Weekly Newsbytes on skills and education

This week’s edition of weekly newsbytes by NSN brings a dynamic roundup of India’s skilling ecosystem, spotlighting the latest government initiatives, industry collaborations, and academic innovations shaping the future of workforce development. From celebrating a decade of the Skill India Mission, World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) 2025 to expanding vocational training across sectors like AI, hospitality, clean energy, and natural sciences, the momentum for equipping youth with future-ready skills continues to accelerate.

Explore impactful updates including new Centres of Excellence, apprenticeship opportunities, CSR-led training programs, and reforms under NEP 2020 and NCVET. Discover how industry leaders like EY, Honda, Cairn Oil & Gas, IHCL, and edForce are driving talent development, while institutions like Kurukshetra University and Medhavi Skills University redefine education through skill-integrated programs.

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

WYSD 2025: A Journey of Skills and Aspirations: From ⁠Kurukshetra to the World

On the occasion of World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) 2025, Naveen Jindal Foundation and Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF) in partnership with National Skills Network (NSN) organised a virtual panel discussion titled, “A Journey of Skills and Aspirations: From Kurukshetra to the World”.

The discussion brought together key voices from the skill development ecosystem, industry, and training to highlight Naveen AVSAR (Advanced Vocational Skills for Aspirational and Rewarding Life) – Centre for Multiskilling and Opportunities. This transformative initiative aims to modernize ITIs and unlock global career pathways for the youth.

The session explored how strategic partnerships can redefine technical education, leverage local industry, and enhance career aspirations for the youth.

Watch the full recording on our YouTube channel. Click here to watch!

Skill development updates from the government

A tracer study commissioned by the Karnataka government reveals that nearly 20% of ITI alumni are unemployed, with female alumni facing higher joblessness and rural graduates struggling with limited opportunities and field-specific jobs.
PM Shri Narendra Modi distributed over 51,000 appointment letters at the 16th Rozgar Mela, held across 47 locations, reinforcing the government’s push for youth employment through public and private sector opportunities.
The Union Government will set up a 20,000 sq ft Skill Development Centre at Aurangabad Industrial City (AURIC) in partnership with CII.
MSDE inaugurated a new Skill Centre at CCS NIAM, Jaipur, marking a boost to agricultural skill development.
Over 6.5 lakh youth in Gujarat were trained under the Mukhyamantri Skill Development Initiative in 2024–25, supported by 558 ITIs across the state.
On World Youth Skills Day, MSDE launched the 10-year celebration of the Skill India Mission, highlighting its transformative impact on empowering India’s youth through skilling and global opportunities.
The Maharashtra government has approved LOIs for 20 new private ITIs and course expansions in 32 existing ITIs, to operate permanently on a non-grant basis.
The Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) has launched a German language training programme in Visakhapatnam to boost youth employability and support international placements.
JSS Malappuram celebrated MSDE’s 10th anniversary with a Beneficiary Meet and Exhibition, showcasing its impact on over 50,000 lives through grassroots, livelihood-focused skill training.
Union Minister Shri George Kurian launched a PM VIKAS skill and women entrepreneurship project at IIIT Kottayam to train 450 minority candidates in IoT and leadership, with full funding from the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
A national workshop was held in New Delhi to onboard State/UT education boards as Dual Category Awarding Bodies under NCVET, advancing vocational integration in schools under NEP 2020. Read more…
Marking 10 years of PMKVY, MSDE announced that over 1.6 crore youth have been trained since 2015, with courses now covering AI, Robotics, and IoT under Skill India Mission.
The government will soon revamp 1,000 ITIs under a ₹60,000 crore scheme to enhance quality and address de-affiliation issues due to vacant seats.

Skill development updates on CSR, Industry

On World Youth Skills Day, Radisson Hotel Group announced its skilling initiative training over 300 youth in hospitality roles across India, in partnership with THSC and The Job Plus.
TERI and the Skill Council for Green Jobs signed an MoU at IESW 2025 to boost skilling and workforce readiness in India’s clean energy and battery storage sectors.
IHCL launched a skill development centre in Uri, J&K, in partnership with REACHA and the Indian Army, to train youth in bakery and fashion designing under its Paathya initiative.
edForce has partnered with Linux Foundation APAC to offer official training in Linux, Kubernetes, DevOps, and cloud-native technologies, boosting open-source talent development in India.
A new tech R&D centre, VTU-VRIF-TCOE Centre of Excellence was inaugurated in Bengaluru to boost deep-tech innovation and skilling in 5G, AI, quantum computing, and more, backed by TSSC and industry partners.
HKI Media signed an MoU with MESC to skill 1 lakh creative professionals in 2 years and launched the Gig Media app to support hiring, training, and collaboration in India’s media industry.
EY has launched the AI Academy to equip industry professionals with hands-on AI skills, extending its upskilling expertise beyond its 44,000 employees to clients across key sectors.
Siemens Limited and Tata STRIVE’s Dual VET programme has trained over 1.2 lakh students across 279 ITIs since 2017, bridging the gap between classroom learning and industry needs.
Honda India Foundation launched ‘Project Buniyaad’ in Sikkim under the World Bank-supported INSPIRES Program to provide industry-oriented hospitality training and job placements for youth.
Cairn Oil & Gas announced it has trained nearly 25,000 youth across its regions, with strong placement and entrepreneurship outcomes through its centres in Barmer and Jodhpur.
Hindustan Zinc’s Zinc Kaushal Kendra initiative is equipping rural youth with job-ready skills, with two trainees securing international placements and centres operating across Rajasthan and Uttarakhand.

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

The Punjab School Education Board hosted a national conference to launch Punjab’s largest push for vocational education, aiming to shift from rote learning to real-world skills.
CBSE has requested its affiliated schools to assist in conducting the NIOS Public Examinations for Class 10, 12, and vocational courses scheduled for October-November 2025.
Medhavi Skills University hosted a World Youth Skills Day workshop in Delhi, highlighting industry-led, skill-based education aligned with NEP 2020 to boost employability and self-reliance.
Kurukshetra University has launched UGC-compliant Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programmes for 2025–26, becoming the first university in Haryana to offer stipend-based AEDPs.
Margao Government ITI in Goa, has introduced new scholarships and student-focused facilities to support skill development and career growth.
North-Eastern Hill University’s Deen Dayal Upadhyay Community and Skill Development Centre in Wahiajer concluded a seven-day training on indigenous pottery, empowering 30 locals with traditional skills, supported by JHCMA and TopCem Cement.
The Naturalist School in Bengaluru has launched India’s first NCVET-certified naturalist course under Skill India, formalizing training for careers in conservation, nature education, and eco-tourism.
At a Goa conclave, IIT Kanpur’s JTRC announced a joint actionable plan to map India’s skilling ecosystem for a green transition.

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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.