'Good third-party certification vital for skill development'

It is important that a good quality third-party certification is adopted by institutes imparting skill development programmes to the youth, Sarbananda Sonowal, minister of state for skill development, said Friday.

"I must emphasize the importance of an independent and good quality third party certification to be adopted by institutes imparting skill development programmes as a means to bring accountability and regulation over training. Having more accountable certificate promotes professional and personal development of individuals," he said at the national consultation workshop on 'Industry-Career Centre-ITI Collaboration'.

Sonowal is also the minister of state (independent charge) for entrepreneurship, youth affairs and sports.

The present Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government has identified imparting skill to the youth as one of the key areas for development, Sonowal said here.

The skill India programme has been launched to address the employability issue by initiating a multi-skills development programme with focus on job creation and entrepreneurship, in both rural and urban areas covering all socio-economic groups of the population, he said.

The minister said the success of all these skill development initiatives and efforts ultimately depend on the states.

"The government realizes the vital role that states have to play to make skill India turn into a reality. I am aware that state skill development missions have been started in most of the states, but they are working with differing degrees of authority and responsibility," Sonowal said.

He said the magnitude of the skill development task is huge, and it cannot be addressed through the government funding alone.

"Industry is an essential partner in the skill development agenda, and there is a need to encourage the private sector for greater participation. Each one of us has to play a role in this," he said.

The government's skill development efforts are being carried out through 20 separate ministries and departments. It has implemented over 70 schemes, that either exclusively, or partially, have skill development components embedded within them.