MSDE and DARE Unite to host Workshop on ‘Skilling: Future Ready’

In a significant move to align India’s skilling ecosystem with the country’s developmental ambitions, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in collaboration with the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), hosted the second workshop on “Skilling: Future Ready Workforce” at Kaushal Bhawan in New Delhi. The workshop, held as part of the lead-up to the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries, brought together a powerful coalition of policymakers, industry leaders, academia, and field-level experts under the overarching theme of “Human Capital for Viksit Bharat”.

This national-level dialogue centered on creating a unified, responsive, and aspirational skill development strategy, aimed at empowering India’s workforce to contribute to the country’s long-term vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047.

Opening Remarks: The Vision for Viksit Bharat

Ms. Sonal Mishra, Additional Secretary, MSDE, opened the workshop by outlining the core thematic areas for skilling India’s massive human capital base. Her address emphasized five key imperatives:

1. Skilling for All

2. Filling the Skill–Employment Gap

3. Demand-Based Skilling Aligned with Industry

4. Strengthening Service Delivery Mechanisms

5. Reskilling and Upskilling the Existing Workforce

She urged states to build resilient ecosystems that not only expand access but also anticipate future trends in employment and technology.

Agriculture, ITIs, and Future Skills: Strategic Pillars

Shri Rajit Punhani, Secretary, MSDE, stressed the pivotal role of skilling in realizing the Viksit Bharat @2047 mission. He placed special focus on three strategic areas:

• Agriculture Skilling: Positioning agri-skilling as a mainstream career option to empower rural youth.

• ITI Upgradation: Transformation of Industrial Training Institutes into modern hubs with digital and industrial tie-ups.

• Future Skills: Preparing youth for fast-changing, tech-driven global markets, with focus on AI, robotics, green energy, and cybersecurity.

“Skilling must become aspirational,” Shri Punhani asserted. “It should inspire, empower, and elevate the ambitions of every young Indian.”

Shri Rajbir Singh, Deputy Director General, DARE, called for transforming Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) into rural skill and incubation centres, integrating farmer training with entrepreneurship, thereby strengthening the agriculture value chain.

₹60,000 Crore ITI Upgrade Scheme: Key Highlights

The Directorate General of Training (DGT) presented a comprehensive roadmap for the ₹60,000 crore ITI Upgradation Scheme, recently approved by the Cabinet. The presentation emphasized:

• Modern infrastructure development

• Industry-led curriculum

• Digital skilling

• Faculty training and retention

• Regional skill cluster mapping

States shared implementation updates, noting successes in forming industry tie-ups but also citing common issues like faculty shortages and difficulty in onboarding private partners in smaller states.

Best Practices from States and UTs

The workshop featured rich exchanges from participating states:

• Karnataka and Odisha shared inclusive models under “Skilling for All,” emphasizing rural access and gender equity.

• Assam highlighted innovative programs to close the skill–employment gap.

• Uttar Pradesh and Tripura focused on aligning local skilling programs with regional industry demands.

• West Bengal elaborated on last-mile delivery strategies and digitized service platforms.

These case studies showcased regional innovation and the shared national commitment to universal skilling.

Industry Participation: Closing the Loop on Employability

Private sector engagement was a cornerstone of the workshop. Companies such as Adobe, Tata Strive, Lemon Tree Hotels, Sodexo, UPS, Escorts, Avaada Group, and Volvo-Eicher shared successful models of corporate skilling, apprenticeships, and inclusion of marginalized groups.

Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum, representing public sector enterprises, presented their skill development and research-led capacity-building initiatives, reinforcing the industry-government skilling ecosystem.

Key themes from industry included:

• Digital-first training delivery

• Micro-credentialing and on-the-job learning

• Customized curriculum development

• Rural employment linkage strategies

Institutional Leaders and Experts Call for Synergy

The workshop was also attended by:

• Mr. Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi, Former Chairperson, NCVET

• Ms. Trishaljit Sethi, DG (Training), DGT

• Dr. Vinita Aggarwal, Executive Member, NCVET

• Padma Shri Shri Sultan Singh

• Dr. More Ramulu, Advisor, AICTE

Their insights emphasized multi-stakeholder synergy, state-centre coordination, and international benchmarking as vital to making India a global skilling powerhouse.

Action Points for the Chief Secretaries’ Conference

All states and UTs have been tasked with submitting feedback notes from field officers by 20 August 2025 and a consolidated state note by 31 August 2025 via the CS Conference portal. These inputs will feed directly into the 5th Chief Secretaries’ Conference, shaping the next phase of India’s national skilling blueprint.

Converging for a Future-Ready India

The workshop concluded with a clear message—India’s skilling mission needs deeper convergence across academia, government, and industry. As India prepares for the demographic window of opportunity and a transforming global economy, a future-ready, digitally adept, and industry-aligned workforce will be key to achieving inclusive prosperity.

The outcomes from this workshop will now inform national deliberations and serve as a foundation for long-term skill policy aimed at building Human Capital for Viksit Bharat.