Over 250 industries, academic institutions join Gujarat’s drive to skill 1.03 lakh youth

Gandhinagar, Aug 13 (IANS) More than 250 industries and academic institutions have responded to the Gujarat Government’s call to become training partners under its newly launched ‘Namo Gujarat Kaushalya and Rozgar Mission’ (NGKRM), as the state targets skill training for 1.03 lakh candidates during 2026-27.

The Directorate of Skill Development has received proposals from industries, academic institutions and training providers under the Gujarat Institutes for Advanced Skills (GIAS), the flagship training component of the mission.

The participating organisations include L&T, the International Automobile Centre of Excellence (iACE), Tata Indian Institute of Skills and Ganpat University, among others.

“The initiative, being implemented under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, is aimed at creating an industry-led skill development system linked directly to employment requirements,” officials said.

The government plans to gradually expand the programme to train up to five lakh people annually.

Labour, Skill Development and Employment Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya said the mission would establish a demand-driven ecosystem for advanced skills and employment across Gujarat.

“The mission aims to create a demand-driven, industry-led ecosystem for advanced skill development and employment generation across the state. GIAS will serve as the primary training delivery mechanism, offering short-term vocational courses aligned with the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) Levels 1 to 8,” Bavaliya said.

Minister of State for Labour, Skill Development and Employment, Kantilal Amrutiya, said the programme would focus on future-ready skills across 20 priority sectors, including construction, healthcare, IT-ITeS, electronics, tourism, logistics, aerospace, food processing and media.

It will also cover 12 emerging technology domains, including artificial intelligence, robotics, electric vehicles, blockchain, cybersecurity, semiconductor manufacturing, data science and drone technology.

The training will be offered through residential and non-residential programmes, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and other formats approved under the mission.

The target beneficiaries include people aged between 14 and 59, women, workers registered on the e-Shram and e-Nirman portals, existing industry workers seeking upskilling or reskilling, economically weaker sections, marginalised communities and unemployed people seeking skill-linked employment.

Training under NGKRM will be provided free of cost. Eligible trainees will receive financial assistance of Rs 500 for every 120 hours of training through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts after successfully obtaining certification.

The government has prescribed technology-based monitoring requirements for empanelled training partners.

Training centres will have to be equipped with geo-fenced, face-recognition-based biometric attendance systems, CCTV surveillance with 90-day video storage, broadband connectivity, certified trainers and infrastructure conforming to industry standards.

Training activities, attendance, assessments, certifications and placement records will be monitored through the NGKRM digital platform.

The government has also introduced a performance-linked payment system under which training providers will receive payments based on enrolment, certification and placement outcomes.

The empanelment process will remain open on a rolling basis throughout the 2026-27 financial year, allowing eligible organisations to submit applications online.

Selected training partners will be empanelled for three years, with the possibility of a further two-year extension depending on their performance.

NGKRM 2026 brings together several existing skill development schemes under a single framework, with the government aiming to improve coordination, training quality and employment outcomes.

The mission is part of the state’s broader ‘Viksit Gujarat @2047’ vision. GIAS has been established as a unified, industry-led framework for short-term courses across NSQF Levels 1 to 8.

The mission places particular emphasis on youth and women, along with SC/ST communities, persons with disabilities, informal workers, artisans, migrants and other disadvantaged groups.

The programme will use Aadhaar-seeded records, real-time monitoring and mandatory face-recognition-based attendance to track training delivery and outcomes across centres.

“The initiative is intended to strengthen the link between industry requirements and workforce training while expanding access to skill development and employment opportunities across the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly stressed the importance of skilling, reskilling and upskilling in preparing the workforce for future employment needs,” officials added.

–IANS

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