Mumbai: Focusing on the growth of the animation, visual effects, gaming and comics (AVGC) sector in the country, the centre has announced support to the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) in Mumbai for creating content creation labs in 15000 secondary schools and 500 colleges.In the budget speech, the finance minister mentioned that the growing AVGC industry is projected to require two million professionals by 2030. She added that the govt would support these AVGC labs in schools and colleges. This was one of the many pathways under the education-to-employment initiatives announced in the budget.A state govt statement had earlier said that the IICT will serve as a flagship centre for research, training, and industry partnerships, nurturing talent for both Indian and global entertainment industries and will run as a hub and spoke model. The govt is also expediting all the approvals for the institute through single-window clearances.Shailendra Deolankar, state director, higher education, said that the distinctive feature of this year’s budget is its strategic emphasis on education and skill development as the core drivers of national development. “The budget clearly links education with employability, innovation, and export competitiveness, reflecting a forward-looking approach to human capital creation. The thrust on design education is significant with new National Institute of Design in Eastern India, along with initiatives in AVGC, demonstrates focus on skill-driven growth,” said the director.
