Bengaluru, April 8, 2026: The Department of Higher Education, Government of Karnataka, today hosted the Curtain Raiser for the “Campus to Career Summit: Future Ready Universities & Colleges” at Vidhan Soudha, Bengaluru, in the presence of Dr. M. C. Sudhakar, Hon’ble Minister for Higher Education, Government of Karnataka; Smt Khushboo G Chowdhary, IAS, Secretary, Department of Higher Education; Shri Manoj Kumar Meena, IAS, Secretary to Government, Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood; Kum Manjushree N, IAS, Commissioner, Department of Collegiate and Technical Education, and Dr. Ravi Gupta, Founder, CEO & Editor-in-Chief, Elets Technomedia; among others. Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, CEO, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), joined the session virtually.
The programme commenced with the traditional Nadegeethe, followed by the welcome address by Dr. Ravi Gupta, Founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, Elets Technomedia. Emphasising the relevance of the initiative, he said, “The idea of Campus to Career is not just a theme, it is a necessity of our times. As India moves forward as a knowledge-driven economy, alignment between academia, industry, and government becomes more critical than ever.”
Highlighting the summit’s outcome-oriented vision, he added, “This platform will not just enable discussions, but drive actionable insights, partnerships, and MoUs between academia and industry to strengthen the campus-to-career ecosystem.”
Setting the context, Smt Khushboo G Chowdhary, IAS, Secretary, Department of Higher Education stated, “Today’s interaction is about setting the context for a larger journey that we are embarking upon collectively with key departments including the Department of Collegiate and Technical Education, Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, Department of Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, Department of Commerce and Industries, Department of Medical Education, and Department of Agriculture.”
She further emphasised, “Our focus is to ensure that institutions are not just centres of learning, but pathways to meaningful careers for every student. Higher education has always been a key pillar of development in Karnataka, and we are now strengthening it further through skill integration and employability-focused initiatives across institutions.”
Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, CEO, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), addressing the gathering virtually, remarked, “Bengaluru has firmly established itself as a global talent hub, attracting top talent from across the country and beyond. He noted that with rapid shifts in technology and evolving industry demands, it is crucial to bring all stakeholders onto a unified platform to strategically align talent with global opportunities. Highlighting the expanding role of emerging technologies across sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, aerospace, and defence, he underlined the need for stronger synergies between academia and industry to build a future-ready workforce.
He further added, “KDEM is always there to support the overall skilling initiatives and making our State stronger on the global talent map.”
The Curtain Raiser was formally led by Dr. M. C. Sudhakar, Hon’ble Minister for Higher Education, Government of Karnataka followed by the unveiling of a video showcasing the vision and scope of the upcoming summit.
Sharing his perspective, the Hon’ble Minister for Higher Education, Dr, M.C. Sudhakar said, “We must prepare our graduates to meet industry demands. Today, industry expects students to be job-ready from day one, and our institutions must align with that expectation. “Our vision is very clear, we want our universities and colleges to become truly future-ready, not just in infrastructure or curriculum, but in outcomes and career readiness.”
Reinforcing the state’s commitment, he added, “Karnataka has always been at the forefront of education and innovation. This is a beginning, and we aim to translate these discussions into long-term impact for our students.”
The session concluded with a vote of thanks by Kum Manjushree N, IAS, Commissioner, Department of Collegiate and Technical Education
Expressing her gratitude, she said, “At the outset, I express my sincere gratitude to Dr. M. C. Sudhakar for his visionary leadership and steadfast commitment to transforming Karnataka’s higher education landscape.”
She further added, “I extend our heartfelt thanks to all partner departments including the Department of Collegiate and Technical Education, Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, Department of Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, Department of Commerce and Industries, Department of Medical Education, and Department of Agriculture for demonstrating a strong whole-of-government approach towards building future-ready education.”
Acknowledging key contributors, she noted, “Special thanks to Smt Khushboo G Chowdhary and Shri Manoj Kumar Meena for their guidance and leadership.”
Concluding her remarks, she said, “We are deeply grateful to all stakeholders and partners for their continued support in making this initiative meaningful and impactful.”
Also Read: Karnataka’s Higher Education Transformation – A Blueprint for the Nation
About the Summit
The Campus to Career Summit: Future Ready Universities & Colleges will be held on 15–16 May 2026 at The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru, organised by the Department of Higher Education, Government of Karnataka in collaboration with key departments including the Department of Collegiate and Technical Education, Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, Department of Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology (ITBT), Department of Commerce and Industries, Department of Medical Education, and Department of Agriculture, and in association with Strategic Partner Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), and Elets Technomedia as Event Partner.
The summit aims to serve as a strategic platform to bridge the gap between education and employment by bringing together government, academia, and industry stakeholders to co-create solutions for employability, skills alignment, and innovation-driven education.
To know more about the summit, visit campustocareersummit.com
Looking Ahead
The Curtain Raiser provided a strong preview of the vision, scale, and collaborative intent behind the summit. With a clear focus on partnerships, outcome-based education, and industry alignment, the upcoming Campus to Career Summit is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of higher education and workforce readiness in Karnataka.
