Universities and colleges are seeking collaboration with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to enhance their academic offerings, as stated by University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar during a virtual session with Thampy Koshy, CEO of ONDC.
Kumar emphasized that this collaboration could also focus on fostering entrepreneurship, providing training in open commerce, and tapping into trainer opportunities for faculty members. Citing the National Education Policy (NEP), the UGC chief advocated for stronger ties between industry and academia to equip students for the dynamic landscape of the modern workforce.
Established in December 2021, ONDC is an initiative of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), operating under the Ministry of Commerce, with the aim of revolutionizing digital commerce and promoting retail e-commerce in India.
According to Koshy, universities have the opportunity to integrate the educational resources offered by ONDC into their curricula and leverage the network to expand their reach through online education. He also highlighted ONDC's potential to generate employment opportunities in both technology and policy domains.
A survey conducted by Bank of America (BofA) revealed that 60 percent of e-commerce users have utilized ONDC for services such as food delivery through platforms like Magicpin, Ola, and Paytm. While 11 percent of respondents reported dissatisfaction with the ONDC service experience and ceased usage, 16 percent expressed willingness to try it, and 12 percent had no intention of using it.
BofA analysts noted their surprise at the high adoption rate of ONDC among users and anticipated continued growth in its usage.
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