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India, with its democratic values, youthful population, and rich cultural diversity, has long been seen as the ‘next big thing.’ Over the past two decades, it has impressed the world with economic growth, a strong IT sector, and an ambitious space program. Yet, many believe India still falls short of its full potential.
In this fireside chat series, Dr. Kamini Gupta of King’s Business School and Sanam Arora of NISAU engage thought leaders to explore the gap between India’s promise and its current reality. They discuss how India can harness its unique resources to become a global superpower, the challenges hindering its progress, and the lessons it offers to the world in business, politics, and religion.
There has been a great increase in the number of webinar-based conversations. These discussions are important and have increased access to expert insights, which can now be heard by audiences across the world. However, we want to take this forward to the next step. The discussions in the India Series will be followed up with actionable outcomes aimed at ushering in sustainable and inclusive development for India. Importantly, we will provide the platform required to enable contributions from audience members and other interested stakeholders. As a webinar attendee you have the opportunity to do more than listen; and contribute more directly if you so wish.
Chairperson, NISAU UK
Sanam is the founder and chairperson of the National Indian Students and Alumni Union UK, the largest association of Indian origin students and young professionals outside India. An Investment Management consultant, Sanam works with leading asset managers, providing strategy and management consulting.
She is an alumnus of the London School of Economics and is a recipient of the LSE SU’s Honorary Studentship. She has a keen interest in furthering the UK – India bilateral relationship and regularly provides thought leadership in this space. She tweets at @arora_sanam.
Asst. Professor, KBS
Dr Kamini Gupta is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) at King’s Business School, King’s College London. Her award-winning research focuses on the domain at the intersection of business and society; and she has a special interest in social issues in India.
Kamini holds an Honours degree in Economics from Shri Ram College of Commerce, an MBA from IIM Lucknow and a PhD from London Business School. Apart from her research that has been published in top management journals, she also writes and appears regularly in Indian and British press on issues that have social and economic implications. She tweets at @dr_kaminigupta.
The King’s Business School-NISAU India Series is hosted by Dr Kamini Gupta of Kings’ Business School and Sanam Arora of the National Indian Students and Alumni Union, speaking to thought leaders across sectors to examine how India can leverage its unique resources and capabilities to claim its place as a global superpower, and how challenges to this transition can be overcome.
In our next discussion in the India Series join us in conversation with Manish Sisodia, the Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister of Delhi credited with transforming the city’s government schools.
With 600 million people under the age of 25, India is set to welcome a huge workforce into its growing economy in the next two decades. However, ranking only 115 of 157 countries in the World Bank’s Human Capital Index, many are concerned that India’s underinvestment in education will turn the so-called ‘demographic dividend’ of a youthful population into a liability.
Spearheaded by Mr Sisodia, since 2015 the Aam Aadmi Party-led state government of Delhi has made massive investments in the city’s schools. It has doubled the budgetary allocation to education to 25% of the state budget, the highest proportion in India. In addition to new infrastructure and improved teacher training there have also been innovative curriculum changes, such as a Happiness Curriculum, and reforms to governance.
Delhi government schools have seen significant gains from this investment, achieving a record 98% pass rate in recent CBSE Class 12 exams, which are the key qualification for university entrance and professional training programmes and the highest score in the 2020 National Achievement Survey. The city’s education reforms have also attracted international attention and Mr Sisodia has spoken at global education conferences and delivered the keynote address at the 2018 Harvard India Conference.
In our wide-ranging conversation with the Minister we will explore how Delhi achieved this success and whether it can be replicated across India. What are the opportunities and challenges of delivering India’s National Education Policy and what role should different stakeholders play? And how can India adapt its education system and prepare its youth for what the future of work will bring?