PM to release NSDC's 'skill document' on Aug 16

NSDC aims to train 1 million youth with specialised skills in the next few years

The UPA government's National Skill Development Council (NSDC) will come out with its 'Skill Document' which will be released by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on August 16.

Briefing stakeholders of the aerospace sector in Bangalore, which is emerging as a major hub, Basab Banerjee, head - standards and QA of NSDC, said, the council aims to bring in a parallel system to education and promote training of young Indians, starting from the ninth standard in various skills.

The UPA government announced setting up on NSDC, with Finance Minister P Chidambaram announcing an allocation of Rs 1,000 crore in the present year's budget. It aims to train 1 million youth in the country with specialised skills in the next few years.

''The NSDC's focus is to provide an alternative carrier to the youth which will be parallel to the education system. We hope to answer the industry's views of graduating Indians being short on skills. We need to match the West in skills training which was ushered in there many years ago,'' he said.

The council will sign an MoU with Karnataka government to usher in the specialised training for youth in the state, he said.

''You can expect to see a transformation in skill development eco-system in the country. It will also fulfill the talent needs of the aerospace and civilian aviation sector in the coming years,'' Banerjee said.

He said NSDC will be the agency that will certify the curriculum of skill-based courses to be offered in the country both in public and private sector.

Ashok Saxena, Director UK Advanced Engineering office, India, and former MD of HAL, called upon talented youth to take up courses in aerospace and civil aviation as India can emerge as the major supplier of skills world over in the long term.

''The skilled talent in aerospace and aviation is ageing in Americas and Europe. The Indian youth can step in if they get the proper training. Here, NSDC can play a big role and we have hopes pinned on it,'' he said.