MSDE Launches New Skill Development Initiatives on World Youth Skills Day 2026
New Delhi: The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) marked World Youth Skills Day 2026 by announcing a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening India’s skill development ecosystem and preparing young people for future employment opportunities.
Speaking at the event held at Kaushal Bhawan in New Delhi, Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, said continuous learning, adaptability and innovation would be essential for the future workforce.
“The future belongs to those who continue to learn, adapt and innovate. India’s youth must be prepared not only for today’s jobs but also for tomorrow’s opportunities,” the Minister said.
He emphasised that skill development should be viewed as a lifelong process and highlighted the role of IndiaSkills, Centres of Excellence, apprenticeships and stronger industry partnerships in expanding employment opportunities. He also stressed the need to encourage greater participation of women in non-traditional sectors.
During the programme, the Ministry released the IndiaSkills Competition 2026–27 Guidelines, outlining the roadmap for the national skills competition across 63 industry-relevant skill categories. Registrations for the competition have been opened through the Skill India Digital Hub.
The WorldSkills India Champions Club was also launched to bring together former IndiaSkills and WorldSkills winners as mentors for aspiring participants and to promote vocational excellence.
The event recognised India’s medal winners at the Global Skills Challenge Australia 2026 and the Taipei Capital Cup 2026, where Indian participants secured a combined total of three gold medals, three silver medals, one bronze medal and three merit awards.
MSDE also unveiled new Guidelines for the Creation of Centres of Excellence under Skill India, aimed at establishing industry-aligned training centres equipped with modern infrastructure, advanced technologies and stronger industry partnerships.
A new Training Programme for Multi-Skilled Caregivers under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) was announced in line with the Union Budget 2026–27. The initiative aims to train 1.5 lakh caregiving professionals, including 1.3 lakh candidates through the MSDE ecosystem, to support healthcare, geriatric and home-based care services while creating additional employment opportunities, particularly for women and youth.
The Ministry also announced the extension of the Pilot Project for Apprenticeship Engagement under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) in the North Eastern Region to expand workplace-based learning and strengthen industry participation.
Addressing the gathering, Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, MSDE, said the Skill India Mission had evolved into a nationwide ecosystem over the past 11 years through collaboration with states, industries and training institutions, benefiting more than six crore youth. She said future efforts would focus on improving the quality, relevance and outcomes of skill development programmes while ensuring greater participation of women.
As part of the event, MSDE announced the formation of a Committee on Gender Mainstreaming to promote women-led development across the skilling ecosystem. The committee will focus on improving access to training, apprenticeships, employment, mobility, placements, retention and career progression for women.
The Ministry also announced that entries for a Best Practices Compendium on Skilling and Employment for Women will open from July 20, 2026. The initiative will document successful models that have improved women’s participation in skills development, employment and entrepreneurship.
Another key announcement was the proposed Skills Outcomes Fund, an outcome-based financing platform of approximately ₹530 crore. The fund will combine government support, CSR contributions and philanthropic funding to provide industry-aligned skill development and livelihood opportunities for more than two lakh young people.
An MoU was exchanged between MSDE and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to establish the fund within NSDC. A second MoU between NSDC and the British Asian India Foundation was signed for developing the India Skills Outcomes Platform. Funding under the initiative will be linked to independently verified milestones such as certification, placement and retention.
The event also unveiled the design of the proposed sculpture titled “Skilled India, Empowered India – A Collective Growth Story,” which will be installed at Kaushal Bhawan to recognise the contributions of artisans, workers, professionals, innovators and entrepreneurs.
In addition, women trainees from the Chaudhary Ajit Singh Centre of Excellence for Design and Fashion Technology in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, were felicitated after completing advanced training as sewing machine operators through industry-aligned programmes incorporating modern technologies, AI-based learning and advanced manufacturing practices.
The programme was attended by Dilip Kumar, Director General, Directorate General of Training (DGT); Niranjan Kumar Sudhanshu, Additional Secretary, MSDE; Manisha Sensarma, Senior Economic Adviser, MSDE; Arunkumar Pillai, Chief Executive Officer, NSDC; along with industry representatives, State Skill Missions, Sector Skill Councils, training partners, WorldSkills champions and learners.
