Skill India

Introduction

India is passing through the phase of demographic transition which could be the biggest opportunity or the biggest concern of the country depending upon the utilization of its huge work force. India adds 12 million people to its workforce annually, but very few have any formal skill training. Today, less than four per cent of the Indian workforce is skilled, in contrast to the 42 per cent in US, 76 per cent in Germany, 80 per cent in Japan and 96 per cent in South Korea. Our workforce readiness is one of the lowest in the world and a large chunk of existing training Infrastructure-2/”>INFRASTRUCTURE is irrelevant to Industry needs. Without proper skills this huge youth Population would be a demographic liability instead of demographic dividend, However, this could change if we reach out to more people with quality Learning opportunities, revamp our existing infrastructure and execute plans more efficiently by making better use of monetary and resource support available.Skills and knowledge are the driving forces of economic Growth and social development for any country. Countries with higher and better levels of skills adjust more effectively to the challenges and opportunities of world of work. India is facing several skill development issues which are hampering its’ progress & economic growth

Objectives of ‘Skill India’

The main goal is to create opportunities, space and scope for the development of the talents of the Indian youth and to develop more of those sectors which have already been put under skill development for the last so many years and also to identify new sectors for skill development. The new programme aims at providing training and skill development to 500 million youth of our country by 2020, covering each and every village. Various schemes are also proposed to achieve this objective.

HIGHLIGHTS

Based on formal skilling data for working age population from NSSO (68th Round)2011-12, it is estimated that only 4.69% of the total workforce in India has undergone formal skill training as compared to 68% in UK, 75% in Germany, 52% in USA, 80% in Japan and 96% in South Korea.
India presently faces a dual challenge of paucity of highly trained workforce, as well as nonemployability of large sections of the conventionally educated youth, who possess little or no job skills.
According to 68th round survey of the NSSO (2011-12), about 68% of graduates, 52% of post-graduate degree holders and 51% of graduate or post-graduate diploma holders were unemployed.
According to a 2017 World Bank report ‘Skilling India’, more than 12 million youth in the age group 15 and 29 are expected to enter India’s workforce every year in the next two decades.
A 2018 World Economic Forum report ranked India at 103 (out of 130 countries) in terms of prepared of talent.
By 2026, 64% of the population is expected to be in the age bracket of 15 to 59 years; and 13% above the age of 60.
As per the Economic Survey of India 2017 report released by the OECD, over 30% of youth aged 15-29 years in India are NEETs (not in Education, EMPLOYMENT or training).
According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian economy (CMIE) data (figure below), number of the unemployed youth that is seeking jobs has fallen – leading to the phenomenon of voluntary Unemployment (see image ‘Dwindling numbers’).

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT

National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (NPSDE) 2015: o It sets the target at skilling 300 million people by 2022.
Special focus on skill development and entrepreneurship programmes for Women and Equity.
Institutions such as the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and the Industr National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) (it is set up as a Society), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) (it is a Public Private PARTNERSHIP Company – Section 25 under Companies Act 1956) and the Directorate General of Training (DGT) under the Skill India mission:
NSDC and Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) exist in partnership with the industry o NSDC has the mandate of designing standards for skill development o NOSs and QPs are laid down by the SSC with the participation of the industry
Skill Development Missions, set up by all states
Adoption of National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF)
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY): aims to skill 2.4 million people in diverse trades within a year
Other schemes: SANKALP, UDAAN, STAR (Standard Training Assessment and Reward).

Issues in implementation of Skill India Mission:

The targets allocated to them were very high and without regard to any sectoral requirement. Everybody was chasing numbers without providing employment to the youth or meeting sectoral industry needs.
No evaluation was conducted of PMKVY 2015 (the first version of the scheme) to find out the outcomes of the scheme and whether it was serving the twin purpose of providing employment to youth and meeting the skill needs of the industry before launching such an ambitious scheme.
The focus of PMKVY has been largely on the short-term skill courses, resulting in low placements. There has been an over emphasis on this scheme and hence it is seen as the answer to all skill-related issues.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) have pointed out flaws in the design and operations of the NSDC and National Skill Development Fund which has resulted in falling short of skill development goals. Majority of them also could not achieve the placement targets for the trained persons.
The Sharada Prasad Committee, held the NSDC responsible for poor implementation of the Standard Training Assessment and Reward (STAR) programme. It highlighted that only 8.5 per cent of the persons trained were able to get employment. That is what has been claimed by NSDC.
The government report has found fault with the STAR scheme on several counts. STAR offered school dropouts financial incentives to acquire new skills, but the report said that “of those who got their results, only 24% have received certificates and less than 18% have received monetary rewards. This is despite the fact that 80% candidates reported having bank accounts, and 91.3% stated they had Aadhaar numbers”.
The Report also CITES “serious conflict of interests” in the functioning of the National Skill Development Corporation.
NSDC has not been able to discharge its responsibilities for setting up sector skill councils (SSCs) owing to lots of instances of serious conflict of interest and unethical practices.
As per its original mandate, the NSDC should be mobilizing Resources for skill development from the industry, financial institutions, multilateral and bilateral external aid agencies, Private Equity providers and ministries and departments of the central government and states. But the committee said found that the NSDC did not follow any standard criteria for creation of SSCs which not only increased their number but created overlapping jurisdictions.
Another concern that arose was that the targets allocated to them were very high and without regard to any sectoral requirement. Everybody was chasing numbers without providing employment to the youth or meeting sectoral industry needs.
There have been apprehensions on how many of the 11.7 million trained in the past two years are really in jobs.

