Prime Minister addresses Kaushal Dikshant Samaroh- First Skill Convocation Ceremony

At the first-ever Kaushal Deekshant Samaroh, a Skill Convocation Ceremony, held on the auspicious day of Vishwakarma Jayanti, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed 50 lakh students in an effort to inspire them to work toward the goal of creating an Aatmanirbhar Bharat as well as to raise the spirit of students throughout the whole skilling ecosystem. On September 17, 2022, in New Delhi, Union Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and Minister of State Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MSDE, felicitated and presented convocation certificates to 100 selected toppers from the skill ecosystem.

The ceremony was organized by MSDE for candidates who passed the All-India Trade Test (CBT) through CITS for the session 2021, the results of the All-India Trade Test (AITT-2022) were announced on September 7th, 2022. This year’s result percentage was 89.13%. (Around 14.8 lakh trainees declared pass out of 16.6 lakh appeared). 8.9 lakh trainees from the 2020-22 two-year course and the 2021-22 one-year and six-month course were certified and felicitated around the country. The convocation’s top students’ list is made available at https://dgt.gov.in.

The Prime Minister said that as India advances in the twenty-first century, history was made at the skill convocation of more than 9 lakh students from the Industrial Training Institute (ITI), while more than 40 lakh students were connected virtually. The prime minister emphasized that on the occasion of Lord Vishwakarma’s birth, the students are beginning their journey toward creativity by using their skills. “I can confidently say that as pleasant as your beginning is, your journey to tomorrow will also be more creative”, said the Prime Minister.

In addition to the ITIs, National Skill Training Institutes, the Indian Institute of Skills, and thousands of other skill development centres have opened across the country. The government will also open more than 5000 skill hubs, to promote skill development in schools. Following the New National Education Policy’s implementation, skill courses are being introduced in schools along with the support of experience-based learning.

In ITIs, numerous coding, AI, robotics, 3D printing, drone, technology and telemedicine courses have been implemented. Since several of ITIs now offer courses in these areas, students will find it easier to find employment opportunities as India takes the lead in the domains of renewable energy, solar power, and electric vehicles.

With the recent technological advancements in the country, including the deployment of optical fiber in every village and the creation of thousands of Common Service Centers, more job opportunities are being generated in the villages for students who have graduated from ITIs. “Be it the mobile repair work in the village or work concerning new technology in agriculture, spraying fertilizer or be it supplying medicine with the help of drones, many such new jobs are being added to the rural economy, The role of ITIs is very important in this, our youth should make the most out of these possibilities”, the Prime Minister said.

The power of schemes like Mudra Yojana, Startup India and Standup India, which provide loans without guarantee and opportunities on a global level, as many big countries of the world need a skilled workforce to fulfil their dreams and maintain their pace were also highlighted by the Prime Minister.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, asserted that empowerment is a result of skill development. The new National Education Policy places a strong emphasis on skill development in order to enhance education and promote academic equality. Students’ contributions would be crucial to creating an independent India, through skills training, job seekers are also turning into job producers. If given targeted training and capacity building in accordance with business requirements, India’s large, young, and educated population may be a benefit to any industry globally.

In addition to empowering underprivileged communities and women, skilling, reskilling, and upskilling have also inspired youth to join the Armed Forces as Agniveers. Future efforts by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) will be in line with top-notch standards, and will even provide degrees and PhD certificates based on skills. 

“The value of skill development has increased in the new global order. As India recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, skilling has turned into a passport to prosperity for youth. Every stakeholder should work together to realise Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dual goal of creating Aatmanirbhar Bharat and making the country the Skill Capital of the world”, according to Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar. 

Several announcements were made at the convocation ceremony:

• The signing of an MOU between the Media and Entertainment Skill Council and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), 
• Launch of the achievement booklet: Skill India’s One India, One Mission, 
• Swawlamban ki Ore: Stories of 75 entrepreneurs, 
• Kisan Operator video (for the agricultural sector), 
• Skill Gap Report (for the hydrocarbon sector), 
• Mai Bhi Jal Rakshak Campaign (Water and Plumbing Sector)
• The official release of the Quality Inspector Training of Trainers (ToT) Handbook (Automotive Sector)

Also read: NSN weekly newsbytes on skills, education and training- 13092022 https://nationalskillsnetwork.in/nsn-weekly-newsbytes-on-skills-education-and-training-13092022/

The certificates were given out to candidates for PMKVY & Special Projects, NIESBUD and IIE, Jan Shikshan Sansthan, Apprentices, Trainers, Entrepreneurs, and the WorldSkills 2022 winner in addition to the top ITI/NSTI students.