IndiaSkills 2021: National for India’s Biggest Skill Competition commences in New Delhi

The national competition of IndiaSkills 2021, organised by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), the nodal agency for skill and entrepreneurship development, working under the guidance of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has started at Talkatora Indoor Stadium, New Delhi. The closed-door event will witness participants from 26 states and union territories competing in more than 50 skills such as car painting, patisserie and confectionery, welding, additive manufacturing, cyber security, floristry, among others.

The competitions will be held at multiple locations, including Pragati Maidan, from 7 to 9 January under Covid-19 protocols mandated by local authorities and the state government. Additionally, all safety protocols are being followed including no entry for visitors/ spectators, adequate social distancing, and frequent sanitization of the competition premises. To further disperse the participants, the competitions for eight skills were conducted in Bengaluru and Mumbai from 3 to 5 January. The winners of all skill competitions will be felicitated in New Delhi on 10 January.

Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said, “IndiaSkills Competition instills confidence and hope by providing means to the youth to pursue their passion. The competition highlights India’s capabilities to the world and facilitates learning and exposure on a global platform. The introduction of seven new-age skills to this year’s IndiaSkills showcases our effort to keep pace with emerging technologies of the 21st century. My best wishes to all the participating candidates, and many compliments for making it to the Nationals. It is an honor to witness the hard work and determination of young people who will enable Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of making ‘India the Skill capital of the World’. I would also like to congratulate NSDC, Sector Skill Councils, Partner Institutes and all stakeholders for their invaluable contribution to the competition.”

Ved Mani Tiwari, Chief Operating Officer, NSDC said, “IndiaSkills Competition aims to create a pool of talented and skilled workforce, who will fuel the economic growth of the country in the future. The competition offers a national platform to the youth and exposure to global training standards. It is a step towards discovering the power of skills and making vocational training aspirational for the youth. The success of IndiaSkills is a collective effort of jury, experts, trainers, Sector Skill Councils, Partner Institutes and states who support NSDC in executing the country’s biggest skill competition.”

The launch was graced by the august presence of Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India; Atul Kumar Tiwari, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development Entrepreneurship, Government of India; Ved Mani Tiwari, Chief Operating Officer and Officiating Chief Executive Officer, National Skill Development Corporation; Mr. Subroto Bagchi, Chairman Odisha Skill Development Authority and co-founder of Mindtree; and Dr. Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi, Chairperson, National Council for Vocational Education and Training.

Highlights of IndiaSkills 2021 National Competition

Abilympics – Skill Demonstration by Persons with Disabilities

IndiaSkills 2021 National Competition will also feature Abilympics, a demonstration of skills by Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), in 16 skills including computer programming, painting, embroidery, and poster designing. With such participation, IndiaSkills has the potential to reach the grass-root level and is a major step towards bridging the gap between the demand and supply of a skilled workforce.

Demonstration Skills

IndiaSkill 2021 is introducing three new skills – Yoga, Shoe Making (Leather) and Garment Making (Leather) which will be exhibited to showcase opportunities for candidates in these trades.

New-Age Skills

Seven new-age skills such as robot systems integration, additive manufacturing, digital construction, industry 4.0, renewable energy, mobile applications development and industrial design technology have been introduced to this year’s competition, keeping pace with emerging technologies.

Industry supporting IndiaSkills

The event has received tremendous response from the industry supporting infrastructure, experts and equipment for the skill training of candidates during workshops, boot camps and during competitions.

The partnering institutions include Maruti Suzuki, Larsen and Toubro, Festo India, Hotel Leela, Toyota India, CBIP, Concept Mahindra, Academy of Pastry and Culinary Arts, Government Tool Room and Training Centre (GTTC), Karnataka German Technical Training Institutes (KGTTI) and Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA), Bengaluru, ICT Center of Excellence, Mumbai, IndiaTV News, Playtonia among others.

Journey from IndiaSkills to WorldSkills

IndiaSkills 2021 National Competition is being conducted following four Regional Competitions that were held in East (Patna), West (Gandhinagar), North (Chandigarh) and South (Visakhapatnam) during October-December. Participants for regionals were selected through competitions organised at the district and state levels between August and September 2021, which recorded over 250,000 registrations.

The winners of IndiaSkills 2021 National Competition will undergo rigorous training to represent India at WorldSkills Shanghai, China to be held in October 2022.

Also read: The inspiring journey of Farukh Ahmed – Tripura’s Skill Hero https://nationalskillsnetwork.in/farukh-ahmed-tripuras-skill-heros-inspiring-journey-to-worldskills/

The winners of IndiaSkills Nationals will get multi-level industry training through boot camps and programmes such as project-based training, industry and corporate training, exposure visits to industries, mind coaching, and personality development. NSDC, through its Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) and Partner Institutes, trains the candidates for the competitions and for future endeavours.