NSDC to impart skill training to Rapido bike riders of Maharashtra, facilitate placements for trainees
The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has partnered with Rapido, India's largest bike taxi aggregator, to skill and induct riders into the gig economy through formal training and employment linkages.
The training programme will assist riders in fulfilling the eligibility requirements stipulated in the Maharashtra government's guidelines for running bike taxis under its new regulatory policy.
Under the agreement inked on April 22, NSDC will select and mobilise candidates to undergo training, while Rapido will give access to two-wheelers and deploy trained riders through its mobile application-based platform. Along with training and certification, NSDC will facilitate placement by connecting trainees from its ecosystem to Rapido's platform.
It has been designed to equip bike taxi drivers, also referred to as 'captains,' with the necessary technical, behavioural, and safety skills to assume part-time or full-time employment in an increasingly expanding sector.
The objective of the initiative is to establish sustainable income prospects for youth through the coordination between NSDC's pan-India skilling infrastructure and Rapido's extensive operating network across cities.
NSDC will also co-create standardised training curricula and certify riders under its national framework, enhancing their job preparedness and service quality.
'This collaboration is a step towards strengthening the gig economy by equipping individuals with the skills needed to thrive as driver partners,' said Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO of NSDC and managing director of NSDC International. He added that the initiative will support inclusive growth and connect the workforce with meaningful earning opportunities in India's evolving mobility sector.
Under its 'Pink Mobility' initiative, NSDC will also impart training to women captains of Rapido with extra benefits, aligning with the state government's norm of increasing the proportion of women drivers in aggregator's fleet to 50 per cent.
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