Digital Dreams. Inclusive Realities: NASSCOM’s Blueprint for Purpose Driven Progress for SMEs

In today’s rapidly evolving digital economy, technology continues to reshape industries and reimagine workforce capabilities. Yet, a persistent and widening skills gap threatens to leave a significant section of India’s youth particularly those from marginalized communities behind. According to the Global Skills Gap Report, a staggering 92% of employees in India believe that the country faces a severe shortage of job-ready talent in emerging technologies.

Recognizing the urgency to bridge this divide, NASSCOM Foundation, in collaboration with the NASSCOM SME Council, has launched “Ascend: Skilling Youth in Emerging Technologies” a flagship initiative that empowers small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) to co-create impact through technology-led skill development.

Why This Matters?

At the heart of this initiative lies a powerful dual objective: equipping marginalized youth with future-ready digital capabilities, while also enabling SMEs to drive inclusive growth through collaborative Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

The program brings together nine visionary tech SMEs from the NASSCOM ecosystem, pooling resources and expertise to train 150 youth across Delhi-NCR, Trivandrum, and Pune. The focus areas Data Analytics and Java Full Stack Development represent critical, high-demand domains that are reshaping industries. The curriculum also integrates soft skills, mentorship, and career readiness, ensuring holistic preparation for participants entering the job market.

A Scalable CSR Model for SMEs

While large enterprises often have the bandwidth to deploy extensive CSR programs, SMEs frequently face constraints whether it be limited budgets, regulatory complexity, or a lack of structured frameworks. To overcome these barriers, NASSCOM Foundation has created a shared-impact model that aggregates SME contributions into a unified, scalable platform.

Emphasizing the spirit of the programme, Ms Jyoti Sharma, CEO of NASSCOM Foundation, said “Enabling TechForGood lies at the heart of everything we do. By bringing together purpose-driven SMEs, we are creating a collective force for equip ensuring marginalized youth not only gain access to the right skills but also a pathway to meaningful employment.”

This hybrid skilling initiative (80% physical and 20% virtual) also emphasizes gender equity, aiming for 60% women beneficiaries, with active efforts to build a diverse and inclusive talent pipeline.

Building the Workforce of Tomorrow

The SME Council’s involvement reflects a growing recognition that India’s technology-led growth story must be inclusive at its core. By directly linking CSR efforts to industry-ready skilling, the initiative is also solving for a long-standing structural challenge: the disconnect between education and employment.

Mr. Maulik Bhansali, Chair – SME Council and CEO, NetWeb Software, while sharing his vision, said, “This collaboration demonstrates how SMEs, despite their size, can come together to drive large-scale impact. The success of last year’s cohort proved that with shared purpose and aligned values, SMEs can be powerful agents of social change. This year, we’re taking that momentum further with a focus on empowering young women and building community-driven progress.”

Participants will not only receive technical instruction but also benefit from project-based learning, industry mentorship and exposure to real-world business environments closing the loop between learning, application and opportunity.

Beyond CSR

As India’s IT sector continues to shift with global outsourcing patterns and evolving technology investments, SMEs remain critical drivers of innovation. Programs like Ascend are positioning them not just as contributors to GDP, but as custodians of inclusive development.

In enabling tech SMEs to embed social impact into their growth journey, the initiative is redefining what responsible entrepreneurship looks like in the digital era. It’s not just about creating jobs it’s about creating opportunities where they’re needed most.

With a scalable model, clear focus on inclusion, and strong industry partnerships, “Ascend” offers a replicable blueprint for skilling and empowerment. It sets a new benchmark for how SMEs can leverage their collective power for sustainable progress making sure that India’s digital future is built not just by the few, but for the many.