Steps for Boosting Skill Development in India

Steps for Boosting Skill Development in India

Question : Skill development is the key to utilising India’s demographic dividend. Discuss the steps taken for initiating skill development in India.


• Skill development and entrepreneurship are the focus of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship formed in 2014

• It is working to achieve the vision of Skilled India

• Under the Ministry of Skill Development, the following organisations are working for developing skills:

- National Skill Development Agency/NSDA
- National Skill Development Corporation/NSDC
- National Skill Development Fund/NSDF
- 33 Sector Skill Councils

• For further convergence of vocational training system through ITIs and fresh skill initiatives, two vertical from Directorate General of Employment and Training and Apprenticeship Training have been transferred to the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

• Sector skill gap studies have been completed for 24 sectors to understand sectoral and geographical spread of skill requirements

• Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has also inked several agreements with nations such as France, Germany, Canada, Australia, the UK and the US.

• The aim of these agreements is to facilitate the following:
- Technology transfer in vocational training
- Training of trainers
- Establishing centres of excellence
- International mobility through job roles mapping
- Development of transnational standards

• MoUs have been established between National Skill Development Corporation, National Skill Development Fund and Power Grid for skill training

• National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has been prepared to initiate skill training and development

• National workshops have also been held for skill development
• NSDC has signed MoUs with several state governments such as Punjab, Rajasthan, WB and HP for skill development

• Multi skill institutes are being planned in PPP mode with training providers, industry reps, State government reps and donor agencies

• Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has also initiated the process of establishing National Skills Universities

• These universities aim to provide nationally recognised University degrees and certificate courses for vocational skills, design and conduct assessment procedures, designing of vocational curriculum and research in the skills landscape

Facts and Stats

• The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship also coordinates skill development efforts across the nation

• It works for eliminating the the gap between demand and supply of skilled manpower

• Building of new skills and skill upgradation is also the aim of this ministry

• Around 58,72,800 people were trained by Central Ministry and its departments in 2014-2015