MeitY Celebrates Convocation of First Batch of Engineering Graduates from Electronic Toy Industry Training Program

New Delhi: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with C-DAC, Indian Toy Industries, and the LEGO Group, celebrated the convocation ceremony of the first batch of engineering graduates who have completed a year-long training under the initiative ‘Development of Electronics and IT-based Control and Automation Solutions for Consumer Electronic Goods (Toy Industry)’. The event, held today at MeitY, marked a significant milestone in fostering the growth of the Indian electronic toys industry.

The ‘Development of Electronics and IT-based Control and Automation Solutions for Consumer Electronic Goods’ project, launched by MeitY’s R&D group, is a pioneering initiative aimed at equipping young engineers, particularly from underrepresented communities, with the skills required to design innovative electronic toys. The project focuses on developing prototypes and solutions for the rapidly growing electronic toys sector in India.

Over the past year, a selected group of young engineers from diverse backgrounds, including SC/ST and North Eastern Region (NER) communities, underwent rigorous training in toy design and development. The first six months of their training were spent at C-DAC-Noida, where they worked on hands-on R&D activities in toy labs. The second phase saw them collaborating with the toy industry, where they applied their skills to create prototypes that addressed real-world industry demands. These engineers were provided with a stipend of Rs. 25,000 per month during their year-long training.

To further enhance the global exposure of the trainees, the LEGO Group joined as a knowledge partner. From October 2023 to March 2024, Sam Coates, Head of Innovation (Interactive) at LEGO Group’s Creative Play Lab, conducted webinars for the young engineers. Coates shared valuable insights on the innovation mindset, toy development standards, and provided feedback on the toy prototypes created by the participants.

At the convocation ceremony, S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, announced the launch of the Electronic Toy Hackathon (e-Toycathon), which will further encourage innovation and the development of new ideas in the electronic toys sector. The ceremony also saw Sanjay Mehndiratta, Managing Director of Toys Zone, offer appointment letters to 10 of the trained students, marking the start of their professional journeys in the electronic toy industry.

In his address, S. Krishnan emphasized the importance of electronics and IT in building a robust Indian toy industry ecosystem. He noted, “India has a growing market for electronic toys, and the role of Electronics and IT is crucial in shaping its future. This program is laying the foundation for a more formalized and impactful initiative that can support more students and drive growth in the toy industry. I envision a Center of Excellence (CoE) focused on electronic toys, which can promote entrepreneurship and foster startups.”

He also extended his best wishes to the graduating students, commending their hard work and dedication throughout the program.

The event was attended by key stakeholders, including Bhuvnesh Kumar, Additional Secretary, MeitY; Sunita Verma, Group Coordinator, R&D in E & IT; Vivek Khaneja, Executive Director of C-DAC-Noida; Manu Gupta, Chairman of the Toys Association of India; Sanjay Mehndiratta, MD of Toys Zone; Vipin Nijhawan, MD of S.R. & Sons; and Ms. Bhavana Mandon, Country Manager, LEGO Group in India.

This groundbreaking initiative has set the stage for the growth of India’s electronic toys industry, bringing together industry leaders, young engineers, and global knowledge partners to create a vibrant ecosystem for innovation, skill development, and entrepreneurship in the sector.