Skill India honours 53 Skill Trainers with Kaushalacharya Awards on the occasion of Teacher’s Day 

As a significant step towards motivating and incentivizing more trainers to join the Skill India Mission, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) today organized Kaushalacharya Samadar 2019 to felicitate trainers from different sectors for exceptional contribution towards creating a future-ready and skilled workforce.

• 53 Trainers felicitated for outstanding contribution, including experts of WorldSkills Competition winners, trainers from NSTI, ITI, JSS and from reputed Corporates
• Kaushalacharya Awards to become an annual ceremony 

A total of 53 trainers from diverse backgrounds including experts of WorldSkills Competition winners, trainers from National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs), Industrial Training Centres (ITI), Jan Sikshan Sansthans (JSS) and trainers from reputed Corporate houses were honored at a gathering of government and industrial experts held on the occasion of Teachers’ Day by Skill India. Renewing the pledge to improve the skilling ecosystem of the country these Trainers included 19 Experts of winners from Team India who competed at WorldSkills 2019 in Kazan, Russia; 15 Skill Trainers from the NSTI/ITI ecosystem; 9 Corporate trainers awarded from companies namely Adobe, IBM, Microsoft, Maruti, ONGC, Bosch, Bhel and Aegis; and 10 Trainers from JSS.

The Ministry also announced the “Kaushalacharya Awards” would be an annual event to recognize the contribution made by skill trainers in the vocational training ecosystem. By 2022 it is estimated India will need about 2.5 lakh trainers across the skilling ecosystem. NSDC and DGT are working together to create better quality trainers and assessors. To ensure standardization of training and learning, MSDE is working on creating world-class academies and putting in place rigorous accreditation processes. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has introduced programs to for effective utilization of capacity and infrastructure across the network of National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) to achieve greater convergence between long-term and short-term skill ecosystem. Organisations like NIMI, NSTI, Central Staff Training and Research Institute (CSTRI) are working closely toward strengthening of trainers.

Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Hon’ble Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said, “The Guru-Shishya parampara has been a unique feature of ancient Indian civilization where our teachers imparted life’s lessons and skills to disciples. On this day, we honour our trainers who have imparted their learning to the youth and helped in moulding their careers. In order to motivate and recognize their contribution to the skilling ecosystem, I am happy to announce the Kaushalacharya Awards an annual ceremony to celebrate the teachers who are pillars of the Skill India edifice. It is only fitting that we honour our own Gurus who the global community has already recognized by showering rich accolades on skilled Indian youth at WorldSkills International at Kazan, Russia, a week ago.”

Urging the industry to get into more longstanding partnerships, Shri Raj Kumar Singh, Hon’ble Minister of State, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said, “Industrialisation in India had for long been hamstrung by a dearth of skilled manpower. The Skill India Mission has addressed the need for an equipped and skilled workforce. We are looking at introducing degree programs for trainers to boost technical education and vocational training in the country. Today’s event marks a special day where we celebrate all those trainers who have helped thousands of youth, and inspire many more technically equipped and experienced people to join the Skill India Mission.”

Other highlights of the day besides felicitating trainers with Kaushalacharya Awards

A special workbook aimed at building a meaningful learning experience for students was launched by the DGT. The book has been developed by the National Instructional Media Institute (NIMI), which designs and develops books and study material for ITIs. Representatives of Tata Strive, Quest Alliance, Mahindra Pride Class Room and NIMI attended the event where MSDE recognized their contribution to the workbook.

A manual of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was launched to boost training of trainers and assessors. The SOP provides instructions on how to implement and adhere to processes, frameworks and systems specified in the ‘Training of Trainers and Assessors Guidelines for Short-term skill development programmes’.

In a clear sign of increasing public-private partnership for training, an MoU was signed between DGT and Kaushalya Kameshwar Techno Solution Pvt Limited under which training will be provided in Industrial environment in mining sector courses. Kaushalya Kameshwar Techno Solution Pvt Limited is a Dhanbad-based company.

The evolution of skill training depends on the quality of instruction at the workplace and quality of instruction at the classroom. Corporates and universities have supported the Skill India Mission by providing training academies with quality infrastructure for training of trainers. The initiative has also been supported by international organisations like Temasek Foundation and Singapore Polytechnic that have bolstered capacity-building programs for trainers and assessors. This has allowed Standardized Guidelines and Standard Operating Procedure to be developed for the implementation of comprehensive training programme for trainers in the short-term skilling ecosystem.

On the occasion, MSDE felicitated the experts/ trainers of the 19 participants who won laurels for India at the WorldSkills Competition 2019 in Kazan, Russia on Aug 22-27. India won a Gold, a Silver, two bronze and 15 Medallion of Excellence at WorldSkills Competition and ranked 13th among 63 countries. Kaushalacharya Awards were also conferred on trainers from the Directorate of General Training (DGT), the nodal body for vocational training in India.