This week’s NSN Newsbytes highlight key developments in skill development, vocational education, industry partnerships and employment opportunities across India.
The Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026 brought renewed focus to industry-aligned skilling, emerging technologies and workforce readiness. Major initiatives include the recognition of Centres of Excellence-Skills, expansion of ITI infrastructure under PM-SETU, and new vocational education reforms. State governments introduced programmes to strengthen youth employability, entrepreneurship and access to industry-relevant training.
Industry collaborations in electronics, semiconductors, automotive and hospitality are creating new pathways for skilled employment, while CSR initiatives continue to support inclusive skill development and livelihoods. Developments in AI, digital learning, EV technology and semiconductor packaging further highlight India’s growing emphasis on future-ready skills.
Here we go with this week’s edition of our weekly newsbytes –
Expression of Interest (EOI)
PSSC invites eligible power sector industry partners to submit PMKVY 4.0 proposals for Short-Term Training and Recognition of Prior Learning initiatives by November 14, 2026, to strengthen workforce skills and certification.
You can submit your proposals to bd@psscindia.org
For detailed guidelines and proposal formats, visit: www.psscindia.org
Webinar – How Can We Build Employability Into Everyday Teaching and Training? Part 2: Evaluation & Assessment
Team NSN organised a webinar on “How Can We Build Employability Into Everyday Teaching and Training?” Part 2: Evaluation & Assessment on 29th October 2026. The session explored practical ways to assess learners’ application of knowledge, problem-solving and other capabilities needed for the world of work.
Watch the webinar recording: Click here!
Highlights from this week’s Newsbytes
- The Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026 concluded after three days, bringing together 9,500 participants to discuss AI, industry-led skilling, employability and Workforce 2030 priorities.
- India’s automotive, logistics and emerging industries are projected to generate over 3.5 crore jobs by 2030, driving demand for industry-relevant skills.
- India’s expanding electronics and semiconductor sectors are generating skilled employment opportunities, with ESSCI highlighting rising demand for trained professionals across emerging technology domains.
National skill development updates
- MSDE and the Assam government partner to establish a Skill India International Centre and upgrade Jorhat and Tinsukhia ITI clusters under PM-SETU.
- ESSCI hosts Skills Samvad 2026, bringing industry and academia together to address workforce challenges and strengthen skill development across India’s ESDM sector.
- MANAGE Hyderabad receives MSDE recognition as a Centre of Excellence-Skills in agriculture, strengthening capacity-building, agricultural extension and entrepreneurship development.
- MSDE recognises 19 reputed institutions as Centres of Excellence-Skills under its Green Channel mechanism, streamlining empanelment and strengthening industry-aligned vocational training nationwide.
- CBSE revises Class 9 curriculum for 2026-27, retaining compulsory vocational education through Kaushal Vikas or 22 skill subjects for students.
- MSDE organises a Guwahati programme focusing on international workforce mobility, tourism and hospitality skilling, and industry-led transformation of ITIs under PM-SETU.
- CBSE’s 2028 Class 10 examination scheme retains five compulsory subjects, with an optional skill subject offering students an additional opportunity to improve performance.
- MSDE recognises 19 reputed institutions as Centres of Excellence-Skills through its Green Channel mechanism, strengthening advanced, industry-aligned vocational training across India.
- Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026 featured the launch of Karnataka’s Yuva Udyoga Setu digital employment platform and the inauguration of the Expo Zone.
State-led Skill Initiatives
- Gujarat partners with 1M1B, MeitY Startup Hub and Microsoft to establish an AI and green skills centre, targeting three lakh youth.
- Nagaland Chief Secretary Shri Sentiyanger Imchen urged higher education institutions to introduce industry-oriented courses, emerging technologies and practical learning to bridge employment skill gaps.
- Uttar Pradesh’s Project Praveen aims to equip two lakh students across 515 schools with vocational skills, AI, financial literacy and entrepreneurship training.
- Sikkim trains 34 youth as certified tourist guides through a 20-day programme under the RAMP Scheme, promoting adventure tourism and self-employment opportunities.
- Uttar Pradesh announces a ₹1,725-crore youth employment initiative to establish skill development zones across 75 districts, expanding vocational training and job opportunities.
- Gujarat doubles honorarium for visiting ITI instructors, increasing hourly payments from ₹90 to ₹180 and the monthly ceiling to ₹28,080.
- Around 40 ITI students in Odisha’s flood-hit Ganjam district provide free repair services for electrical appliances, electronic equipment and water supply systems.
- Uttar Pradesh Governor Smt. Anandiben Patel urges UPRTOU to introduce three-month, employment-oriented skill development courses aligned with local industry needs to promote youth self-reliance.
- Telangana vocational trainers protest at the Secretariat over 12 months of unpaid salaries, demanding immediate release of pending wages and job security.
Industry Partnerships for Employability
- Samsung India and the MSME Ministry signed a three-year MoU to train 1,600 people in electronics repair and servicing through 15 Technology Centres.
- ASDC and Daimler India partner to train and certify 240 aspiring heavy commercial vehicle drivers across Assam, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh.
CSR initiatives in skills and livelihoods
- IndiGoReach and Pratham Education Foundation inaugurated a skill development centre in Hyderabad, targeting training for over 5,000 youth in travel, tourism, logistics and hospitality.
- HDFC Bank’s Parivartan initiative reaches 18,706 people across Jammu and Kashmir through programmes in agriculture, education, skill development, healthcare and financial inclusion.
Higher Education and Emerging Skills
- IIT Guwahati and Tata Electronics partner to establish a Centre of Excellence, advancing semiconductor packaging research, ATMP training and industry-ready workforce development in Northeast India.
- Government ITI K. Pudur, Madurai, conducts hands-on EV battery assembly and servicing training, equipping students with employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in the electric mobility sector.
- More than 14,000 VELS University students complete UNICEF’s Passport to Earning programme, gaining job-relevant skills and recognised certifications to enhance career readiness.
- NIELIT partners with Saylor University, USA, to integrate global digital learning resources into its Digital University platform, expanding access to self-paced courses and upskilling opportunities.
To know more, check out the latest updates on CSR and ESG initiatives that are creating a meaningful impact in skill development and education here: https://nationalskillsnetwork.in/csr-and-esg-in-skill-education/
*IMPORTANT:
The Weekly Newsbytes on skills and education from NSN are curated and adapted from various sources with the sole objective of keeping our readers updated about the evolving skills industry in India.
We compile and adapt these news snippets from various sources. If any source has objections or other concerns, please write to us at contact@nationalskillsnetwork.in, providing valid reasons, and we will remove the link to your content.
