Quote:Shri Dharmendra Pradhan Lays the Foundation Stone for NSTI Plus

Posted On: 24 NOV 2023 8:02PM by PIB Delhi

To scale demand-driven and high-quality skill training and vocational education at regional level, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship laid the foundation stone for National Skill Training Institutes (NSTI) Plus today to elevate the capabilities of Odisha’s young cadre. NSTI Plus, under the Directorate General of Training (DGT), apex organization of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) will train 500 instructors in Phase-1 under the Craftsmen Instructor Training Scheme (CITS) and will further incorporate another 500 instructors for upskilling and reskilling.

Shri Pritiranjan Gharai, Minister of State, Department of Rural Development, Skill Development & Technical Education; Smt. Aparajita Sarangi, MP, Bhubaneswar; Shri Muzibulla Khan, MP, Rajya Sabha; Shri Suresh Kumar Routray, MLA, Odisha; Shri T G Sitharam, Chairman, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE); Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, MSDE; and Trishaljit Sethi, Director General, DGT graced the event.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship said that every effort of our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is a step towards empowering India’s YuvaShakti and realising the vision of a developed India by 2047. He further said that, NSTI will emerge as a modern gurukul to equip candidates as well as trainers with industry and future-ready skills. He expressed his confidence that the upcoming state-of-the-art integrated campus of NSTI will empower the youth of New India by providing them with cutting-edge skills and knowledge required to excel in the 21st century. It will encourage entrepreneurship, equip master trainers with expertise aligned with current and future industry demands and help realize the vision of Viksit Bharat, he added.

Aligned with the vision of our Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi of making India the Skilling destination of the World, MSDE is introducing several fresh and innovative initiatives and NSTI Plus is a robust step in this direction, enabling the State of Odisha to harness the potential of its youth. Constructed on a 7.8-acre campus of Jatni, Bhubaneswar, NSTI Plus will not only accommodate institutions like National Institute of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Skill India International Centre (SIIC), but also emerge as a potential hub for diverse skill development activities.

The envisioned NSTI Plus will also serve as a nucleus for emerging start-ups, an incubation centre, and a versatile hub for cultivating various skills. It also has the potential to serve as a prototype training facility for other states. Furthermore, educators play an immense role in moulding the future of youth and institutions like NSTI Plus has potential to unlock horizon of opportunities to instil soft skills, impart hands-on-training on new technologies and foster effective learning environment.

Currently, there are 524 ITIs in the region with seating capacity of 1,04,134, and institutions with flexible learning models like NSTI Plus will advance the vocational training framework to be more accessible, inclusive and innovate in its embodiment.

NSTIs will also take on the role of capacity-building centers for educators in schools. The selection of courses and training programs will be meticulously designed in association with industries to meet the needs of the local community. To fuel further growth, collaborative efforts will be made to develop an integrated 4.0 campus for entrepreneurs with modern new-age skills.

Another core aspect is the strategic location of the institute. Surrounded by premium institutions like National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Skill Development Institute (SDI), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) helps in improving the engagement of students with vocational training institute.

By offering specialized training programs, the mega-hub institute unlocks the potential of youth across diverse domains; including Engineers, supervisors, technicians, executives, and faculty members of educational institutions that caters to the needs of both national and international markets.

On the completion of the training, the ministry will provide certificates to students in collaboration with IGNOU, NIOS and NIESBUD to propel vertical and horizontal mobility of the candidates.

Quote:NSTI plus will come up on a 7.8-acre campus at a cost of over Rs 90 crore. It will not only accommodate institutions like National Institute of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Skill India International Centre (SIIC), but also emerge as a potential hub for diverse skill development activities.

Quote:In a significant step towards revamping vocational education and addressing the rising demand for skilled workforce, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the National Scheme for Upgradation of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and the establishment of five National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs) for Skilling, according to an official statement released on Wednesday.

The initiative will be implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with a total outlay of Rs.60,000 crore over five years. The funding will include Rs. 30,000 crore from the Centre, Rs. 20,000 crore from State Governments, and Rs. 10,000 crore from industry partners. Additionally, 50% of the central share will be co-financed equally by the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.

Revamping India’s Skilling Landscape

The scheme envisions the upgradation of 1,000 Government ITIs in a hub-and-spoke model aligned with industry needs and the capacity augmentation of five National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) located in Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kanpur, and Ludhiana. These NSTIs will also house the new National Centres of Excellence.

The goal is to reposition ITIs as aspirational, government-owned, and industry-managed institutions, offering revamped courses that reflect the evolving skill requirements of modern industries. Over five years, the scheme aims to skill 20 lakh youth through industry-aligned training programs.

Bridging Skill Gaps in High-Growth Sectors

The Cabinet statement highlighted that previous financial assistance for ITI infrastructure development was insufficient to address the growing needs of new-age trades and capital-intensive training. The new scheme introduces a need-based investment model, offering flexibility to institutions to enhance infrastructure and introduce relevant trades.

To ensure effectiveness, the scheme will adopt an industry-led Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) model, marking a major shift from earlier government-only approaches. This will enable close collaboration between ITIs and industry in curriculum planning, infrastructure upgrades, and ongoing management.

Focus on Trainers and Employability

The initiative also aims to strengthen Training of Trainers (ToT) by upgrading infrastructure in the five NSTIs and offering pre-service and in-service training to 50,000 trainers. This is expected to enhance the quality and consistency of vocational education across the country.

The scheme will address long-standing issues related to infrastructure gaps, outdated course content, low employability, and the perception of vocational training as a less desirable education route. It aims to make vocational training a central pillar of India’s industrial and economic growth, especially in emerging sectors such as electronics, automotive, and renewable energy.

A Vision for ‘Viksit Bharat’

The newly approved scheme aligns with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) by 2047, with skilling as a key enabler of inclusive growth and global competitiveness. With a significantly expanded ITI network—currently over 14,600 institutes with 14.4 lakh enrolled students—this scheme is seen as a timely intervention to create a future-ready workforce.