The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) on Wednesday highlighted the expansion of India’s skilling ecosystem over the past 12 years, citing growth in vocational training infrastructure, apprenticeships, digital skilling platforms and international workforce mobility initiatives.
According to the ministry, the number of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) has increased from 9,776 in 2014 to more than 13,888 across the country. The ministry said the expansion, along with National Skill Training Institutes, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras and Jan Shikshan Sansthans, has widened access to skill development opportunities.
The ministry said more than 56.08 lakh apprentices have been engaged since 2016, while over 1.64 crore candidates have been trained under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).
In a statement marking 12 years of what it described as “Skills, Scale and Transformation”, the ministry said it has built a comprehensive skilling ecosystem integrating vocational education, industry-led training, apprenticeships, entrepreneurship development, digital public infrastructure and international workforce mobility.
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary said skills have emerged as key drivers of opportunity, productivity and economic transformation.
“The journey of the last twelve years reflects India’s growing recognition that skills are among the most powerful enablers of opportunity, productivity and economic transformation,” Chaudhary said.
He said the ministry is focused on preparing young people not only for existing employment opportunities but also for future jobs and enterprises emerging from technological advancements.
The ministry said entrepreneurship development programmes implemented through the National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) and the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) have trained more than 25 lakh beneficiaries, supporting self-employment and enterprise creation.
Highlighting digital initiatives, the ministry said the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) has registered more than 1.5 crore candidates and offers over 1,000 courses in 23 languages. It added that the Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) programme has recorded over 4.5 lakh enrolments through more than 50 artificial intelligence-related courses and qualifications.
The ministry also pointed to India’s performance at WorldSkills competitions, noting that the country’s global ranking improved from 29th in 2015 to 13th in 2024.
According to the ministry, efforts to strengthen international workforce mobility have included government-to-government partnerships, skill-based mobility agreements and the announcement of 30 Skill India International Centres aimed at supporting overseas employment opportunities for skilled workers.
The ministry said its ongoing reform agenda includes initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU), future skills programmes in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, and greater integration of skilling with education under the National Education Policy 2020.
MSDE said it will continue to focus on expanding access to quality skill development, strengthening industry partnerships, promoting entrepreneurship and positioning India as a global hub for skilled talent.
