In a major move to transform India’s vocational training ecosystem, the Central government is set to upgrade 1,000 government-run Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) under a Rs 60,000 crore Centrally Sponsored Scheme. The initiative, timed with World Youth Skills Day, aims to prepare India’s youth for a rapidly-evolving job market with future-ready skills and modern training infrastructure.
The plan will be implemented through a public-private partnership (PPP) model. Of the total funding, Rs 30,000 crore will come from the Centre, Rs 20,000 crore from state governments, and Rs 10,000 crore from industry partners. A hub-and-spoke model will guide implementation, with 200 ITIs designated as hubs and 800 as spokes in the first phase. This will cover 1,000 of the 3,000 existing government ITIs.
The programme focuses not just on expansion but also on enhancing quality. As part of a broader reform, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has begun de-affiliating ITIs with long-standing vacant seats. Over 4.5 lakh seats have remained empty since 2018, and targeted action is being taken against institutions with poor admission trends. Early results show an 11 per cent increase in ITI enrolments this year, indicating restored confidence.
Several new skilling initiatives will also launch on 22 July. These include a free online AI-readiness course for school students in Classes 6 to 12, aimed at training one lakh students in digital technologies during the pilot phase.
The Ministry also plans to revise guidelines for affiliating training bodies to ensure improved governance. Additionally, the government will now track NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) status in the Periodic Labour Force Survey to keep track of dropouts and reduce their numbers.
Five National Centres of Excellence will also be established in Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kanpur, and Ludhiana to set new benchmarks for advanced skilling.