The Tuesday Interview | 'India has a unique opportunity to become the global hub for skilled talent'

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship was established during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first term to foster new skills and innovative thinking for existing and emerging jobs. DH’s Ajith Athrady spoke with Skill Development Secretary Atul Kumar Tiwari about the ministry’s accomplishments and future challenges. Excerpts: 

How will the ministry address skill deficiency in the Indian workforce?

The MSDE focuses on aligning skilling programmes with industry demands, promoting lifelong learning, and integrating emerging technologies like AI, green skills, and advanced manufacturing into training curricula. Through initiatives like the Skill India Digital Hub, expanded apprenticeship programs, and targeted skilling in aspirational and unserved districts, we aim to empower youth, enhance global employability, and bridge regional and gender disparities.

By leveraging public-private partnerships and fostering innovation, we are building a future-ready workforce to drive India’s growth into a developed nation. 

The Skill Ministry is leading the government’s efforts to upgrade industrial training institutes. When will the guidelines be finalised?

We are actively collaborating with state governments and industry leaders to finalise transformative guidelines for modernising 1,000 ITIs under the Rs 60,000 crore hub-and-spoke model, as outlined in the Union Budget 2024-2025. We are consistently holding policy workshops, and one such in Bengaluru, with participation from seven states, focused on key areas such as financial autonomy, governance reforms, sustainability models, ITI selection criteria, and course redesign aligned with industry needs.

Insights from over 75 leading companies have further enriched this effort, emphasising industry-integrated training, faculty involvement, and alignment with sunrise sectors with high demand in the future, such as electronics, green energy, and advanced manufacturing. With partnerships involving stakeholders and associations like CII, we aim to shape ITIs into cutting-edge hubs of skill development, equipping a workforce ready to thrive in India’s dynamic economic landscape.

With the rapid advancement of technology, particularly artificial intelligence and automation, the workplaces are likely to undergo massive changes in the coming days. How will the government address this?

Central to this effort is Government of India’s IndiaAI Mission, a Rs 10,372-crore initiative aimed at promoting AI innovation and developing indigenous tools for ethical and safe deployment. MSDE is integrating emerging technologies like AI, machine learning, and cybersecurity into its training programmes through partnerships with industry leaders such as Microsoft, Meta, Cisco, and Adobe. Notable efforts include the rollout of a 7.5-hour foundational AI module across 14,600 ITIs, giving students early exposure to AI’s impact on the workforce.

Additionally, partnerships with Meta will help us establish five Centres of
Excellence in virtual and mixed reality to deliver specialised training in cutting-edge technologies across our National Skill Training Institutes located at Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Jodhpur, Chennai, and Kanpur.

Complementing these efforts are digital literacy initiatives on the Skill India Digital Hub platform, where students can take these courses online anytime, anywhere.

Skill India has completed 10 years. What challenges do you see in skilling India now and over the next decade? Are states keeping up with the Centre in skilling India? 

The next decade offers immense potential to leverage advanced technologies like AI and blockchain, scale digital skilling, and foster innovation in curriculum design. With global trends such as the green economy and Industry 5.0 on the horizon, India has a unique opportunity to solidify its position as a hub for skilled talent.

Every challenge we face is a chance to refine, innovate, and build a resilient, inclusive, and future-ready workforce. The rise of gig work and hybrid job models highlights the opportunity to develop modular, lifelong learning programmes that cater to evolving workforce dynamics. 

In which sectors can India emerge as a supplier to the global skilled workforce?

Key sectors driving this growth include IT, healthcare, logistics, hospitality, engineering, oil and gas, construction, agriculture, and caregiving. The IT sector is in high demand globally, with countries like Germany, the UK, the US, and Qatar seeking skilled professionals. Similarly, West Asian nations, particularly the UAE and Saudi Arabia, require workers for the oil and gas industry. Over 2.5 million Indians are employed in Saudi Arabia alone.

Germany is actively recruiting Indian professionals to address labour shortages in healthcare and engineering, raising the annual cap on skilled labour visas for Indian workers from 20,000 to 90,000. Additionally, the Indian government is establishing 30 Skill India International Centres (SIICs) to enhance training for candidates seeking overseas employment. The government aims to place 100,000 skilled workers abroad, ensuring India remains a key player in meeting global labour demands across diverse sectors.

MSDE has signed 11 government-to-government MoUs with countries like Australia, Belarus, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Qatar, Switzerland, the UAE, and the UK in skill development and vocational education training. We have successfully facilitated employment opportunities in Japan for approximately 100 youths in nursing care.