The Skill Development Ministry has trained more than 1.17 crore aspirants in various skills since the inception of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship Skill India Mission, Minister of State for Skill Development Rajiv Pratap Rudy said on Tuesday.Addressing media on the completion of three years of BJP government at the Centre, Rudy said the figure did not include numbers contributed through skill development schemes and initiatives under other Ministries.He added that the Ministry was also striving to improve the quality of industrial training institutes which cater to around 23 lakh students across the country."Human Resource Development Ministry has allowed us to conduct exams for students enrolled in ITIs for matriculation, secondary and higher secondary equivalence and give certificates to them," the Minister said."Skill India is a silent revolution that is underway and it is a joint investment that the government along with the private partners is making for the growth of the country," he said.
Rudy said that Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), which was launched in July 2015, has witnessed more than 26.5 lakh people acquiring new skills, of which 50 per cent are women.Last year, women participation under PMKVY was 40 per cent and "I am elated to see that we have an equal male-female ratio this year cumulatively", the Minister said.Rudy added that over 480 Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras (skill-development centres) would be set up covering all the districts of the country. Some 162 are already functional.He said that the industry will only partner with the government if they see quality workforce coming out from Skill India."We are seeing that transition happen gradually. More and more corporate firms are partnering with us on different levels," the Minister said.The government is trying to move away from the supply-driven skill development scenario to a demand-driven one, "so we do not have skilled youth who are unemployed", the Ministry said in a statement.