SKILL INDIA MISSION

Skill India Mission is an initiative launched by Government of India in 2015 to train more than 400 millions youths according to the changing needs of demanding world and to make them independent to earn their livelihood and to become self-sufficient by 2022.

SANKALP (Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion Programme) initiative launched under Skill India Mission aims to train around 300 million youth. Another schemes launched under the great mission are: National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015, National Skill Development Mission, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Skill Loan Scheme, Rural India Skill.

As Digital divide is a major problem between rural and urban people along with others causes including illiteracy, Skill India Mission aims to provide digital training to such people who in anyway unable to access Information Technology, will act as a booster in bridging this split of Digital divide.

To empower people of rural India, Japan had set up its first three institutes in Gujarat, Karnataka and Rajasthan to impart Japanese style manufacturing skills (JIM) and Japanese Endowed Courses (JEC) in Engineering colleges in cooperation between public and private sectors. 

Large portion of India belongs to rural areas, and in such case rural India can be a powerhouse for the development of India. The human resource from rural areas can be utilised in a manner to increase productivity and progress holistically. Special orientation programmes for professional skills should be provided to develop skilled workforce. The Ministry of Rural Development has allotted Rs 1500 Crore yearly for National Rural Livelihood Mission to train youth belongs to poor family in various skills to make them fit for work.

According to NEP,  emphasis is given to ‘Lok Vidya’ in which skills in production, textile, architecture, handicrafts etc are practiced for the economic benefit and can be passed to future generations to maintain their socio-cultural legacy. Up skilling youth by providing training in weaving, welding, artisans work textile, tourism, banking, jewellery designing etc to make them self-dependent.

The likelihood of finding the job and getting entered into world of work, it should be necessary for students to complete their studies till grade 12 so that they receive additional courses in entrepreneurship, communication skills, apprenticeships and in other fields. 

Advanced courses in foreign languages provided by International Skill Centres for youth to make them efficient for overseas work profile. 

Special focus given to women in Skill India Mission to impart marketing knowledge which will makes them independent  Facilitating long term skill development training encourages them to become leaders and entrepreneurs. There is immense increase in enrolments for women trainees according to data of 2018 as compared to 2014. Directorate General of Training (MSDE) emphasizes on challenges to meet for women so that they get involved in ITI and Apprenticeships training as an inclusive skill development for their transformation to get better productivity. 

As per the data, around 24 lakhs have been skilled under various projects and training programmes. Placement data report of PMKVY 2016-2020 shows about 20 lakhs candidates gets certification under short term training modules and among them over 10 lakhs candidates gets placed within the country in different sectors.

Though it was a flagship programme of PM Narendra Modi, no evaluation was conducted to find out the smooth functioning of programme or whether it was serving the purpose of providing employment to youth and making them skilled for the work culture or not. Too much attention on short term course is given resulted in almost negligible placements. It is not wrong to say that due to their political gain in upcoming general elections, government passed the bowl to Rajiv Pratap Rudy, ex-minister of skill development and entrepreneurship blaming him alone for the slow process. There is a lot more to dig but in anyhow this initiative which started with so much enthusiasm is failed as it does not meet up to the expectations and criteria.

Present situation shows no signs of job creation due to low expenditure investment in trainings resulting in unemployment, dealing with unskilled labour. 

This enormous initiative should be launched keeping in mind the purview of its outcome. This programme needs to be implemented on such level so that it can speed up the mission and it can cover up the whole country. However, diversification of India keeping up the economy stabilise. In order to carry out successful training programmes, private firms working closely with Skill India Mission and its Ministry to provide accountability and transparency for the training delivery. To ensure better results, Skill India needs to polish their youth so that it can stand alone with full potential in the global competitive world.