2 min read
25 May 2021

What is the Skill India Programme?

The Skill India programme is a flagship initiative launched by the Government of India in 2015 with the aim of empowering Indian youth with employable skills and enhancing their employability. It seeks to address the challenge of unemployment by providing vocational training and skill development opportunities across various sectors and industries.

Key components and objectives of the skill India programme include:

  1. Skill development: The programme focuses on imparting industry-relevant skills to Indian youth through a network of training centers, institutes, and initiatives. It aims to bridge the gap between demand and supply of skilled workforce across sectors.
  2. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): Skill India recognises and validates the existing skills of individuals acquired through informal means or prior experience. RPL enables individuals to receive certification and formal recognition for their skills, enhancing their employability.
  3. Quality assurance: Ensuring the quality of skill training programs is a crucial aspect of the skill India initiative. It emphasises the development of standardised curricula, competency-based training, and assessment processes to maintain high-quality skill development programs.
  4. Industry partnerships: Skill India fosters collaboration between training providers, industry partners, and government agencies to align skill development programs with industry needs and demands. This ensures that training programs are relevant, up-to-date, and responsive to changing market dynamics.
  5. Employment opportunities: The ultimate goal of the skill India programme is to facilitate job placement and self-employment opportunities for trained individuals. It works towards creating an ecosystem conducive to entrepreneurship and innovation while also promoting inclusive growth and social development.
  6. Targeted initiatives: Skill India encompasses various targeted initiatives and schemes tailored to specific demographic groups, such as women, rural youth, differently-abled individuals, and marginalised communities. These initiatives aim to address specific skill gaps and promote social inclusion.
  7. Technology integration: Leveraging technology is a key aspect of skill India, with the adoption of digital platforms and e-learning tools to deliver training and assessments more efficiently. Technology-enabled learning facilitates access to skill development opportunities, especially in remote and underserved areas.
  8. International collaboration: Skill India promotes collaboration and exchange of best practices with international partners, organisations, and governments to enhance the effectiveness of skill development initiatives and learn from global experiences.

Skill India program courses

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship of India (MSDE) launched the National Policy on Skill Development (NPSD) 2009 that covers several programmes that aim to offer skill development courses to the youth of India. In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi revised these programmes in lieu of the skill development policy and launched a new programme called ‘Skill India’.

Nearly half of India’s population is under the age of 25 years. Through the Skill India mission, the government aims to offer holistic human resource development programme to make the most of this demographic advantage and boost the nation’s economy. To achieve this goal, Skill India, a multi-skills scheme, aims to provide training and skill development to over 10 million Indian youths by 2020. Here’s more about the Skill India programme, its mission, initiatives, courses and training centres.

Mission of Skill India Programme

The Skill India mission is to achieve focused results by 2020 and, to do so, it has laid out a few objectives, which are as follows:

  • Create opportunities and scope for talent development for the Indian youth by offering them specific Skill India courses
  • Boosting the sectors that are already part of the skill development module based on the earlier skill development scheme
  • Identifying new areas for training and skill development

Schemes and initiatives of Skill India

The Skill India mission has launched the following schemes and initiatives:

  • SANKALP
  • UDAAN
  • STAR
  • Polytechnic schemes
  • Vocationalisation of education
  • National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, 2015
  • Skill development for minorities
  • Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana
  • Ministry-wise skill development schemes
  • Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana
  • Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra
  • National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme
  • Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills
  • Green Skill Development Programme
  • Financial Assistance for Skill Training of Persons with Disabilities
  • Craftsmen Training Scheme
  • Apprenticeship training (South Central Railway)
  • National Qualifications Register

Skill India course list

Following is the Skill India course list where various programmes are offered under different heads:

  • Entrepreneurship development programmes including Women EDP, CRR Scheme for CPSUs, and others.
  • Entrepreneurship cum Skill Development Programmes (ESDPs) and Training of trainers programmes including bakery products, AC, refrigerator and water cooler repair, CAD/ CAM, catering, computer accounting with tally, cyber café, glass cutting and polishing, heat treatment, gaming with flash, lens grinding, microprocessor application and programming, machining and Microsoft C, amongst others.
  • Training of trainers including an ESDP in fashion designing, Technology Infusion cum Skill Development Programme, and others.
  • Management development programmes like Advanced Skills for Effective Executive Secretaries and Change Management, Business Development Plan for Micro and Small Enterprises, Contemporary Human Resource Management Practices, Extension Motivation Programme for Executives, Competency Building for Improved Performance, Cost Effectiveness in Economic Downturn, Delayed Payments to MSEs, Executive Development Programme on Achievement Motivation Training, and others.
  • Other Skill India courses like Financing and Management of CFCs, Orientation Programme for Officials of Industries and Commerce Department, Promotion of Micro-Enterprises, Risk Management for SHGs, Orientation Programme for Officials of Industries and Commerce Department, as well as others.

Training centres of the Skill India programme

The programme has an exhaustive Training Partner (TP) network comprising over 450 affiliates, 38 industry-led Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), and a range of enabling systems and initiatives. NSDC single-handedly supports profitable vocational training institutions across the country to enrich them and nurture them to newer heights. However, bear in mind that to enrol as a training partner or centre you have to meet certain terms and conditions.

If your desired course is not among the skill development courses list, consider enrolling for it with a reputed (institution,) nevertheless. Doing this will add to your employability and offer plenty of opportunities for career growth. To finance your course conveniently, avail a loan against property from Bajaj Finserv. Here, you can access a high-value sanction of up to Rs. 10.50 crore* at a nominal rate, which you can repay over a flexible tenor of up to 15 years. What’s more, the simple eligibility criteria and minimal documentation make for speedy approval and quick disbursal of funds within 4 days! However, be sure to check your pre-approved offer to qualify via a customised deal and access financing even faster.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the skills India Programmes for employment?

There are several skill development programs aimed at improving employment opportunities, including:

  1. PMKVY provides short-term training.
  2. NSDC supports skill development through public-private partnerships.
  3. Skill India offers vocational training in various sectors.
  4. DDU-GKY focuses on rural youth employment.
  5. Udaan targets the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
  6. NAPS promotes apprenticeships.
  7. Start-Up India encourages entrepreneurship and job creation.
  8. Digital India enhances digital literacy and IT-related skills.
  9. RSETIs offer rural self-employment training.
  10. Employment exchanges connect job seekers with opportunities.
What are the benefits of Skill India Programme?

The Skill India Programme, initiated by the Government of India, offers several benefits, including improved employability, empowerment of youth, industry-relevant training, quality education, diverse training opportunities, inclusivity, entrepreneurship support, global competitiveness, economic growth, reduced dependence on imported labor, digital literacy, recognition of prior skills, and collaboration with industry. These advantages contribute to a skilled and competitive workforce, fostering economic growth and development. Effective implementation and alignment with market needs are essential for its success.

What is skill development and how it is used to generate employment in India?

Skill development in India involves acquiring job-relevant skills and knowledge, enhancing employability, and generating employment. It achieves this by:

  1. Increasing employability through industry-specific training.
  2. Fostering entrepreneurship and self-employment.
  3. Providing opportunities for marginalized communities.
  4. Recognizing prior skills and experience.
  5. Collaborating with industries to align training with job requirements.
  6. Promoting digital literacy for the digital economy.
  7. Government and private sector initiatives play a vital role in skill development, narrowing the skills gap and preparing individuals for the job market.