India's Proactive Steps to Enhance Youth Employability Through Skill Development

The Government of India is undertaking proactive initiatives to improve the employability of the nation's youth through skill development programs. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is implementing various schemes, including Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Sikhshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS), to provide skill, re-skill, and up-skill training to all sections of society. The Skill India Mission (SIM) aims to equip youth with industry-relevant skills, enabling them to get future-ready.

Key Takeaways:

• The MSDE has set up 36 Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), led by industry leaders, to identify skill development needs and determine skill competency standards.
• The National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) has been established as an overarching regulator to ensure quality in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) space.
• PMKVY has aligned new age/future skills job-roles with Industry 4.0 requirements, focusing on areas like AI/ML, Robotics, Mechatronics, Drone Technology, etc.
• 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.
• Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) has been established in Public Private Partnership (PPP) Mode to provide training for Industry 4.0, equipped with cutting-edge technology and hands-on training.
• Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) is a unified platform that integrates skilling, education, employment, and entrepreneurship ecosystems to provide a life-long array of services.
• To encourage women's participation in skill development programs, special provisions have been made for meeting expenditure on conveyance, boarding, and lodging as well as post-placement support.
• Women constitute more than 80% of beneficiaries under JSS scheme, and there are 19 National Skill Training Institutes (NSTI) and more than 300 ITIs exclusively for women.
• Impact of schemes for skill development is assessed through third-party independent evaluation, with MSDE's flagship scheme PMKVY evaluated by NITI Aayog in October 2020.

Statistics:

• 94 percent of employers surveyed reported they would hire more candidates trained under PMKVY.
• 52 percent of candidates who were placed in full-time/part-time employment and oriented under the RPL component received higher salary or felt they would get higher salary compared to their un-certified peers.
• Evaluation study of JSS scheme conducted in 2020 found that the scheme helped in almost doubling the household income for beneficiaries who got employment or were self-employed after the JSS training.
• 77.05% of beneficiary trainees underwent occupational shifts under JSS scheme.
• Third-party evaluation study of NAPS conducted in 2021 observed a notable increase in the engagement of apprentices across various industries.
• Tracer Study of ITI Graduates published in 2018 by MSDE mentioned that 63.5% of total ITI pass-outs got employed (out of which 6.7% are self-employed).

Sources:

• PIB Delhi
• Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE)
• National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET)
• NITI Aayog
• Lok Sabha