stakeholders and nurturing creative professionals for the future.

Recently FICCI organised a virtual conference where thought leaders discussed how the new National Education Policy will help the media and entertainment education in the country and prove to be an asset for the creative professionals. 

FICCI over the last two decades has represented the soul and aspirations of the media, entertainment and the creative industry representing it before policy makers. The conference was a step ahead in this attempt.

Here are some key takeaways from the virtual conference:

Amit Khare, Secretary, Ministry of I&B and Education, Government of India

The media and entertainment sector is one of the largest drivers of growth in the services side. There should be distinction between skills and education and also among different disciplines. The perspective must change from teaching to learning and re-learning.

Development of skills is needed not only in some well-known locations like Pune and Mumbai but also interiors of the country. The ministry of education as well as I&B will keep providing opportunities to the media and entertainment sector by way of enhancing skills and education of the youth.

Atul Kumar Tiwari, Additional Secretary, Ministry of I&B

The media and entertainment industry has a lot of potential that can further foster the economy and generate direct and indirect employment. Like any other sector, this also requires to bridge the gap between the skills that are available and the skills that are required.

The new education policy has especially given emphasis on performing arts, creative education and music. This will lead to a sea change in the way education is imparted in the country.

Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI 

After organising FICCI FRAMES for the last 21 years, we felt that we should organise a full-fledged conference concentrating on the issues related to education and skills which has got an overwhelming response from the stakeholders. We are hopeful that the deliberations that would take place at the platform will give a direction to the industry in India and will also export to the world.

Sabbas Joseph, Co-Founder & Director, Wizcraft International

The key principles of National Education Policy (NEP) have been outlined as the respect for diversity, equity and inclusion, community participation, use of technology and performance based capabilities.

FICCI Frames LEAP has an objective to nurture professionals of the future as it understands that to build global leaders of tomorrow India needs to begin today at the grassroots level.

The creative industries must partner with the Government and Academia to achieve the mission of ‘New India.’ Educating and Skilling India must go together to ensure that the students are employable and are ready to enter the creative industry which is bustling with exciting opportunities.

Subhash Ghai, Chairman, Mukta Arts and Founder, Whistling Woods International

A challenge I had to deal with during my early days of work was that I was surrounded by less educated people who were supposed to be trained on the job. Other countries have skill based education while India has memory based education which is a disadvantage especially for the media and entertainment sector. 

The NEP has provided a breather to the country. It is a big gift from the government to the children of this country. Whistling woods is at number one today because I could see that the foundation of other institutes was wrong.

Inder Singh Parmar, Dy. Minister School Education, Government of Madhya Pradesh

The sector is extremely important for our economy and is essential for all the states. For Madhya Pradesh, we are trying to include media and entertainment in the curriculum from school level itself. The new NEP is a step towards this direction.

Ashish Kulkarni, Chairman, FICCI, Animation & Gaming was also present.