Archives: Event

Roundtable Discussion on Advancing Female Employment in Urban India

NCAER, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), hosted a roundtable discussion on Advancing Female Employment in Urban India on 8 May 2025. The event brought together policymakers, researchers, and development practitioners to deliberate on the persistent barriers to women’s labour force participation in urban India and to explore strategies for ensuring inclusive employment growth.

Dr Ratna Sahay, Head of NCAER’s Centre on Gender and Macroeconomy, and Ms Michiko Miyamoto, ILO Country Director for India inaugurated the roundtable. Dr Sahay underscored the transformative potential of formalising part-time employment for boosting female employment and economic growth in India. She also accentuated the importance of integrating gender considerations into macroeconomic policymaking and the often-overlooked value of care work, both within households and across the broader economy.

Ms Miyamoto emphasised the chronic neglect of the care economy in global economic discourse. She pointed out that strategic engagement from the government could unlock substantial opportunities within India’s care economy, benefiting both employment and social outcomes.

Presentations

The first presentation at the event from Dr Aakash Dev of NCAER focused on the entrenched barriers to female labour force participation, particularly in urban settings. He identified unpaid care responsibilities, limited access to flexible work in the formal sector, restrictive gender norms, and inadequate training as major impediments to women’s labour force participation. Recent research at the Centre on Gender and Macroeconomy reveals that formalisation of part-time employment and equitable sharing of domestic care responsibilities can lead to a 6-percentage point increase in female labour force participation in India.

In the next presentation, Ms Aya Matsuura of the ILO made a compelling case for strategic investment in the care economy, not only for narrowing gender employment gaps but also for generating a huge number of decent jobs, especially in the formal education and healthcare sectors.

Key Discussion Themes

The roundtable discussions, moderated by Dr Sahay, centred on identifying actionable interventions to enhance women’s employment in urban India. The participants highlighted the need to bridge the gap between skills training and actual entry into the labour market to ensure that training translates into tangible job opportunities. It was suggested that guaranteeing safety, accessibility and fair remuneration in employment and promoting financial literacy for women would help address both the logistical and economic barriers faced by them.

The importance of strengthening transport infrastructure to ensure safe and convenient commutes and workplace safety for women to enable sustained female workforce participation was also highlighted.

The participants also noted the potential of technology to reduce physical labour, and sector-specific strategies—particularly in manufacturing industries such as automotive—to challenge gender stereotypes and bring more women onto shop floors.

The roundtable concluded with a recognition of the complex barriers limiting women’s labour force participation in urban India, and the need for coordinated multi-sectoral policy action to create a more gender-inclusive and equitable urban labour market.

National Workshop on Dissemination of Methodology to Assess Skill Shortages and Gaps

The NCAER and Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship jointly organised the National Workshop on ‘Dissemination of Methodology to Assess Skill Shortages and Gaps’ on 18 March 2025, at the NCAER Auditorium in New Delhi. The workshop was attended by 85 in-person participants, and 53 participants who joined virtually from State Governments around the country.

The keynote address at the workshop was delivered by Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, MSDE.

Welcome Address by Dr Anil Sharma, Secretary, National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER)

Dr. Sharma welcomed everyone to the workshop. He discussed about the challenges we are facing today for upskilling and reskilling the labour, and keeping this in mind NCAER started working on skills about 10 years ago.

First study done in this space was ‘Skilling India –No Time to Lose’. There was another study on skilling in schools that was done for Central Board of Secondary Education, under which NCAER evaluated the programmes and initiatives by the schools. It was appreciated by World Bank as well. There were several other studies interlinked with skilling. At present 3 different types of studies are ongoing at NCAER, which are in collaboration with the MSDE. One for which the workshop is being held i.e. methodology for assessing skill shortages and gaps in the 7 high growth sectors led by Dr. Bornali Bhandari. The other two are led by Dr. Poonam Munjal, regarding ‘Concurrent Evaluation of the PM Vishwakarma Scheme’ and ‘Concurrent Monitoring of the PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana Scheme (PMKVY)’.

