Govt seeks industry partners via EoIs to upgrade ITIs, NSTIs under PM-SETU

MSDE has invited EoIs to onboard anchor industry partners for the Rs 60,000 crore PM-SETU scheme, under which the Centre plans to upgrade 1,000 ITIs and five NSTIs

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) on Wednesday invited expressions of interest (EoIs) to find industry partners for upgrading government-run skill training institutes under the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme.

 

What role will anchor industry partners play under PM-SETU? 

Companies that agree to be anchor industry partners will be responsible for designing job-oriented curricula, building advanced laboratories and a digital learning environment. They will also upskill teachers through industry experience, and in return they will gain corporate social responsibility (CSR)-linked benefits and “a reliable and scalable pipeline of skilled workers and apprentices”.

 

What is PM-SETU and what is its scale? 

PM-SETU, or Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs, was approved by the Union cabinet in May and launched in October to upgrade and remodel industrial training institutes (ITIs). With a total budget outlay of Rs 60,000 crore, the government plans to upgrade 1,000 ITIs and five National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) located in Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kanpur and Ludhiana.

 

What do the MSDE guidelines say about eligibility criteria for partners? 

As per the guidelines released by MSDE in September, states and Union Territories have the discretion to fix eligibility criteria such as turnover and number of employees for companies during the EoI stage or subsequent stages.

 

“However, while determining such criteria, the state should ensure the participation of credible industry partners as anchor industry partners (AIPs) and prevent ‘small-time operators’ from entering the scheme,” the September guidelines said.

 

Which states have released EOIs as well? 

Additionally, Karnataka, Gujarat, Assam and Chandigarh have released EoIs to identify partners to upgrade select ITIs.