Latest news with #SkillAcquisitionandKnowledgeAwarenessforLivelihoodPromotion
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Business Standard
12 minutes ago
- Business
- Business Standard
House panel urges MSDE to align skill schemes with local industry needs
The parliamentary standing committee on skill development has urged the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) to prioritise aligning training programmes with the 'demand of the local needs for skills'. In its latest report, the panel also called for the 'early completion and publication' of skill gap reports to address workforce deficiencies, improve individual capabilities, and enhance employability by helping workers adapt to changing demands. 'The committee attaches priority to aligning skill development programmes with the demand of the region/local needs for skills and urges the ministry for early completion and publication of the report so that skill gaps are addressed, individual skills improved and adaptation to changes facilitated, thereby enhancing employability,' the report noted. The committee, headed by Basavaraj Bommai, submitted its report to Parliament on Wednesday. Concerns over PMKVY implementation Earlier, while reviewing the government's flagship Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), the panel highlighted a disconnect between the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and industry. It said that training often fails to reflect actual local demand for skills, leading to a mismatch between the programme's output and local economic needs. 'The committee therefore desired the ministry to undertake skill gap assessments on a regular basis and enhance the programme's effectiveness by aligning PMKVY with the industry to match the local economic needs for making skill training programmes employable and creating a skills ecosystem with appropriate governance to improve individual skills and adapt to changes,' the report said. Skill gap study and state engagement The skill ministry informed the panel it is conducting a national-level skill gap study through the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) under the Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) scheme. It is also engaging with states, central ministries and departments, and sector skill councils (SSCs) to identify skill gaps and allocate PMKVY 4.0 targets accordingly. 'The prevalence of skill gaps and underutilisation of funds indicate that the awareness programme regarding the scheme has not reached the grassroots level,' the committee noted. Delays in PM Vishwakarma rollout The panel expressed concern over delays in implementing the PM Vishwakarma scheme in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, which have yet to set up monitoring and district implementation committees. 'The committee expresses concern and urges the ministry to pursue these states vigorously so that such committees are constituted expeditiously and the PM Vishwakarma Scheme is made applicable in all the States/UTs at the earliest,' the report said.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Parliament panel flags ‘slow pace' in setting up of skill labs in schools
A Parliamentary standing committee on Wednesday raised concerns over the 'slow pace' in setting up skill labs in schools under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship's (MSDE) Skill India programme, noting that only 858 labs in schools had been established till March 2025, short of the target to set up 1,200 labs by December 2024, despite all necessary equipment being delivered for 1,194 labs. Students of at a skill lab in a school in Ludhiana. (HT Photo) The Standing Committee on Labour, Textiles, and Skill Development, in its report on the MSDE's response to the 2024–25 budget recommendations, has asked the ministry to regularly follow up with relevant agencies to ensure the remaining 336 labs are set up within the next six months. The committee also asked the MSDE to ensure arrangements for delivery and setting up of equipment for six labs in Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh, which got delayed due to adverse weather conditions. Under its flagship scheme – SANKALP (Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion) – MSDE launched the project in June 2024 to establish two vocational skill labs each in 400 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) and 200 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) in line with the recommendations of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The aim of these labs is to equip students with practical, industry-relevant skills to support their school-to-work transition. A Request for Proposal (RFP) for the supply and installation of equipment was issued by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal in June 2024, and the contract was awarded in September 2024. The panel has also flagged concerns over the SANKALP scheme, citing underutilisation of funds, low placement rates, and slow progress on key targets. SANKALP, a World Bank-assisted, centrally sponsored scheme launched in 2018, is aimed at strengthening institutional mechanisms for skill development and enhancing access to quality training across the country. The parliamentary panel flagged key concerns in the implementation of the SANKALP scheme, noting that nearly ₹760 crore out of the ₹1,980 crore sanctioned remained unutilised, with states like Bihar and West Bengal using just 5% of their allocations, resulting in the completion of only 19 of the 65 projects under the national component. The panel also criticised the MSDE for poor placement outcomes – only 40% of trained candidates secured jobs, with some districts faring worse. It called for stronger industry linkages and more market-aligned training. The panel also expressed concern over the slow rollout of Skill India International Centres, with just 2 of the 30 centres announced in Budget 2023–24 made operational, and urged the ministry to fast-track the remaining centres within a set timeframe.
