The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has invited industry leaders to participate in the PM-SETU scheme, marking a shift towards an industry-led model of vocational training. This initiative represents a significant change in how vocational training works, moving from government-led policy to a model where the industry takes the lead in managing and executing training.
The Ministry has released an Expression of Interest (EOI) to find Anchor Industry Partners for the upgradation of National Skill Training Institutes. States and UTs have also started releasing EOIs to identify partners who will help transform select Industrial Training Institutes. So far, Karnataka, Gujarat, Assam, and Chandigarh have released the EOI.
The PM-SETU scheme was approved by the Union Cabinet in May this year with an outlay of 60 thousand crore rupees. It aims to modernise the ITI ecosystem by upgrading one thousand government ITIs under a hub-and-spoke model. Five National Skill Training Institutes in Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kanpur and Ludhiana will also be developed as global Centres of Excellence.
As Anchor Industry Partners, companies will lead the design of job-linked curricula, the development of advanced training infrastructure and the upskilling of instructors. The initiative is aimed at creating a steady pipeline of industry-ready skilled workers while strengthening India’s skilling ecosystem to meet evolving workforce requirements.
