Parliament Question: Skill Gap Task Force

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 157 ANSWERED ON 20.07.2026 SKILL GAP TASK FORCE 157. MS. S JOTHIMANI: Will the Minister of SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that the Government had partnered with the World Economic Forum and Infosys to constitute a Closing the Skills Gap Task Force in 2018; (b) if so, the details of the milestones achieved by the task force during the last five years and the current year; (c) whether it is a fact that the National Policy on Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015 declared that 25% of the country’s schools would integrate skilling with formal education by 2020 as an objective; and (d) if so, the number of schools that have integrated skilling with formal education in the country? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY) (a) & (b) A Task Force for Closing the Skills Gap in India was launched in collaboration with Infosys and the World Economic Forum in October 2018. The goal of the Task Force was to develop an action plan to address skills gaps in India and make the Indian workforce ready for jobs of future. After its launch, the Skills Gap Accelerator India convened the leadership group for multiple physical meetings including one at the India Economic Summit 2019, to finalize the national action plan and to launch four working groups. Accelerator members had the opportunity to choose and contribute to one or more of 4 Working Groups through innovative collaborative projects. The Accelerator ratified the National Action Plan; however, the work was stalled further due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Post-pandemic, the discussions reinforced the need for models and initiatives that could accelerate dynamic job transitions, job creation and improving job quality. (c) As per the Policy framework of National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015, 25 per cent of the schools would integrate skilling with formal education from class 9 onwards, over the next 5 years, to make skill development aspirational. National Education Policy 2020 also recommended integration of vocational education into mainstream education in all educational institutions. (d) A total of 31,477 schools have been approved for integrating skilling with formal education (class IX- XII) in the country, out of which it has been implemented in 25,181 schools with a reported enrollment of 39,49,875 students. *****