MSDE Skill Development Initiatives for Space and Geospatial Sectors

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is implementing comprehensive skill development programs for space and geospatial sectors under the Skill India Mission. Through flagship schemes Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) and National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), the ministry delivers short-term skilling, up-skilling, re-skilling through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), and structured on-the-job apprenticeship training in areas including GIS, spatial data management, drone technology, software development, telecommunications, and electronics.

IN-SPACe under the Department of Space has introduced 11 short-term skill development courses in space technology, training over 1,000 candidates across the country. Faculty for these courses come from ISRO, IN-SPACe, ex-ISRO officers, and private space entities/start-ups/academic institutions to ensure practical industry exposure.

State-wise Training Performance

Over the last three fiscal years (2023-24 to 2025-26), MSDE programs have achieved significant scale across states and union territories. Maharashtra led in apprenticeship engagements with 91,640 apprentices in FY 2025-26, followed by Karnataka (37,254) and Uttar Pradesh (46,327). In terms of training/orientation under PMKVY, Karnataka trained 2,734 candidates in FY 2025-26, while Uttar Pradesh trained 924 and Madhya Pradesh trained 1,128 during the same period.

Andhra Pradesh showed consistent performance with 2,414 candidates trained in FY 2023-24, 4,239 in FY 2024-25, and 247 in FY 2025-26 under PMKVY, while apprenticeship engagements remained strong at 5,163, 5,336, and 5,074 respectively across the three years.

Institutional Infrastructure and Partnerships

As of June 30, 2026, the scheme infrastructure includes 527 PMKVY training centers and 241 NAPS establishments in Andhra Pradesh alone (including 6 in Konaseema District for PMKVY and 5 for NAPS). Nationally, Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of PMKVY training centers at 2,664, followed by Rajasthan (1,474) and Madhya Pradesh (1,417). For NAPS establishments, Maharashtra leads with 2,666, followed by Gujarat (2,520) and Uttar Pradesh (1,972).

MSDE has established 36 Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) led by industry leaders to identify sector-specific skill development needs and determine competency standards. The National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) has approved 10,209 qualifications as per industry requirements, with 2,975 qualifications currently valid and active, and 7,234 archived.

Industry Alignment and Emerging Technologies

The programs specifically align with Industry 4.0 requirements, incorporating new age/future skills job-roles in AI/ML, Robotics, Mechatronics, and Drone Technology. Directorate General of Training (DGT) has introduced future skills courses including 5G Network Technician, Artificial Intelligence Programming assistant, Cyber Security Assistant, and Drone Technician. DGT has also signed MoUs with IT companies like IBM, CISCO, Microsoft, and AWS to ensure industry linkages at state and regional levels.

Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) established at Ahmedabad and Mumbai in PPP mode provide cutting-edge technology training to create industry-ready workforce. IN-SPACe has conducted student competitions including two editions of CANSAT India and one edition of model rocketry competition, creating employment opportunities and fostering space technology interest.

Academic Infrastructure

Fifty-one Higher Education Institutions across India conduct space technology courses, including prestigious institutions like Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, multiple IITs (Bombay, Madras, Kanpur, Roorkee, Kharagpur, Indore, Tirupati), Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, and various universities and engineering colleges.