The document discusses the challenge of skills development in India. It notes that only 10% of India's workforce is vocationally trained, with most having low levels of education. Skills development is critical for India's socio-economic development and global competitiveness. However, India faces many challenges in developing its vocational education and training system, including disparities between states and low literacy rates that hinder workforce skills. The paper evaluates government efforts at skills development and argues for industry-academia partnerships and reforms to the vocational education system to help India overcome its skills challenges.

1. The challenge is skilling
Shobhana Tiwari*and Benette Elias*
*First Year Student, Jaipuria Institute of Management, Jaipur, India-302033
Email: shobhana.tiwari2015@jaipuria.ac.in ; benette.elias2015@jaipuria.ac.in
Abstract
In 21st century to achieve greater economic prosparity lies in making use of the youth and the working
age population. To utilize this new opportunity effectively India needs to impart adequate and
appropriate skills to our youth.
Globalization, knowledge and competition have intensified the need for highly skilled workforce in
both the developing and developed. For India, skill development is critical from both socio-economic
and demographic point of view.
This comprehensive paper deals with the efforts made, recent trends, critical issues and challenges
pertaining to Skill Development in India. This paper provides an overview of vocational education and
training (VET) system in India, and discusses various challenges and difficulties in the Indian VET
system. There has been a considerable increase in the number of Industrial Training Institutes/Centres
in the last decades, but the coverage of the system is disparate in terms of institutes’ vis-à-vis states
The Indian workforce in the age group of 15-59 around 38% of the workforce are not even literate,
25% are having below primary or up-to primary level of education and remaining 36% has an
education level of middle and higher level whereas only 10% of the workforce is vocationally trained
(with 2% formal and 8% informal training).
A task of skill development has many challenges. The performance of the Indian economy in recent
years, with economic growth averaging 8.5%, has generated intense debate regarding India's future
economic prospects. This paper further argues that the 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.
This paper also critically evaluates the claim made that developing these skills will enable students to
become more effective learners and they are seen to be crucial to enhanced study skills, the personal
development planning processes, and consequently to higher levels of attainment.
This paper suggests various modes, modalities, methods of the Industry and Academia Interaction, for
better results in the endeavour of skills development initiatives for sustainable and inclusive growth
and development of India’s economy. The study also found that both the Government and its partner
agencies have undertaken various measures/initiatives for the effective implementation of the skill
development system in the economy, but still faces a number of unresolved issues/challenges that need
immediate attention of the policy makers. Hence, skill development initiatives of the government
should focus on these obstacles and develop the programs accordingly to resolve these hurdles for the
complete success of the skill development initiatives. The country needs to alter its workforce
education system by reengineering the Indian Vocational Education and Training (VET) System.