Maharashtra tops in skill development: NSDC data

Mumbai, July 24 (IANS) Maharashtra has emerged as the topper in imparting Skill Training to over a million youths in the National Skill Development Corporation's (NSDC) Skill India Mission, an official said here on Monday.

According to NSDC figures released here, over a million youths have been trained across 40 sectors in the 15-59 age group since 2011.

Maharashtra is followed by Uttar Pradesh with 8.50 lakh and Tamil Nadu with 8.45 lakh, which have empowered the trainees with skills across 1,900-plus job roles as per industry defined standards.

The top sectors for skill training include textiles and apparels, banking and finance, IT and ITES, electronics, hardware, beauty and wellness, gems and jewellery, and telecom.

The most popular courses include tailoring, financial literacy, beautician training, insurance agent and IT supported services, said NSDC Managing Director and CEO Manish Kumar.

Complying with the National Skills Qualification Framework, the training was imparted through private institutions, with 75 per cent trained by partners funded by the NSDC, he added.

At 11.23 crore, Maharashtra has the second largest state population in the country. Its 59 per cent population falls in the working-age group, while only 45 per cent is in the labour force.

This gap is attributed to people who do not want to work, due to aspirations for higher studies or voluntary unemployment or unwillingness to work.

As of 2011, Maharashtra's total workforce was estimated at 4.94 crore persons, of whom 55 per cent are engaged in agriculture and rest in non-agricultural sectors.

Kumar said under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of creating a skilled India, Maharashtra plans to equip 4.50 crore people with employable skills by 2022.

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