 "DPIIT joins hands with Apna to boost startup hiring, job creation")
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Apna, a jobs and professional networking platform, to enhance talent acquisition for DPIIT-registered startups. Sanjiv Singh, joint secretary of DPIIT, shared the development on social media.
The partnership aims to address hiring challenges and create job opportunities for young individuals while strengthening the startup ecosystem.
"With this development, startups will be empowered as they become better equipped to tackle the challenges of a competitive market. By navigating resource constraints more effectively, startups will gain access to a vast pool of skilled workers, connecting millions of young job seekers to high-growth and innovative roles," Singh stated.
The Bharat Startup Knowledge Access Registry (BHASKAR), a digital platform for startup stakeholders, will play a key role in this collaboration. Startups registered on the BHASKAR platform will receive hiring credits worth Rs 2,000 each on Apna's platform.
Singh highlighted that the initiative, currently valued at Rs 140 crore, is expected to grow alongside the startup ecosystem, with projections reaching Rs 300 crore.
Under DPIIT's Startup India programme, the collaboration with Apna will create pathways for skilled workers to engage with India's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. "Apna’s platform will empower startups to utilise its job posting and AI-driven matching features tailored to their hiring needs," Singh added.
India is the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, with over 110 unicorns and 159,690 DPIIT-recognised startups to date.