New Delhi: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan emphasized the importance of skilling, upskilling, and reskilling India’s workforce in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of transforming the country into a global skill hub. Addressing the ongoing efforts under the STARS (Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States) program, Pradhan outlined the collaborative initiative between the School Education Department of the Government of India and the World Bank, which aims to uplift educational and skill development standards across select districts in India.
Pradhan revealed that the World Bank has conducted a detailed review of the skill conditions in certain districts, leveraging primary and secondary data to produce a comprehensive report. The report highlights critical insights, including the aspirations of children, opportunities available in these areas, and emerging skillsets aligned with global economic trends. He suggested that these findings could serve as models for scaling similar efforts pan-India.
Aligning Skills with Economic Growth
As India steadily moves towards becoming a $5 trillion economy, Pradhan stressed the need for a robust skilling strategy to support this transition. “When India becomes a global growth driver, we will need to enhance our skill capacity,” he stated. He also underscored that the recommendations made in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 align perfectly with the country’s economic ambitions.
The NEP 2020 advocates for holistic education reforms, emphasizing skill-based learning to prepare students for the demands of the evolving global economy. It proposes integrating vocational education at the school level, fostering innovation, and promoting lifelong learning among India’s workforce.
India as a Global Skill Hub
Highlighting India’s potential to strengthen both its domestic economy and contribute to global economic growth, Pradhan reiterated PM Modi’s vision of positioning India as a global skill leader. “We are not just working for ourselves but for the world economy,” he said, signaling India’s readiness to address global skill demands through enhanced human resource capacity.
The STARS program and similar initiatives play a pivotal role in laying the groundwork for this ambition, ensuring that India’s education and skilling systems remain dynamic and future-ready.
With the convergence of education policy, international collaboration, and grassroots-level implementation, India’s march towards economic resilience and global leadership in skills appears firmly on track.
