National Skill policy likely in six months

Kolkata: The National Skill Development Policy is likely to be in place in five to six months, a government official said on Wednesday. Before that, the Centre wants rationalising and integrating 73 skill development, vocational training and entrepreneurial development schemes currently run by 20 ministries or departments, Joint Secretary to the Union Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Jyotsna Sitling said.

"The Ministry is now facilitating and coordinating the initiative to develop common norms for such schemes across the departments in other ministries and a notification is expected in a month's time in this regard," she said. Government wants the policy would lay down a infrastructural framework for right skilling, upskilling or reskilling as well as training in entrepreneurship. It has plans for setting up five skill universities, training infrastructure in 2,000 schools and 5,000 colleges, Sitling said.

"By December 2016, we plan to lay down the national skill development network involving and aligning state governments, corporate sector, funding mechanism and educational institutions," she explained. Atul Bhatnagar, CEO of National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) said it was having tie ups with states and industries to start short-term courses and certifications.