Weekly Newsbytes on Skills and Education

This week’s NSN Newsbytes highlight India’s accelerating push towards a future-ready, skill-driven economy anchored in education reform, industry collaboration and global partnerships. From Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s strategic engagement with Malaysia to the Bharat Bodhan AI Conference 2026, policy and innovation are converging to strengthen India’s education and skilling ecosystem. Major reforms such as Uttar Pradesh’s move to make vocational education mandatory and Uttarakhand’s rollout of entrepreneurship learning from Classes VI-XII signal a decisive shift toward early, integrated skill development aligned with NEP 2020.

At the national and state levels, initiatives under PMKVY, PM-SETU and NAPS continue to expand employability outcomes, while new partnerships like port-led skilling in Maharashtra to culinary training in Arunachal Pradesh demonstrate localised, demand-driven implementation. Industry-led collaborations in hospitality, design and emerging technologies, alongside AI-enabled learning platforms in Kerala and IIT Delhi-backed programmes in Tripura, underscore the growing emphasis on advanced, globally relevant skills. Together, these updates reflect a coordinated effort to align education, vocational training and workforce development with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

Here we go with this week’s edition of our weekly newsbytes –

Tata STRIVE Job Openings – AI-driven job roles in the ITI ecosystem
Tata STRIVE, an initiative of the Tata Community Initiatives Trust (TCIT), is inviting applications under Tata STRIVE Job Openings for multiple roles supporting AI-enabled skilling initiatives across Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in India. These roles are part of a nationwide effort to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into non-IT vocational trades such as Electrical, Mechanical, Automotive, and Fashion Technology. Interested candidates can apply and submit their resume here. Click here!

ASDC Invites RFP for National Automobile Olympiad 2026

ASDC has issued an RFP inviting partners to organise the National Automobile Olympiad for automotive skills development. Eligible providers must submit sealed proposals by 25 February 2026, 4:00 PM, at ASDC’s Okhla office, New Delhi. Click here to submit your proposals!

Apprenticeship opportunities – Apply Now!

Punjab National Bank announced Apprentice Recruitment 2026 for 5,138 positions under the Apprentices Act, with online applications open from February 8 to 24, 2026, for one-year training nationwide. Click here to apply!
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has announced 637 apprentice vacancies at its Panipat Refinery, with online applications open from February 7 to 20, 2026. Click here to apply!

Highlights from this week’s Newsbytes –

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s visit to Malaysia advanced the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with both leaders pledging to accelerate the implementation of agreements across strategic, economic, and security cooperation.
The Ministry of Education organised the Bharat Bodhan AI Conference 2026 on February 12th and 13th, focusing on the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence in education. Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan chaired a roundtable at IIT Delhi with leading Indian AI-edtech startups, alongside Ministers Shri Sukanta Majumdar and Shri Jayant Chaudhary.
UP Board will make vocational education mandatory from 2026-27, recruiting 60,000 instructors across 29,000 schools to provide skill-based training in technology, agriculture and technical trades.

Strengthening vocational education in schools, PSSCIVE

The National Consultation on Vocational Education under Samagra Shiksha, held at PSSCIVE (NCERT), Bhopal, reviewed the progress of integrating skill education into mainstream schooling in alignment with NEP 2020.
A key focus was strengthening early exposure to vocational learning through initiatives such as Bagless Days and experiential learning for Grades 6-8, while expanding structured vocational pathways in secondary and higher secondary classes.
Discussions emphasised deeper industry engagement through internships, apprenticeships, and applied learning models to enhance employability outcomes. States shared best practices, while underscoring the need to fast-track readiness in certain regions.
The consultation also highlighted digital transformation, teacher capacity building, and the Hub-and-Spoke model to scale implementation effectively. Ensuring vertical and horizontal mobility within higher education and strengthening career guidance aligned to emerging job roles were identified as critical priorities.
Overall, the meeting reinforced vocational education as a key driver of innovation, inclusion, and workforce preparedness.

Government initiatives in skill development and education

An MoU was signed between Vadhvan Port Project Ltd. and Maharashtra’s DVET to deliver PM-SETU skill courses at ITIs, training youth from 44 villages for port-led employment. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal reviewed progress and awarded certificates to Custom Documentation trainees.
India announced a USD 175 million development assistance package for Seychelles, including a Line of Credit and grant support for housing, mobility, vocational training, health and maritime security projects.
NIOS signed an MoU with Centurion University to expand skill-integrated education for dropouts and underprivileged youth, linking vocational training with formal academic certification nationwide.
At the Amroha Kaushal Mahotsav, Union Minister Shri Jayant Chaudhary handed appointment letters to selected youth, with 2,400 candidates placed across sectors as 55 companies offered jobs and apprenticeships.
MSDE reviewed Rajasthan’s skilling progress at Kaushal Bhawan, highlighting 3.14 lakh PMKVY trainees, over 1.04 lakh apprentices under NAPS, and a robust 1,537-strong ITI network driving employability outcomes.

State-led skilling, innovation and reforms

Arunachal Pradesh Tourism Department signed an MoU with APCA India to provide professional pastry, bakery and culinary training, boosting youth employability and tourism-linked livelihoods.
Kashmir shawl embroidery artisans received upskilling and entrepreneurship training, including e-commerce onboarding, to improve market access, reduce costs and increase incomes through direct sales.
Tripura launched IIT Delhi-led Advanced IT and Emerging Technology programmes under PMKVY 4.0, in collaboration with IHFC and IIT Delhi’s Technology Innovation Hub, boosting high-end skilling in the Northeast.
Kerala’s KITE launched an AI-driven entrance coaching programme for higher secondary students, offering personalised study plans under its ‘Key to Entrance’ initiative to support eight lakh learners statewide.
Kerala’s KASE will roll out 25 initiatives to modernise skill development and align training with industry needs, including setting up a Skill Secretariat as a single-window system.
Rajasthan will introduce year-round career guidance in schools through a three-year roadmap, transforming counselling from a one-time activity into a continuous, structured support system.
Uttarakhand will implement a continuous entrepreneurship learning pathway from Classes VI-XII in government schools, rolling out the NEP-aligned ‘Kaushal Bodh’ programme in 4,000+ schools to promote activity-based, real-world skill development and problem-solving from early grades.

Industry-Led collaborations driving workforce readiness

The Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council (THSC) has been selected as a 2026 Hilton Global Foundation grantee to train over 1,000 youth, strengthen hospitality workforce development, and enhance certified job placement pathways across India’s tourism sector.
Kothari Industrial Corporation signed an MoU with Italy’s Arsutoria to boost India’s footwear and leather design capabilities, leveraging improved market access under India-EU and India-US trade agreements.

CSR initiatives in skilling and education

ITC’s Sunfeast YiPPEE! Better World Program has extended structured livelihood and entrepreneurship support to women in Uttarakhand, enabling selected beneficiaries to launch sustainable, compliant food-cart enterprises.

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/

AI and the Future of Higher Education

NIT Goa has proposed to upskill ITI students in the state by offering specialised training programmes to strengthen technical skills and build capacity across sectors.
The College of Agriculture, Pasighat, conducted a 10-day training on sugarcane production and value addition in Arunachal Pradesh, equipping 30 farmers with scientific cultivation skills under ICAR’s NEH support initiative.

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