Weekly Newsbytes from NSN on skill development and education – 1st April 2025

The government and various skill development bodies are making strides in enhancing India’s workforce capabilities. The MSDE has launched a revamped website to streamline access to programs like PMKVY and NAPS. States like Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh are ramping up efforts to provide skill training across sectors, while the UGC’s new apprenticeship program promises to integrate practical training with academic degrees.

In this week’s Newsbytes from NSN, we bring you the latest on transformative government policies, industry-led skilling initiatives, and key updates from NEP 2020, UGC, and NCVET. Discover how these developments are revolutionizing education and shaping the future workforce in India.

Here we go with this week’s edition of our weekly newsbytes,

Skill development updates from the government

• Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey urged industries to boost mining expertise and set up educational institutions for skill development in critical minerals.
• At Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya’s tech fest EPITOME 2025, Minister Jayant Chaudhary emphasized AI-driven logistics and India’s need for highly skilled manpower, highlighting the government’s ₹60,000 crore initiative to upgrade ITIs.
• MSDE has launched the revamped DBIM-compliant website with AI search, multi-language support, and user-friendly navigation, aligning with the Digital Brand Identity Manual 3.0.
• Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission showcased its eight-year achievements, including training 27,000 women and skilling Divyangjans.
• The J&K government is expanding industrial estates across the Union Territory and confirmed education and skill development as focus sectors under the J&K Industrial Policy 2021-30.
• The PM VIKAS scheme integrates five initiatives to enhance skill development, financial inclusion, and economic empowerment for minority communities, with a focus on women’s entrepreneurship and artisan support.
• The Andhra Pradesh government and Cisco have partnered to train 50,000 youth in digital skills, including networking, cybersecurity, and AI, under a new skill development initiative.
• Arunachal Pradesh government has urged higher education and skill development reforms to boost employability, innovation, and entrepreneurship at the state’s education conference.
• NCVET has recognized the National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) as an Awarding Body to enhance vocational training in geriatrics, strengthening India’s social sector workforce.
• Since 2015, the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) has trained over 1.6 crore candidates, with a 43% placement rate under its Short-Term Training (STT) component.
• TSAT-SOFTNET, in collaboration with Telangana’s Department of Intermediate Education, Nirmaan.org, and Aasman Foundation, hosted a live program on March 28, 2025, to guide students in making informed academic and career decisions.
• Centre and Uttar Pradesh strengthen skill development ties, focusing on ₹60,000 Cr ITI upgradation scheme and enhancing programs like PMKVY, NAPS, and PM Vishwakarma.

Skill development updates on CSR, Industry

• NSDC has partnered with Axim Collaborative to enhance the Open edX platform, advancing digital innovation in skill development and vocational training.
• Since 2016, over 35 lakh apprentices have been employed under NAPS, with 15,000 placed in agriculture and agrochemical sectors in FY24 across 512 companies.
• UNIQLO, in partnership with Plan International, launched its first skill center in India, investing INR 7 Cr over three years to train underprivileged youth for the job market.
• The National Association of Realtors-India and National Real Estate Development Council have signed an MoU to enhance industry standards, promote skill development, and strengthen ethical practices in the real estate sector.
• NSDC, IIT Mandi, and The NorthCap University have signed an MoU to launch a B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering specializing in Semiconductor Design and Technology to meet India’s growing semiconductor industry demand.
• Nearly 26,000 candidates, including over 20,000 women, took part in the basic literacy and numeracy assessment in Thane district, Maharashtra, under the “Ullas Navbharat Saksharata Karykram” initiative.
• Cisco partners with Young India Skills University and Telangana Academy for Skill & Knowledge to enhance digital skills and employability for youth in Telangana through the Cisco Networking Academy program.
• SECL’s ‘SECL Ke Sushrut’ became the first coal PSU CSR initiative listed on India’s DBT portal, ensuring transparent and direct benefit transfers.
• Boeing India and Learning Links Foundation celebrated the third batch of graduates from their aerospace manufacturing training program in Andhra Pradesh, with a fourth batch underway to skill 127 students by April 2025.

To know more, check out the latest updates on CSR and ESG initiatives that are creating a meaningful impact in skill development and education here: https://nationalskillsnetwork.in/csr-and-esg-in-skill-education/

Skilling and upskilling in academia and emerging technologies

• Over 60 fish farmers in Arunachal Pradesh attended a training session under the ‘Catch Them Young’ initiative to enhance fish farming skills and boost productivity.
• KIIT-DU signed an MoU with New Zealand’s Toi Ohomai Institute to enhance academic pathways and joint research.
• The UGC has introduced the Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programme (AEDP), 2025, integrating apprenticeships into UG courses from July 2025 to boost employability.
• Over 150 students from West Bengal celebrated course completion at the Hettich Poddar WoodWorking Institute, with a 70% placement rate, marking their entry into India’s growing manufacturing and design sector.
• GND University will establish a Skill Development Centre in collaboration with MSDE.
• The District Horticulture Office in Kiphire conducted a four-day mushroom cultivation skill development program, training 405 students and teachers from local schools and colleges.