Union Budget FY24: Emphasis on Design and Creative Education

A National Design Research Fund should be considered by the government in order to encourage the creation of cutting-edge design technologies and methodologies and to draw top talent to the industry.

While the Union Budget FY24 must focus on education and skill development in general, it must especially emphasize new-age capabilities that young Indians require to flourish in a digital economy, according to Sanjay Gupta, vice-chancellor of World University of Design.

“There are emerging job opportunities, including in digital and creative industries,” he mentioned. “There is a shift in students’ preference from mainstream subjects to visual & performing arts, crafts, music, literature, movies, gaming, architecture, fashion design, industrial design, functional computer software & design, advertising, and publishing, etc.”

 

India: A land of talented Craftsmen and various Creative Brains

He went on to say that India not only has a rich and diversified culture, art, and craftsmanship, but it also has a large number of talented craftsmen. “With the reach of their potential restricted and their market unorganised, correct measures could help harness this latent talent,” Gupta emphasised.

Creative industry, he added, needs to be treated as a new sector, requiring clear policies. “Areas of culture, art, craftsmanship, fashion, gaming and architecture have the potential of creating innumerable job opportunities across skill sets and educational qualifications,” he highlighted. “Policies that help attract entrepreneurs to this area, help create a new generation of skilled workers and protect intellectual property would go a long way in boosting this sector.”

 

Other Expectations From the budget

The following are additional expectations from the budget:

• To encourage the creation of cutting-edge design technologies and methodologies and to draw top talent to the sector, the government must consider establishing a National Design Research Fund. This may be readily accomplished through the R&D divisions of various ministries, which can provide financial assistance for initiatives and expand their focus from STEM to STEAM. This may also aid in developing a stronger faculty base, infrastructure, and resources to assist students in completing their tasks successfully.
• Numerous initiatives for the growth of design faculties might be introduced by the education ministry. The first step would be to bring in international faculty who are educated and experienced in their profession, to teach the first few batches as well as to train new faculty, as the lack of qualified faculty members is the biggest difficulty facing design education in India. For a short time, say five years, institutions may receive incentives to employ foreign faculty members. By offering financial support for their travel and living expenses, a foreign faculty recruiting fund can be established to facilitate the employment of foreign faculty members. It will be simpler if the immigration and visa processes are streamlined and international academic members receive tax incentives on their salary.
• To increase their exposure and employability, design students would benefit greatly from a CSR-like tax incentive for businesses working with design universities across verticals.
• One of the priciest fields of study is design. Education in design will be more accessible to people from different socioeconomic situations if there are more scholarships and grants available to individuals who want to pursue it. Real talent from low-income households will be able to take advantage of pertinent chances if this is done.

 

 

 

*Image Source Financial express