10 Years of Skill India Mission

General Studies Paper -3

Context

Skill India Mission completed ten years.

About Skill India Mission (SIM)

• Launched on 15 July 2015, World Youth Skills Day, the Skill India Mission provides skill, re-skill, and up-skill training through an extensive network of skill development centres and institutes under various schemes.
• In February 2025, the restructured ‘Skill India Programme’ was approved for 2022-23 to 2025-26, merging Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0 (PMKVY 4.0), the Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (PM-NAPS), and the Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) Scheme into a single Central Sector Scheme.
• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)– Offers short-term skill training and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for youth nationwide, including rural areas.
• National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS)– Promotes apprenticeship with financial support for stipends, providing both basic and on-the-job training.
• Jan Sikhshan Sansthan (JSS)– Provides vocational skills to non-literates, neo-literates, and school dropouts (up to 12th standard), focusing on women, SC/ST/OBC, and minorities in rural and low-income urban areas.

Major Achievements (2015–2025)

• Over 6 crore youth skilled: Across 38 sectors, including IT, manufacturing, services, construction, and agriculture.
• Women empowerment: Special initiatives increased female workforce participation in several sectors.
• Recognition: India ranked 11th in the WorldSkills Competition 2022.
• Sector-wise employment: Notable growth—manufacturing (15%), services (20%), construction (25%).

Socio-Economic Impact

• Unemployment reduced: Employability among Indian graduates has risen to 54.81% (India Skills Report 2025).
• Workforce participation increased: Employment rate rose from 36.9% to 37.9% in the same period.
• Inclusive growth: Imparted growth for rural, tribal, LWE-affected, and Northeast regions.
• Entrepreneurship boost: Youth equipped for self-employment, MSMEs, and start-ups.

Challenges

• Quality & Industry Relevance: Skill mismatch continues in several sectors.
• Low absorption by industry: Some trained candidates still face placement hurdles, especially in rural and informal sectors.
• Regional disparities: Uneven implementation and outcomes across states.
• Social biases: Vocational training sometimes seen as inferior to mainstream education.
• Infrastructure and trainer shortage: Gaps in modern equipment and skilled trainers
• Funding Delays: Funding delays and coordination issues between Central and State bodies flagged by the Sinha Committee (2022).

Way Forward

• Digital push: Greater integration of e-learning, AI-driven monitoring, and blended training models.
• Enhanced private sector and global partnerships: Focus on international standards and global value chains.
• Regular impact assessment: Focus on outcomes (job placement, entrepreneurship) beyond just training numbers.