National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme: Engage More
Chandigarh, India – April 9, 2025 – National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has partnered with Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU), a leading autonomous state technical university, to launch a state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence for Skill Development. The two organisations formalised their alliance through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed at the Startup Mahakumbh in New Delhi. The initiative aims to equip learners with hands-on experience in manufacturing skill sets across critical sectors such as Energy, Health, Water, and Food.
The Centre of Excellence will focus on delivering specialized training in emerging technologies, including VLSI Design, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, Internet of Things (IoT), Data Science, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, Smart Manufacturing, Blockchain, and more. With over 40 online and hybrid courses designed for students across ITI, Diploma, undergraduate, and postgraduate programs, this collaboration marks a significant milestone in advancing Skill India Mission, National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and National Credit Framework by integrating vocational education and skill development into mainstream academia.
Shri Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO, NSDC & MD, NSDC International said, “Today, we partnered with Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU) at the Startup Mahakumbh to strengthen the skilling ecosystem in the energy sector. This collaboration will support the development of training infrastructure in smart manufacturing, along with Centres of Excellence focused on automotive, EV charging, renewable energy, and semiconductors. Training in the semiconductor domain is already underway, paving the way for youth to gain practical exposure in high-demand, future-oriented fields.”
Dr. S. Sundar Manoharan, Director General, Pandit Deendayal Energy University, said, “We are proud to collaborate with NSDC under the visionary leadership of Mr. Ved Mani Tiwari. With their support, PDEU has transformed its infrastructure into a hub for advanced skill training, especially in high-demand sectors like renewable energy and semiconductors. Our newly launched ATMP Semiconductor Packaging Centre is designed to train students in back-end packaging, encapsulation, and other critical skills, creating a strong pipeline of industry-ready talent.”
PDEU has been at the forefront of energy education and skill development since its inception in 2007. The university has empowered students by integrating industry-standard manufacturing lines within its academic campus, including a 45 MW Solar PV Manufacturing Line and an ATMP Semiconductor Packaging Line. These facilities bridge the gap between academia and industry while fostering innovation in renewable energy technologies such as solar and wind energy, lithium and vanadium energy storage systems, carbon capture solutions, and smart hybrid grids.
“This marks a significant shift—where industry is now turning to academia for manufacturing-focused skilling. For the first time, experiential learning of up to 225 hours is being integrated into academic credits through the National Credit Framework. We deeply value NSDC’s continued guidance and support in building this impactful and scalable education model.” added Dr Manoharan.
Through this collaboration with NSDC, PDEU will further enhance its infrastructure by incorporating advanced manufacturing capabilities into the Centre of Excellence. The CoE will serve as a hub for skill development programs nationwide, targeting students from Tier-1, Tier-2, and Tier-3 institutions. It is aligned with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG-4 (Quality Education), SDG-7 (Affordable & Clean Energy), SDG-13 (Climate Action), and SDG-17 (Partnerships for Goals).
To ensure seamless operations and sustainability, a Section 8 company will be established as part of this initiative. Jointly owned by PDEU and NSDC Trust, this entity will manage the CoE’s activities while creating an independent revenue stream through course fees. It will also support flagship national initiatives like Make-in-India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat by preparing students for core manufacturing processes and fostering self-reliance in critical industries.
The Centre of Excellence is expected to play a pivotal role in addressing India’s growing demand for skilled manpower as it prepares to have the largest working-age population by 2030. Through practical exposure delivered by industry-certified trainers provided by NSDC, the initiative seeks to enhance employability among students while contributing to India’s socio-economic development.
IMD & 1Weather Bring Alerts to 235M Indians on Glance Lock Screen
Chandigarh, 29 January, 2025: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) and InMobi’s 1Weather, a global leading weather app, have formed a unique strategic partnership to deliver national weather warnings and alerts to millions of Indians on their Glance-enabled smartphone lock screens.
The Letter of Agreement (LoA) between IMD and InMobi will enable 235 million Indian smartphone users to stay informed about critical weather conditions instantly, without having to unlock their phones. This distinctive experience will not only help citizens stay safe and prepared but also facilitate swift action at scale during emergency situations.
IMD employs advanced numerical weather prediction models to analyze and forecast critical weather conditions, continually enhancing this capability. Long-term and large-scale weather alerts for events such as cyclones, low-pressure systems, and depressions can be predicted 3 to 5 days in advance, allowing people to prepare and minimize potential loss of life or property. Additionally, hyper localised alerts provide timely warnings for short-term events such as localised heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, hailstorms, or dusty winds which may last only for a few hours. The distribution of these alerts will now be accessible directly on smartphone lock screens, enabling wider reach and quicker dissemination of critical information with the help of 1Weather and Glance.
Glance is an AI-driven platform that delivers diverse, personalized, relevant, and serendipitous experiences directly to the lock screens of Android smartphones, allowing the users to access content without unlocking their phones, searching or downloading multiple apps. This makes it an essential platform for timely content such as weather alerts, enabling people to notice and act instantly. Additionally, localisation plays an integral part of this communication as Glance can adapt alerts to suit the location and visual preferences of users across different regions, ensuring the information is accessible and easily understood by people throughout the country.
Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General, IMD said, “IMD is continuously enhancing its capabilities to improve weather and climate services. As we celebrate the 150-year milestone, we are further committed to innovating to build a better climate future for India. With the use of smart AI and strategic partnerships such as InMobi and 1Weather, we are optimistic of achieving newer and quicker ways of sharing life-saving weather alerts.”
Srikanth Subramanian, Vice President and General Manager of 1Weather, said, “At 1Weather, we believe that this first of its kind collaboration, between 1Weather and IMD, will alert users ahead of time on severe weather right on their Android lock screens, and help them prepare better, saving precious lives in the process. We truly believe in helping people own their day with actionable weather insights. After success in the USA, we are hoping to reshape the climate story in India too and make a larger difference to society at large.”
The weather alerts feature represents Glance’s commitment to social responsibility through its Glance for Good program. This initiative uses Glance’s AI-powered platform and vast reach to leverage its platform for social impact, which includes initiatives in public safety, disaster preparedness, and community well-being.
“Weather affects everyone, from daily commuters to farmers. Through Glance for Good, we’re democratizing access to critical weather data and ensuring it reaches those who need it most,” added Bikash Chowdhury, Chief Marketing Officer at InMobi and Glance. “Our mission is to use technology not just for information and experiences, but as a force for social good.”
These live updates will be available soon on the Glance lock screen and later through the 1Weather app, which is available on the Google Play Store, across all major Android smartphone brands in India. 1Weather is one of the top 5 weather apps in the USA and LATAM regions.