Centre to scout rural talent for AVGC sector

Four new committees under a task force have been set up to look at skilling, industry and policy, education, and gaming sectors

New Delhi: The government is working to develop a framework to scout rural talent and introduce scholarships in the field of animation, visual effects, gaming, and comics (AVGC) even as it plans to roll out an overarching policy to boost the sector, officials familiar with the matter said.

(AFP)

Four new committees under a task force have been set up to look at skilling, industry and policy, education, and gaming sectors.

The committee on education headed by All India Council for Technical Education chairperson Anil Sahasrabudhe will work on the rural scouting programmes as well as recommend ways to collaborate with the New Education Policy to work on pedagogical innovations for the sector. It will work on a national integrated curriculum framework for the degree, diploma, or elective courses and faculty development in the sector. The panel is also mandated to develop partnerships to inculcate best practices.

The committee on industry and policy will be headed by Information and Broadcasting (I&B) ministry secretary Apurva Chandra and work on facilitating line convergence among line ministries for increasing India’s global AVGC share. It will also come up with a national AVGC policy.

The committee on gaming, headed by I&B joint secretary Vikram Sahay will undertake a study on ways to increase co-production in the sector between India and global companies. The skill development committee will recommend ways to align courses to meet international standards, identify corporate social responsibility opportunities, and suggest short- and long-term course curriculums.

The I&B ministry on April 8 set up the task force in line with a Budget announcement. It has said the AVGC sector in India has the potential to become the torch-bearer of “Create in India” and “Brand India”. According to the ministry, India has the potential to capture 5% (~$40 billion) of the global market share by 2025, with an annual growth of around 25-30% and creating over 1,60,000 new jobs annually in the sector.

The government has also set up an inter-ministerial committee to suggest uniform national regulations for online gaming.