SUMMARY
The Skill India Digital platform is at the intersection of the ‘Digital India’ and ‘Skill India’ programmes and aims to make skill development more innovative, accessible, and personalised
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan called the launch of the open-source platform another step by India towards creating digital public infrastructure
The platform will also act as a comprehensive information gateway for all government skilling and entrepreneurship initiatives
The government has launched Skill India Digital (SID) platform to make skill development more innovative, accessible, and personalised with a focus on digital technology and Industry 4.0 skills.
The platform, which is at the intersection of the Centre’s ‘Digital India’ and ‘Skill India’ programmes, was inaugurated by Union Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan. Minister of State For Skill Development, Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar was also present at the launch event.
The SID is a comprehensive digital platform that will provide industry relevant skill development courses, job opportunities, and entrepreneurship support. It will act as a comprehensive information gateway for all government skilling and entrepreneurship initiatives.
Commenting on the initiative, Pradhan said, “The consensus on India’s advocacy for global digital public infrastructure as well as for addressing skills gaps was the centrepiece of India’s successful G20 Presidency.”
Pradhan called the launch of the open-source platform another step by India towards creating digital public infrastructure.
It must be highlighted that the Indian government used its Presidency of the G20 to promote and showcase its digital goods, created under the umbrella of the India Stack. During the G20 Summit held in Delhi, the government left no stone unturned to highlight and showcase the digital goods which have given a big boost to the country’s digital economy.
The SID platform has introduced the concept of digital CV via personalised QR codes. Recruiters can access the CVs of potential candidates by just scanning these codes, the government said in a statement.
Further, the platform encompasses all the training programmes rolled out by the central and the state governments. Through this, the Indian government is aiming to create a unified and centralised hub for skill development initiatives.
Speaking on the significance of the platform, Chandrasekhar said such initiatives by the government will generate employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for the Indian youth. As the world is highly tech-driven since the COVID-19 pandemic, the SID will create a future ready workforce for India.
The Indian government has been actively advocating for digitisation and imparting digital skills to the youth for a while now. In August, it approved the expansion of the Digital India initiative and earmarked a total outlay of INR 14,903 Cr for the scheme. Making the announcement, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the move will boost the domestic digital economy, drive digital access to services and support the country’s IT and electronics ecosystem.
Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the country’s digital economy is well poised to grow to $1 Tn by 2025. Addressing the BRICS Business Forum virtually, he said that digitisation has been one of key pillars for India to recover from the effects of the pandemic on the workforce.