Inaugural Remarks by Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE)

Shri Tiwari thanked Dr Poonam Gupta, Dr Anil Sharma and Prof Bhandari and her team. He introduced to the audience that the national workshop was the culmination of a series of workshops to present the methodology for assessing skill shortage and gap. From a public policy perspective, the importance of the study stems from the fact that India needs targeted skilling interventions, for which we need a proper understanding of what the skill demand is.

Shri Tiwari provided examples of how such studies have been done internationally, by highlighting instances of demand driven analyses from other countries, such as:  quantitative forecasting models in the United States, employer led skill demand studies from Germany, qualitative approaches of Australia, foresight and scenario planning of Brazil, and big data and real time analytics of Europe.

He mentioned that MSDE’s objective was to arrive at a methodology which can used for anticipating and adapting skills at the national level, and essentially to have a labour market information system that assesses skills and shortages at present, and also anticipates future skill demands. The ministry approached NCAER to take forward this work due to the institute’s established eminence in this field of work.

Shri Tiwari hoped for this methodological prototype to serve as a dynamic framework for continuous skill demand assessment, which evolves with economic shifts and technological advancements, and for it to be replicated at sub-national and sectoral levels to ensure state level and industry specific skill planning.

He expressed confidence that the national workshop, along with the regional workshops held prior to this, would help us in arriving at a methodology which will allow us to ensure that India’s skill ecosystem remains, agile, targeted, future ready, and align with the demands of an evolving global economy. Shri Tiwari concluded his remarks by thanking Prof Bornali Bhandari and her team for taking forward exceptional work in this regard.

Inaugural Remarks by Shri V.S. Arvind, Director, SANKALP

The Director, Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) MSDE, Shri V.S. Arvind gave the inaugural remarks. 

 

 

 

 

Presentation on methodology to assess skill shortages and gaps at the Central, State and Sectoral levels

Prof. Bornali Bhandari, Professor, National Council of Applied Economic discussed the detailed methodological framework for the skill gap assessment in 7 key sectors.

 

 

 

Regional webinars on ‘Methodology for Skill Demand Assessment’

Regional workshops with the northern and southern states of the country convened today at Kaushal Bhawan under the chairpersonship of Secretary, MSDE. While the states/UTs presented the methodologies adopted for their respective skill gap studies, NCAER presented the findings of the ‘National Skill Gap Study for High Growth Sectors’ conducted under the SANKALP programme of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The primary aim of the study is to create a dynamic framework for skill gap assessment that can be regularly updated to predict skill requirements in line with the evolving economic landscape to ensure uniformity and standardization.

 

 

 

 

 

The workshops lead to meaningful insights and discussions of the methodologies applied by the respective studies and provided a platform for knowledge exchange.

NCAER and MSDE Skill India SANKALP programme conducted two regional workshops with the eastern and western states of the country convened at Kaushal Bhawan on ‘Methodology for Skill Demand Assessment’ on March 13, 2025.

Her Freedom, Her Future: Financial & Digital Literacy for Women’s Economic Empowerment and a Prosperous Viksit Bharat

The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), and the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) in collaboration with SSCBS, University of Delhi, successfully hosted a workshop on “Her Freedom, Her Future: Financial & Digital Literacy for Women’s Economic Empowerment and a Prosperous Viksit Bharat” at Rohini, Delhi, on March 7, 2025. This event was organized to celebrate International Women’s Day and emphasize the role of financial and digital literacy in fostering women’s economic independence. It brought together leading policymakers, economists, legal experts, and financial literacy advocates to discuss strategies for enhancing financial inclusion and digital literacy among women in India.

Dr. Poonam Verma, Professor-Principal, SSCBS, University of Delhi, delivered the welcome address, underscored the importance of IEPFA and NCAER in promoting financial and digital literacy in fostering economic self-reliance among women.

