Skill India Digital Hub Empowering Youth and Creating Jobs: Union Minister
The Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) has made significant strides in empowering youth and creating job opportunities, according to Union Minister of State for Skill Development, Jayant Chaudhary. As of June, SIDH has registered approximately 88 lakh candidates, with 9.59 lakh mobile app downloads and 7.63 lakh candidates enrolled in online courses.
Minister Chaudhary highlighted that SIDH offers 752 online courses, comprising 7.37 lakh minutes of digital content, making it a comprehensive and accessible platform for skill enhancement. "SIDH is at the intersection of two of the most important initiatives of the government -- Skill India and Digital India", said Chaudhary. The platform aims to serve as India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for skill development, education, employment, and entrepreneurship.
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship emphasized that SIDH’s primary objective is to provide industry-relevant skill courses, job opportunities, and entrepreneurship support. Envisioned to integrate with MSMEs, SIDH facilitates access to entrepreneurship schemes and offers apprenticeship opportunities for learners and job seekers.
To further support women in skill development, there are 19 National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) exclusively for women, out of a total of 33. These NSTIs offer 19 courses under the Craft Instructor Training Scheme (CITS) and 23 courses under the Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS).
The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has also launched the Women Entrepreneurship Programme to address the distinct challenges faced by women in starting and growing businesses. In collaboration with Britannia Industries Limited, the initiative will offer financial grants and feature products and services on the Skill India Digital Hub.
Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, noted the significant participation of women in skilling programs. "In the skilling segment, under Jan Shikshan Sansthan, 82 percent of our trainees are women. In the PMKVY short-term training programme, close to 45 percent of the participants are women", Tiwari said.
The continued efforts of SIDH and its associated initiatives underscore the government’s commitment to enhancing skill development and creating job opportunities across India.