IAS Gyan

Daily News Analysis

NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP MELA AND SKILL INDIA            

20th April, 2022 Economy

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Context

  • Skill India, in association with the Directorate General of Training (DGT), is organising a day-long ‘Apprenticeship Mela’ across the country in more than over 700 locations

 

Details

Aim

  • Under the initiative, the aim is to support hiring of more than one lakh apprentices and assist employers in tapping the right talent and develop it further with training and providing practical skillsets.

 

Participants

  • The event will witness participation from more than 4000 organisations across the country, operating in more than 30 sectors such as Power, Retail, Telecom, IT/ITeS, Electronics, Automotive and more.
  • In addition, the aspiring youth will have the opportunity to engage and select from more than 500+ trades including Welder, Electrician, Housekeeper, Beautician, Mechanic etc.

 

Importance of Apprenticeship

  • The National Policy of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, 2015 recognizes apprenticeship as a means to provide gainful employment to skilled workforce with adequate compensation.
  • Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has also taken several efforts to increase the number of apprentices hired by enterprises in the country.
  • The aim is to fill the gap in supply and demand for skilled workforce and meet the aspirations of the Indian youth through gaining on-the-job training and securing better opportunities for employment.

 

Eligibility

  • Students who have cleared at least Class 5 to those who graduated Class 12, skill training certificate holders, ITI students, diploma holders and graduates are eligible to apply at the Apprenticeship Mela.
  • The candidates must carry three copies of resume, three copies of all the mark sheets and certificates (5th to 12th pass, Skill Training Certificate, Undergraduate and Graduate (BA, BCom, BSc, etc.), Photo ID (Aadhar card/Driving License etc.) and three passport size photographs at the respective venues.

Benefits

  • Potential applicants will receive several benefits by attending the Apprenticeship Mela. They have a huge opportunity to get apprenticeship offered on the spot and receive direct industry exposure. Following, they will get monthly stipend as per the Government standards for developing new skills, an opportunity to earn while they learn.
  • The candidates will get certificates, recognized by National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), increasing the chances of their employability after the training.
  • Establishments participating in the Apprenticeship Melas get an opportunity to meet the potential apprentices at a common platform and select the candidates on-the-spot. In addition, even small-scale industries with minimum four working members can also hire apprentices at the event.

 

Skill India

  • Skill India or the National Skills Development Mission was introduced by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to empower the younger generation. The mission was mainly developed to ensure employment opportunities by providing training in skill development and enable them to become self-employed entrepreneurs.

Need

  • Skills and knowledge are the driving forces of economic growth and social development in a country.
  • As opposed to developed countries, where the percentage of skilled workforce is between 60% and 90% of the total workforce, India records a low 5% of workforce (20-24 years) with formal vocational skills.

 

Initiatives under Skill India

Various initiatives under this campaign are:

  1. National Skill Development Mission
  2. National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, 2015
  3. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)
  4. Skill Loan scheme
  5. Rural India Skill

UK has entered into a partnership with India under skill India programme.

 

Sub-Missions

The sub-missions involved under the national skill development mission are explained in detail below:

  • Institutional Training
  • Infrastructure
  • Convergence
  • Trainers
  • Overseas Employment
  • Sustainable Livelihoods

 

Focus Areas

Key focus areas of the sub-mission include:

  • Addressing the long-term and short-term skilling needs through revamp of existing institutional training framework and establishing new institutions
  • Undertake sector specific skill training initiatives
  • Ensure convergence of existing skill development programmes
  • Leverage existing public infrastructure for skilling
  • Focus on training of trainers
  • Facilitate overseas employment, and
  • Promote sustainable livelihoods.

 

Financing

  • The implementation of skilling activities under the National Skill Development Mission will be as per the provisions of various schemes under their respective officer.
  • The managerial expenses of the Mission will be borne by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

 

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1818014