This edition of weekly newsbytes showcases the vibrant momentum in India’s skilling and vocational education ecosystem. From impactful government reforms and landmark MoUs to CSR-led empowerment and academic-industry convergence, the week was marked by strategic developments aimed at building a skilled, inclusive, and future-ready workforce.
With initiatives spanning AI education in schools, ITI modernization, green skills, and global collaborations, India continues to align its talent development roadmap with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Here we go with this week’s edition of our weekly newsbytes.
This week’s highlights in skill education
Bharat SkillNXT 2025: A Decade of Skill India Mission and a Leap Toward Future-Ready Skilling
- To mark 10 years of Skill India, MSDE launched IndiaSkills 2025–26 guidelines, a registration portal, and a semiconductor workforce strategy to boost decentralised and industry-aligned skilling.
- India marked 10 years of the Skill India Mission with major launches at Bharat Mandapam, including the SOAR initiative to make the world’s largest school-going population AI-ready.
- India and France signed a landmark MoU at Bharat SkillNXT 2025 to boost cooperation in skill development, vocational education, and training.
- MSDE launched SOAR, a national AI learning programme for Classes 6–12, with student modules and a 45-hour training for teachers.
- MSDE launched NCVET’s 2025 Guidelines for Assessment Agencies at Bharat SkillNXT on 22nd July 2025.
Skill development updates from the government
- For the 2025–26 academic year, 14,580 ITIs were graded by MSDE, with 28% scoring above 8 out of 10, up from 19% last year and highlighting notable improvement across institutes.
- The 38th CAC meeting approved a 36% hike in apprentice stipends, with future revisions linked to the Consumer Price Index and benefiting multiple sectors including IT, telecommunications, biotechnology, and renewable energy.
- NMDC launched a fully sponsored skill programme for 500 tribal youth in Chhattisgarh, offering training in plastics and polymer technology in partnership with CIPET Hyderabad.
- MSDE and the World Economic Forum held a roundtable on the India Skills Accelerator, focusing on inclusive upskilling and industry-aligned education in sectors like AI, robotics, and energy.
- The National Skill Development programme in 65 government schools faces a teacher shortage, with only 95 of 137 posts filled, affecting both classroom and practical training.
- The government is finalizing a partnership with Bajaj Auto to launch a pilot in five Karnataka ITIs, aiming to equip students with industry-relevant skills and improve job outcomes.
- MSDE and the Gujarat government held a workshop at NAMTECH, IIT-Gandhinagar, to align stakeholders and gather inputs for effective implementation of the ITI Upgradation Scheme.
- The upcoming India-UK Free Trade Agreement is expected to boost growth, skilling, and employment, especially in services sectors like IT, finance, consulting, and more.
- Students from 14 Delhi government school were selected for Germany’s APAL (Ausbildung Programm für Auszubildende in Deutschland) 2025 dual vocational training program, offering global skill-based training over 3.5 years.
- The Centre has established a National Steering Committee to draft policies for revamping India’s skilling infrastructure, including upgrading 1,000 ITIs and setting up five National Centres of Excellence.
- Union MoS for Minority Affairs Shri George Kurian inaugurated a Skill Development Centre and Girls Hostel in Kerala under the PMJVK scheme, offering job-oriented education in minority areas with ₹7.92 crore infrastructure.
- EDC Kohima marked 10 years of the Skill India Mission, celebrating its role in equipping youth with job-ready skills and promoting employment, entrepreneurship, and inclusive growth.
- In a boost to India’s growing creators’ economy that recently crossed ₹1 lakh crore in value, Maharashtra signed an MoU with FTII, Pune, to develop a skilled media workforce.
- The government of Maharashtra announced partnerships with Finland and global players to enhance placements, research, investment, and advanced training, aiming to become a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.
Skill development updates on CSR and Industry
- Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (HURL) and NSDC signed an MoU to launch “SAKSHAM,” a skill development program to empower rural youth and drive inclusive economic growth through targeted training.
- The Electronics Sector Skills Council of India (ESSCI), in collaboration with DMFT Bokaro, successfully completed a skill development initiative that empowered 600 youth from Jharkhand’s mining-affected areas.
- The EY 2025 Mobility Reimagined Survey found 81% of Indian employees view mobility as key to career growth, with skilling and financial incentives as top motivators.
- Reliance, Adani, and Mahindra plan to partner with MSDE under the ₹60,000-crore ITI Upgradation Scheme to set up “hub and spoke” ITIs and train two million youth in five years.
- Maruti Suzuki has opened admissions for the first batch at its Japan-India Institute for Manufacturing in Sonipat, Haryana, to train over 100 students in four technical trades: Mechanic Motor Vehicle, Machinist, Welder, and Fitter.
- The Logistics Skill Council and Cambtech have launched certificate programs in Supply Chain and Logistics, offering joint certification in areas like Port Management and International Liners Trade.
- In a key step to boost hospitality training in India, the Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC) signed an MoU with The Lalit Suri Hospitality School (TLSHS).
- BIMTECH and the Hydrocarbon Sector Skill Council have launched a two-day Certificate Programme on Net-Zero and Carbon Ecosystems to support India’s 2070 net-zero goal, covering emissions, carbon markets, and climate strategies.
- NMDC, in partnership with CIPET Hyderabad, launched a CSR initiative to provide fully sponsored plastics and polymer training for 500 tribal youth in Bastar and Dantewada, Chhattisgarh.
- On World Youth Skills Day, Standard Chartered partnered with Sambhav Foundation to train 5,160 young Indians in high-growth sectors like Electric Vehicles, AI, Cybersecurity, and Data Analytics to prepare youth for future job opportunities.
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
- NAMTECH signed an MoU with seven top Northeast institutes to co-develop future-ready skills in smart manufacturing, AI, robotics, mobility, space, and sustainability.
- UPRTOU has signed an MoU with the UP Board to support Class 12 passouts through skill development, vocational training, and career counseling to empower students with practical opportunities and strengthen academic and career pathways.
- CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine Jammu successfully concluded a five-day Skill Development Programme under the CSIR Aroma Mission to empower women through training in aromatic crops, value addition, and rural entrepreneurship.
- The Greenovator Incubation Foundation at NIT Srinagar has signed an MoU with the MSME Technology Development Centre to jointly conduct entrepreneurship and skill development programs for youth and aspiring innovators.
- EY GDS, in partnership with Learning Links Foundation, launched its first Green Skills Centre in a Bengaluru government school, with another coming soon in Delhi. The centres will train 1,200 students in sustainability, emerging tech, and AI, aligned with UN SDGs.
- India is expanding AI education in women’s colleges through AICTE’s updated curriculum, aiming to empower women in tech across various disciplines with core and elective AI courses.
*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.
