Maruti Suzuki India launches Smart Factory Lab for skill development in Lucknow
New Delhi, May 20
Maruti Suzuki India on Wednesday said it set up a Smart Factory Lab at Government Polytechnic College, Lucknow, under its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative to provide diploma students hands‑on training in advanced manufacturing technologies.
The lab will train about 400 students in its inaugural year, and the facility is designed to provide practical exposure to modern production systems, helping bridge the gap between academic learning and industry requirements.
The state‑of‑the‑art laboratories provide students with hands-on exposure to advanced, industry‑relevant technologies, including automation, Industry 4.0, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), pneumatics, energy measurement, and motion control systems
Designed to replicate real‑world manufacturing environments, the labs aim to strengthen practical learning and technical proficiency among diploma students, the company release said.
The company said that the initiative aims to inculcate the right mindset required by the industry, enhance employability, strengthen technical competencies, and prepare students to emerge as industry-ready professionals, contributing to a future-ready workforce.
"By upgrading facilities into smart factory labs, we are building future-ready professionals in alignment with the government's Skill India mission. These labs will provide experiential learning opportunities to meet the evolving needs of the manufacturing sector, minimise the skill gap, and instil confidence in students in using industry-specific equipment," said Rahul Bharti, Senior Executive Officer, Corporate Affairs, Maruti Suzuki India Limited.
"Alongside upgrading facilities at government colleges, Maruti Suzuki has also set up four Japan-India Institute for Manufacturing (JIM), a collaboration between the governments of Japan and India," he added.
JIMs impart advanced manufacturing techniques, hands-on learning, and efficient shop-floor management practices based on Japanese manufacturing principles and soft skills required to make students industry-ready.
Additionally, Maruti Suzuki has set up the Advanced Manufacturing Lab (AML) in 18 ITIs to provide industry-specific hands-on training in critical areas of automotive manufacturing.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally, some practical training in our polytechnics! 🎉 I studied in a government polytechnic in Tamil Nadu, and we barely had modern equipment. This Smart Factory Lab with Industry 4.0 and IIoT exposure is exactly what we need. Kudos to Maruti Suzuki for investing in CSR that actually matters and aligns with our national skills mission.
Good to see a major automaker focusing on skill development in smaller cities like Lucknow. The JIM collaboration with Japan is also interesting—Japanese manufacturing principles are world-renowned. Let's hope other companies follow suit.
Only 400 students in the first year? For a country with millions of engineering aspirants, this is just a drop in the ocean. 😕 The labs in 18 ITIs are good, but we need to scale this up massively. Still, I appreciate Maruti Suzuki's effort—at least it's a start. But the government should encourage more such PPPs.
Impressive focus on hands-on learning! The combination of automation, pneumatics, and motion control systems should really prepare students for the future of manufacturing. I hope they also include some soft skills training as mentioned in the JIM curriculum—that's often the missing piece.
As someone from Lucknow, this makes me proud! 🏆 Our city needs more such initiatives to boost employability. Government colleges often lack resources, so corporate partnerships like this can really make a difference. Maruti should expand to more cities across UP and Bihar.
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