The Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) hosted the Innovation Conclave in Kolkata, convened as a high-level platform bringing together government leaders, academic heads and national innovation champions to deliberate on the future of India’s education and skills ecosystem.
Speakers including Binod Kumar, principal secretary, school education and higher education department; Satyam Roychowdhury, chairman, ICC National Expert Committee on higher education & training and chancellor, Sister Nivedita University; Deepak Bagla, mission director, Atal Innovation Mission; Prof. Chiranjib Bhattacharjee, president, West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education and vice-chancellor, Jadavpur University among others.
The Conclave highlighted how rapid technological transformation, expanding innovation ecosystems and emerging skill imperatives are reshaping India’s learning landscape, underscoring the urgent need for an integrated, future-ready approach to education.
Speaking at the event, Binod Kumar said, “Under the leadership of the current government, the school education budget has risen from Rs 829 crore in 2011 to more than Rs 10,000 crore in 2024–25.” Officials described this dramatic rise as a structural shift that has enabled large-scale technology upgrades and modernisation across the education system.
Kumar said the gathering comes “at a critical moment when the need to align government, academia, industry and capital is essential for bridging the persistent skill gap that industry continues to identify among graduates and post-graduates.”
The state has broadened its global and industry partnerships, strengthening MoUs with the British Council and several foreign universities, while encouraging participation from industry and venture capital to fuel innovation-driven growth. With 11 private universities already operational and more awaiting notification, Mr Kumar emphasised that West Bengal is shifting from regulatory oversight to a facilitative model aimed at positioning the state at the forefront of technology integration and future-ready human capital development.
Satyam Roychowdhury said the conference has reinforced the need to place innovation at the centre of India’s education system. “Meaningful progress demands clarity of purpose, practical action and strong institutional support,” he said, adding that early exposure to innovation is now essential as India advances in digital governance, deep tech, space science and AI.