Pragati 2025 Begins: A New Push to Connect Education with Jobs in Karnataka

The Karnataka government has launched Pragati 2025, a new programme focused on bridging the growing gap between classroom learning and real-world job skills. The initiative will work across schools, colleges, and industries to improve employability among students and equip them with the right mix of academic knowledge and practical experience. Pragati 2025 is not just

The Karnataka government has launched Pragati 2025, a new programme focused on bridging the growing gap between classroom learning and real-world job skills. The initiative will work across schools, colleges, and industries to improve employability among students and equip them with the right mix of academic knowledge and practical experience. Pragati 2025 is not just another education policy—it is a targeted plan to match what is taught in institutions with what the market actually needs.

I am writing about this because I believe this is the kind of change our education system badly needs. For too long, students have been getting degrees without skills, and employers have been struggling to find job-ready candidates. As someone who keeps track of education reforms and youth employment issues, I see Pragati 2025 as a step in the right direction. It focuses not only on skill-building, but also on bringing together educators, government, and industries to work as a team. This is why it’s important for parents, students, and teachers alike to understand what this programme is all about.

What Is Pragati 2025?

Pragati 2025 is a state-level roadmap launched by the Government of Karnataka to align the education sector with future job markets. It is part of a broader skill development push and will work in coordination with the National Education Policy (NEP) and existing skilling schemes.

The main aim of Pragati 2025 is to:

Make education more practical and job-oriented
Help students from schools and colleges get real exposure to work environments
Reduce the skill mismatch that is currently common in many sectors
Partner with industries and tech firms to bring in-demand skills into the curriculum

This plan will be rolled out gradually with specific focus on high-demand sectors like IT, electronics, healthcare, hospitality, and construction.

Key Features of the Programme

What makes Pragati 2025 different is its focus on collaboration. It is not limited to a single department—it brings together education, higher education, skill development, labour, and industries departments.

Some highlights include:

Career Awareness Programmes in high schools and PU colleges
On-the-job training and internships for college students
District-level skill gap surveys to understand local employment needs
Faculty training to help teachers stay up to date with changing job trends
Industry tie-ups to develop updated training modules

Government officials have also said that emphasis will be placed on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, where access to quality skill education is usually limited.

How It Will Work at the Ground Level

At the heart of Pragati 2025 is the plan to make changes visible in classrooms and training centres. The state will set up District Skill Development Cells (DSDCs) that will track the implementation of the plan.

Here’s how it will work:

In Schools: Career counselling and life skills sessions from Class 9 onwards
In Colleges: Students will be offered electives and practical modules linked to local industry
At Skill Centres: Courses aligned with actual job demand—short term, modular, and practical
In Rural Areas: Mobile skill units and outreach camps to train students and dropouts

Students will also be guided towards job fairs, placement drives, and entrepreneurship training. This is to ensure that learning does not end with a certificate but continues until a job or livelihood is secured.

Why This Matters Now

The current situation across India shows a clear disconnect. Lakhs of students graduate every year, but many of them either remain unemployed or settle for low-paying jobs that do not match their education. Employers, on the other hand, say that finding skilled candidates is a big challenge—even for entry-level roles.

Some data to understand the gap:

Indicator	Value
Unemployment among educated youth in India (2023)	Over 17%
College graduates in Karnataka yearly	Approx. 7.5 lakh
Skilled candidates as per employer surveys	Only 45% job-ready

This is exactly the problem Pragati 2025 is trying to fix.

Role of Industry and Private Sector

Private companies and industry associations are being asked to partner actively in this initiative. They can help in designing short courses, offering internships, sponsoring training labs, and even hiring directly from government-supported programmes.

Some expected partners include:

IT and software companies in Bengaluru
Manufacturing clusters in Peenya and Dharwad
Hospitality groups in Mysuru and Coorg
Healthcare institutions in Mangaluru and Hubballi

The government has promised ease of collaboration and regular review meetings to keep the programme moving in the right direction.

What Students and Parents Should Know

If you’re a student or parent reading this, here are some things to keep in mind:

Don’t just chase degrees—check what skills are needed for your career goals
Look for opportunities to join short courses, projects, or industry-linked internships
Stay informed about job trends—Pragati 2025 will soon have online updates and student dashboards
Teachers and career counsellors in your area may also receive special training under this scheme

It’s a good time to make use of this new model while it’s being shaped.

Education and Employment Can Transform Society: Dinesh Gundu Rao Highlights the Way Forward

During a recent public address in Mangaluru, Karnataka’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao stressed that education and employment are two powerful tools that can shape the future of any society. He pointed out that when people are educated and have meaningful jobs, they can rise above social divisions, poverty, and other long-standing issues. His statement came while addressing students and faculty at a function organised at Srinivas University, where he also touched on the importance of knowledge-driven growth.

I felt the need to write about this because it’s rare to hear such a strong political focus on the link between education, employment and overall societal transformation. We often hear about schemes, budgets and infrastructure, but rarely is the bigger picture discussed—how these two sectors can change the life of a common person. This topic matters to all of us, especially the youth, who are navigating a fast-changing job market while also dealing with rising academic pressure. By writing about this, I hope more people start thinking seriously about how education is not just about degrees, and employment is not just about money—it’s about dignity, stability and progress.

Why Education and Employment Matter Together

Education and employment are often treated as separate issues, but in reality, they go hand-in-hand. Education gives people the ability to think, create and contribute. Employment gives them the opportunity to apply what they know, support their families, and be part of the economy. According to Dinesh Gundu Rao, these two pillars must be developed together if we want a fairer and more productive society.

He stressed that:

Lack of access to education pushes people into poverty.
Unemployment leads to frustration, crime, and brain drain.
A society that fails to create job-ready youth will always remain unequal.

This is why investing in schools, colleges, and job-oriented courses is not just a policy decision—it’s a moral responsibility.

Government’s Role in Creating Equal Opportunities

During the event, Rao mentioned that governments should focus not only on building schools and colleges but also on ensuring the quality of education. He said students from rural areas often struggle because they don’t have the same access to English-medium teaching or computer labs as those in urban areas. This kind of inequality reflects in the job market too, where rural youth get fewer chances.

He also pointed out that:

Many graduates remain unemployed or underemployed because they are not industry-ready.
There is a big gap between what is taught in classrooms and what the job market demands.
Career counselling and vocational training should start at the school level.

According to him, if we want to see real change, we need long-term thinking and serious government commitment—not just one-time policies or election promises.

Importance of Social Harmony for Progress

One of the key messages Rao delivered was about unity. He said education should be a tool to unite people and not divide them. The minister raised concern about how communalism and polarisation are slowly taking attention away from important issues like job creation and educational reform.

He added that:

When youth are unemployed, they are more vulnerable to divisive ideologies.
Education can help people develop critical thinking and tolerance.
A strong education and employment ecosystem reduces dependence on populist politics.

He urged young people to stay informed, ask questions, and focus on real-life issues rather than distractions.