India Skills Regional Competitions 2018 commenced today at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Bangalore. The three-day competition witnesses 300+ candidates from 14 states - Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, competing in 36 skills namely Aircraft Maintenance, Floristry, Confectionary & Patisserie, Mechatronics, Mobile Robotics, Fashion Technology, Welding, Graphic Design, Web Designing, Cooking, Jewelry, Beauty Therapy among others.The event was inaugurated by Mohit Dudeja, WorldSkills Silver Medalist in Abu Dhabi in 2017, along with Shri Bhaskar Rao, Additional Director General of Police, Karnataka. The event was also graced by senior officials from central and state government including Jayant Krishna, ED & COO, NSDC, Ranjan Choudhury, Head WorldSkills India among others.Aimed at promoting world-class standards in vocational education and training, IndiaSkills Competitions are organized by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). For the first time 22 States & Union Territories partnered with NSDC to organize 500+ districts and states competitions, which mobilized 50,000+ competitors across 45 skills. The winners from these competitions are competing at four regional competitions including the one at Bangalore currently. The winners from the regionals will compete at the National Competition in Delhi, where the winners across 45 skills will get an opportunity to undergo world class skill training and represent India at WorldSkills International Competitions 2019 in Kazan, Russia.
Speaking on the initiative, Shri Bhaskar Rao, Additional Director General of Police, Karnataka said, “IndiaSkills Competition is a key step which recognizes the talent of our youth and drives them towards skills excellence. Today’s event marks the beginning of first IndiaSkills Regional Competition in Bangalore. I hope, through this initiative we will be able to positively contribute towards the growth of our country. It is heartening to see the enthusiasm and hard work of all the participants who are competing at this event. I believe the confidence that each participant will gain through this competition will help them improve their skills for a better future.”Speaking at the event, Jayant Krishna, ED & COO, NSDC said, “It is a proud moment for us to host the first ever Regional Competition in South India. Bangalore has been at the forefront of skill development in our country and hence it becomes an obvious choice for our IndiaSkills Regional Competition. Through these competitions we have been able to provide youth a platform to overcome stereotypes and showcase their skills at the global platform. We hope, the participants competing here, not only perform their best but also use this as a stepping stone towards a more successful career.”
The opening ceremony began with a short film focusing on the journey of all the contestants from different backgrounds and geographies towards IndiaSkills Regional Competitions. Followed by an oath ceremony led by Kiran Kiran (from Bangalore), who won a Bronze Medal in Prototype Modelling at WorldSkills 2017 in Abu Dhabi.For the spectators, it will be a revealing experience to see highly trained youth competing across different skills. The arena at BIEC will also see various activations and engagement activities for the visitors such as Try a Skill where youth could practice and explore a skill of their interest; Career Guidance Assessment by Mettl (an NSDC partner) which would help youth pursue a career in alignment with their skill set; an Innovation Gallery where start-ups will showcase their technology and products. IndiaSkills is also promoting exchange of ideas and experience in vocational training through seminars and panel discussions.The Southern edition of IndiaSkills Regional Competition will conclude on 23rd June 2018, where the winners will be felicitated by Shri Anantkumar Hegde, Minister of State, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of India, along with other dignitaries.