WAY FORWARD

NITI Aayog’s programme ‘Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital’ (SATH) is the much need intervention to harvest the demographic dividend
Establishment of National Skills University will help in addressing the false perception of society with Vocational Education and setting up higher standards of skill
Partnership with the industry experts is needed for creation of a pool of trainers and instructors
Technology should be exploited to expand the reach of skilling programmes and institutes
Mechanism to harness the Non-resident Indian (NRI) talent pool for mentorship, skill development and expertise (as recommended by Tarun Khanna-headed Expert Committee on Innovation & Entrepreneurship) are being worked upon e.g. VAJRA

Availability of Skilled Human Resources in India

Skilling the youth is the new buzzword in the government, and all the experts agree that it clearly needs a more skilled approach to implement what has been drawn up in a policy paper. It was roughly a year ago the government rejigged the UPA’s Skill India policy to announce the National Skill Development Mission with a mandate to train 300 million Indians by 2022.

The good news is the programme has been chugging along. But it requires a substantial amount of tweaking to actively push towards the goals.

The task, no doubt, is a humongous one. The government has estimated an incremental requirement of 110 million additional skilled personnel across 24 sectors, with the highest demand coming in from sectors such as retail, security, real estate, transport, beauty, Health and wellness.

These numbers may Sound overawing but is not surprising considering the demographic reality of the country. As much as 50 per cent of the population is below 27 years and 700 million in this age group will constitute part of the national population in 2020. That means that the task at hand cannot be taken lightly as a routine work in progress.

It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who drew up the broad contours of the Skill Development Mission last year. Envisaging India as the “world’s human resource capital” he said that the country should ready itself to replace the diminishing workforce in other countries. This means we must ready our human resources to cater to the global market and that necessarily entails a greater Stress on the quality of training imparted.

Towards that goal the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, skill loan scheme and the national policy for skill development and entrepreneurship 2015 were launched. In all, 25 organisations including key ministries are currently involved in the daunting task of skilling youth for jobs. Their effort seems more visible in rural India dominated by youth with less educational qualifications and very few jobs going around. In urban slums, awareness about the programme is limited and the youth still seem to be looking around for skilling opportunities.

A skilling mission of this scale and magnitude is bound to have its share of teething troubles. Though there has been an effort to converge all the government projects under an umbrella, there is also need to standardise on quality, inputs and outcomes.

For that stringent standard operating procedures need to be put in place. Some organisations have them, but most do not. Till uniform standards are established, the mission may not gain the required acceleration although those associated with it are confident that the required correctives will be incorporated sooner than later.

According to experts, the mission faces many challenges. One of the major concerns has been the high drop-out rate among trained candidates — which is close to 70 per cent. It has been observed that though trained for three months, of which the last month is on-the-job orientation, and provided employment in industrial townships or metros, candidates from the hinterland tend to return home, intimidated by urban culture and expectations.

Keeping them

To reverse this trend, some steps have been taken. For instance, on April 1, the government issued Common Norms for all skilling programmes, which according to programme implementing agencies (PIAs) may help the situation to an extent, though it is too early to tell whether these are effective enough.

Under the Common Norms, PIAs are now offered an incentive up to ₹3,000 per candidate if he or she retains a job for over 12 months and ₹5,000 per candidate for progression to a salary of ₹15,000 per month. One-third of the incentive paid to the PIA goes to the candidate in addition to his or her salary.

To help candidates retain jobs, the PIAs seem to have formulated their own methods. They persuade companies to hire in batches from the same training centre to cut costs and increase support and safety of candidates. Skilled migrants are also helped with accommodation and encouraged to live together to enhance the sense of camaraderie.

