The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) successfully organized a two-day Coordinators' Conclave-cum-Meeting of the Monitoring Committee for the First Year of Phase III (2025–30) under the CSIR Integrated Skill Initiative on August 6-7, 2026, at CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory in Pune. The event was hosted by CSIR-Human Resource Development Centre (CSIR-HRDC), Ghaziabad, in association with CSIR-NCL, Pune, serving as a platform to review progress during the first year of Phase III, facilitate knowledge exchange among participating laboratories, and strengthen collaborative efforts for program implementation.
The conclave featured presentations from Skill Nodal Coordinators from all 37 participating CSIR laboratories, who presented annual progress reports covering programs conducted, trainee outreach, innovative initiatives, challenges encountered, and future action plans. The Monitoring Committee, comprising Dr. Mohana Krishna Reddy Mudiam (Director, IPFT, and Chairman), Shri N. Ramesh Babu (Director, MSDE), Ms. Anju Bajaj (Joint Secretary, Delhi Productivity Council), Dr. Arvind Kumar (Professor, J. C. Bose University), and Mr. Anshul Saxena (Vice President, LSSSDC), conducted a comprehensive assessment of implementation status across laboratories.
Key officials emphasized the initiative's significance, with Dr. Vinay Kumar highlighting its role in creating a nationwide skill development ecosystem for nurturing industry-ready talent, while Dr. Ashish Lele noted CSIR's unique position to contribute to the Skill India Mission through its extensive laboratory network and scientific expertise. Dr. Mudiam outlined five key priority pillars to guide the initiative toward building a robust, future-ready, and industry-aligned skill development ecosystem.
The second day featured technical sessions on industry-academia collaboration opportunities with the Life Sciences Sector Skill Development Council and project planning and budget management focused on effective planning, financial resource optimization, and monitoring. The conclave concluded with open discussions where Skill Nodal Officers shared experiences and suggestions for strengthening the initiative, ultimately reinforcing coordination among CSIR laboratories and identifying key strategies for enhancing the program's reach, quality, and impact.