Hyderabad, June 16 (PIB): The Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Jayant Chaudhary inaugurated the Kaushal Manthan Regional Workshop organised by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) at Kanha Shanti Vanam, Hyderabad today. Admiral D K Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, NM, VSM (Retd.), Hon’ble Lt. Governor, A&N Islands and Vice Chairman, Islands Development Agency also attended the workshop. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister called for a shift away from rigid, one-size-fits-all approaches in skilling. “Skill development cannot have prescriptive templates,” he said. “We must empower States to craft solutions that are rooted in their local economic contexts and aligned with the aspirations of their youth. Only then can we create meaningful impact and sustained transformation.”
Underscoring this vision for a more adaptive and responsive ecosystem, the Minister announced the establishment of two new Centres of Excellence—out of the five proposed nationwide—at National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) in Hyderabad and Chennai. These Centres will serve as national reference points for high-quality instructor training and specialised skilling aligned with emerging domains.
The Minister underscored the imperative for States to adopt a more strategic, outcome-oriented approach to skill development—one that is deeply aligned with the aspirations of India’s youth and the evolving demands of the economy.
The Minister directed that the CITS (Craft Instructor Training Scheme) certification be made mandatory for all newly recruited instructors, particularly in newly established ITIs across States. He emphasized that this requirement is critical to ensuring high-quality, standardized instruction across the country. To uphold instructional excellence and credibility, States were urged to revise their Recruitment Rules (RR) to align with NCVT norms, thereby institutionalizing CITS as a non-negotiable qualification. Uniform enforcement of this standard, the Minister noted, is essential to maintaining parity with national skilling benchmarks and delivering consistent training outcomes across the ecosystem.
Further, the Minister proposed the establishment of a robust grading and assessment framework for State-owned ITIs, to instill a culture of accountability, quality assurance, and performance-driven outcomes. He encouraged States to leverage platforms such as DISHA meetings to sensitize elected representatives about the role of skilling in economic development and social equity. Stronger industry linkages, aspirational positioning of vocational education, and language-based training for international mobility were identified as key enablers of a globally competitive workforce. Acknowledging the time-intensive nature of investing in youth, the Minister reaffirmed that such investments yield profound, long-term dividends—not just for the individual, but for the nation’s collective progress.