Weekly Newsbytes from NSN on Skill Development and Education – 26th May 2026

This week’s NSN Newsbytes showcase significant developments in skill development, vocational education, industry partnerships, and emerging technologies across India. From STEM training initiatives at PSSCIVE Bhopal to national policy reforms, AI-driven education programmes, industry collaborations, and state-led skilling missions, the updates reflect a strong focus on employability, innovation, entrepreneurship, and the development of a future-ready workforce. 

Government institutions, industries, universities, and CSR initiatives are collectively strengthening opportunities in technical education, vocational training, digital learning, and sustainable livelihoods. These initiatives underline India’s continued efforts towards inclusive growth, industry-aligned education, and empowering youth with relevant skills for evolving global and national workforce demands.

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

India – Australia Toolkit to Strengthen Applied Learning in Secondary Schools

A new Toolkit developed by the Australia India Institute and partner institutions will help Indian secondary schools integrate applied learning into mainstream education. Aligned with NEP 2020, it offers practical resources for curriculum design, pedagogy, assessment, and industry partnerships, thereby strengthening India-Australia education collaboration. Download the Toolkit here!

Apprenticeship opportunities – Apply Now!

• Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) has announced recruitment for 500 Foreman and Technician posts through an online process, offering opportunities in technical roles. The last date to apply is May 28, 2026. Click here to Apply!
• GESCOM announced recruitment for 275 Graduate and Diploma Apprentice posts under the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme, offering hands-on training and industry exposure in Karnataka’s power distribution sector. Click here to know more!

STEM Training and Skill Development at PSSCIVE, Bhopal 

• PSSCIVE Bhopal conducted a 5-day internship for 30 students of Kamla Nehru Sandipani Girls HSS School, offering hands-on training in drone simulation, 3D printing, CAD, solar induction, and electronics.
• PSSCIVE Bhopal hosted experts from IICT Mumbai for discussions on integrating AVGC job roles into Classes 6-12 vocational textbooks, strengthening industry-academia collaboration, and fostering future-ready creative education.
• PSSCIVE Bhopal inaugurated the 15-day PGDVET Contact Mode Programme 2025-26, focusing on vocational pedagogy, competency-based learning, and industry-oriented teacher preparation under NEP 2020.

Highlights from this week’s Newsbytes 

• NITI Aayog’s “States’ Framework: Advancing International Mobility for Skilled Workers” proposes a structured, demand-driven system to enhance global employment opportunities, skill mobility, language training, and worker protection.
• India and Norway strengthened cooperation in science, education, and sustainable development as CSIR signed five agreements with Norwegian institutions to advance research, innovation, green technology, and academic collaboration.
• Google launched AI-focused education partnerships in India, introducing teacher training programmes and AI-powered learning tools to support responsible AI integration in schools and higher education institutions.
• Maharashtra signed three MoUs with South Korean institutions to strengthen skill development, vocational training, lifelong learning, and global opportunities for students through international academic collaboration.

National skill development updates

• NCERT invited applications for Teacher Education Programmes 2026-27 through CEE-2026 across its Regional Institutes of Education, offering integrated and postgraduate courses in education and vocational training.
• NCVET convened the first Research Advisory Committee meeting to strengthen evidence-based policymaking, institutional collaboration, skill gap analysis, and research-driven reforms in vocational education and training.
• NIOS launched an initiative aligned with NEP 2020 and Viksit Bharat 2047 to reconnect out-of-school children with education, skill development, and employability opportunities through inclusive learning pathways.
• L&T, in collaboration with the Gujarat government, inaugurated India’s largest skill training institute in Vadnagar to provide world-class industrial construction training and boost youth employability.