I saw the PIA intervention at work when I interacted with three sales assistants in HyperCITY, a department store in Noida. The sisters Baghe — Anita and Banita — and their friend Rupali Samal all hail from Odisha’s Koraput district. They were trained at a centre in Bhubaneshwar and joined work seven months ago.

Though placed in different sections of the store, they keep common working hours, live, cook and travel together to and fro from work. They share the rent of the room where they stay and pitch in with all the domestic chores.

Every few months they send home a few thousand rupees, spending only a fraction of the over ₹7,000 they earn per month. They even mange to put aside a small sum in their bank accounts. “It is our first job and our first time here in the big city. But because we have each other, it is easier to cope,” Rupali says. From a single parent family she had to persuade her mother to allow her to go to distant Delhi.

Recently, the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) introduced a Migration support framework to address homesickness and cultural alienation. This may be a good strategy. It has envisaged migration support centres in every State that will serve as “a home away from home” for the recruits. State governments are also supported with a fund of ₹10 lakh per centre per annum.

Apart from the high dropout rate, the Skilling India initiative has another impediment. It has not been able to create a buzz about itself. Nor has it excited the industry enough for its candidates to be picked up on a priority basis.

There are still questions being asked about the quality of some of the training being imparted. To make its mark, the programme needs to not only scale up but adhere to international benchmarks and build a better skilling reputation.

Skill India is a flagship program of the Government of India launched in 2015 with the objective of skilling 400 million people by 2022. The program aims to provide training in various skills to youth and adults across the country, in order to make them employable and self-reliant.

The program is implemented by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) through a Network of training providers, including government institutions, private training institutes, and industry bodies. The program offers a wide range of training courses in different sectors, such as manufacturing, IT/ITES, healthcare, hospitality, and retail.

Skill India is one of the largest skill development initiatives in the world. The program has been successful in providing training to millions of people across the country. In 2017, the program had trained over 10 million people, and by 2018, it had trained over 20 million people. The program has also been successful in creating employment opportunities for its trainees. In 2017, the program had helped over 5 million people find employment, and by 2018, it had helped over 10 million people find employment.

Skill India has been recognized for its achievements at the international level. In 2017, the program was awarded the United Nations Public Service Award for Excellence in Innovation. The program has also been praised by the World Bank, the International Labour Organization, and the Asian Development Bank.

Skill India is a transformative program that is changing the lives of millions of people in India. The program is providing training and employment opportunities to youth and adults, and is helping to build a skilled workforce in the country.

Here are some of the key initiatives under Skill India:

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY): PMKVY is a flagship skill development scheme of the Government of India. The scheme aims to provide training to 10 million people in various skills over a period of three years. The scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) through a network of training providers, including government institutions, private training institutes, and industry bodies.
National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC): NSDC is a public-private partnership (PPP) company set up by the Government of India to promote skill development in the country. The company has a mandate to provide training to 500 million people by 2022. NSDC works with a network of training providers, including government institutions, private training institutes, and industry bodies.
Sector Skill Councils (SSCs): SSCs are industry-led bodies that are responsible for developing and implementing skill development programs in specific sectors. The SSCs are set up by the NSDC and work with a network of training providers, including government institutions, private training institutes, and industry bodies.
State Skill Development Missions (SSDMs): SSDMs are state-level bodies that are responsible for implementing skill development programs in their respective states. The SSDMs are set up by the governments of the states and work with a network of training providers, including government institutions, private training institutes, and industry bodies.
Common Service Centers (CSCs): CSCs are one-stop service centers that provide a range of government and private Services to citizens. The CSCs are also used for providing skill development training to citizens.
Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs): ITIs are government-run technical training institutes that provide training in various trades. The ITIs are affiliated to the National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT).
Polytechnics: Polytechnics are government-run technical colleges that provide training in various engineering and technology courses. The polytechnics are affiliated to the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
Universities: Universities are higher education institutions that provide undergraduate and postgraduate courses in various disciplines. Some universities also offer skill development courses.
Colleges: Colleges are higher education institutions that provide undergraduate courses in various disciplines. Some colleges also offer skill development courses.
Training Providers: Training providers are organizations that provide skill development training to individuals and groups. The training providers can be government institutions, private training institutes, or industry bodies.
Apprenticeship: Apprenticeship is a training program in which a trainee works under the supervision of a skilled worker and learns the skills required for a particular trade or occupation. Apprenticeship is regulated by the Apprenticeship Act, 1961.
Online Training: Online training is a type of training that is delivered through the Internet. Online training can be used to provide training on a variety of topics, including soft skills, technical skills, and business skills.
Mobile Training: Mobile training is a type of training that is delivered through mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. Mobile training can be used to provide training on a variety of topics, including soft skills, technical skills,

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the ability of a computer or machine to mimic the capabilities of a human brain. This includes learning from experience, solving problems, and making decisions.

