Announcements

SPJIMR is proud to announce that Prof. Ashish Desai, who also serves as a Senior Visiting Fellow at the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), has co-authored a landmark study commissioned by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) under the Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) scheme.

The study ‘National Skill Gap Study for High Growth Sectors’, led by Prof. Bornali Bhandari of NCAER, provides a dynamic framework to assess and forecast skill gaps across India’s states and key sectors. Prof. Desai led the skills gap analysis for the technology sector, combining his academic expertise with advanced big data techniques.

The year-long study used a robust methodology that combines qualitative and quantitative insights, including job forecasts, secondary data, and stakeholder consultations. The framework spans seven high-growth sectors: agriculture, animal husbandry, textiles, automotive, power, retail, and IT. It is designed to help policymakers and skilling bodies implement data-driven, targeted interventions at both the state and national levels.

In a clear example of academic learning meeting policy impact, three PGDM participants from SPJIMR 2024–2026—R. Abhiram, Shruthi Muruganandam, and Tarun Agrawal contributed to the study. The students supported macro-level analysis and have been officially acknowledged in the report, which was unveiled by the Hon’ble Minister at the Kaushal Manthan Regional Workshop in Hyderabad.

“We are grateful to NCAER and Prof. Bornali Bhandari for enabling our students to engage in meaningful, policy-relevant work. This project is a concrete example of SPJIMR’s growing contribution to public policy—an area of increasing importance. As we continue to take academic research beyond PRJs and into real-world policymaking, we hope to help foster a future where academia, industry, and government work in close alignment,” said Prof. Ashish Desai.

The Ministry and NCAER have commended the quality of work, with several new projects already identified for future collaboration under the Government Impact elective. This growing engagement marks a significant step in expanding SPJIMR’s footprint in public policy research.

Prof. Desai’s contribution is a strong reflection of SPJIMR’s mission to move academic research beyond the classroom to real-world relevance. His work not only influences national skill policy but also helps foster stronger links between academia, government, and industry.

We congratulate Prof. Ashish Desai on this significant achievement and thank NCAER and MSDE for recognising SPJIMR’s expertise in applied, policy-driven research.