Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Opposition, Lok Sabha recently visited the United States of America and interacted with the students at Texas University where he talked about multiple issues related to unemployment and education.
Gandhi also touched upon the mindset and policies being rolled out for the skilling population in India. He said, “I think many people say that India has a problem with skills. I don’t think India has a problem with skills. I think India has a problem with respect for skills. India doesn’t respect people who possess skills.”
However, skill is something in the country that is deliberated on a large scale. India possesses the largest population along with a low literacy rate but it has a certain skill set that has been providing livelihood to people residing either in rural India or metropolitan cities.
What Data Is Saying?
Gandhi highlighted India’s issue of not valuing skill but on the other hand, entrepreneurship, skilling and startups are the top terms in the government. According to the data released by the government, 65 per cent of India’s fast-growing population is under 35, and many lack the skills needed by a modern economy. However, it must be noted that the percentage has improved from around 34 per cent to 51.3 per cent in the last decade.
Under the Union Budget 2024-25, a notable highlight was the announcement of a new centrally sponsored scheme under the Prime Minister’s package, in collaboration with state governments and industry. This scheme aims to skill 20 lakh youth over five years and upgrade 1,000 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
Additionally, the announcement was made to revise the Model Skill Loan Scheme to facilitate loans up to Rs 7.5 lakh with government-backed guarantees, which will benefit 25,000 students annually. For those ineligible for existing schemes, financial support for loans up to Rs 10 lakh for higher education in domestic institutions will be provided, with e-vouchers offering annual interest subvention of 3 per cent for one lakh students each year.
This revised Model Skill Loan scheme was launched by the Minister of State (I/C), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Jayant Chaudhary on 25th July 2024.
Organisations And Policies
Aiming to employ the young population, the present government initiated the idea of ‘Skill India’ and added the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to the government structure. Apart from the ministry, other semi-government organisations like the National Development Skill Corporation and the National Skill Development Agency are functioning to ensure skilled citizen irrespective of their educational qualification.
The government also rolled out policies like Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana which has successfully trained 1.42 crore individuals, with 1.13 crore receiving certification across its Short-term Training (STT), Special Projects (SP), and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) components.
India Doesn’t Respect Skill?
India which is known for its traditional skills is operating the economy on the fundamental level. Right from potter to farmer, the traditional skill of India was popular and truly an economic activity. In the modern time of startups, these skills are institutionalised in an organisation and making money. Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) is one such policy of the government to encourage traditional crafts. The Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) plays a crucial role in vocational training across India, facilitated through a vast network of 14,955 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). Particularly noteworthy is the increasing participation of women in long-term skilling programs within ITIs and National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs), rising from 9.8 per cent in FY16 to 13.3 per cent in FY24.
