India can be workforce supplier to the world: Pitroda

New Delhi, Aug 11 (UNI) National Knowledge Commission (NKC) Chairman Sam Pitroda today called for scaling up the pace of development, both in education and vocational training, saying India has the potential to be the workforce supplier to the world.

''...We should substantially scale up the pace of development, both in education and vocational training, if we are not to be left behind,'' he said at a session on 'Entrepreneurship and Recommendations of the National Knowledge Commission' organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

He addd that India will probably have the largest set of young people in the world in the next few decades. ''Given this demographic advantage, we are optimally positioned to leapfrog in the race for social and economic development.'' ''We can no longer look at growth rates of five to ten per cent, what is required is a quantum leap,'' he added.

Speaking at the occasion, NKC member and Firstsource and ABP Pvt Ltd Chairman Ashok Ganguly said the key drivers of the Indian growth story since the reforms movement was introduced have been innovation and entrepreneurship.

Dr Ganguly said while these were the silver linings of the Indian growth story, the lack of skill development was a worrying factor.

The NKC has also released a study on 'Entrepreneurship in India', which outlined that one in three entrepreneurs finds it difficult to find candidates with the right skills.

The study also points out if the local 'best business practices' as seen among today's entrepreneurs were implemented on nationwide scale, India could substantially improve its ranking as a business destination.

Some other recommendations are facilitation of information flow by developing handbooks on entrepreneurship, help in access to early-stage finance and establishment of secondary markets.

It also found that most entrepreneurs have to self-finance their projects, information is not readily available to them, a majority of entrepreneurs are undergraduates and the government is extremely unhelpful to entrepreneurs.

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