Cabinet clears setting up of National Centre of Excellence in Mumbai for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality

Setting up of an AVGC Task Force in the country had featured in the budget announcement of 2022-23.

Industry experts told The Indian Express that this is a welcome move especially at a time the industry is going through a major shift in terms of the way content is created, the kind of content being made and the way it is consumed.

Rajan Navani, Co-chair of the Media and Entertainment Council at CII and Chairman of JetSynthesys Ltd told The Indian Express that the big levers driving the future of media are rapidly changing consumer behaviours, new age creator economy and disruptive technology.

“At a time like this, the NCoE will go a long way in mapping the future and inculcating the necessary skills needed for people to participate in this large global industry so that India can capitalise on this shift that is happening,” he said.

A statement issued by the government on the cabinet decision said the AVGC-XR sector plays an indispensable role in the Media and Entertainment sector, including filmmaking, OTT platforms, gaming, advertisements and several other areas including health, education and other social sectors, adding that the usage of AVGC-XR globally is poised to grow at an exponential pace.

It said the NCoE will be the pinnacle institution to anchor the AVGC-XR ecosystem in the country.

“Along with offering specialised training-cum-learning programs to equip both amateurs and professionals with the latest skill sets in cutting-edge AVGC-XR technologies, this NCoE will also foster research and development and will bring together experts from various fields like computer science, engineering, design and art that can lead to major breakthroughs in the field of AVGC-XR,” it said.

It said it will also extensively focus on creation of India’s IP for both domestic consumption and global outreach, leading to creation of content based on India’s rich historical and cultural heritage, while functioning as an incubation centre by providing resources for nurturing startups and early-stage companies in the AVGC-XR field.

“Also, NCoE will serve not only as an academic accelerator, but also a production/ industry accelerator,” it said.

It will serve as one of the biggest sources of employment for the youth from all parts of the country, the government said, adding that it will give an enormous push to the creative arts and design sector and make India the hub for AVGC-XR activities furthering the goals of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Initiative.

As per the government, the NCoE for AVGC-XR will also position India as a content hub for providing state-of-the-art content thereby enhancing India’s soft power globally and attracting foreign investment into the Media & Entertainment Sector.