The Prime Minister stressed on mapping of skill sets and preparing the youth through the adoption of best practices

Pointing out that the area of education, skill, research, and innovation was the second biggest focus after health in this year's Budget, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said this had further expanded the efforts made to link Education with Employability and Entrepreneurial Capabilities over the years.

The emphasis placed in this budget on skill development, upgradation and apprenticeship was unprecedented, Prime Minister Modi said.

"As a result of these efforts, today India has come in the top three countries in terms of scientific publications, number of PhD scholars and start-up ecosystem," he said. The Prime Minister added that India had also joined the top 50 ranks in Global Innovation Index.

Addressing a webinar on effective implementation of Budget provisions in the Education sector, the Prime Minister said that for the first time, the focus is on issues ranging from Atal Tinkering Labs in schools to Atal Incubation Centers in higher institutions. A new tradition of Hackathons for start ups has been created in the country, which is becoming a huge force for both the youth and industry of the country, he added.

Over 3,500 startups were being nurtured through the National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovation, Prime Minister Modi said.

Three supercomputers - Param Shivay, Param Shakti and Param Bramha - had been established under the National SuperComputing Mission in IIT BHU, IIT-Kharagpur and IISER, Pune, he said, adding that more than a dozen institutes in the country would get them.

Similarly, three Sophisticated Analytical and Technical Help Institutes (SATHI) were serving from IIT Kharagpur, IIT Delhi and BHU, he said.

The Prime Minister used his address to explain how talented youth would benefit with many avenues in sectors like space, atomic energy, DRDO and agriculture being opened up.

He referred to the recent opening up of the field of Geo-spatial data, saying this would lead to immense opportunity for the space sector and the entire ecosystem would benefit immensely.

According to Prime Minister Modi, the over 100 per cent increase in Biotechnology research was also indicative of the Government’s priorities. He called for increasing the scope of Biotechnology research in the service of food security, nutrition and agriculture.

The Prime Minister emphasized the need for mapping of skill sets and preparing the youth accordingly through adoption of best practices, inviting international campuses and industry-ready skill upgradation. "Ease of Doing Apprenticeship Program envisaged in this Budget will be of great benefit for the youth of the country," the Prime Minister said.

Future Fuel and Green Energy were essential for India's self-reliance in the Energy sector and the Hydrogen Mission announced in the Budget was a serious pledge, he said. Calling for concerted efforts for making hydrogen a fuel for transport, he said that India had already tested a Hydrogen vehicle.

Pointing out that the new National Education Policy had encouraged the use of local languages, Prime Minister Modi said it was now the responsibility of academics and language experts to see how the best content of the country and the world could be prepared in Indian languages.