Parliament Question: Integration of Skill Training with Education and Entrepreneurship

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *116 ANSWERED ON 08.12.2025 INTEGRATION OF SKILL TRAINING WITH EDUCATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP *116. SHRI P P CHAUDHARY: SHRI SUKANTA KUMAR PANIGRAHI: Will the Minister of SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP be pleased to state: (a) the manner in which Government is ensuring National Education Policy (NEP) 2020's mandate of vocational education from Grade 6 despite the shortage of qualified trainers, workshop and skill laboratories and limited facility in many secondary schools across the country including Kandhamal Lok Sabha Constituency; (b) the steps taken by the Government to ensure guarantee that credits earned through short-term skilling programmes under various schemes are fully recognised, mapped and made transferable to formal degree programmes through the Academic Bank of Credits (ABCs) platform including in Madhya Pradesh particularly in Dewas-Shajapur Lok Sabha Constituency; (c) whether the Pradhan Mantri YUVA Yojana (PM-YUVA) is being restructured to provide stronger linkages between trained youth and startup-support mechanisms such as incubation, seed funding and mentorship and the manner in which the effectiveness of this linkage is being monitored, if so, the details thereof; (d) the number of trained candidates who have received startup support in Rajasthan, particularly in Pali Lok Sabha Constituency; (e) the manner in which the Government is utilising the Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) scheme to provide skill training and generate entrepreneurship awareness among women, rural youth for inclusive growth particularly in Dewas- Shajapur Lok Sabha Constituency; and (f) the current budget allocation and expenditure during the last three years for major skilling schemes? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY) (a) to (f): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART (a) to (f) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *116 ANSWERED ON 08.12.2025 REGARDING ‘INTEGRATION OF SKILL TRAINING WITH EDUCATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP’ (a): National Education Policy 2020 lays emphasis on integration of vocational education programs with mainstream education in all educational institutions in a phased manner. The National Credit Framework (NCrF) has been developed as a comprehensive credit accumulation & transfer framework encompassing elementary, school, higher, and vocational education & training. National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) enables vocational training in schools so that students can join the workforce after school if they choose to. Vocational Education is one of the components under the Centrally Sponsored ‘Samagra Shiksha’ Scheme of Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL). Under Vocational Education component, NSQF aligned vocational courses are offered to the students from class 9th to 12th in the schools covered under the scheme. At the Secondary level (Class IX and X), vocational modules are offered to the students as an additional subject. At Sr. Secondary level (Class XI and XII), vocational courses are offered as a compulsory (elective) subject. As of now, 138 Job Roles have been approved for introduction as Skill subjects in school for Class IX to XII. Overall, 36,465 schools have been approved for integrating skilling with formal education in the country, out of which skill training has been implemented in 25,140 schools with a reported enrolment of 35,56,330 students. In Kandhamal Lok Saba constituency, total 61 Schools are offering skill courses from class 9 to 12 under Samagra Shiksha and PM SHRI. Under the scheme, the Hub and Spoke Model has been adopted so that the infrastructure available in the Hub schools is utilized by the students of nearby schools (spoke schools) for Skill training. Under the Hub & Spoke model, 975 Spoke schools have been approved nationwide. With a view to strengthening the skill training infrastructure in schools, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has established 1,200 vocational skill labs across 400 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) and 200 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs). (b): Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) is a digital platform which facilitates the secure storage, accumulation, transfer, and redemption of academic credits earned by students from recognized educational institutions. ABC functions as a digital repository where academic credits earned by students are securely stored and easily accessible. ABC enables the seamless integration of skills, knowledge, and learning experiences into a unified credit- based framework, empowering students with greater autonomy in shaping their academic journeys. To ensure guarantee that credits earned through short- term skilling programmes are fully recognised, mapped and made transferable to formal degree programmes on pan India basis including Madhya Pradesh and its Dewas, Sehore and Shajapur districts, the following measures have been taken: (i) National Credit Framework (NCrF) was notified by UGC on 10th April 2023, which provides for creditization of all learning and accumulation, storage, transfer & redemption of credits, subject to assessment; establishes academic equivalence between vocational & general education and its operationalization through