NITI Aayog calls for overhaul of India’s skilling system, proposes five big reforms for Viksit Bharat 2047

NITI Aayog has proposed a fundamental overhaul of India’s skilling ecosystem, with five core reforms and four system enablers aimed at making skilling more flexible, industry-linked and outcome-driven as the country works towards the Viksit Bharat@2047 vision.

The report, titled “Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat@2047”, places learners at the centre of a lifelong pathway spanning education, skilling and employment. It identifies five learner and worker segments, including school students from Grade 6 onwards, tertiary learners, formal and informal workers, NEET youth aged 15-29, and women as a cross-cutting segment.

The first reform is skill integration in schools. NITI Aayog proposes introducing General Employability and Entrepreneurship Skills (GEES) from Grade 6 to Grade 12 and structured vocational Kaushal Tracks from Grade 9. The report notes that fewer than one in 12 secondary schools currently offer vocational subjects.

The second reform seeks stronger public-private partnership and private-sector engagement in technical and higher education. The report recommends applied, industry-aligned specialisations, work-integrated programmes and Apprenticeship Embedded Degree/Diploma Programmes, along with flexible and modular earn-while-you-learn formats.

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The third reform is a shift towards outcome-linked, industry-backed skilling programmes. Instead of focusing primarily on enrolment, programmes would be aligned with labour-market demand and high-growth sectors such as green industries and electric vehicles, with stronger links to verified outcomes and outcome-linked financing.

The fourth reform proposes “Apprenticeship for All”, positioning apprenticeships as a mainstream pathway between learning and work. NITI Aayog highlights fragmented opportunities and limited awareness and proposes measures including a unified State Apprenticeship Platform.

The fifth reform focuses on guidance and perception building. The report proposes structured pathway clinics in schools and colleges, community counselling hubs and digital tools such as MyGuide, Skill Sure and Skill Scout to help learners understand what to study, where to study and potential career pathways.

Digital Skills Passport

Supporting these reforms are four system enablers: a Digital Skills Passport, outcomes-based financing, NCrF adoption for pathway mobility, and skills-first policies and infrastructure.

The report also stresses that the proposed architecture is based on non-linear learning pathways, lifelong skilling and outcomes such as employability, progression and livelihoods.

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Separately, the government has clarified that the report’s 8.7 crore NEET youth figure should not be interpreted as unemployment. The estimate is based on NSS 78th Round data collected during FY2020-21, when education and employment were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The government has pointed to more recent PLFS data for understanding the current trajectory.

The ₹600-crore Integrated Scheme in Skilling Architecture (ISSA) introduced in Union Budget 2026-27 is also intended to strengthen convergence across education, skilling, employment and lifelong learning, with State Skills Transformation Pilots in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Assam.