State initiatives driving skilling and innovation

• Gujarat to launch the NGKRM skilling mission with a Rs 226 crore allocation for 2026-27, focusing on reskilling, upskilling, and new-skilling initiatives to meet evolving industry demands.
• Jharkhand will assess and upgrade ITI and polytechnic curricula through JIIDCO-led studies, aligning vocational education with industry needs to improve employability and introduce future-ready courses.
• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath announced the recruitment of 20,000 teachers and instructors to strengthen basic education, improve teacher-student ratios, and enhance education quality across government schools. 
• Telangana organised a six-day “Youth & Sports Week” from May 18-23 under the Praja Palana Pragathi Pranalika, featuring sports, career development, leadership, and employment-focused programmes for youth.
• Himachal Pradesh’s Samagra Shiksha initiative is providing industry-linked training to over 4,400 government school students, offering hands-on exposure and practical skills across multiple vocational sectors.
• Maharashtra will revise post-SSC polytechnic curricula under NEP 2020, introducing soft skills, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and emerging technology subjects to strengthen industry readiness and skill development.
• MSME Promotion Council of India urged Nagaland youth to embrace entrepreneurship, MSMEs, and self-employment, highlighting skill development and economic empowerment as key drivers of the state’s future growth.
• Maharashtra approved 17 new professional colleges in tribal, hilly, and backward districts to strengthen skill-based education, regional development, and industry-aligned employment opportunities.
• The first batch of students completed the UHP Semiconductor Welding Programme at ITI Dholera, strengthening Gujarat’s semiconductor workforce through specialised cleanroom and industry-ready technical training. 
• Meghalaya launched a Rs 50 crore youth skilling initiative under “Skillerate 2026,” introducing new programmes focused on entrepreneurship, employment, startup support, and inclusive livelihood opportunities for youth.

Industry partnerships and workforce readiness

• VFS Global Foundation launched its first Mumbai skills training centre to provide vocational education for underserved youth, offering a retail associate certification programme focused on employability in the retail and tourism sectors.
• Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI) and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) unveiled a whitepaper on EV charging infrastructure skilling, highlighting the role of charge point operators in strengthening India’s electric mobility ecosystem and workforce readiness. 
• Tata Power and Bhutan’s DGPC signed an MoU to establish a skill development ecosystem for clean energy projects, focusing on building a future-ready workforce through structured training initiatives.
• Maruti Suzuki established a Smart Factory Lab at Government Polytechnic College, Lucknow, to provide students with hands-on training in Industry 4.0, automation, IIoT, and advanced manufacturing technologies under its CSR initiative.
• Ericsson and TSSC launched the Ericsson ITI Labs Project to train 10,000 ITI students in 5G and telecom technologies through hands-on training, advanced labs, and industry-focused skill development. 
• Tencent announced a multi-year investment of over Rs 10 crore in India’s AVGC sector, supporting gaming and animation talent through skill development, mentorship, and industry collaboration programmes.
• Radisson Hotel Group’s Youth Skilling Initiative has impacted over 850 youth across India, enhancing hospitality employability through training and sustainable livelihood opportunities in collaboration with THSC and The Job Plus.
• Apparel Made-ups and Home Furnishing Sector Skill Council launched a dedicated employment portal to connect trained candidates with textile and apparel industry jobs, streamlining recruitment across India’s textile value chain.

CSR initiatives in skills and livelihoods

• Dr. Aishwarya Mahajan of M3M Foundation received the CSR Person of the Year Award 2026 for leadership in advancing inclusive development through education, skill development, healthcare, and sustainability initiatives.
• HURL inaugurated a Multiskilling Centre in Barauni under its CSR initiatives to provide industry-aligned vocational training, enhancing employability, livelihood opportunities, and self-reliance among local youth.
• Balrampur Foundation launched a women-focused 3D printing skill programme in Uttar Pradesh to equip ITI students with advanced manufacturing, digital design, and entrepreneurship skills for future-ready careers.

Higher education, technology and digital skills 

• AIC-BHU and BFSI Sector Skill Council signed an MoU to establish a BFSI Centre of Excellence, promoting startup innovation through mentorship, industry networking, workshops, and sector-focused learning support.
• Nagpur University signed an MoU with the MIDC Skill Development Centre to provide students with industrial training, internships, academic credits, and hands-on skills for improved employability.
• NIOS and Medhavi Skills University signed an MoU to strengthen education-to-employment pathways through skill-integrated learning, vocational training, credit mobility, and industry-linked programmes aligned with NEP 2020.
• IIT Roorkee and SkyySkill Academy partnered to launch EV Technology courses featuring hands-on training in battery systems, charging infrastructure, diagnostics, and electric mobility for students and professionals.
• SSCTU Mulugu partnered with IIT Hyderabad to launch future-oriented academic programmes, expanding opportunities for tribal and rural students through advanced education and institutional collaboration.

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 new 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.