The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) convened the 'Kaushal Manthan' Regional Conference of Skill Ministers in Kolkata on August 17, 2026, bringing together ministers and senior officers from participating States and Union Territories to strengthen Centre-State coordination and advance an industry-connected, outcome-oriented skilling ecosystem. The conference was chaired by Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, with participation from West Bengal, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Goa, Jharkhand, and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
Shri Jayant Chaudhary emphasized transforming ITIs into industry-responsive institutions through the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) Scheme, which should be implemented as comprehensive institutional reform. He encouraged States to align PM-SETU clusters with priority economic value chains, industrial corridors, MSME concentrations, emerging technologies, and upcoming investments. The minister noted that over 2.10 lakh learners had enrolled under SOAR (Skilling for AI Readiness) by July 16, 2026, stressing that AI learning must reach schools, ITIs, and skill centers across districts.
States deliberated on ITI transformation, district-level planning, industry participation, integration of vocational and mainstream education, employability, entrepreneurship, inclusion, and workforce mobility. They emphasized aligning skilling interventions with State economic priorities while maintaining common national standards for curriculum, assessment, certification, and outcomes. Apprenticeship was recognized as an important bridge between institutional training and the workplace.
Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, MSDE, called for a unified Centre-State implementation architecture, stating that State Skill Policies, District Skill Development Plans, and State Skill Development Plans should guide scheme targets, infrastructure investments, trainer deployment, and employer partnerships. During 2024-25, States and Union Territories submitted District Skill Development Plans and State Skill Development Plans, with discussions focusing on strengthening these plans with district- and job role-wise demand, institutional capacity, trainer availability, and local economic drivers.
The conference witnessed the launch of a pioneering international skilling program for 600 OBC youth from Madhya Pradesh, implemented by NSDC under MSDE's aegis. The program will provide foreign-language and destination-readiness training for opportunities in Japan and Germany across high-demand sectors including caregiving, hospitality, construction, and manufacturing. Training will be delivered by NSDC International Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of NSDC. The initiative operates through a three-part blended-finance model comprising beneficiary participation, grant funding mobilized through the Social Stock Exchange, and outcome-based financing by the Government of Madhya Pradesh.
An MoU for implementing the program was exchanged between Shri Arun Kumar Pillai, CEO, NSDC, and Shri Sapan Jain, Additional Director, Dept of Backward Class and Minority Welfare, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh. The conference also discussed a unified framework for international mobility covering workforce identification, training, language proficiency, assessment, ethical recruitment, and post-placement support, with caregiver mobility identified as an immediate opportunity.
Ms. Archana Mayaram, Economic Adviser, MSDE, presented an overview of MSDE's key initiatives and the wider skilling and entrepreneurship ecosystem, including Skill India, entrepreneurship development, and NCVET's regulatory and quality-assurance framework. The conference concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen Centre-State coordination, promote cross-State learning, and review implementation milestones and learner outcomes, with MSDE reaffirming support to States through technical assistance and coordination with DGT, NSDC, NCVET, and other concerned Ministries.