Kaushal Deekshant Samaroh: PM Modi launches ₹62 000 crore skill and education mission
Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unveiled one of India’s largest youth and skill development initiatives during the Kaushal Deekshant Samaroh held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The programme, attended in person and virtually by lakhs of students, teachers and trainees from Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the country, signalled a fresh phase in India’s push for human-capital development.
The Prime Minister launched projects worth more than ₹62 000 crore that he described as a comprehensive investment in the future of India’s young workforce. He said that skill and knowledge were the foundations of a modern economy and that India’s intellectual strength was its greatest power. “Skill is the language through which a young India will communicate with the world,” he remarked.
The event was initially envisioned as a national convocation for ITI graduates but evolved into a pan-India celebration of education and employment. Modi reminded participants that the tradition of holding large-scale ITI convocations began a few years ago to give formal recognition to the skills that keep India’s industries running. “Today we are celebrating not just certificates but the confidence that comes from competence,” he said.
Two flagship initiatives anchored the Prime Minister’s announcements. The first was the PM SETU Yojana, with an outlay of ₹60 000 crore, aimed at linking ITIs with industrial clusters and global markets to make training more relevant and employment-oriented. The second was the launch of 1 200 new skill labs in Navodaya Vidyalayas and Eklavya Model Schools to introduce technical education at an earlier stage in schooling.
PM Modi said that the PM SETU Yojana would act as a national bridge connecting classroom learning to industrial practice. Under the scheme, over 1 000 ITIs will receive modern machines, digital infrastructure and curricula updated to match emerging technologies. Industry experts will train students on-site to improve hands-on exposure and job readiness.
The Prime Minister described ITIs as “workshops of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” adding that they represent the country’s resolve to create a self-reliant economy powered by skilled citizens. When the first Skill India programme started in 2014, India had around 10 000 ITIs. A decade later there are almost 15 000, offering training in 170 different trades ranging from precision engineering to automation, green energy and construction. Over 1.5 crore youth have completed training in these institutes in the past eleven years, he said.
The Prime Minister stressed that skilling is no longer confined to urban centres. ITI courses are now available in local languages, opening doors for students from rural and remote areas. This year alone, more than ten lakh students appeared for the All India Trade Test — a record that demonstrates how vocational training has entered the mainstream of Indian education.
Modi took a moment to honour the 45 national award-winners felicitated at the ceremony. He said many of them came from small towns and villages, proving that opportunity and talent can thrive anywhere in India. He also acknowledged the presence of young women and Divyang students among the honourees, calling their success a testament to determination and discipline.
Announcing the next phase of the country’s skilling infrastructure, the Prime Minister declared that a new Skill University in Bihar would be set up and named after Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur, the former Chief Minister widely known for his commitment to education and social justice. “Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur Ji devoted his entire life to public service and the advancement of education. The university established in his name will carry forward that vision,” Modi said.
He added that the new institution would focus on industry-linked curricula, innovation labs and partnerships with global skill bodies. It would serve as a centre of excellence for research in vocational training and employment generation, helping students from Bihar and neighbouring states gain skills that match international benchmarks.
Education and employment reforms signal a deeper revival in Bihar
PM Modi used the occasion to highlight Bihar’s turnaround in education and governance over the past two decades. He recalled how, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the state’s schooling system had collapsed — schools remained closed, recruitment was rare, and families were forced to send children to other states for study and work. “That was the real beginning of migration,” he observed. Reversing that trend, he said, had required patient rebuilding of institutions and faith.
The Prime Minister credited Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and successive coalition administrations with reviving public education and creating a system that now reaches nearly every panchayat. The establishment of the new Skill University in Karpoori Thakur’s name, he said, is both symbolic and practical — symbolic because it honours a reformer who fought for equal access to learning, and practical because it equips youth for modern employment.
He outlined parallel expansions at IIT Patna, the NIT Bihta campus, and a network of upgraded colleges under Patna University, Bhupendra Mandal University, Jai Prakash University (Chhapra), and Nalanda Open University. Together, these projects mark the largest academic infrastructure investment Bihar has seen since independence.
The Prime Minister emphasised that the reforms are designed not only to educate but to employ. The Bihar Government has launched one of India’s biggest teacher-recruitment drives, appointing more than 2.5 lakh educators in two years. Simultaneously, he said, over 10 lakh permanent government jobs have been created and 50 lakh youth linked to work within the state across two decades. “Now our goal is to double employment opportunities in the next five years,” he said, describing it as a shared mission of the Centre and the State.
