Parliament Question: Skill Development Centre at Aurangabad Industrial City (AURIC)

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3000 ANSWERED ON 18.03.2026 SKILL DEVELOPMENT CENTRE AT AURANGABAD INDUSTRIAL CITY (AURIC) 3000. DR. FAUZIA KHAN: Will the Minister of SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP be pleased to state: (a) the current status, funding pattern and timeline for completion of the proposed Skill Development Centre at Aurangabad Industrial City (AURIC); (b) the courses and industry tie-ups being planned to align training with regional employment demand; (c) the institutional mechanism for industry-led curriculum design, outcome-based monitoring and placement linkages; and d) the measures being taken to ensure inclusion of rural youth, women and workers from the Marathwada region? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY) (a) to (d): The allocation of space at Aurangabad Industrial City (AURIC) falls within the operational and administrative jurisdiction of Maharashtra Industrial Township Limited (MITL), the project Special Purpose Vehicle. MITL has (i) allotted approximately 50-acre land at Bidkin to M/s Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd. for development of the Skill Park (ii) approved space admeasuring 10,000 sq. fts at Auric Hall to M/s. Magic on rental basis for a period of three years and (iii) approved space admeasuring approximately 20000 sq. fts at Auric Hall to Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on rental basis for a period of five years. Under the Government of India’s Skill India Mission (SIM), the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) delivers skill, re-skill and up-skill training through an extensive network of skill development centres / institutes etc. under various schemes, viz. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), to all the sections of the society across the country including the Marathwada region. The SIM aims at enabling youth of India to get future ready and equipped with industry relevant skills. The Schemes of MSDE are demand driven and the Skill Development Centres are set up or engaged on need basis. To ensure that the skills imparted are aligned with the current industry requirements and provide apprenticeship and job opportunities, the following specific steps have been taken by MSDE: i. National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) has approved 9549 qualifications as per the industry requirements, out of which 3122 qualifications are valid and active and 6427 qualifications are archived for being not relevant. ii. 36 Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), led by industry leaders in the respective sectors, have been set up which are mandated to identify the skill development needs of respective sectors as well as to determine skill competency standards. NSDC, under the Market led program, provides support to training providers that collaborate and align skill courses with industry demand. iii. DGT is implementing Flexi MoU Scheme and Dual System of Training (DST) which are meant to provide training to ITI students in industrial environment as per their requirements. iv. Government of India has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)/Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in the field of skill development and vocational education and training with twelve countries to align the skilling efforts as per the global requirements.v. Under PMKVY, the new age/future skills job-roles have been specially aligned with Industry 4.0 requirements in areas like AI/ML, Robotics, Mechatronics, Drone Technology, etc. for upcoming market demand and industry requirements. vi. Directorate General of Training (DGT) under the aegis of MSDE has introduced 31 new age /future skills courses in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) under CTS to provide training in emerging areas such as 5G Network Technician, Artificial Intelligence Programming assistant, Cyber Security Assistant, Drone Technician etc. vii. DGT has signed MoU with IT Tech companies like IBM, CISCO, Future Skill Rights Network, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft to ensure industry linkages for the institutes at the state and regional levels under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. These partnerships facilitate the provision of technical and professional skills training in modern technologies. viii. Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) established at Ahmedabad and Mumbai, in Public Private Partnership (PPP) Mode, aims to cultivate an industry-ready workforce for Industry 4.0, equipped with cutting- edge technology and hands-on training. ix. National Skill Development Corporation under the aegis of MSDE has partnered with a number of international organizations such as AWS, Microsoft, Intel, Redhat, Pearson VUE, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Cisco Networking Academy for providing digital courses. x. MSDE has launched Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH), a unified platform that integrates skilling, education, employment, and entrepreneurship ecosystems to provide a life-long array of services targeting a wide range of stakeholders. The details of the trained candidates are available on SIDH portal for connecting with potential employers. Through Skill India Digital Hub, candidates can have access to jobs and apprenticeship opportunities. xi. National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) supports seamless transition from education to work; ensuring apprentices gain industry-specific skills through real-world exposure. Under NAPS, stipend support up to Rs 1500/- per month is released to beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). xii. Further, Rozgar Melas and Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Melas (PMNAMs) have been organized to facilitate the placements opportunities to the certified candidates. To enhance industry participation in skill development programs, the Ministry, under PMKVY, has prioritized industry-aligned training, apprenticeship-linked skilling initiatives, and partnerships with local industries. PMKVY promotes on-the-job training to strengthen the connection between classroom learning and workplace requirements. Industry experts are actively involved in curriculum development, ensuring alignment with current market demands. Rojgar Melas, career counselling sessions, etc. are organized to directly link industries with skilled candidates. Under PMKVY, the Government has expanded skill development programs in rural and underserved areas through setting up of Skill India Centres (SICs) and implementation of Special Projects as per local requirements. Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH)- a digital public infrastructure to provide a comprehensive and accessible platform for skill enhancement, offering industry-relevant skill courses, job opportunities, and entrepreneurship support- enhances the accessibility to skill training to the youth including the ones from rural and underserved areas. Further, PMKVY 4.0 prioritizes and provides special focus to projects that emphasize women as primary beneficiaries. Training programs in sectors like Electronics, Retail, Healthcare, Beauty & Wellness, Handicrafts and Apparel are structured to attract higher participation from women. Skill Hubs and Special Projects actively encourage women's enrolment. Projects are designed to align with local skill demands, creating opportunities for rural women to participate and benefit from skill development schemes. This inclusive approach ensures significant representation and benefit for women in skill training programs across the country. Also, in NAPS Scheme, the introduction of trades in services sector (Optional Trade) has led to the significant improvement in the women participation in apprenticeship. The percentage of women apprentices has observed an increase from 22.79% in 2024-25 to 25.80% in 2025-26. Under JSS Scheme; the focus is being given to women and other vulnerable sections. Women constitute more than 80% of beneficiaries under JSS. Also, there are 19 National Skill Training Institutes (NSTI) and more than 300 ITIs exclusively for women. Government of India approved 30% reservation of seats for women candidates in all ITIs (Govt. & Private) in all courses and these seats could be filled based on the general reservation policy of each respective State/UTs. *****