NSDC To Setup 50 new Future Skill Centres and 10 International Academies

New Delhi: National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) recently announced a significant expansion in its skilling footprint across India with plans to set up 50 new Future Skills Centres and 10 NSDC International Academies to advance skill development and training programs.

During his address at the Annual Press Conference, Shri Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO, NSDC and MD, NSDC International, shared his roadmap to skill and upskill the Indian youth for domestic and global job markets. He said, “The number of industry-aligned programs will increase beyond 300, covering 12 major emerging technologies. The goal is to train over 2 lakh candidates and establish over 2.70 lakh square feet of training infrastructure, further strengthening employability and workforce readiness.”

The industry aligned programs aim to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills by aligning education with emerging technologies and industry needs. So far, 33 global corporations have partnered, and 21 Future Skills Centres have been established in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Over 200 industry-aligned programs have been assessed and certified by corporations, covering 9 major emerging technologies. More than 27,000 candidates have been trained, with over 1.20 lakh square feet of training space developed.

NSDC aims to make quality education accessible to students from tier 2 and 3 colleges by addressing challenges in emerging technologies through collaborations with Institutes of National Importance. So far, 11 premium institutions have partnered to launch 17 micro-credential programs, awarding more than 75,000 credits and training over 5,000 candidates.

Looking forward, NSDC plans to collaborate with 15 premium institutions, introduce over 30 micro-credential programs, and award around 1,80,000 credits, further enhancing access to quality education and skill development. Students will receive specialized training in emerging technologies across key industry verticals such as aerospace, automotive, mining, and infrastructure. The OEMs’ tools and curriculum will be integrated into structured guided pathways, supporting different proficiency levels and leading to job opportunities across various domains.

As part of the Job-as-Skills model, Mr.Tiwari said, “There are plans to onboard 1 million students, establish MoUs with leading OEMs, bring in training partners, select industry specific tools, design career progression pathways, implement joint certification with NSDC and OEMs, and introduce new industry verticals in a phased manner.”

Talking about international mobility, Mr. Tiwari said that the institution is working towards setting up new international language labs and assessment centres, offering training in Russian, Italian, Korean, and French to equip candidates with multilingual capabilities, enhancing their global employability. Outlining a strategic roadmap for the future, focusing on expanding global employment opportunities and skill development initiatives, he said, “Israel has requested 5000 healthcare workers.”

Additionally, NSDC International is extending its advisory services across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Africa, ensuring that workforce development programs are effectively implemented in these regions. Germany and Japan have also shown a consistent demand for healthcare workers, reinforcing the need for continuous training and deployment to meet their workforce requirements.

He further mentioned about NSDC Trust that was established to provide a digital platform with digitally verifiable credentials, he said, “The platform ensures security, privacy, and global verifiability, offering services like Aadhaar, PAN, passport verification, driving license authentication, voter ID, GST, TAN, MCA verification, regulatory compliance checks, global database checks, education and employment verification, DIN, UAN, credit/record checks, and more than 100 additional services.”

Mr. Tiwari also talked about National Apprenticeship Program, he said that NSDC has significantly contributed to apprenticeship programs from the financial year 2018-19 to 2024-25. Over 3.5 million apprentices have been engaged in various sectors, and 0.56 million assessments have been successfully conducted to ensure skill competency. The network expansion efforts have resulted in the establishment of over 49,000 training centres engaging apprentices, with 170 Training Partner Aggregators (TPAs) being empanelled to facilitate skill training. In terms of financial commitment, a fund disbursement of Rs. 100,250 million has been allocated to support apprenticeship programs. The National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) has provided grants amounting to Rs. 10.46 billion, while the industry has contributed Rs. 288.93 billion towards apprenticeship initiatives.