PIB News Update: Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri R.K. Singh has informed that Recognizing the need for skill development, National Skill Development Policy was formulated in 2009. Given the paradigm shift in skilling and entrepreneurship ecosystem in the country and the experience gained through implementation of various skill development programmes, the policy was revised and the second National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, 2015 was notified on July 15, 2015. The primary objective of this Policy is to meet the challenge of skilling at scale with speed, standard (quality) and sustainability. It aims to provide an umbrella framework for all skilling activities being carried out within the country, to align them to common standards and link skilling with demand centres. The Policy also seeks to coordinate and strengthen factors essential for growth of entrepreneurship across the country.
A number of initiatives have been taken by the Government to meet the objectives of the Policy. These, inter-alia, include –
- Launching of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), for imparting short-term skill training to the youth;
- Notification of common norms for bringing about uniformity and standardization in implementation of various skill development schemes by different Central Ministries/Departments;
- III. Setting up of Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) as industry-led bodies to develop National Occupation Standards (NOSs);
- IV. Implementation of Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP), an outcome-oriented World Bank supported project for strengthening institutional mechanisms at both national and state levels
- Implementation of Skills Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE) scheme, a World Bank assisted project launched with the objective of improving the relevance and efficiency of skills training provided through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and apprenticeships;
- VI. Launching of Skill India Portal to provide information of trainees, training providers and trainers.
- Mobilisation/ outreach activities through Kaushal/Rozgar Melas, Skills Career Counselling Scheme in making skilling aspirational.