Genesis of
BSDU

Genesis of the Bhartiya Skill Development University

Late Dr. Rajendra Kumar Joshi and Ursula Joshi

Dr Rajendra Kumar Joshi, born on 13th September 1934 in Dundlod, Jhunjhunu district, Rajasthan, did his schooling in Sadulpur, Master of Pharmacy at BITS Pilani with a Gold Medal in 1958 and completed his Ph.D. in 1968 from University of Komensky, Slovakia. He worked as a Research Associate and later as Professor (Dozent) in Medicinal Chemistry and Structure Activity Relationship at Federal Institute of Switzerland and guided a number of Ph.D. students. Dr Rajendra Joshi married Ursula, A Swiss Citizen in 1989. They now live in Switzerland. Dr. Joshi was a founding partner of Fumapharm AG Switzerland, a pharmaceutical company which was sold in 2006 to Biogen Idec. At Fumapharm he developed a number of products against several diseases like Fumaderm against psoriasis.

Dr and Mrs Joshi analysed the reasons for the Swiss economy being one of the best in the world. They found that the main reason for this was the perfected skill development scenario in the country. They decided to get the Swiss Dual system of skills development into India. The “Dual” here means learning theory in vocational school and practical training on job in industry.

They formed the ‘Rajendra and Ursula Joshi Foundation’ (JCF) in 2006 in Wilen, Switzerland and started working on bringing the Swiss Dual System of skills training to India. They tried to convince the Indian industry and government to support this system, but met with limited success. Therefore, they decided to set up a state-of-the-art institute in Jaipur to showcase the benefits of the dual system of education. This thought of having their own skill training institute led them to initiate a project called Bharatiya Skill Development Campus (BSDC) Jaipur with basic skills training in Polymechanics.

The campus was inaugurated by Mrs Vasundhara Raje, the Honourable Chief Minister of Rajasthan on 23rd April 2016 and on the same day an MOU was signed between Govt. of Rajasthan (GOR) and BSDC for establishment of Bhartiya Skill Development University (BSDU) Jaipur. JCF, located in Switzerland, is the Knowledge Partner of BSDU. It uses its resources to modify the Swiss system to suit Indian environment, develops educational content, recruit human resources from Europe, sources machinery and equipment and supports the University in its operations.

They formed the ‘Rajendra and Ursula Joshi Foundation’ (JCF) in 2006 in Wilen, Switzerland and started working on bringing the Swiss Dual System of skills training to India. They tried to convince the Indian industry and government to support this system, but met with limited success. Therefore, they decided to set up a state-of-the-art institute in Jaipur to showcase the benefits of the dual system of education. This thought of having their own skill training institute led them to initiate a project called Bharatiya Skill Development Campus (BSDC) Jaipur with basic skills training in Polymechanics. The campus was inaugurated by Mrs Vasundhara Raje, the Honourable Chief Minister of Rajasthan on 23rd April 2016 and on the same day an MOU was signed between Govt. of Rajasthan (GOR) and BSDC for establishment of Bhartiya Skill Development University (BSDU) Jaipur. JCF, located in Switzerland, is the Knowledge Partner of BSDU. It uses its resources to modify the Swiss system to suit Indian environment, develops educational content, recruit human resources from Europe, sources machinery and equipment and supports the University in its operations.

The Rajendra and Ursula Joshi Charitable Trust (RUJCT) was created for sponsoring the University. After completion of due formalities, GOR issued an Ordinance to establish BSDU on 29th December 2016 which was converted into BSDU Act No. 3 of 2017.

Dr R K Joshi is the Founder Chairman of BSDU which is a unique skill development University in India. It is the first of its kind University, promoting Skill Development through actual practical skills training based on the concept of “One Machine—One Student”. The University is working on the model of Swiss Dual System of Training to impart world class skills training and award UG, PG and Ph.D. degrees to the successful students.