Speaking on the initiative, Ms. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said, “Project NAVYA reflects our commitment to moving beyond conventional skilling towards holistic empowerment of young girls. By integrating life skills, financial literacy, workplace safety and workplace productivity into the learning journey, we are equipping adolescent girls with the confidence and capabilities required to succeed. This initiative strengthens the objective of creating dignified employment opportunities for women and their meaningful participation in the economy.”

As part of this partnership, a common module for holistic development has been introduced for Adolescent Girls (AGs) enrolled under Project NAVYA. The modules, developed by the Wadhwani Foundation, are being provided free of cost to all NAVYA beneficiaries and are designed to support personal growth, work readiness, self-employment potential and meaningful community participation.

The holistic curriculum addresses key dimensions such as workplace safety, financial literacy, necessary life and employability skills, recognizing these as essential enablers for long-term employability and resilience. The 10-hour online programme includes structured learning on interpersonal skills, impactful writing skills, financial literacy, workplace safety and the use of productivity tools required in modern work environments.

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Opening the session, Ms. Sonal Mishra, Additional Secretary, MSDE, emphasized the importance of aligning skilling initiatives with demographic trends, technological shifts, and emerging industry needs. She outlined five key focus areas for developing human capital for Viksit Bharat: Skilling for all, Filling the skill-employment gap, Demand-based skilling aligned with industry requirements, Strengthening service delivery systems, and Re-skilling and up-skilling of the existing workforce.

Addressing the workshop, Shri Rajit Punhani, Secretary, MSDE, said, “Skill training is the cornerstone of our vision for Viksit Bharat @2047. We must ensure that every youth and working professional is equipped with the right skills to contribute meaningfully to both organizational growth and the nation’s development. Our focus must be on three key pillars—agriculture skilling, ITI upgradation, and future skills. Integration of agri-skilling into mainstream education will empower rural youth and make agriculture a viable, future-ready career path. The ITI upgradation will help us transform these institutions into dynamic skilling hubs aligned with evolving industry needs. Emphasis on future skills will enable our workforce to stay competitive in a rapidly changing global landscape. Above all, we must focus on making skilling aspirational—something that excites, empowers, and elevates the aspirations of our youth.”

Shri Rajbir Singh, Deputy Director General, DARE, noted the central role of agriculture in India’s economy and emphasized the need to position skilling in agriculture and allied sectors as a national priority. He proposed transforming Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) into skill and incubation hubs that not only train farmers but also support rural youth through entrepreneurship handholding.

A detailed presentation on the recently approved ₹60,000 crore ITI Upgradation Scheme was delivered by the Directorate General of Training (DGT), outlining the Ministry’s roadmap to transform ITIs into modern, industry-aligned skilling hubs. The presentation showcased key components of the scheme and the strategic direction for its implementation across states. During the open discussion that followed, state officials shared progress made on the ground—including industry tie-ups, identification of regional skill clusters, and efforts to modernize infrastructure. At the same time, they also highlighted critical challenges, such as difficulty in onboarding private partners in smaller states, faculty shortages, and the need for increased industry engagement to ensure the sustainability and relevance of upgraded ITIs.

The workshop further delved deeper into five thematic sessions- Skilling for All, Filling the Skill–Employment Gap, Demand-Based Skilling with Industry Alignment, Strengthening Service Delivery, and Reskilling and Upskilling, with active participation from states including Karnataka, Odisha, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, and representatives from various companies.

The states presented their best practices and innovative skilling models at the workshop, showcasing a diverse range of approaches to developing a future-ready workforce. Karnataka and Odisha shared inclusive skilling initiatives under the theme “Skilling for All”, while Assam contributed its perspectives on bridging the skill–employment gap. Uttar Pradesh and Tripura highlighted efforts towards demand-based skilling with a strong focus on industry alignment, and West Bengal elaborated on strategies to strengthen service delivery mechanisms at the grassroots level. These presentations reflected the regional diversity and shared commitment across states toward the national skilling agenda.

As part of the preparations for the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries under the theme “Human Capital for Viksit Bharat”, all States and Union Territories have been requested to seek inputs in the form of Feedback Notes from officers at all levels including field level functionaries. Feedback notes are to be uploaded on the CS Conference portal by 20 August 2025, and a consolidated state-specific note by 31 August 2025.

During the sessions, industry partners also played a vital role in the discussions, bringing to the table real-world insights and collaborative models. Representatives from Adobe, Sodexo, Avaada Group, Lemon Tree Hotels, UPS, Volvo-Eicher, Escorts, Tata Strive, and others contributed across thematic sessions covering topics such as reskilling, upskilling, and service delivery. Additionally, PSUs like Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum shared their skilling and R&D initiatives. These interactions between government, academia, and industry emphasized the need for stronger convergence to equip India’s workforce for emerging job roles and evolving market demands.

Each session was followed by an open discussion that encouraged multi-stakeholder collaboration and identified innovative approaches to strengthen service delivery and align skill training with real-time employment demands.

The workshop was graced by Mr. Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi, Former Chairperson, NCVET, Ms. Trishaljit Sethi, DG (Training), DGT, MSDE, Dr. Vinita Aggarwal, Executive Member, NCVET, Himanshu Gunawat, Deputy Secretary, MSDE, Padma Shri awardee Shri Sultan Singh, Dr. More Ramulu, Advisor, AICTE, representatives from various state skilling departments or ministries, IARI, New Delhi, DoNER, among others.

The workshop concluded with a consensus on the need for stronger convergence across stakeholders, investment in future-ready infrastructure, and leveraging international partnerships to build a resilient and inclusive skilling ecosystem. The outcomes and insights from the workshop will feed into the deliberations at the Chief Secretaries’ Conference and guide future skilling policy directions.

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Aspirants, who possess an NTC (National Trade Certificate), NAC (National Apprenticeship Certificate), Diploma, or Degree qualification, or are appearing for the final year qualifying examinations (NTC/NAC/Diploma/Degree) can apply online at the official website— www.nimionlineadmission.in — between 8th May 2025 and 28th May 2025. Admissions will be based on the All-India Common Entrance Test (AICET), which will be conducted in a Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode across multiple centers nationwide. The examination is scheduled for 15th June 2025.

The selected candidates will be offered training across 41 trades — comprising 28 engineering trades and 13 non-engineering trades — at National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) and Institutes for Training of Trainers (IToTs) across India. Under CITS, 45,025 trainers have been trained in the last five years, between 2019 and 2024.

The Craft Instructor Training Scheme (CITS) is designed to train instructor trainees comprehensively, covering both technical skills and training methodologies. The program ensures that instructors are well-versed in techniques for effectively transferring hands-on skills, with the aim of producing skilled manpower for the industry. The National Council for Vocational Education & Training (NCVET), as an imperative, deems it suitable that all trainers in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) are CITS-certified.

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This session was more than just training—it was an exercise in internal discovery, reflecting on the ethos of Seva-Bhav (spirit of service), self-discovery and the responsibility we carry in shaping India’s future. Through engaging discussions, real-world problem-solving, and experience-sharing, officials from the Ministry explored how governance can be made more empathetic, responsive, and effective.

The post The journey of public service is about purpose and people appeared first on newsmantra.in l Latest news on Politics, World, Bollywood, Sports, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Trending news | News Mantra.