To reduce financial barriers, Bihar’s Student Credit Card scheme has been made interest-free for higher-education loans, while scholarships have been doubled from ₹1 800 to ₹3 600. The state has also expanded hostel capacity and digital-learning grants so that no student drops out for lack of resources.
Modi linked these measures with the larger national effort to make education inclusive and affordable. Under the New Education Policy, he said, vocational subjects are being integrated with mainstream curricula, ensuring that young people graduate with both degrees and employable skills. “Our education system must create job creators as well as job seekers,” he remarked.
The Prime Minister underlined the government’s intent to keep education and employment gender-balanced. He cited the recent women’s self-reliance campaign in Bihar, in which lakhs of members of self-help groups participated, as proof that women’s economic strength complements youth skill programmes. “When women prosper, families prosper — and so does Bihar,” he said.
He then turned to the national economic perspective. Before 2014, India was grouped among the so-called “Fragile Five” economies, he said; today, it ranks among the top five and is advancing toward the top three. He attributed this change partly to the rapid rise in skilled manpower feeding manufacturing and exports.
In sectors like electronics, automobiles, defence and mobile-phone production, India’s workforce has shown the results of sustained skilling. The output, he said, is visible not only in factories but in small enterprises supported by the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, which has financed crores of young entrepreneurs.
The Prime Minister also announced the upcoming ₹1 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, which aims to assist 3.5 crore youth in finding jobs in the private sector. Together with PM SETU, he said, these measures form a continuous pipeline — from classroom to workshop to workplace.
He argued that the synergy between education, skill and employment would define India’s development path for the next generation. “Skill is not just about training hands; it is about shaping minds to innovate,” he said, urging students to adopt lifelong learning as a habit.
PM Modi noted that India’s skilling journey has evolved from isolated training programmes into a nationwide movement that now touches every district. He said the government’s goal is to make skill development continuous rather than episodic—upgrading both technology and teaching methods as industries transform. “Learning must not stop at any age. The future belongs to those who keep improving,” he told the students.
He emphasised that this approach will make India’s growth more inclusive, as new employment clusters are emerging not only in metro cities but also in smaller towns. Many of these towns, he pointed out, are now linked through digital infrastructure created under BharatNet and other connectivity projects, allowing ITIs and start-ups to collaborate virtually with global firms.
Turning to recent consumer-focused measures, the Prime Minister mentioned the GST Savings Festival, describing it as an example of how macroeconomic reforms reach individual citizens. Reduced GST on two-wheelers, he said, had especially benefited young earners and students. “I have heard that many youths plan to buy their first scooter or bike this Dhanteras. This is the energy of a confident India,” he said, drawing applause from the audience.
He also spoke about the complementary push in women’s employment and entrepreneurship. Through self-help groups, credit support and digital-literacy drives, millions of women have become micro-entrepreneurs. This dual focus on youth and women, he argued, creates a balanced labour force capable of driving sustained development.
The Prime Minister broadened the discussion to India’s macro-economic transformation. In the last decade, the country’s manufacturing share in GDP has steadily risen, powered by reforms in taxation, logistics and investment. Exports of mobile phones, electronic goods and defence equipment have multiplied, creating large employment multipliers. “Every phone assembled, every car exported, every turbine built carries the fingerprint of a skilled Indian,” he said.
He reminded the audience that programmes such as Make in India, Digital India and Startup India rely on a continuous supply of trained technicians, designers and innovators. “That is why the government is investing heavily not only in factories but in the people who will run them,” he said.
PM Modi underlined that India’s young demographic is its greatest asset. With one of the world’s largest populations under thirty, the nation has a chance to turn youth power into economic power. “The global economy is watching India’s demographic dividend. Our task is to convert it into a dividend of productivity,” he said.
He reiterated that the PM SETU Yojana, PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, and ongoing expansion of ITIs together form the structural backbone of that effort. Over time, these initiatives will not only meet domestic demand but also enable Indian technicians to access international labour markets. The government is already in dialogue with several countries to recognise Indian skill certificates abroad, he added.
Addressing the students directly, he said, “You are not just trainees; you are ambassadors of India’s capability.” He urged them to focus on continuous improvement and to view their professions as national service. “There may be alternatives for many things, but there is no substitute for skill, innovation and hard work,” he said.
The Prime Minister closed with a vision statement: “This is the era of Viksit Bharat. Our goal is to make every youth part of that journey. When skill, knowledge and innovation come together, the world will look to India for solutions.” He extended greetings to all ITI students graduating this year and to the teachers guiding them.
Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary attended the event in person, while Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Union Ministers Jual Oram, Rajiv Ranjan Singh and Sukanta Majumdar joined through video conference, marking the ceremony’s national scale.
