Building a learning democracy

Can a more inclusive approach to skills and technology transform India’s economy?

India’s future relies on the democratization of learning. That means creating equitable and accessible opportunities for everyone in India to develop vocational skills, especially digital ones, and apply them in stable jobs. We have gained ground with state programs that create more universal access to skills and training, like the Skill India initiative, and its continued evolution to meet the needs of our times. Yet there is much more to be done, especially when it comes to collaboration between government and the private sector.

We now boast the world’s most populous – our greatest competitive advantage and also one of our biggest challenges. India continues to suffer from persistent skills shortages and concentration of top talent in just a few cities – which only adds to high levels of economic inequality. We need to address the skills crunch at mass scale, which requires us to democratize learning.

Breaking this cycle will generate more talent for our industries, greater economic competitiveness, and social equity for our most vulnerable citizens. Democratizing learning would also address thorny workplace issues like moonlighting and pay inequity, by creating career development opportunities and a more level playing field.

How do we create equal and meaningful learning opportunities for millions of citizens? Building a learning democracy will take three elements: smart technology, investment in our Tier 2 and 3 cities, and more comprehensive public-private partnerships that teach skills and also lead to jobs.

Smart tech

Current technologies can help us tackle two key challenges to India’s learning democracy: personalizing lessons at national scale, and entry-level barriers to the most sought-after disciplines to further employability.

The sheer size of India’s population makes it almost impossible to create personalized learning experiences at scale – at least if we only rely on human teachers and instructors. AI technologies can help fill the gaps. The right AI systems can personalize learning content based on individuals’ competency levels. This will play a key role in helping large segments of India’s population receive relevant skills training.

Second, many of the most in-demand roles – like software development and IT – come with technical entry-level barriers that put many citizens at a disadvantage and impact employability. Technology can help by redefining the specific technical skills and personal attributes a person needs to meet work in those roles. Low-code and no-code app development is one such example: it dramatically simplifies the coding process to meet a business need so that even those without technical training can build apps and achieve valuable business results.

At least within knowledge industries like software, technical requirements have contributed substantially to the talent shortages which Indian industries face. New technologies have made many of those requirements obsolete. Removing them creates a far better possibility to be successful in an occupation as you upskill – and a far greater pool of talent – for the individuals and sectors most in need.

Investing in smaller cities

It’s vital that we ramp up skills investments in our Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. India’s largest cities are already making oversized contributions to economic growth and offer many opportunities for workers numerous to upskill and apply those skills in jobs. The same cannot be said of Tier 2 and 3 cities, where such opportunities tend to be scarcer and less equitably distributed. If we truly want to “upskill India,” we must level the playing field for workers in Tier 2 and 3 cities – improving their access to learning and subsequent employment to match that of their Tier 1 counterparts.

This will benefit companies and advance national development goals. By developing smaller cities into talent hubs we can empower significant numbers of job seekers, while helping businesses diversify their cost base away from just one or two in-demand locations.

Improved learning and development opportunities in Tier 2 and 3 cities will also create groups of local innovators and builders. Their skills can enrich entire communities. Individuals who learn new skills are much more likely to apply them locally, whether in developing localized services and solutions or training others in their communities. Of course, this relies on them being able to find local job opportunities that allow them to do so.

All hands on deck

In a learning democracy, upskilling forms only half of the equation. The other half is connecting learners with jobs and opportunities that allow them to apply those skills. Without that crucial final step, those skills will never translate into real benefits for citizens or our economy.

To build a learning democracy in India we’ll need to build private- public partnerships at national scale by aligning government policies and industry initiatives. This will be challenging and it will take time but we cannot afford to leave our learners in the wind. If students can’t see the fruits of their efforts, even the most well-supported skills initiatives will be unsustainable at best.

The democratization of learning is both a social imperative and a critical business need. This is an investment no leader can afford to pass up.

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Views expressed above are the author's own.

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Learning disabilities and dementia

People with learning disabilities, particularly those with Down's syndrome, are at increased risk of developing dementia. If a person with a learning disability develops dementia, they will face different and additional challenges to people who do not have a learning disability.

People with learning disabilities are now living longer, thanks to better medicine, care, and support in the community. This means that, if the person you care for has a learning disability, they are more likely to live to an age where they may develop dementia.

Getting a diagnosis of dementia can take longer and be more difficult for many people with learning disabilities. This makes it more important for those who know them well to be able to recognise the symptoms.

If you care for a person with a learning disability, you likely know the most appropriate ways to support them. When a person with a learning disability develops dementia, they will have newneeds that have to be met.

Just as every person with a learning disability is different, so is every person with dementia. With the right care and support, it’s possible for you and the person you care for to live well with dementia.

People with a learning disability are more likely to get dementia at a younger age. About 1 in 5 people with learning disabilities who are over the age of 65 will develop dementia. People with Down’s syndrome have an even higher risk, with about 2 in 3 people over the age of 60 developing dementia, usually Alzheimer’s disease.

People with learning disabilities may find that their dementia gets worse more quickly than someone without a learning disability. This can be due to delays in getting a diagnosis because, by the time their condition is diagnosed, the person’s symptoms have worsened. They are also more likely to have existing health conditions that aren’t well-managed. This makes it even more important to get the right care and support.

Knowing which symptoms to be aware of can help the person get the appropriate exams as early as possible. There are early signs you can look out for, including:

You are likely to know the person that you care for best, which makes you well-placed to recognise subtle changes. This could include changes in their mood or the time it takes them to carry out certain tasks. Any changes that you, or the person’s other carers, family or friends notice, can play an important part in helping to spot the early signs of dementia.

If you notice ongoing changes rather than a one-off, tell the GP or learning disability team as soon as possible. They can arrange for the person to have an exam designed to identify dementia in people with learning disabilities.

These changes can all be caused by other conditions, so it doesn’t necessarily mean that the person you care for has dementia. However, all changes should be investigated by the GP or learning disability team.

For someone with a mild learning disability, dementia may appear and progress in a similar way as someone who doesn’t have a learning disability.

Some common early signs of dementia to look out for are: 

If the person already has difficulty with some of these, look for any changes in their abilities.

For people with more complex or profound learning disabilities, the initial symptoms are likely to be less obvious or ones that are not usually associated with dementia. For example, the early symptoms may involve changes in personality and mood, difficulties in making decisions, or changes in daily living skills. This can make diagnosing dementia more difficult.

The changes you notice in the person you care for may be small to start with, but they will become more noticeable. How quickly this happens varies greatly from person to person.

As dementia progresses, the person may act in ways that seem out of character. This may include asking the same question over and over, pacing, and becoming restless or agitated. In the later stages of dementia, the person may have physical symptoms, such as muscle weakness or weight loss, or changes in their sleep pattern and appetite.

It is recommended that every adult with Down's syndrome is assessed by the time they are 30 to provide a record or 'baseline' with which future exams can be compared.

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