Revitalizing India's Apprenticeship Ecosystem: A Path to a Skilled Future

A Niti Aayog report recommends strengthening post-apprenticeship benefits and updating industry-aligned ITIs to enhance India's apprenticeship system, crucial for skilling and employment. It offers 20 actionable recommendations and an implementation plan, emphasizing policy alignment with national frameworks and highlighting the importance of the apprenticeship system for a skilled workforce.

A Niti Aayog report released on Friday underscores the need to bolster post-apprenticeship benefits and expedite the upgradation of industry-aligned Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in India. Titled 'Revitalizing Apprenticeship Ecosystem: Insights, Challenges, Recommendations, and Best Practices,' the report offers a detailed analysis of India's apprenticeship landscape.

The report outlines 20 action-oriented recommendations coupled with an implementation plan that assigns detailed responsibilities and measurable performance metrics. Key policy recommendations include the establishment of a unified National Apprenticeship Mission (NAM) and National Apprenticeship Portal (NAP) framework, integration with the National Credit Framework (NCrF) and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and streamlining mobility between educational and skilling pathways.

Arvind Virmani and B V R Subrahmanyam of NITI Aayog highlighted the report's significance, noting its crucial role in aligning India's apprenticeships with global best practices. They emphasized on evolving skilling initiatives to match the youth's aspirations and the economy's requirements for a skilled, productive workforce as envisioned in the 'Viksit Bharat' initiative.

(With inputs from agencies.)