**Summary:**
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is actively addressing skill gaps and enhancing training initiatives to align the workforce with industry needs. This is achieved through skill gap studies, decentralized planning via District Skill Committees (DSCs) and District Skill Development Plans (DSDPs), and targeted skill development programs. A National Skill Gap Study, conducted by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), focused on seven high-growth sectors, identifying job roles facing demand shortages.
To ensure industry alignment and address technological advancements, several steps have been taken: the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) was established as a regulatory body for quality assurance in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). Awarding Bodies, recognized by NCVET, develop qualifications based on industry demand and map them according to the National Classification of Occupations, 2015. NCVET has approved 8693 qualifications, with 2266 currently active.
Thirty-six Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), led by industry leaders, identify skill development needs and competency standards. The Directorate General of Training (DGT) implements Flexi MoU Scheme and Dual System of Training (DST) to provide industrial environment training to ITI students. Under PMKVY, new age/future skills job roles have been aligned with Industry 4.0 requirements. DGT has introduced new courses in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) in emerging areas and has signed MoUs with IT tech companies like IBM, CISCO, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) to ensure industry linkages.
The Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) in Ahmedabad and Mumbai, established in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode, provides industry-ready workforce training. MSDE has launched the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH), a unified platform integrating skilling, education, employment, and entrepreneurship ecosystems. Rozgar Melas and Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Melas (PMNAMs) are organized to facilitate placements and apprenticeships. Feedback mechanisms are in place to improve skill training delivery, and new courses/qualifications are validated by industry players.
This information was provided by the Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Shri Jayant Chaudhary.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship: The Indian government ministry responsible for skill development and entrepreneurship initiatives.
District Skill Committees: Committees mandated with formulating District Skill Development Plans to promote decentralized planning and implementation at the grassroots level.
National Council of Applied Economic Research: An organization through which the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship conducted a National Skill Gap Study.
National Council for Vocational Education and Training: An overarching regulator establishing regulations and standards to ensure quality in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training space.
Sector Skill Councils: Organizations led by industry leaders that identify the skill development needs of their respective sectors and determine skill competency standards.
Directorate General of Training: An organization under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship implementing Flexi MoU Scheme and Dual System of Training.
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana: A skill development scheme under which new age/future skills job roles have been aligned with Industry 4.0 requirements.
Industrial Training Institutes: Institutes where the Directorate General of Training has introduced new age future skills courses.
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
Skill Needs and Enhancing Training Initiatives
Posted On: 11 AUG 2025 4:28PM by PIB Delhi
Skill Gap studies are conducted from time to time which provides information on the skills needed and the
skill gaps in various sectors. Such studies guide the interventions of the Government aimed at preparing the
workforce as per the industry needs. Further, District Skill Committees (DSCs) are mandated with
formulating District Skill Development Plans (DSDPs) to promote decentralized planning and implementation
at the grassroots.
The DSDPs identify sectors with employment opportunities as well as the associated demand for
skilling in the district, and map the available facilities for Skill Training. Skill Development
Programmes of the Government are designed and implemented to bridge identified skill gaps
across sectors
Through National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), the Ministry of Skill
Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has conducted a National Skill Gap Study of seven
high-growth sectors to establish a robust methodology for analyzing sector-specific skill demands.
The seven sectors include – (i) Growing of cereal, leguminous crops and oilseeds; (ii) raising of
cattle and buffaloes; (iii) weaving of textiles; (iv) manufacture of motor vehicles, parts & accessories
of motor vehicles; (v) electric power generation using solar energy and other non-conventional
sources; (vi) retail sale of food, clothing, footwear and leather articles in specialised stores and
maintenance & repair of MVs and; (vii) computer programming activities. The study has identified
job roles which are facing and are likely to face demand shortage in the seven sectors.
To ensure the skills imparted through various scheme of MSDE are aligned with the industry
requirements and technological advancements, the following specific steps have been taken:
(i) National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) has been set up as an
overarching regulator establishing regulations and standards to ensure quality in the Technical and
Vocational Education and Training (TVET) space.
(ii) The Awarding Bodies recognised by NCVET are expected to develop the qualifications as per
the industry demand and map them with the identified occupations as per the National Classification
of Occupations, 2015 and obtain industry validations.
(iii) NCVET has approved 8693 qualifications as per the industry requirements, out of which 2266
qualifications are valid and active, and 6427 qualifications are archived for being not relevant.
(iv) 36 Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), led by industry leaders in the respective sectors, have been set
up which identify the skill development needs of respective sectors as well as to determine skill
competency standards.
(v) Directorate General of Training (DGT) under the aegis of MSDE is implementing Flexi MoUScheme and Dual System of Training (DST) which are meant to provide training to ITI students in
industrial environment as per their requirements.
(vi) 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.
(vii) 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 such as 5G
Network Technician, Artificial Intelligence Programming assistant, Cyber Security Assistant, Drone
Technician etc.
(viii) DGT has signed MoU with IT Tech companies like IBM, CISCO, Microsoft, Amazon Web
Services (AWS) and Future Skill Rights Network, to ensure industry linkages for the institutes at the
state and regional levels. These partnerships facilitate the provision of technical and professional skills
training in modern technologies.
(ix) Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) established at Ahmedabad and Mumbai, in Public Private
Partnership (PPP) Mode, provide training to create a pool of industry-ready workforce for Industry,
equipped with cutting-edge technology and hands-on training.
(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 to
key stakeholders. Details of the trained candidates are available on SIDH portal for connecting with
potential employers. Through SIDH, candidates can have access to jobs and apprenticeship
opportunities.
(xi) Rozgar Melas and Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Melas (PMNAMs) are organised to
facilitate the placements and apprenticeship opportunities to the certified candidates.
To improve the skill training delivery, appropriate mechanism has been established for seeking feedback of
trainees. For instance, the feedback under PMKVY are sought on parameters like lab sufficiency, satisfaction
with trainer, fairness of assessors, assessment in local language, recommending the training to others, etc.
As regards skill requirements, the Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) identify the skill development needs
of respective sectors as well as determine skill competency standards. The new
courses/qualifications developed by Awarding Bodies are validated by the industry players to
ensure that they match the standards and requirements of the industry players.
This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill
Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Shri Jayant Chaudhary in a written reply in the Lok
Sabha today.
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VV/SH
(Release ID: 2155054)