Bajaj Group unveils Bajaj Beyond, a CSR initiative committing Rs 5,000 crore to skilling India's youth

(L-R) Rajiv Bajaj (2nd from left); Madhur Bajaj, Shekhar Bajaj, Niraj Bajaj, and Sanjiv Bajaj came together to unveil Bajaj Beyond, a CSR initiative committing Rs 5,000 crore in five years, impacting around two crore people with a focus on skilling. Image: Anirudha Karmarkar for Forbes India

“Saying Make in India does not change the world; saying Atmanirbhar Bharat does not change the world; saying vocal-for-local does not change the world; saying Viksit Bharat does not change the world,” said a straightforward and frank Rajiv Bajaj. “You do not change the world by sloganeering.”

Highlighting the need to act rather than just talk, the managing director of Bajaj Auto Ltd, stressed the importance of skilling Indians to make them more employable, at a gathering held to announce a new corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative at the company’s Pune-based campus.

Bajaj, along with brother Sanjiv and uncles Shekhar, Niraj, and Madhur, came together to unveil Bajaj Beyond, a new identity for the group’s social impact programmes to focus on skill development. They announced Rs 5,000 crore over the next five years towards various CSR initiatives to benefit over 2 crore Indians.

While in the last decade individual companies of the Bajaj Group have contributed close to Rs 4,000 crore towards various CSR activities—skilling, education, health, livelihood, and water conservation—Friday’s announcement brings these different initiatives together, with the primary focus being on skill development among India’s youth.

Under this, Bajaj Auto has launched the Bajaj Engineering Skills Training (BEST) programme in association with Symbiosis Institute of Technology, to enhance skills relevant to Industry 4.0 among engineering and diploma graduates. It focuses on youngsters from tier 2 and 3 cities to make them employment-ready with subjects such as mechatronics, motion control and sensor technology, robotics and automation, and smart manufacturing. The programme inaugurated its flagship centre in Pune, enrolling 120 students. It is now scaling up with a plan to establish 15 centres across India.

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“Launching BEST last year has been a valuable learning experience for us. It gave us a very clear picture of the critical gap between theoretical education and practical skills needed in the manufacturing industry,” said Rajiv. “With Bajaj Beyond, we will expand our skilling efforts across the group. Together, we will design future-proof curriculums, provide real-world, hands-on experiences, and equip our youth with the adaptability and innovation required to thrive in the ever-evolving mobility landscape.”  

Rajiv Bajaj, MD of Bajaj Auto Ltd, with the students of Symbiosis Institute of Technology and Bajaj Engineering Skills Training (BEST) programme that focuses on enhancing skills relevant to Industry 4.0 among engineering and diploma graduates. Image: Anirudha Karmarkar for Forbes India

Sanjiv Bajaj, chairman and managing director of Bajaj Finserv Ltd, spoke about the Certificate Programme in Banking, Finance and Insurance (CPBFI) as its CSR initiative. It focuses on bridging the skilling gap by enabling first-generation students from tier 2 and 3 cities to take advantage of employment opportunities in the financial services sector. The CPBFI programme has trained and benefitted over 53,000 fresh graduates and is present in 140 towns.

“Skilling has been at the heart of our social impact initiatives and we have seen the positive multiplier effect it has on the well-being of youth and their families,” said Sanjiv. “With Bajaj Beyond, we commit to strengthening India’s skilling ecosystem, especially in the hinterland, enabling greater access to economic prosperity.”

Recalling Mahatma Gandhi’s popular phrase, “Be the change you want to see,” Rajiv added, “CSR should mean constructive social reform. Worlds alone don’t change the world unless they are put into action.”