Cambridge University Press & Assessment collaborates with Government of West Bengal to launch employability-focused English curriculum for university learners

Kolkata, 13 February 2026: Cambridge University Press & Assessment announced a collaboration with the Higher Education Department, Government of West Bengal, to support the launch of a new employability-focused curriculum aimed at strengthening workplace communication and improving job-readiness among university learners across the state.

The curriculum was launched recently in Kolkata at the Curriculum Launch for Higher Education Department & Industry–Academia Connect, which brought together senior voices from government, higher education and industry to examine how English communication skills are defined, developed, assessed and valued from university through hiring and into early career progression.

Participants included,  Prof. Amlan Chakrabarti, COO, International Centre of Excellence for Data Science, AI and Futuristic Technologies, Department of Higher Education, Government of West Bengal; Prof. Suranjan Das, Vice Chancellor, Adamas University, Dr. Himanshu Sharma, Director UWSB and Karnavati University, Ahmedabad, Dr Andrew Fleming, British Deputy High Commissioner for East and North East India; and Mr Vinay Sharma, Regional Director, Cambridge International Education, South Asia, alongside industry leaders Mr Sanjib Kumar Das, Chief Executive Officer, Bandhan Group of Institutions; Dr K M Suceendran, Head – Academic Alliances Group, Tata Consultancy Services; and Ms Rituparna Ghosh, Director Human Resources, Cognizant Technology Solutions. 
Commenting on the curriculum launch, Prof. Amlan Chakrabarti, COO, International Centre of Excellence for Data Science, AI and Futuristic Technologies, Department of Higher Education, Government of West Bengal, said: “Employability today is shaped not only by technical knowledge, but by the ability to communicate ideas clearly and work effectively across disciplines. By embedding structured English communication within the higher education curriculum, this initiative helps align academic learning with industry expectations, while giving students practical skills that will support their transition from university into the workplace.”

As employers place growing emphasis on clear, confident communication, Cambridge University Press & Assessment views English not simply as an academic subject, but as a core employability skill that supports effective participation in interviews, teamwork and everyday workplace interactions. Central to the collaboration is a structured two-credit, instructor-led course that embeds workplace communication within the formal university curriculum through a blended model of learning, practice and assessment.

Commenting on the collaboration, Dr Andrew Fleming, British Deputy High Commissioner for East and Northeast India, said: “This partnership between Cambridge University Press & Assessment and the Government of West Bengal marks an important step in strengthening English proficiency and enhancing employability for young people across the state. I congratulate the Higher Education Department and Cambridge University Press & Assessment on an initiative that will support meaningful outcomes for learners in the years ahead.”

The programme includes 30 hours of activity-based classroom teaching and workshops, supported by digital course materials with photocopiable resources for teachers, alongside 20 hours of self-paced practice delivered through a learning management system. It focuses on practical English for recruitment and early workplace contexts, covering CV and cover letter preparation, interview and group discussion skills, and professional communication such as emails, meetings, and giving and receiving feedback. The course concludes with the Upskill English Test, an approximately 45-minute mobile-based assessment of listening and speaking in workplace contexts, with CEFR-aligned reporting up to B1 to provide clear, measurable outcomes.

T K Arunachalam, Regional Director, English, Cambridge University Press & Assessment, South Asia, added: “Our collaboration with the Government of West Bengal reflects a shared belief that English is not just a subject, but a powerful, future-ready employability skill. By embedding workplace-oriented English into the university curriculum, we’re helping graduates meet Industry 5.0 expectations, where hiring is increasingly skills-led and success depends on clear communication, confidence and job-ready capability. This initiative aligns universities, government and industry to ensure students’ skills are recognised, measurable and genuinely valued by employers, shifting outcomes from ‘exam-ready’ to ‘skill-ready’, with day-one readiness for work.”

Cambridge University Press & Assessment works with state and national partners across India on employability-linked skilling initiatives, supporting large-scale programmes in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Punjab, and collaborating with the Department of Higher Education, Government of India, alongside the National Skill Development Corporation and Sector Skill Councils. These efforts aim to strengthen English and workplace communication skills, improving access to opportunities in India and internationally.