Skill Development and Expanding Workforce

Key Highlights:

• India's Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for persons aged 15 years and above marginally eased from 59.6% in 2024 to 59.3% in 2025.
• The Skill India Mission (SIM) delivers skill, re-skill, and up-skill training through schemes like Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), and Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) via Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
• National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) has been established as an overarching regulator for quality in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
• The Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programme (AEDP) integrates apprenticeship training into degree and diploma curricula, aligning with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
• PMKVY and CTS offer future skills training in areas like AI/ML, Robotics, Drone Technology, and Cyber Security.
• The Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM SETU) scheme aims to upgrade 1,000 Government ITIs.
• Over 1.65 crore candidates have been trained under PMKVY since its inception, with a 42.8% placement rate reported for its Short-Term Training component.

Detailed Insights:

• The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) aims to make Indian youth future-ready with industry-relevant skills.
• NCVET ensures quality by establishing regulations and standards, recognizing industry bodies as Awarding Bodies and Assessment Agencies.
• NCVET has approved 10,209 qualifications based on industry requirements, with 2,975 currently active.
• The Directorate General of Training (DGT) implements Flexi MoU Scheme and Dual System of Training (DST) for practical industry exposure for ITI students.
• DGT has partnered with companies like IBM, Microsoft, and AWS to provide technical and professional skills in modern and green technologies.
• NEP 2020 promotes greater integration of vocational education with mainstream education, facilitating seamless mobility between pathways.
• Two Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) have been established in Ahmedabad and Mumbai under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
• 36 Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), led by industry leaders, identify specific skill development needs for their respective sectors.
• PM SETU will upgrade ITIs in a Hub and Spoke model, including smart classrooms, modern labs, and new industry-aligned courses.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Skill India Mission (SIM): A government initiative to provide skill development training to the youth of India.
• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY): The flagship scheme of MSDE offering skill training to Indian youth to enhance employability.
• National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET): An overarching regulator ensuring quality and standards in vocational education and training.
• Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR): The percentage of the working-age population (15 years and above) that is either employed or actively seeking employment.