The National Skill Development Mission (NSDM) aimed at creating convergence across sectors and States in terms of skill training activities. Training is not only done by the Central Ministries and Departments but also by the State Governments. Both short-term and long-term skill training is being imparted under the aegis of the Mission. In the short-term training eco-system, 37 Sector Skill Councils have been set up as industry-led bodies to create National Occupational Standards (NOSs), develop competency framework, conduct Training of Trainers programs, affiliate Vocational Training Institutes, conduct skill gap studies in their respective sectors for Labour Market Information System, and assess and certify trainees on the curriculum aligned to NOSs. In the long-term training eco-system, the Dual System of Training (DST) Scheme was introduced in 2016 with the objective to enable industries and establishments to partner with the Government and Private Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) for conducting training programmes towards fulfilling skilled manpower requirements. The Scheme is an amalgamation of theoretical training imparted through ITIs and practical training imparted through the Industry, which enable industry linkages and provide hands-on experience to students on the latest industry-relevant technologies. Revised DST guidelines were issued in 2019, after which 1,061 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed with industries until 31.01.2021. In addition, a Flexible MoU scheme has been designed to cater to the needs of both industry as well as trainees, allowing industries to train candidates as per their skill set requirements and providing trainees with an industry environment aligned with the market demand and latest technology to undergo training.
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has been actively pursuing global partnerships with governments of other countries, with the aim of promoting global mobility, strengthening the Indian skilling eco-system, and sharing of knowledge. In October 2017, MSDE had signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of the Government of Japan, with an aim to transform India’s skill eco-system by sending and accepting technical interns from India to Japan, and enabling Indian industries to imbibe the best practices of Japanese industries. So far, India has sent 220 candidates to Japan under various sectors such as Agriculture, Construction, Manufacturing, and Healthcare. More than 600 candidates are currently being trained by the Indian Sending Organizations. In January 2021, the Union Cabinet has approved the signing of another MoC between the Governments of India and Japan, on a Basic Framework for Partnership for Proper Operation of the System Pertaining to “Specified Skilled Worker”. This MoC would set an institutional mechanism for partnership and cooperation between India and Japan on sending and accepting skilled Indian workers, who have qualified the required skill and Japanese language test, to work in fourteen specified sectors in Japan.
AnMoU was signed between MSDE and the National Qualifications Authority, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 29.04.2016 to collaborate in mutual recognition of qualifications. The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is working with the Ministry of Human Resource and Emiritization (MoHRE) and Abu Dhabi Quality & Conformity Council (ADQCC) for benchmarking qualifications, assessment and certification. Under the India – UAE Skill Harmonization Program, a pilot program to operationalize the benchmarking of 16 UAE skill qualifications to 13 Indian skill qualifications in construction and automotive sectors has been successfully conducted. In the pilot program, 133 candidates have been assessed on mutually recognized qualifications. 63 candidates were interviewed and selected, out of which 18 candidates have already been deployed to the UAE. MSDE/NSDC have also signed MoUs with various entities in countries like Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Australia, Finland and Switzerland for cooperation in the field of skill development, vocational and professional education and training.This information was given by the Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Raj Kumar Singh in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.