Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s announcement of a four-fold increase in the skilled manpower training capacity of the country is likely to involve an investment of over Rs 15,000 crore from the Government and the private sector put together. The “ready to be launched” Vocational Education Mission includes 1,600 new industrial training institutes (ITIs) and polytechnics, 10,000 new vocational schools and 50,000 new Skill Development Centres.

This is part of a Rs 27,615 crore National Skill Development Mission (NSDM) plan being prepared by the Planning Commission to provide skilled and productive workforce to Indian companies to make them globally competitive.

Being prepared in consultation with different ministries and industry for the 11th Plan period, the NSDM proposes to consist of four sub-missions —industrial training, polytechnics, vocationalisation of secondary education, and another for the unorganised sector— each catering to different streams of workforce entrants to train more than 10 million people every year. “We will seek help of the private sector in this initiative, so that they not only assist in training but also lend a hand in providing employment,” said the Prime Minister in his Independence Day address.

The mission will adopt a strategy to impart “demand-driven” and “practice-oriented” skills to keep the initiative “in sync” with the changing market.

A National Skill Development Fund will also be created to “direct funds to the most-effective providers” and “re-direct funds away from ineffective providers”. The Central assistance will come in the form of grants, subsidies and fee vouchers for weaker sections.

The initiative is proposed to be administered by a mega authority — a National Skill Development Mission Authority — that will synergise the efforts of stakeholders in the vocational education system.

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