**Executive Summary**
The 45th meeting of the National Skills Qualifications Committee (NSQC) was held on February 6, 2026, under the chairpersonship of Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, MSDE and Chairperson, NCVET. The meeting focused on proposals under the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) to strengthen the quality, relevance, and industry alignment of vocational qualifications across the country. A key highlight was the approval of Artificial Intelligence (AI) related Qualifications from multiple Awarding Bodies for inclusion under the Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) umbrella in preparation for the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **NSQF Proposals and Objectives:**
* The meeting aimed to strengthen the quality, relevance, and industry alignment of vocational qualifications across the country.
* **Qualifications Considered:**
* 15 Awarding Bodies presented their Qualifications.
* 80 Qualifications were considered.
* Proposals came from Central Ministries/Departments, national institutions, and Sector Skill Councils.
* **Skills Coverage:**
* Covered priority and high-growth sectors including automotive, electronics, IT-ITeS, healthcare, life sciences, aerospace, logistics, construction, manufacturing, tourism and hospitality, green jobs, and emerging technologies.
* Included new and updated qualifications for medical tourism, the unorganized economy, and allied services.
* **Artificial Intelligence (AI) Focus:**
* Approved Artificial Intelligence (AI) related Qualifications for inclusion under the Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) umbrella.
* SOAR initiative aligned as a pre-event to the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
* **Other Qualifications:**
* Qualifications related to India Skills/World Skills ratified for upcoming competitions.
* **Committee's Emphasis:**
* Outcome-based and competency-driven design.
* Quality benchmarks.
* Curriculum relevance.
* Assessment rigor.
* Industry validation.
* **Expected Outcomes:**
* Job-ready skills for learners.
* Industry-relevant certifications.
* Clear pathways for vertical and horizontal mobility within the skilling and education ecosystem.
**Impact Analysis**
**Learners**
* **Impact:** Will receive job-ready skills, industry-relevant certifications, and clear pathways for career advancement within the skilling and education ecosystem. They will also benefit from expanded lifelong learning opportunities.
* **Action Required:** Engage with the approved qualifications to enhance their skills and employability.
**Awarding Bodies**
* **Impact:** Their AI-related Qualifications have been approved for inclusion under the SOAR umbrella, promoting AI readiness. They can benefit from the credibility and enhanced transparency of the NSQF, contributing to modernization of the skilling landscape.
* **Action Required:** Implement the approved qualifications and contribute to the SOAR initiative, aligning with the government's vision for a future-ready workforce.
**National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET)**
* **Impact:** The meeting reaffirms NCVET's commitment to modernizing India's skilling landscape and enhances the credibility, transparency, and impact of the NSQF.
* **Action Required:** Continue to implement and refine the NSQF to improve employability and expand lifelong learning opportunities across the country.
Key Entities Referenced
National Skills Qualifications Committee (NSQC): Committee that held its 45th meeting, which is the primary subject of the document.
National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET): Chairperson of NCVET, Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, chaired the meeting; NCVET's commitment to modernising India's skilling landscape is reaffirmed.
National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF): Meeting deliberated on proposals under the NSQF, aiming to strengthen the quality, relevance, and industry alignment of vocational qualifications.
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE): Smt. Debashree Mukherjee is the Secretary of MSDE.
Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR): Initiative where AI related Qualifications were approved.
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
45th meeting of NSQC held under the
chairpersonship of Smt. Debashree Mukherjee,
Secretary, MSDE and Chairperson, NCVET
Posted On: 06 FEB 2026 6:15PM by PIB Delhi
The 45th meeting of the National Skills Qualifications Committee (NSQC) was held on 6th February 2026
under the chairpersonship of Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and Chairperson, National Council for Vocational Education and Training
(NCVET). The meeting deliberated on proposals under the National Skills Qualifications Framework
(NSQF) with the objective of strengthening the quality, relevance and industry alignment of vocational
qualifications across the country.
The meeting was attended by Prof. (Dr.) Ashok Kumar Gaba, Executive Member, NCVET, Dr. Suhas
Deshmukh, Director and Secretary to the Council, Members of the NSQC from Central
Ministries/Departments including Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Labour and Employmnet;
sector experts; and key stakeholders.
A total of 15 Awarding Bodies presented their Qualifications before the Committee. In all, 80
Qualifications were considered, covering proposals from Awarding Bodies including Central
Ministries/Departments and national institutions such as Directorate General of Training (DGT),
Directorate General of Artillery, National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT),
National Academy of RUDSETI, Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe),
along with various Sector Skill Councils.
The Qualifications span priority and high-growth sectors including automotive, electronics, IT-ITeS,
healthcare, life sciences, aerospace, logistics, construction, manufacturing, tourism and hospitality, green
jobs, and emerging technologies. New and updated qualifications have also been introduced to address
skills requirements in medical tourism, the unorganized economy, and allied services, thereby expanding
access to structured skilling and improving employability for diverse learner groups.
A key highlight of the meeting was the approval of Artificial Intelligence (AI) related Qualifications from
multiple Awarding Bodies for inclusion under the Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) umbrella. The SOAR
initiative has been aligned as a pre-event to the India AI Impact Summit 2026, reinforcing India’s focus on
preparing a future-ready workforce for the AI-driven economy. In addition, the Qualifications related to
India Skills/ World Skills were also ratified for upcoming competitions.
The Committee placed special emphasis on outcome-based and competency-driven design, quality
benchmarks, curriculum relevance, assessment rigor, and industry validation. The approved qualifications
are expected to provide learners with job-ready skills, industry-relevant certifications, and clear pathways
for vertical and horizontal mobility within the skilling and education ecosystem.Addressing the meeting, Smt. Debashree Mukherjee stated that the NSQC plays a pivotal role in ensuring
that skill qualifications in India remain robust, credible, and responsive to the evolving needs of the
economy. She emphasized that the deliberations reflect the Government’s continued commitment to
building a skilled, adaptable, and globally competitive workforce, in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat
2047, the National Education Policy (NEP 2020) and the National Credit Framework (NCrF).
The decisions taken at the 45th NSQC meeting reaffirm NCVET’s commitment to modernising India’s
skilling landscape and are expected to further enhance the credibility, transparency and impact of the
NSQF, contributing to improved employability and expanded lifelong learning opportunities for youth
across the country.
***
SH
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