Mastercam India to introduce CAD/CAM Vocational Education to UP Schools
Mastercam India announced the signing of the MoU between the Uttar Pradesh Government — Secondary Education Department (Samagra Shiksha, Secondary) — and the consortium led by NELCO Ltd (A Tata Enterprise), comprising leading global brands including Mastercam, Yaskawa, 3D Systems, and Ace Designers, to upskill young learners in Design, Robotics, Electronics, Additive Manufacturing & Drone Technologies.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on Saturday, 23rd May, at the Directorate of Secondary Education, Lucknow, in the presence of Parth Sarathi Sen Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary, Basic and Secondary Education, Government of Uttar Pradesh, and Monika Rani, Director General, School Education, Government of Uttar Pradesh.
Under this landmark initiative — launched under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath — advanced DREAM Labs will be established in 600 government secondary and higher secondary schools across all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh, operating through a Hub-and-Spoke model comprising 150 Hub schools and 450 Spoke schools. The rollout will be executed in three phases:
These DREAM Labs will be developed as modern innovation and skill development centres, where students from Classes 9 to 12 will receive practical training in advanced technologies including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), 3D Printing, Advanced Manufacturing (CAD/CAM), Battery-Operated Electric Vehicles, Electronics, Agricultural Science, Renewable Energy, Drone Technology, and Design Thinking.
Mastercam India will provide curricula and software for Advanced Manufacturing in CAD/CAM for young learners in Grades 9 and 10 at NSQF Level 3, and Grades 11 and 12 at NSQF Level 4. This initiative intends to empower learners with industry-ready vocational training using globally acclaimed curricula, hands-on experience, and machineries especially curated for the benefit of young learners — both in terms of safety as well as for ease of learning and application.
The project is aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), and the Skill India Mission, with the objective of developing innovation, problem-solving ability, technical efficiency, and entrepreneurship skills among students so that they can become competitive in the future global economy. Under the five-year partnership model, the industrial consortium led by NELCO Ltd will provide advanced machinery, digital platforms, software, and maintenance support. Industry experts will also train students and ensure capacity building of teachers, so that the model can become self-reliant in the long run
Inaugurating the project commencement, Mr. Sen Sharma laid down three outcomes for the initiative — Empowerment, Entrepreneurship, and Employment. Addressing the consortium and Education Department officials, he said: “This agreement is not just a project, but an investment in the future of Uttar Pradesh’s youth. Considering the rapidly changing industrial requirements, it is the need of the hour to equip students with Industry 4.0-based skills. Dream Labs will become a strong medium in this direction, where students will gain practical and employment-oriented skills along with traditional education.”
Ms. Monika Rani in her address said: “This initiative will give a new direction to vocational education. Just as a strong beginning is important, it is equally necessary to take it towards successful implementation, especially in aspirational districts.” She laid special emphasis on the effective operation of the Hub-and-Spoke model, installation of machinery, quality of trainers, regular attendance of students, and result-based monitoring.
Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Vineet Seth added: “It is the need of the hour to enable vocational education at the secondary and higher secondary school levels, similar to how it is prevalent in mature manufacturing economies across the world. The vision of 2047 Viksit Bharat can bear fruit only when we sow the seeds of manufacturing enablement today, across all levels of learner adaptability. We have worked very closely with over 10 State Governments and across 715+ Government ITIs and Polytechnics to empower ITI students to be job-ready at the end of their training — and we are carrying over this expertise to the DREAM LABS project in Uttar Pradesh. In the US, school students used Mastercam to machine a part for NASA — which went to space — thereby bringing a sense of pride and accomplishment to the students who were a part of this project in their school. Igniting the passion for ‘making things’ in young minds will help our nation reach manufacturing maturity across all levels over the next decade or so. I’m glad that we as Mastercam have the good fortune and opportunity to be part of this spectacular journey.”
Also present on the occasion were Additional Director (Vocational Education) Surendra Kumar Tiwari and Additional State Project Director Vishnu Kant Pandey, along with several senior officials from NELCO and the consortium partner companies.
