A study on skill development initiatives in India

Skills and knowledge are the driving forces of economic growth and social development for any country. Countries with higher and better levels of skills adjust more effectively to the challenges and opportunities of world of work. India is one of the few countries in the world where the working age population will be far in excess of those dependent on them. This has increasingly been recognized as a potential source of significant strength for the national economy, provided we are able to equip and continuously upgrade the skills of the population in the working age group. In recognition of this need, the Government of India has adopted skill development as a national priority over the next 10 years. With the changing economic environment, the demand for better-quality products and services has also given rise to huge demand for skilled labour. Moreover expanding economy registering growth across various sectors and with the availability of cost-effective manpower from a young cohort, India's educational and workforce-development system is struggling to respond to the rapid growth in the demand for skilled labour – both qualitatively and quantitatively. The basic objective of this paper is to study the skill development initiatives in India.