CII Chandigarh Education Summit 2026 – Stakeholder Dialogue

On 30 September 2026, CII Chandigarh convened the Education Summit 2026 in Chandigarh, India, under a press‑release arrangement with NewsVoir. The summit brought together government officials, academic leaders, industry representatives, and international partners to discuss strengthening school education and industry linkages.

Mahipal Dhanda, Cabinet Minister for School & Higher Education, Government of Haryana, opened the summit by stating that education must move beyond degrees to identify talent, build skills, and create opportunities for every child, aligning with the vision of a "Viksit Bharat." He urged education and industry leaders to collaborate with the government to fortify the education ecosystem and prepare youth for future opportunities.

Alba Smeriglio, British Deputy High Commissioner, highlighted the United Kingdom’s long‑term partnership in this journey and praised the Greater Chandigarh region’s potential to become a model for connecting education, skills, and industry.

Reekrit Serai, Chairman of the CII Chandigarh Education Summit 2026 and Managing Director of Satluj Group of Schools, emphasized that the future is being built today in classrooms and institutions, and that Greater Chandigarh, particularly Panchkula, could evolve into a major higher‑education destination attracting leading Indian and international universities, including British institutions.

Vivek Verma, Chairman of CII Chandigarh UT and Managing Director of Spray Engineering Devices Ltd, underscored the transformative impact of artificial intelligence, digital technologies, and evolving industry requirements on education. He noted that technology can enable personalised learning, improve access, and foster new teaching and assessment approaches, but must remain an enabler rather than a replacement for the human element.

The summit’s discussions focused on:

  • Strengthening the school‑to‑skills‑to‑industry connection.
  • Promoting experiential and vocational learning.
  • Enhancing teacher development programmes.
  • Integrating emerging technologies such as AI into curricula.
  • Creating greater industry exposure for young learners.

Stakeholders from schools, higher‑education institutions, policymakers, and industry collectively examined how to respond to rapidly changing workforce and societal requirements. They reiterated the need for closer collaboration to ensure education remains aligned with evolving workforce demands while nurturing broader intellectual, social, and human capabilities.

The dialogue reaffirmed CII Chandigarh’s commitment to facilitating industry‑led engagement on education and supporting the development of a future‑ready, inclusive, and skills‑oriented education ecosystem.

Disclaimer: The press release is provided under an arrangement with NewsVoir; PTI assumes no editorial responsibility.