New Age Skills for India becoming Global Skill Capital

The central government has just launched the third phase of its flagship skilling scheme Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY 3.0) in a bid to empower the country’s youth with employable skills by making over 300 skill courses available to them.

PMKVY 3.0 envisages training 8 lakh candidates over the scheme period of 2020- 2021 with an outlay of Rs 948.90 crore.

It may be noted that Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) implemented by National Skill Development Corporation.

The objective of this Skill Certification Scheme is to enable a large number of Indian youth to take up industry-relevant skill training that will help them in securing a better livelihood. Individuals with prior learning experience or skills are assessed and certified under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

This scheme was introduced by the Government on 15th July, 2015. At the time of its introduction, the scheme had a target to cover 24 lakh persons with training of 14 lakh fresh entrants and certification of 10 lakh persons under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). In its two phases over the last five years, PMKVY has benefitted many young men and women in either finding jobs or engaging in their own start-ups.

Considered to be world’s biggest skill development programme that covered more than 500 skill trades like electrician, plumber, heavy truck driver, beautician, salesman, motor mechanic, robotic instructor, career counsellor, etc., it encourages the youth to enrol themselves with PMKVY affiliated Training Partners (visit www.pmkvyofficial.org to find a training centre near you or give a missed call to 088000-55555).

The third phase of the scheme(PMKVY 3.0 ) is designed towards making skill development more demand-driven and decentralised in its approach, with focus on digital technology and Industry 4.0 skills.

In the third phase, District Skill Committees (DSCs), under the guidance of State Skill Development Missions (SSDM), shall play a key role in addressing the skill gap and assessing demand at the district level.

“Launched in 717 districts, 28 states/8 UTs, PMKVY 3.0 marks yet another step towards ‘Atmnanirbhar Bharat’. PMKVY 3.0 will be implemented in a more decentralized structure with greater responsibilities and support from states/UTs and districts,” the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has said.

While the National Educational Policy puts focus on vocational training for a holistic growth and increased employability, the role of PMKVY 3.0 will be of a propagator of vocational education at an early level for youth to capitalize on industry-linked opportunities, it added. The new scheme will be more trainee- and learner-centric addressing the ambitions of aspirational Bharat, the ministry stated.

PMKVY 2.0 broadened the skill development with inclusion of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and focus on training. With the advent of PMKVY 3.0, the focus is on bridging the demand-supply gap by promoting skill development in areas of new-age and Industry 4.0 job roles,” it said.

According to Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Mahendra Nath Pandey, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘vocal for local’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ can only be achieved by furthering the skilling ecosystem to the district level. “As a young nation, we’re poised to seize the opportunities that will make India the skill capital of the World. By taking the bottom-up approach to training, PMKVY 3.0 will identify job roles that have demand at the local level and skill the youth, linking them to these opportunities,” the minister said.

Pandey observed that the increased role of district administrations and Members of Parliament in mentoring and monitoring the training programs under the schemes will bring in greater local connect. “PMKVY 3.0 will encourage healthy competition between states by making available increased allocation to those states that perform better,” he added.

According to Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship R K Singh, skilling is not an objective, but a necessary prerequisite for the economic growth of the country. “We need to move with speed and scale if we have to full the vision of making India the skill capital of the world and from there, the industrial capital of the world,” he says.