Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Launches SARTHI Taskforce for ITI Transformation
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) convened the first meeting of SARTHI (Strategic Advisory and Reforms Taskforce for Holistic ITI Transformation) on June 12, 2026, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Chaired by Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, the meeting marked a landmark effort to strengthen India's vocational training ecosystem and institutionalize long-term reforms across Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
SARTHI has been established as an apex advisory platform under the Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) to enable structured engagement among stakeholders and support evidence-based policy deliberations for strengthening ITIs across the country. The meeting included participation from ministers from various states including Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore (Minister of Industries & Commerce, Information Technology & Communication, Youth Affairs & Sports, Skills, Employment & Entrepreneurship and Soldier Welfare Department, Government of Rajasthan), Shri Kunvarjibhai Bavaliya (Minister for Labour, Skill Development & Employment and Rural Development, Government of Gujarat), Dr. G Vivek Venkatswamy (Minister for Labour, Employment, Training, Factories and Mines & Geology, Government of Telangana), and Shri Kapil Dev Agarwal (Minister of State (Independent Charge), Vocational Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh), along with senior government officials and stakeholders from the skilling ecosystem.
During the meeting, members deliberated on a broad range of themes aimed at strengthening the quality, accessibility and responsiveness of the ITI ecosystem to emerging workforce and industry requirements. Discussions covered approaches to improving institutional performance and quality assurance, promoting excellence and learner engagement, strengthening assessment processes, and leveraging technology to improve efficiency and transparency. Members also exchanged views on increasing women's participation in vocational education, expanding access through innovative delivery models, and creating stronger pathways between education, skilling and employment. Deliberations further focused on enhancing practical learning, promoting innovation and entrepreneurship, strengthening industry engagement, and improving institutional governance mechanisms within ITIs.
Shri Jayant Chaudhary emphasized that SARTHI reflects the collective commitment to reimagining vocational education and building an ITI ecosystem that is more dynamic, aspirational and aligned with the opportunities of a changing India. He stated that the objective is to connect reform efforts across states, enable shared learning, and help successful models scale across India, with a focus on translating policy into implementation at scale and ensuring every young person has access to high-quality, future-ready opportunities as India moves towards the vision of Viksit Bharat.
The meeting was attended by Smt. Debashree Mukherjee (Secretary, MSDE), Shri Dilip Kumar (Director General (Training), Directorate General of Training), Smt. Archana Mayaram (Economic Advisor, MSDE), Shri M. Subramanian (Joint Secretary, MSDE), Prof. (Dr.) Ashok Kumar Gaba (Executive Member, NCVET), along with other senior officials from MSDE, Ministry of Labour and Employment, State Governments, DGT, NCVET, NSDC, UGC, and Skill Universities.