In a significant boost to India’s skilling mission, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF), unveiled the India Skills Accelerator initiative at a high-level roundtable held at Kaushal Bhawan, New Delhi.
A Public-Private Collaboration for Systemic Change
The India Skills Accelerator aims to serve as a national platform fostering public-private collaboration to bridge skill gaps and modernize the skilling ecosystem. It is designed to drive change across three pillars:
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Raising awareness and shifting mindsets on future skills needs
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Enhancing collaboration and knowledge-sharing among stakeholders
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Reforming institutional structures and policy frameworks
As India confronts technological disruptions and evolving labour market dynamics, the Accelerator will work to close workforce gaps through inclusive reskilling and upskilling, investments in lifelong learning, and deeper government-industry collaboration. It also aims to support agile career transitions and prepare youth for high-growth sectors such as AI, robotics, and clean energy.
Leadership and Governance
The initiative will be co-chaired by:
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Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education
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Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, Minister of State for Education and Development of North-Eastern Region
Two private sector co-chairs will support the governance framework:
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Ms. Shobana Kamineni, Executive Chairperson, Apollo HealthCo
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Shri Sanjiv Bajaj, Chairman and Managing Director, Bajaj Finserv
Vision and Direction from the Ministers
In his opening remarks, Shri Jayant Chaudhary emphasized India’s demographic strength and the need for skilling systems to be agile and future-ready. “With the world’s largest youth population and a vibrant skilling ecosystem, we are uniquely positioned to become the Skill Capital of the World,” he said. He called the Accelerator a “catalyst for systemic transformation” rooted in innovation and shared accountability.
Dr. Sukanta Majumdar highlighted India’s opportunity to become a global hub for next-generation digital talent. He called for a focus on competitiveness in AI, cybersecurity, and cloud computing, and stressed the importance of integrating the Accelerator with reforms from the National Education Policy (NEP).
Also read: TEAM Initiative Aims to Digitize MSMEs in India
Global Support and Alignment with Future Trends
Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director, WEF, noted that the Accelerator will help close critical skill gaps and equip India’s workforce for the digital age. “We are pleased to support this important step and look forward to the impact it will deliver at scale,” she said.
The initiative also aligns with findings from WEF’s Future of Jobs 2025 report and will be supported by WEF’s Global Learning Network, enabling peer learning and international benchmarking.
Key Outcomes from the Roundtable
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Identification of 10–12 high-impact priorities with measurable outcomes
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Proposal for dedicated working groups to ensure implementation
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Emphasis on thematic clusters and sectoral coordination
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Discussions on mapping emerging sectors like Global Capability Centres (GCCs) and advanced manufacturing
A Unified Skilling Ecosystem
The session saw active participation from leaders across MSDE, NCVET, NSDC, DGT, and from allied bodies under the Ministry of Education including UGC, AICTE, NCERT, and CBSE. Together, the dialogue reaffirmed a shared vision to modernize India’s skilling landscape and build a globally competitive workforce.