ASDC Conclave 2025: Accelerating tech-driven skilling for future mobility

Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) successfully hosted its 14th Annual Conclave 2025, themed “Stronger Together, Transform Tomorrow”, bringing together leaders from government, industry, and academia to deliberate on the future of skilling in the automotive sector.

The event commenced with the traditional lamp lighting ceremony. F.R. Singhvi, President, ASDC, presented the Annual Update, highlighting the Council’s 2024–25 impact—key achievements included forging partnerships with universities, advancing women’s skill development and employment, strengthening industry–academia collaboration, and expanding its international footprint. This was followed by addresses from the Guests of Honour: C.S. Vigneshwar (President, FADA), Shradha Suri Marwah (CMD, Subros Limited & President, ACMA), C.V. Raman (CTO, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.), and Dr. Vinita Aggarwal, IES (Retd.), Executive Member, NCVET.

C.V. Raman, CTO, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, emphasized that India’s mobility future will be driven by advanced engineering, digitalization, and disruptive technologies such as EVs, IoT, and AI. To realize the $5 trillion vision, he stressed the need for skilling to evolve by integrating experiential learning, fostering industry–academia collaboration, and leveraging startup innovation.

Dr. Vinita Aggarwal highlighted the importance of qualification standardization, stating: “India’s journey to becoming a global skill hub is powered by standardization and industry alignment. With over 180 automotive QPs under NSQF, we must ensure they remain dynamic—integrating hands-on training, apprenticeships, and micro-credentials. The automotive sector should actively adopt and upgrade these QPs to build a future-ready, tech-driven workforce.”

Speaking at the conclave, F R Singhvi, President, ASDC, remarked: “This conclave has reinforced our belief that India’s skilling ecosystem thrives on partnerships. Together, we are shaping a workforce that is not only job-ready but future-ready.”

A major milestone of the conclave was the release of a White Paper and the signing of MoUs with Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Auto, Gandhi Auto, Delphi TVS, and Bosch India to scale up skilling initiatives nationwide.

The conclave also hosted two high-impact panel discussions: Academic Excellence to Industry Impact: Aligning Talent Pipelines with Future Mobility Technologies and From Garage to Gigabyte: Skilling for Next-Gen Automotive Technologies. These sessions examined how new-age skilling can bridge classroom learning with the demands of digital-first, tech-driven automotive industries.

Vinkesh Gulati, Vice President, ASDC, added: “Our collective responsibility is to ensure that every young aspirant finds a place in the industry’s growth story. ASDC is committed to bridging the gap between potential and opportunity.”

The Certified Candidates Convocation felicitated skilled candidates from ASDC’s flagship programs, underscoring its commitment to inclusive skill development. Presentations on CSR Best Practices by Bajaj Auto and Hero MotoCorp Ltd. showcased impactful industry-led skilling models. Recognitions included Internationally Placed Candidates, Rewards & Recognition Awards, and the ASDC Excellence and Special Recognition Awards, celebrating exemplary contributions to the skilling ecosystem.

The conclave firmly reiterated that public-private partnerships will be the cornerstone in addressing the evolving needs of the automotive industry and enabling India to emerge as a global leader in mobility technologies.