Jammu and Kashmir government is making skill development more demand driven and decentralized in its approach with focus on digital technology and industry under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).
Pertinently, PMKVY is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) being implemented by National Skill Development Corporation. The objective of this Skill Certification Scheme is to enable a large number of Indian youth to take up industry-relevant skill training that will help them in securing a better livelihood.
The training imparted at PMKVY Training Centres (TCs) is aimed to benefit candidates either semi-skilled/unskilled or unemployed above 14 years of age. The training programs are certified and imparted as per the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF). Besides, hard skills, TCs also impart training in soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial and digital literacy.
An official said that the duration of training varies per skill courses, ranging between 150 and 600 hours and candidates are provided placement assistance by Training Partners (TPs) upon successful completion of their training courses.
Notably, Skill Hub Initiative' programme was launched in J&K in 40 schools who have been identified and designated as 'skill hubs' in the Union Territory but initially the programme was launched in nine government schools as a pilot project.
The 'Skill Hub Initiative' was part of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna (PMKVY) 3.0 and was launched across the country and executed through the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).
The scheme, envisioned by the Union ministries of education, and skill development and entrepreneurship, aims to provide NSDC certified skill courses for out of school children and youth and dropouts.
It also aims at preparing them for placements as well as self-entrepreneurship, an official said.
One of the beneficiary of PMKVY, Sameer Ahmed Najar from Bandipora, J&K says a PMKK centre at Bandipora helped him to become hairstylist.
"This training has changed my personality, as I learnt more about interpersonal as well as grooming skills during the sessions. My outlook towards life changed dramatically. The trainers were very good at training and I learnt various hair styling techniques from them making my business more profitable," he said.
He added that the training helped him to earn Rs. 15,000 per month. "Through this training programme, the lives of my family have improvedp and we are now financially independent. I look forward to a secured future,." he said and thanked the Government of India for launching this initiative which helped him to become independent.