The keynote speaker Ms. Anita Shah Akella, CEO, IEPFA and Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India through her message, conveyed that investor education and protection is on the national agenda and highlighted IEPFA’s efforts in creating a more informed, protected, and empowered community of investors. She encouraged all to actively participate, engage with IEPFA initiatives and take this opportunity to enhance their understanding and promote advocacy of investor rights and education.

The workshop featured a compelling panel discussion on the theme “Her Freedom, Her Future: Financial & Digital Literacy for Women’s Economic Empowerment and a Prosperous Viksit Bharat.” The session was moderated by Dr. C.S. Mohapatra, IEPF Chair Professor, NCAER, who provided an insightful overview of the financial literacy landscape and the need for integrated efforts in digital and financial inclusion. Dr. Mohapatra stressed that financial literacy is a fundamental enabler of women’s empowerment, allowing them to participate more effectively in economic activities, access investment opportunities, and secure their financial future. He elaborated on the challenges women face in achieving financial independence, including gaps in digital access, legal awareness, and economic participation. Drawing from his extensive policy and reforms experience, Dr. Mohapatra advocated for tailored financial education programs, strategic policy interventions, and collaborative efforts between academia, government, and industry to bridge gender disparities in financial inclusion to take the nation towards Viksit Bharat.

Prominent speakers in the panel included policy experts, legal expert and academicians. Lt. Col. Aditya Sinha, GM, IEPFA, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, discussed the initiatives undertaken by IEPFA to promote financial literacy and safeguard investor interests across various demographic groups. Prof. Bornali Bhandari, Co-Director, Centre for Gender and Macroeconomy, NCAER, emphasized the importance of financial independence for women and its direct impact on economic growth and workforce participation. Prof. Gunjan Gupta, Law Expert & Professor, Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi, highlighting that women play a crucial role in nation building, elaborated on the legal aspects of financial empowerment, including consumer rights and protection in digital financial transactions, in our efforts for a Viksit Bharat. Dr. Arpita Mukherjee, Policy Expert & Professor, ICRIER, provided insights, with case studies on digital literacy and its intersection with financial empowerment, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas. Ms. Aprajita Sharma, Assistant Editor, Mint & Financial Journalist spoke about the importance of financial awareness in personal wealth creation and investment planning. And highlighted how financial literacy plays a crucial role in bridging the knowledge gap for women investors and emphasized the vital role of digital media to safeguard from scams and frauds. Lastly, Dr. Ashish Desai, Associate Professor, Information Management and Analytics, S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai, through his presentation highlighted the role of data analytics and technology in bridging financial literacy gaps and improving access to financial services, specially for rural and SHG Women entrepreneurs.

The panelists engaged in an enriching discussion on the current challenges and opportunities in financial and digital literacy, with an emphasis on actionable solutions for women’s financial empowerment. An interactive Q&A session followed, allowing participants to engage with the experts and seek clarifications on financial planning, investment strategies, and the legal framework for financial security.

This workshop, on the eve of International Women’s Day, reinforced the collective commitment of IEPFA, NCAER, and SSCBS, University of Delhi towards fostering financial awareness and ensuring women’s economic empowerment. By leveraging synergies between academia, regulatory bodies, and industry experts, this initiative aimed to equip women with the knowledge and tools necessary to contribute to a prosperous Viksit Bharat.

Investor Education, not a One-Stop Effort: Synergy and Digitalisation is the Need of the Hour

The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), in collaboration with the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) and the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. (NSE), successfully hosted a high-impact workshop on “Investor Education, not a One-Stop Effort: Synergy and Digitalisation is the Need of the Hour” at Hyderabad, on February 12, 2025. This event brought together leading financial experts, policymakers, and academia to discuss specifically the issue of synergetic efforts for investor education and promoting financial literacy in India, as also multidimensional benefits of digitalization of financial education in India.