What are the different types of AI?

There are many different types of AI, but some of the most common include:

Machine learning: This is a type of AI that allows computers to learn from data without being explicitly programmed.
Natural language processing: This is a type of AI that allows computers to understand and process human language.
Computer vision: This is a type of AI that allows computers to see and understand the world around them.
Robotics: This is a type of AI that allows computers to control robots.

What are the benefits of AI?

AI has many potential benefits, including:

Improved efficiency: AI can be used to automate tasks that are currently done by humans, which can lead to improved efficiency and productivity.
Better decision-making: AI can be used to analyze data and make decisions that are more accurate and informed than those made by humans.
Personalized experiences: AI can be used to create personalized experiences for users, such as recommending products or services that they are likely to be interested in.

What are the risks of AI?

AI also has some potential risks, including:

Job displacement: As AI becomes more sophisticated, it is possible that it will displace some human jobs.
Bias: AI systems can be biased, which can lead to discrimination against certain groups of people.
Loss of control: AI systems can become so complex that it is difficult for humans to understand how they work, which could lead to a loss of control over these systems.

What is the future of AI?

The future of AI is uncertain, but it is likely that AI will continue to grow in sophistication and impact. It is possible that AI will eventually surpass human intelligence, which could have a profound impact on society.

What is Machine Learning?

Machine learning is a type of artificial intelligence (AI) that allows computers to learn without being explicitly programmed. In other words, machine learning algorithms can learn from data and improve their performance over time without being explicitly told how to do so.

Machine learning is used in a wide variety of applications, including spam filtering, web search engines, and fraud detection. It is also used in more specialized applications, such as self-driving cars and medical diagnosis.

What are the different types of machine learning?

There are many different types of machine learning algorithms, but some of the most common include:

Supervised learning: In supervised learning, the algorithm is trained on a set of data that includes both the input data and the desired output. The algorithm then learns to map the input data to the output data.
Unsupervised learning: In unsupervised learning, the algorithm is not given any labeled data. Instead, it must learn to find patterns in the data on its own.
Reinforcement learning: In reinforcement learning, the algorithm learns to take actions in an Environment in order to maximize a reward. The algorithm is not given any labeled data, but it learns from trial and error.

What are the benefits of machine learning?

Machine learning has many potential benefits, including:

Improved efficiency: Machine learning can be used to automate tasks that are currently done by humans, which can lead to improved efficiency and productivity.
Better decision-making: Machine learning can be used to analyze data and make decisions that are more accurate and informed than those made by humans.
Personalized experiences: Machine learning can be used to create personalized experiences for users, such as recommending products or services that they are likely to be interested in.

What are the risks of machine learning?

Machine learning also has some potential risks, including:

Job displacement: As machine learning becomes more sophisticated, it is possible that it will displace some human jobs.
Bias: Machine learning systems can be biased, which can lead to discrimination against certain groups of people.
Loss of control: Machine learning systems can become so complex that it is difficult for humans to understand how they work, which could lead to a loss of control over these systems.

What is the future of machine learning?

The future of machine learning is uncertain, but it is likely that machine learning will continue to grow in sophistication and impact. It is possible that machine learning will eventually surpass human intelligence, which could have a profound impact on society.

1. Which of the following is not a type of skill?
(A) Hard skill
(B) Soft skill
(C) Life skill
(D) Skill India

2. Which of the following is not a benefit of having skills?
(A) Increased earning potential
(B) Improved job satisfaction
(C) Increased productivity
(D) Skill India

3. Which of the following is not a way to improve your skills?
(A) Take courses
(B) Get a mentor
(C) Practice
(D) Skill India

4. Which of the following is not a government initiative to promote skill development?
(A) Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana
(B) National Skill Development Corporation
(C) Skill India
(D) None of the above

5. Which of the following is not a skill that is in demand in the job market?
(A) Programming
(B) Data analysis
(C) Artificial intelligence
(D) Skill India

6. Which of the following is not a way to find a job?
(A) Apply online
(B) Network with people in your field
(C) Attend job fairs
(D) Skill India

7. Which of the following is not a way to negotiate a salary?
(A) Do your research
(B) Be confident
(C) Be prepared to walk away
(D) Skill India

8. Which of the following is not a way to manage your finances?
(A) Create a budget
(B) Pay your bills on time
(C) Save Money
(D) Skill India

9. Which of the following is not a way to invest your money?
(A) Stocks
(B) Bonds
(C) Mutual Funds
(D) Skill India

10. Which of the following is not a way to start your own business?
(A) Come up with a business idea
(B) Create a business plan
(C) Get funding
(D) Skill India**