Skill development ministry teams up with WEF for 'India Skills Accelerator'

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The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship on Tuesday said it has collaborated with the World Economic Forum to launch the "India Skills Accelerator" initiative.

The India Skills Accelerator initiative will function as a public-private collaboration platform to enable cross-sectoral efforts for unlocking innovative ideas.

At its core, the Accelerator aims to catalyze change across three critical levels -- by improving awareness and shifting mindsets around future skills needs; increasing collaboration and knowledge sharing among stakeholders; and committing to upgrade institutional structures and policy frameworks to support a more adaptive and responsive skilling ecosystem, the Ministry stated.

The initiative's governance structure includes key stakeholders from public and private sectors, led and co-chaired by Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

It will also have two private co-chairs -- Shobana Kamineni, Executive Chairperson of Apollo Health Co; and Sanjiv Bajaj, Chairman and Managing Director of Bajaj Finserv.

The Accelerator aims to close these gaps through inclusive upskilling and reskilling, mobilizing investment in lifelong learning, and fostering government-industry collaboration.

"By enabling agile career transitions, promoting scalable training, and aligning education with industry needs - especially in high-growth sectors like AI, robotics, and energy - the initiative will empower India's youth and drive future-ready workforce development," the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said.

The minister emphasized that India's demographic potential can only be realized if skilling systems remain agile, inclusive, and closely aligned with global opportunities and national priorities.

"India today stands at the confluence of three powerful forces - demographic advantage, digital transformation, and a deep developmental commitment. With the world's largest youth population and a vibrant skilling ecosystem, we are uniquely positioned to become the Skill Capital of the World," Chaudhary added.