MSDE’s recent skill development policy has been a significant move. It has helped rationalise the entire spectrum of skill development processes and systems including inputs, outputs, funding, cost norms, third party certification and assessment, monitoring/tracking mechanisms, and empanelment of training providers.

The Ministry’s first step was to connect the different elements of the ecosystem together. Two verticals from DGT (Training and Apprenticeship), were transferred to MSDE in April 2015. Further, two major Entrepreneurship Development Institutes, were also shifted under MSDE, from the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises.

With the bulk of Skill training and Entrepreneurship efforts now firmly under its ambit, MSDE made three crucial policy interventions, focussed on articulating an overarching vision for skill development in India, and ensure coordination, coherence and consistency of all skill training efforts across the country.

A Clear Policy Framework for Skilling was established for the first time in India

• India’s First National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015 created to rejuvenate India’s skill ecosystem

• India’s first National Skill Development Mission launched in July 2015 to coordinate and Scale up Skilling Efforts

• Common Norms for skill development schemes across India notified to ensure standardisation

• Operationalization of National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) in progress