the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC). The NCrF was adopted by the NCVET (skilling regulator) on 12th May 2023 for implementation in vocational education and training ecosystem(ii) The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Operationalisation of NCrF in Higher Education, Vocational Education, Training and Skilling (VETS), and School Education was notified by UGC on 07th August 2024. (iii) The SOP for Development, Alignment & Implementation of Skill Based Courses / Vocational Education, Training and Skilling based Qualifications in Higher Education & School Education was notified by National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) on 30th May 2024 (iv) NCVET has issued directions to all Awarding Bodies (ABs) to register on ABC via National Academic Depository (NAD), make candidates aware, upload the certificate awarded, etc. (c) & (d): As of now, there is no proposal under consideration to restructure Pradhan Mantri YUVA Yojana (PM-YUVA), which was implemented by MSDE on pilot basis (twice) towards creating an enabling ecosystem through entrepreneurship education, training, advocacy and easy access to entrepreneurship network. PM-YUVA 1.0 pilot scheme aimed at imparting free entrepreneurship education to promote entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship. The scheme targeted at students in higher education, and was delivered in Higher Education Institutions (HEls) only, from April 2017 to May 2018. The PM-YUVA 2.0 pilot scheme was implemented from November 2019 to March 2022. The delivery network of entrepreneurship training changed from HEls to skilling institutions, including Industrial Training Institutes (lTls), Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras (PMKKS) and Jan Sikshan Sansthans (JSS). MSDE through its autonomous institutions, i.e, National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), Noida and Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati conducts Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EAP) and Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) to promote entrepreneurship across the country To provide access to credit/loan to youth for establishing business enterprises or startups, the Government implements various schemes like Start-Up India, Stand-Up India, PM Vishwakarma, etc on pan India basis including Rajasthan and its Pali and Jodhpur districts. (i) PM Vishwakarma, launched on 17th September 2023, provides end to end holistic support to traditional artists and craftspeople engaged in 18 identified trades through access to skill training, collateral free credit, modern tools, market linkage support and incentive for digital transactions. Under PM Vishwakarma, 55,606 loan accounts of amount Rs 494.34 Cr was sanctioned in the state of Rajasthan. (ii) Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS), launched in October 2022, aims to ease access to early-stage debt requirements for startups. The objective of CGSS is to provide guarantees up to a specified limit against credit instruments extended by Member Institutions for startup financing. Under CGSS, 09 loan accounts and Rs 32.30 Cr amount has been covered under the guarantee up to June 2025, in the state of Rajasthan. (iii) Stand-Up India Scheme launched on 5th April, 2016 aims to promote entrepreneurship among the SC/ST and Women by facilitating bank loans of value between Rs.10 lakh and Rs.1 crore for setting up greenfield enterprises in trading, manufacturing and services sector. The online portal provides guidance to prospective SC, ST and Women entrepreneurs in their endeavour to set up business enterprises. Under Stand-Up India,15,142 loan accounts of amount Rs 3486.56 Cr has been sanctioned up to March 2025, in the state of Rajasthan. (iv) Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) was launched on 08th April 2015 to provide collateral free institutional credit to any individual with a business plan for small business enterprise. He/she can avail loan up to Rs. 20 lakh under the Scheme and the activities allied to agriculture sector. Under PMMY, both term loan and working capital requirements up to Rs 20 lakh can be met for income generating activities in the manufacturing, trading, services, etc. (e) Under Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) scheme, MSDE provides vocational training and skill development via Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to non/neo literates, persons having rudimentary level of education up to 8th standard and school dropouts up to 12th standard in the age group of 15-45 years. The focus of the Scheme is Women, SC, ST, Minorities, and other disadvantaged sections of the society in both rural and urban areas. At present, there are 293 JSSs functional across the country. From 2018-19 and up to 31st October 2025, a total of 32,53,965 persons has been trained across the country. During this period, 3,51,410 candidates have been trained in Madhya Pradesh; and 38,055 candidates have been trained in Dewas, Sehore and Shajapur districts. Under JSS, Livelihood Cell has also been set up to orient the candidates for entrepreneurship and livelihood promotion. (f) Details of the budget allocation and expenditure incurred during the last three years for the major schemes of MSDE are as under: Figures are in Rs Crore 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 BE/RE AE BE/RE AE BE/RE AE PMKVY 739.26 233.26 920.00 510.52 1538.00 1538.00 NAPS 170.00 335.50 557.04 632.82 512.24 586.23 JSS 200.00 155.68 163.33 157.25 180.00 144.47 *****