Converge 2.0, a unique initiative by the Department of Higher Education (DHE) and the Goa State Higher Education Council (GSHEC), in collaboration with CSR Box and implementation partner IBM SkillsBuild held recently aimed at strengthening the ties between academia and industry. I was a witness to this entire effort wherein 300-plus entrepreneurs addressed 15,000 students from 40 colleges across Goa – both general and engineering. Entrepreneurship sessions, innovative ideas, challenge contests, hackathons, internships, project displays, and industry-academia meets were held during the event.
Dr Dipan Sahu, assistant innovation director, Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell (government of India), elaborated on the PM Internship scheme. It is a one-year internship offered by the top 500 companies in India, who are the top CSR spenders. It is voluntary, with almost 400 companies agreeing to participate in the scheme and provide internship opportunities nationwide. A total of 1.27 lakh internships were offered in the first round, and 1.15 lakh opportunities were available in the second round.
These opportunities are offered in various fields, including for students in 10th and 12th class, those who have done ITI and are graduates between the ages of 21 and 24, and those with an annual income of less than Rs 8 lakh. Companies have been instructed to train and teach them the skills to bridge the gap between what is taught in the classroom and what is done at the workplace.
The scheme covers a wide range of sectors like agriculture and allied to banking, automotive, cement, FMCG, healthcare, IT, Software, construction, housing, pharma, oil and gas, retail, hospitality and includes conglomerates like Reliance, Tatas and other top names in the industry. They also have quarterly student appraisals to assess students and finish the internship with a certificate with the requisite skill sets and experience in one of India’s top companies. Dr Sahu further informed that details about the scheme are entirely available online, on the PM internship scheme portal, where you can register with your certificates and view the 1.15 lakh opportunities across the country and 850 opportunities in Goa.
Converge 2.0 also displayed creative projects developed by 30 students at the venue and successfully organised the Innovative Idea Challenge 2025, with nearly 300 students from 40 colleges having applied for the contest, which aimed at fostering innovation and entrepreneurship among students across the state of Goa.
A panel of eminent experts evaluated the submissions, in preparation for the final round, a specialised pitch training program was conducted, and the candidates were evaluated and awarded by a distinguished panel of judges for the final pitching round. The innovative idea was a stepping stone for the students to transition from conceptual ideas to an MVP - Minimum Viable Product. This initiative was conducted under the able leadership of Bhushan Savaikar, director DHE, Dr Niyan Marchon – convenor of converge and D S Prashant - CEO of the Startup and IT promotion cell of Goa, who supported and mentored the Idea Challenge contest.
CSR Box, the implementing agency for this initiative, outlined the idea to create a future-ready workforce, bridge skill gaps, provide valuable insights and practical application of knowledge, interact with industry experts, and develop internships and placements. This will further help create college incubators, fuel entrepreneurial spirit, develop a culture of start-ups, and foster economic growth in the country. With 53 colleges in Goa already having established institutional council innovation cells in 2023, some have performed exceptionally well, receiving star ratings nationally.
To take this initiative further and to enhance the skills and employability of Goan youth, DHE partnered with Laghu Udyog Bharati (which is an All-India Association for MSMEs), Goa Chapter, by signing a memorandum of association. The courses paired with meaningful industry partnerships, aimed to equip students with the knowledge and real-world skills to excel the 21st century workforce with structured internship opportunities, live business projects, case studies, expert led workshops, and industry mentorship; besides working with the college to align the curriculum with the evolving nature of local industries.
The collaboration seeks to shape the new generation of Goan entrepreneurs and leaders, which also resonates perfectly with the spirit of the National Education Policy to empower the youth with the tools and mindsets to create not just jobs, but opportunities. It serves the theme of converge, which is ‘Skill up, Scale up, Succeed: Empowering the Workforce of Tomorrow’.
(The writer is Laghu Udyog Bharati, Goa State President, Assocham Empowerment Chair, and a member of the GCCI Managing Committee)
