SSAHE And upGrad Partner For Applied Engineering Education

“When I was the Higher Education Minister, I used to interact with academicians and would also speak to the industry—but they were not happy with the graduates we were producing, since they were not industry-ready. Nobody would accept computer science graduates right away on a project, and even today that continues. Then I realised there is a huge gap between academia and industry—and that is why this upGrad School of Technology has come into the picture. I am sure we will take this partnership forward, make it successful, and set an example for other academic institutions, because just Siddhartha doing it is not enough,” said Dr. G. Parameshwara, Karnataka Home Minister and Chancellor, Sri Siddhartha Academy of Higher Education (SSAHE), while addressing a gathering of academic and industry leaders in Bengaluru over the weekend at a ministerial dialogue held on the occasion of the inauguration of the upGrad School of Technology’s collaboration with Sri Siddhartha Academy of Higher Education (SSAHE).

“40 years back, when somebody said India is strong in technology, nobody would believe it. India was not known for a strong technological mindset, but today India is different. We have a very strong talent base—60% of the present population is below 40 years of age. Look at the way they are expressing themselves to the world and building a new India that can rule,” he added.

The event was convened to discuss how engineering education in Karnataka can evolve to better prepare students for emerging technology roles, applied learning, and entrepreneurship in a rapidly changing digital economy. It was attended by Dr. G. Parameshwara, Karnataka Home Minister and Chancellor, SSAHE; Dr. M. C. Sudhakar, Hon. Minister for Higher Education, Government of Karnataka; senior academic leaders from 14 Indian cities, including organic chemistry expert M. S. Chouhan from Kota; SSAHE leadership; and industry representatives such as first-generation entrepreneur and upGrad Co-founder Ronnie Screwvala, and Rishi Saraf of Refacto AI.

The discussion focused on the need for industry-aligned academic frameworks within university-led engineering programs, emphasising early exposure to emerging technologies, applied learning, research, and real-world problem-solving from the early years of engineering education, while retaining the strong academic foundations that universities provide.

The Hon. Minister for Higher Education, Dr. M. C. Sudhakar, highlighted the importance of industry participation in strengthening public and private higher education institutions, noting that partnerships of this nature can help bridge the gap between curriculum and employability while nurturing research, entrepreneurship, and innovation on campus.
“When we are competing with global powers, where things are evolving at a faster pace, we need to create a massive workforce and a high density of higher education universities and institutions in India per lakh population. Just in Karnataka, we are around 60%, which is double the national average, as per NITI Aayog. With such a vibrant ecosystem, a day should come when we drive technology from Indian shores. We have an amazing talent pool here and need to tap it in a big way. This is where industry has to come forward. The employability gap is growing probably every day, and with this, we can bring it down. Skilling during the existing curriculum is very important, and with this, we are filling the gap,” he added.

Led by CEO Vishwa Mohan and Chief Revenue and Outcome Officer Mehul Khandhedia, upGrad School of Technology—a next-generation learning environment—will work closely with the University to provide academic and curriculum advisory support, while enabling deeper industry integration within the current programs. This includes embedding research exposure, build sprints, and continuous specialisations from Day 1, supported by AI-first learning technologies that deliver personalised learning pathways, real-time skill progress tracking, and academic support. The latter stages of the initiative will also provide access to prototyping labs, seed-support channels, and masterclasses from global founders and CTOs, helping students ideate, build, and validate ventures within the University’s innovation ecosystem.

Speaking at the event, Vishwa Mohan noted that while universities provide strong foundational engineering education, the pace of technological innovation has created a growing need to complement this foundation with applied learning, deeper industry exposure, and early engagement with emerging technologies.

“Today in our country, credibility and trust on one side is what universities have brought, and along with that, if we can combine it with innovation, new thinking, and our ability to put all things together—that’s what is going to make the difference. We are here to support innovation, progress, and make young India not just job-ready, but part of Viksit Bharat,” concluded Ronnie Screwvala.

The session concluded with a shared emphasis on Karnataka’s role in shaping India’s engineering talent pipeline and the importance of future-ready university models in supporting the country’s broader Viksit Bharat vision.