Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Infosys, has signed a four-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) to enhance engineering education in India.
The collaboration, supported by a grant of over ₹38 crore, aims to upskill educators and provide students with internships and mentorship opportunities to bridge the gap between academia and industry.
“Our collaboration with INAE furthers Infosys Foundation’s commitment to shaping the future of education in India. By working with INAE, we hope to empower educators with the right set of teaching skills and provide students with real-world learning experiences through internships and meaningful guidance from mentors that will collectively contribute towards boosting the employability of the engineering workforce in India,” said Sumit Virmani, trustee of Infosys Foundation.
As part of the initiative, educators will benefit from both in-person and virtual training, which will help them improve technical expertise, classroom management, and student engagement.
INAE will offer project-based internships and year-long mentorships to students pursuing B.Tech and BE courses. The programme will also focus on equipping students with essential technical and professional skills to boost their employability.
The initiative will involve 600 mentors from top academic institutions in India, who will guide over 2,000 teachers and 1,700 students.
Expressing gratitude for the partnership, Professor Indranil Manna from INAE said, “We thank Infosys Foundation for helping us take forward our mission to raise the quality and credibility of the engineering education ecosystem in India. By bridging the gap between academia and industry through practical learning and educator development, we aim to inspire a new generation of talent, a refreshed engineering curriculum and teaching.”
IT vs GCC
Since both ITs and GCCs compete for the same talent pool, it becomes challenging for IT methodologies as GCCs offer significantly higher packages and better designations to freshers.
As GCCs establish their presence in India, there’s a growing opportunity for the young talent in the country to leverage their skills in generative AI for a lucrative career with them. According to consulting firm ANSR, about 90% of GCCs in India plan to harness the potential of AI, ML, and cognitive computing in the next two to three years.
A recent report reveals that GCCs offer salaries 12-20% higher than those in IT services and other non-tech industries for comparable tech roles.
Krishna Vij, VP at TeamLease Digital, told AIM, “This has prompted IT companies to increase salaries for specialised roles to retain and attract talent. However, to manage costs, many IT firms focus on hiring freshers and upskilling them, building a strong talent pipeline. These companies may need to refine their strategies to remain competitive in attracting and retaining skilled professionals.”
