New Delhi, Jul 27 (IANS): In the present age of fast changing, globalising and technological driven world, equipping oneself with new skills have become essential for livelihood as well as for the contribution to society and the nation at large.

Therefore, there is a special significance attached to adequately equipping the workforce of the nation with skill-set, whether it is the educational sector or the health sector, in rural or urban India, in the public or private space.

As a result, the Central government has given a new direction to skill development under the larger theme of Aatmanirbharta (Self-reliance) as well as ongoing celebrations of 75th Year of Independence as Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

Skilling, reskilling and upskilling have become the mantra for millions of youth and underserved groups seeking employment with their newfound skills as well.

It is important to note that any developing country necessarily requires a well-skilled population to ensure proper growth and development. Through the Skill India Mission, the Central government has been able to transform a large population of the youth into a worthy human resource group.

At the same time, businesses and markets have changed so rapidly with advancements that it has become difficult to stay relevant with what was taught in schools, colleges and universities.

In revisiting and revitalising existing policies aimed at skill development, the focus has been on anticipating the needs of the market and creating lasting results instead of accumulating short-term benefits.

Laying the groundwork to further such growth, efforts have been made over the last few years towards ensuring that India becomes a skill hub.

With 2,500 Skill India centres and 15,000 training centres, skills are now being provided to over 1 crore youth across 37 sectors despite the country had been reeling under Corona pandemic.

In order to provide new opportunities to the large population of youth and vulnerable sections, the government has focused on promoting traditional skills through a regular process of upskilling for illiterate, neo-literate and dropout population up to +12 degree programme in schools/colleges.

With the ever-growing demand, the target age group has been revised from 15-35 years of age to 15-45 years of age to ensure that the Jan Shikshan Sansthan (People's Educational Institutes) can be implemented to provide further employment opportunities to the population.

With the Covid-19 pandemic, these skilling workshops switched over to the online mechanism to ensure that the steady progress already made was not lost. Many similar initiatives have together ensured that such training to skill, reskill and upskill the youth has happened on a large scale with relative ease.

Even the challenges posed by this global pandemic have increased the value of skills and has become the need of the hour.

In addition, there has been a massive rise in the number of industrial training centres being established as well as the seats that could be allotted to those who wish to carefully nurture their skills further.

Over the past five years alone, there has been a 24 per cent rise in the number of skill development institutions and a bumper 54 per cent boost in the number of seats at such institutions.

A separate, dedicated and independent Ministry of Skill Development was established some seven years for the access of everyone to focus solely on skill development.

At the same time, it becomes critical to make concerted efforts towards innovation apart from skilling as well. Overall, there are about 146 skill qualifications that have been approved for market-based future skilling.

All such candidates certified under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana would then be linked to the ASEEM portal through which they could find job opportunities as well.

More than 9.93 lakh participants have been trained with the creation of 991 new enterprises as well. The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana as well as the Tinkering Laboratory of the Atal Innovation Mission have together ensured that districts provide self-employment support and act as nodal centres in coordination with other government departments, along with encouraging students from young ages to innovate.

Understanding the slight difference between knowledge and skill, the global demand for skills and their importance in the vastly practical world have encouraged the Central government to integrate this need for skilling into the National Education Policy with a much more hands-on and practical training approach being an integral part of the new curriculum.

To make the Skill India Mission effective at the national level, more than 40 skill development schemes have been implemented through 20 ministries and there are about 57 million people have already been trained under this mission till March 2022.

The visionary leader of India, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar emphasised the value on skill development for youth and underprivileged and the country is making every effort through the skill mission to realise his dream.

India launched the "Going online as leaders" (GOAL) Programme for tribal society fostering skill development and entrepreneurship by assisting the tribal community loaded with traditional expertise with bequeathed values. In similar way, there are special provisions of traditional skills and training for women and minorities are generated.

Therefore, fostering such entrepreneurship has ensured that skill development has now become a mass movement across the country and the people.

Overall, the last few years have shown that there is a humongous potential in the knowledge economy to grow in terms of employment as well as emancipate the vulnerable and marginalised people of society for overall development.

Additionally, the Indian skilled youth can make a huge difference in the healthcare sector, manufacturing, construction, hospitality, innovation as well as technology. India has now chosen a new path for itself, with job creation and skill development being accorded the requisite priority in sync with the Amrit Kaal (75th Year of Independence) resolutions of creating a new India. Self-assurance and self-reliance can now be visible on the countenance of millions of youth pursuing employment and self-employment through skill training and entrepreneurship.

This is because India's industrial progress and ever-changing environment have enhanced the pace and quality of skill development in various sectors.

The upcoming youth born in the 21st century India is bound to be equipped with adequate skills and opportunities to not only find better prospect in the market but also create and cater more such opportunities for their brothers and sisters.