The Ministry of Rural Development organized a two-day National Level Review Meeting of Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETI) Stakeholders in Shillong, Meghalaya, in association with the Government of Meghalaya and the National Academy of RSETI (NAR). The meeting brought together senior officials from the Ministry, State Governments, State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs), sponsoring banks, NAR, and RSETI functionaries to review physical and financial progress at the mid-point of the financial year and develop strategies for the remaining two quarters.
RSETI is a flagship program implemented through a three-way partnership between the Ministry of Rural Development, State/UT Governments, and sponsoring banks, with a mandate to establish an RSETI in every district. Since its inception in January 2009, the program has achieved a national footprint of 647 RSETIs covering 634 districts. Approximately 64 lakh persons have been trained under the program, with about 72% successfully settled into employment or entrepreneurship. Notably, 46 lakh women have been trained, representing about 72% of total trained beneficiaries.
Secretary Shri Rohit Kansal emphasized that the RSETI approach goes beyond conventional credit linkage and priority-sector lending by creating an integrated ecosystem where training, handholding, entrepreneurship, and access to credit are combined to support sustainable livelihood outcomes. He identified five key priorities: improving credit linkages, modernizing and improving courses offered, enhancing trainer quality, developing modern model RSETIs, and achieving complete digital transformation with effective use of Artificial Intelligence.
The Secretary noted that around 65% of trainees are concentrated in a limited set of courses and called for a review of the course basket to include emerging sectors such as AI, digital and mobile technologies, automobiles, and tourism. He also highlighted opportunities in the international labor market for nursing, caregiving, plumbing, and foreign-language skills. On mobilization, he emphasized that RSETI courses should be attractive enough that rural youth seek them out voluntarily.
Shri S. Sasikumar, Joint Secretary (Rural Skills), described RSETI as one of the country's longest-running and most successful skill development programs and a 100% centrally sponsored scheme. He highlighted its growing role as a convergence platform for training under various Government schemes. The Ministry is considering an expanded training portfolio including emerging technologies, Rural Business Incubation Centres, Enterprise Mentoring Cells, partnerships with local industries, a National RSETI Alumni Meet, common branding of trainees' products, and structured post-training handholding.
The meeting included bank-wise presentations by respective bankers and state-wise presentations jointly delivered by State Directors/State Controllers of RSETIs and National Officers of SRLMs. Sessions covered the Ministry's observations, discussions on best practices, and targets for the remaining quarters of the current year and the next year. RSETI beneficiaries shared success stories demonstrating how the training helped them become self-employed and build sustainable livelihoods. The Secretary urged participants to treat the program as a form of seva (service) and assured States that regular consultations would continue with genuine challenges addressed through reforms and simplified processes.