About:
- The Skill India Mission was launched, which was by the vision to help India become ‘Atmanirbhar’ (self-reliant).
- This initiative was aimed to create and implement comprehensive skill development training programs that would help bridge the gap between industry demands and skill requirements and therefore, develop the country at large.
- The Skill India programs comprised implementing curriculum-based skill training courses, wherein trainees would gain certifications and endorsements from industry-recognized learning centers.
- The mission also involved incorporating skill-based learning into the school curriculum, creating opportunities for both long- and short-term skill training and employment.
 Objectives of Mission
- Closing the gap between skills required by the industry and skills people possess for employment generation.
- Reducing poverty in the country.
- Increasing the competitiveness of Indian businesses.
- Ensuring that skill training imparted is relevant and of quality.
- Preparing Indians to take on the world manpower/resources market.
- Diversifying the existing skill development programs to meet today’s challenges.
- Building actual competencies rather than giving people mere qualifications.
- Offering opportunities for lifelong learning for developing skills.
- Augmenting better and active engagement of social partners and building a strong public-private partnership in skill development.
- Mobilizing adequate investments for financing skills development is sustainable.
Sub-schemes under Skill India
Skill India is an umbrella mission under which there are multiple schemes and programs with specialized focus areas. The sub-schemes are as follows.
National Skill Development Mission (NSDM)
The NSDM launched to foster convergence across various sectors and different states for activities related to skills training. The mission, apart from consolidating and coordinating skilling efforts, would also facilitate decision-making across sectors to achieve quality skilling on a large scale.
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)
- PMKVY is a skill certification scheme that aims to encourage the young population of the country to take up training that is industry-relevant and builds them in skill development.
- The scheme contains many specialized components such as the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF), Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), Kaushal, and Rozgar Melas among others. For more on the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), click on the linked article.
Indian Skill Development Service
The Indian Skill Development Services (ISDS) is a new central government service that has been created especially for the training directorate of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. It is a Group ‘A’ service and is expected to give a big push to the government’s skilling initiatives by drastically enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of the various schemes in this domain. The qualifying exam for this service is the Indian Engineering Service Exam conducted by the UPSC. The idea behind the ISDS is to attract young and talented people into the skill development domain and make skilling initiatives successful in the country.
National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
The chief objective of this policy is to match the challenge of skilling at scale with speed, standard (quality), and sustainability. It aims to offer an umbrella framework to all skilling activities carried out within India, to align them to common standards and connect skilling with demand centres. In addition to laying down the objectives and expected outcomes, the policy also identifies the overall institutional framework which will act as a means to achieve the expected results.
Skill Loan Scheme
Under this scheme, loans ranging from Rs.5000 to Rs. 1.5 lakhs will be provided for those seeking to attend skill development programs. The idea behind the scheme is to remove financial hurdles for people who want to upgrade their skills.
Challenges faced in the process of Skill India
Skill India faces several challenges and issues that hinder its effective implementation and impact. Some of the key issues are:
- Lack of Awareness: Many individuals, especially in rural areas, lack awareness about skill development programs and their benefits. They may not know about the available opportunities or how to access them.
- Lack of Industry Linkages: Limited collaboration between skill training institutions and industries leads to a gap between what is taught and what the job market demands.
- Perception and Stigma: There is a perception among some sections of society that vocational training is inferior to traditional education, leading to a stigma around pursuing skill development courses.
- Mobility and Accessibility: Access to skill development programs can be a challenge for people living in remote or disadvantaged areas.
- Funding and Sustainability: Skill development programs require significant funding for infrastructure, training, and other resources. Ensuring sustainable funding is essential for the continuity and success of these initiatives.
- Quality of Training: The quality of skill training programs varies widely. Some programs may not meet industry standards, leading to graduates with inadequate skills and knowledge for the job market.
- Relevance to Industry Needs: Skill development programs may not always align with the current and future needs of industries. This mismatch between the skills taught and the skills required by employers can lead to underemployment or unemployment.
- Infrastructure and Resources: Inadequate infrastructure and resources can limit the effectiveness of skill development initiatives. Lack of modern equipment and facilities hampers practical training.
- Trainer Quality: The competence and training of instructors and trainers can impact the quality of skill training.
