Expressing concerns over the mismatch between the skills of the fresh graduates and talents required in the country, president Pratibha  Devisingh Patil has called for urgent steps to reverse the low employability ratio of graduates in the country.

Speaking at the platinum jubilee function of the Ramnarain Ruia College in Mumbai on Tuesday, she pointed out massive demand in the country for skilled workforce across sectors like information technology, infrastructure, tourism, media or healthcare among others. The president emphasised on development of a broad-based education system that caters to these subjects and said that the country will reap demographic dividends only if the younger generation has the education and skills to meet economic and intellectual requirements of the nation.

Calling upon the students to engage with farming community by visiting farms and villages to understand their life when they go out to work particularly in the corporate world or set up their own businesses, Patil also asked educational institutions to constantly upgrade their training methodologies and curriculum.

“Constant interaction between industry and academic institutions would be useful in framing syllabi that are contemporary and relevant,” she said, as she emphasised on development of vocational and entrepreneurial skills for creating large-scale self-employment opportunities.

Maharashtra governor K Sankaranarayana, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and Maharashtra assembly speaker Dilip Walse Patil were also present at the event.