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.

Proposals under NSDMA

Sub-mission on industrial training:

• Setting up of 1,500 new ITIs in districts with uncovered blocks in PPP mode; Govt support through viability gap funding (Rs1,500 cr)

• 50,000 Skill Development Centres in PPP mode (Rs 2,000 cr)

• Rs 8,500 p a as scholarships for 25 lakh students (Rs 2,000 cr) Sub-mission on polytechnics:

• Establishment of 125 new polytechnics in unserved districts (Rs 1,125 cr)

• 580 new community polytechnics (Rs 580 cr)

• Women’s hostel in 500 polytechnics (Rs 500 cr) Sub-mission on vocationalisation of education:

• Introduction of vocational education in new 10,000 secondary schools (Rs 1,000 cr)

• 210 additional community colleges run by NGOs (Rs 100 cr) Sub-Mission on the unorganised sector:

• Organised training for 25 lakh BPL rural BPL youths with training cost at Rs 7,500 per head (Rs 1,875 crore)

• Urban skill and employability programme (Rs 2,500 crore)

• Skill building and economic assistance (Rs 3,000 crore)