Patna: Bihar has signed a partnership with industry body NASSCOM to equip thousands of students in government engineering and polytechnic colleges with job-ready digital skills, in a move aimed at aligning technical education with the needs of the global technology sector.
Bihar Engineering University (BEU) and the State Board of Technical Education (SBTE) on Thursday entered into a memorandum of understanding with the NASSCOM/IT-ITeS Sector Skills Council under the Government of India-backed Future Skills Prime programme. The initiative will allow students to access structured online training in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, data science, cyber security and cloud computing.
The agreement was signed by BEU registrar Dr Pradeep Kumar and NASSCOM chief operating officer Dr Upmith Singh in the presence of the state’s science, technology and technical education minister Sunil Kumar, departmental secretary Dr Pratima, and vice-chancellor Prof Suresh Kant Verma, along with other senior officials. The state government said the collaboration marks a step towards modernising technical education and improving employability among graduates.
Speaking at the event, Minister Sunil Kumar said partnerships with industry were essential to ensure students develop skills that match real-world demands. Because the platform is fully digital, he added, students from rural areas and smaller districts will have the same access to quality training as those studying in larger cities or premier institutions.
Officials said the programme will offer flexible, self-paced courses, virtual internships, foundation modules and deep-skilling tracks. The state also plans to appoint a nodal officer in each participating college to guide students, monitor implementation and ensure the training meets quality standards. Regular workshops and orientation sessions will be organised for both faculty and students.
The move follows a series of recent initiatives by the department to expand digital resources, including a separate agreement with the Information and Library Network Centre for access to online libraries and research tools. Together, authorities say, these steps are intended to prepare Bihar’s technical students with globally competitive skills and open up wider employment opportunities in the fast-growing technology sector.
