Weekly Newsbytes from NSN on Skill Development and Education – 18th November 2025

India’s skilling ecosystem is witnessing a powerful wave of transformation, marked by new initiatives, strategic partnerships, and innovative programs that are reshaping the country’s education and employment landscape. This week’s NSN Newsbytes reflect how governments, industries, and academic institutions are working in unison to strengthen employability, foster entrepreneurship, and prepare the workforce for an AI-driven global economy.

From state-led reforms in Punjab, Kerala, and Arunachal Pradesh to national efforts under PM SETU and the India Skills Report 2026, the focus remains on bridging the gap between education and employability. Simultaneously, leading corporates like Vedanta, Honda India Foundation, and NALCO are amplifying their CSR efforts to promote inclusive, sustainable skilling. Academia and industry collaborations, including those by IIM Sambalpur, RAI, and NIIT, are driving innovation and future-oriented training.

Collectively, these developments underscore India’s commitment to building a skilled, self-reliant, and globally competitive workforce, positioning the nation as a hub for talent, technology, and transformative learning.

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

DIDAC India and DIDAC Skills 2025 Begins Today! Asia’s Largest Exhibition and Conference for the Education and Skills Sector

DIDAC India and DIDAC Skills 2025 begin today at Yashobhoomi, Dwarka. The event opens its doors to cutting-edge educational resources, emerging technologies, and skill-focused innovations that are redefining the future of learning and work.

Date: 18 – 20 November 2025

Venue: Yashobhoomi (India International Convention & Expo Centre), Dwarka, New Delhi

Register now: Click here to know more and register

Pearson BTEC Connect 2025 – Bridging Education and Employability 

Pearson BTEC Connect 2025 – Bridging Education and Employability will be held on 4th December 2025, from 6 PM onwards in Hyderabad. The event will unite educators, policymakers, and industry leaders to shape a skills-first education ecosystem.

Register here!

Skill development updates from the government

• Arunachal Pradesh CM Shri Pema Khandu launched the Chief Minister Soft Loan Scheme to help recent ITI graduates start self-reliant entrepreneurial ventures.
• Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman laid the foundation stone for Assam’s first vocational university, Swahid Kanaklata Barua State University, in Biswanath district.
• Quality Austria Central Asia is empowering over 240 MSMEs in Uttar Pradesh with training and certification to boost AI-era competitiveness and skills.
• Kerala transformed 15 Ernakulam government schools into centres of excellence with ₹5 crore each, adding smart classrooms and modern infrastructure.
• Gujarat’s Centre for Entrepreneurship Development trained thousands of tribal youth across 14 districts, promoting self-reliance through entrepreneurship and skill development programs.
• NSTI Chennai to be upgraded as a Centre of Excellence under PM Setu, focusing on advanced manufacturing with Singapore collaboration.
• India plans to train 5.7 million workers in the mining sector by 2030 to boost critical mineral production and self-reliance.
• The Punjab government signed an MoU between PSEB and Lend A Hand India to integrate skill-based education, promoting youth self-reliance and employability.
• Kerala ranked fourth in the India Skills Report 2026 with 72.16% employability, also featuring among the top States for women professionals.
• The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) began transforming into a dual recognition body to certify academic and vocational education under NSQF, bridging learning with employability.
• PM Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid foundation stones for ₹8,140 crore projects in Uttarakhand, spanning education, irrigation, energy, and skill development.
• Chhattisgarh CM Shri Vishnu Deo Sai visited NAMTECH in Gujarat, emphasising plans to establish similar advanced skill and technology institutes in his state.
• India Skills Report 2026 highlights 80% employability in computer science, rising women’s participation, and growing demand for AI and data professionals.

Skill development updates on CSR and Industry

• SBI launched ‘Spark’, a multilingual learning platform to enhance employee communication, inclusivity, and skill development across its nationwide workforce.
• The Shrimad Rajchandra Skill Development Centre, established in partnership with the Gem and Jewellery Skill Council of India (GJSCI) in Valsad, trained 170 tribal youth in jewellery CAD design, achieving a placement success rate of over 65%.
• The Honda India Foundation launched the Kaushal Vikas Kendra in Bengaluru, in collaboration with Sarthak Educational Trust, to empower Persons with Disabilities through vocational training.
• Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages signed an MoU with Telangana’s Directorate of Employment and Training to offer ITI students hands-on technical training.
• The Retailers Association of India (RAI) and the Indian Institute of Management Sambalpur (IIM Sambalpur) signed an MoU to enhance retail education, research, and industry-academia collaboration for skill development.
• IHG Hotels and Resorts partnered with The Job Plus and THSC to skill underserved youth, boosting employability and innovation in India’s hospitality sector.

• Hettich Poddar Wood Working Institute signed an MoU with Biesse to advance woodworking skills, expanding their collaboration to Mumbai.
• NALCO’s CSR spending rose 21.3% to ₹61.3 crore in FY 2024-25, supporting rural development, healthcare, education, and sustainability.
• GHCL Foundation empowered 5,500 rural Gujarat youth, mostly girls, through NSDC-linked VTIs offering industry-ready training under the Skill India Mission.
• Vedanta empowered over 12 lakh youth and children in FY25 through education, digital learning, and skill initiatives across 16 states.

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/

Skilling and upskilling in academia and emerging technologies

• Sister Nivedita University students won accolades at the BRICS Skills Competition 2025 in China for excellence in Data Analysis and Visualisation.
• Gujarat’s Skill University Kaushalya signed MoUs with six industries to launch AI, safety, and technology-focused training and academic programs.
• NIIT launched the “Building Agentic AI Systems” program to train developers in creating autonomous, goal-driven AI agents for enterprise automation.

*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.