Under the Government of India Skill India Mission (SIM), the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) delivers skill, re-skill and up-skill training through an extensive network of skill development centers under various schemes, viz. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) scheme, National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), to all the sections of the society across the country. The SIM aims at enabling youth of India to get future ready, equipped with industry relevant skills.
To ensure the skills imparted through various scheme of MSDE are aligned with the industry requirements and technological advancements, the following specific steps have been taken:
(i) National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) has been set up as an overarching regulator establishing regulations and standards to ensure quality in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) space.
(ii) The Awarding Bodies recognised by NCVET are expected to develop the qualifications as per the industry demand and map them with the identified occupations as per the National Classification of Occupations, 2015 and obtain industry validations.
(iii) NCVET has approved 8693 qualifications as per the industry requirements, out of which 2266 qualifications are valid and active, and 6427 qualifications are archived for being not relevant.
(iv) 36 Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), led by industry leaders in the respective sectors, have been set up which identify the skill development needs of respective sectors as well as to determine skill competency standards.
(v) Directorate General of Training (DGT) under the aegis of MSDE is implementing Flexi MoU Scheme and Dual System of Training (DST) which are meant to provide training to ITI students in industrial environment as per their requirements.
(vi) Under PMKVY, the new age/future skills job-roles have been specially aligned with Industry 4.0 requirements in areas like AI/ML, Robotics, Mechatronics, Drone Technology, etc. for upcoming market demand and industry requirements.
(vii) DGT has introduced new age /future skills courses in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) under CTS to provide training in emerging areas such as 5G Network Technician, Artificial Intelligence Programming assistant, Cyber Security Assistant, Drone Technician etc.
(viii) DGT has signed MoU with IT Tech companies like IBM, CISCO, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Auto Desk and Future Skill Rights Network, to ensure industry linkages for the institutes at the state and regional levels. These partnerships facilitate the provision of technical and professional skills training in modern technologies.
(ix) MSDE has launched Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) a unified platform that integrates skilling, education, employment, and entrepreneurship ecosystems to provide a life-long array of services to key stakeholders. Details of the trained candidates are available on SIDH portal for connecting with potential employers. Through SIDH, candidates can have access to jobs and apprenticeship opportunities.
Under PMKVY, real-time labour market information guides curriculum updates through the Labour Market Information System (LMIS), continuous industry consultations by Sector Skill Councils, and employer feedback collected after placements. These inputs help update Qualification Packs and National Occupational Standards to match emerging job roles and sector demand.
District Skill Committees (DSCs), established across all States/UTs are mandated with formulating District Skill Development Plans (DSDPs) to support decentralized, grassroots-level skill planning by identifying local employment opportunities, skilling demand and available training infrastructure. Government skill programmes are then designed to bridge these identified skill gaps across sectors. The Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), led by industry experts, regularly conduct skill gap studies to assess sector-wise skill needs and set competency standards, which guide government interventions to align the workforce with industry requirements. Additionally, the SANKALP (Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion)-supported National Skill Gap Study by National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) provides a standardized, data-driven framework to assess skill gaps across seven high-growth sectors. It helps MSDE align skilling initiatives with industry demand and future workforce needs.
National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) has provision of stipend support to employers (reimbursing 25% of the stipend up to ₹1,500 per month) to encourage them to take on apprentices, through DBT. The On-the-Job Training (OJT) component of apprenticeship provides hands-on industry exposure, making apprentices job-ready while allowing employers complete flexibility in post-training engagement as permitted under the Act. As per an impact evaluation study 91% youth reported enhanced confidence and employability. 41% of pass-outs were employed within three months, 64% within six months, and 74% within a year of completion. Further, 89% felt that the training also improved their prospects for self-employment.
Similarly, under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), schemes like PMKVY assesses and certifies skills acquired informally, integrating the unorganized workforce into the formal skilling landscape. RPL initiatives have also helped to formalize and certify the skills of existing workers, enhancing their employability and mobility within sectors, however long-term placement tracking remains limited.