An esteemed panel of experts who shared insights on financial inclusion, regulatory frameworks, and the role of digitalization in promoting investor education. Prof. B. J. Rao, Vice Chancellor, University of Hyderabad offered the inaugural address. The session was moderated by Dr. C.S. Mohapatra, IEPF Chair Professor, NCAER, (Speaker & Moderator). Lt Col Aditya Sinha, GM, IEPFA, Ministry of Corporate Affairs; Mr. Krishnan Iyer, Senior Vice President – Business Development, NSE India Ltd.; Dr. Tirthankar Patnaik, Chief Economist, NSE India Ltd.; Dr. Mamta Suri, Former Executive Director, IRDAI & IBBI; Prof. Debashis Acharya, Professor, School of Economics, University of Hyderabad; and Dr. Satish Kumar, Professor, Finance & Accounting, IBS Hyderabad (ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education) attended the workshop as experts. They shared their insights on financial literacy, regulatory policies, digital transformation in investor education, and strategies for enhancing investor protection in India’s capital markets.

After the traditional lamp lighting ceremony, Mr. Krishnan Iyer welcomed the participants. Prof. B. J. Rao, Vice Chancellor, University of Hyderabad, in his inaugural address and discussed the role of digital innovation in financial education and how academia can contribute to bridging financial literacy gaps among students and young investors. Ms. Anita Shah Akella, CEO of IEPFA and Joint Secretary in the Ministry Corporate Affairs, in her message, conveyed that investor education and protection is on the national agenda and highlighted IEPFA’s efforts in creating a more informed, protected, and empowered community of investors. Through her message, read out by Lt. Col, Aditya Sinha, GM, IEPFA, she encouraged all to actively participate, engage with IEPFA initiatives and take this opportunity to enhance their understanding and promote advocacy of investor rights and education.

Dr. C.S. Mohapatra, IEPF Chair Professor at NCAER, who served as the moderator for the session, in his opening remarks, Dr. Mohapatra explained investor education is a continuous process that requires synergy among stakeholders and the effective use of digitalization to remain relevant in an evolving financial landscape. Dr. Mohapatra emphasized that financial literacy efforts must be sustained, collaborative, and technology-driven to empower investors with informed decision-making skills. Targeted programs, such as women and rural investors, are crucial for inclusive financial empowerment. Ultimately, a dynamic and technology-integrated approach is essential to making investor education a priority, he stressed.

In the panel discussion, panelists focused on how digitalization can bridge financial literacy gaps, enhance investor protection, and create a sustainable investment ecosystem. Experts deliberated on emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities in India’s capital markets and proposed strategies for inclusive financial growth.

Dr. Tirthankar Patnaik highlighted the influence of data-driven financial education and the role of digitalization in strengthening market confidence. Dr. Mamta Suri discussed regulatory measures in the insurance and financial sectors, leveraging her expertise in risk management and corporate governance. She spoke about the importance of policy interventions in safeguarding investors and enhancing financial resilience. Prof. Debashis Acharya in his address highlighted cases of fraud and cybersecurity threats in payments and banking, particularly affecting vulnerable groups. He underscored the urgent need to strengthen dispute resolution mechanisms and enhance regulatory interventions to build consumer trust and confidence in today’s payment and settlement systems. Additionally, he stressed the importance of frequent, customized financial literacy and awareness programs tailored for rural, semi-urban, and urban users of financial services. Lastly, Dr. Satish Kumar emphasized on the special effort required for senior citizens and stated that Digitalization is transforming financial access for Indian pensioners, making investments more transparent and efficient. Coupled with robust investor education, it empowers them to make informed decisions, ensuring financial security in retirement. In his concluding remarks, Dr. C.S. Mohapatra highlighted the importance of synergetic and structured financial education and how applied research can support investor protection strategies. The workshop culminated with an interactive Q&A session, allowing participants to engage with experts on key investor-related concerns.

This initiative underscored the continuous efforts of IEPFA, NCAER, and NSE in promoting investor awareness and fostering financial inclusion across all demographics. By leveraging the synergy between regulatory bodies, academia, and industry experts, the workshop aimed to equip investors with the necessary knowledge and tools to navigate India’s dynamic financial landscape.

    Get updates from NCAER