India outlines a new skilling execution model in partnership with the World Economic Forum

Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of Education, Government of India; Shri Sukanta Majumdar, Minister of State for Education; Sanjiv Bajaj, Chairman and Managing Director, Bajaj Finserv Ltd.; and Shobana Kamineni, Executive Chairperson, Apollo Health Co and Promoter Director, Apollo Hospitals, spoke on the initiative

India has set out a new framework for vocational education and workforce preparation through a partnership with the World Economic Forum, focused on execution, industry participation, and measurable outcomes in skilling and Technical and Vocational Education and Training.
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the World Economic Forum to establish a Skills Accelerator in India. The platform is designed to bring together government, industry, education institutions, and global partners to identify gaps in workforce readiness and translate them into practical training, financing, and deployment models.

The Accelerator will operate as a multi stakeholder mechanism to support vocational education reform, closer links between education and employment, and structured pathways for upskilling and reskilling. It will work across institutions involved in vocational and higher education, with reference to the National Education Policy 2020 and India’s long term workforce objectives.
Speaking on the development, Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of Education, Government of India, said, “What began as a strategic vision to align India’s skilling ecosystem with the future of work has now taken a structured and global form. The formalization of the India Skills Accelerator, in partnership with the World Economic Forum, marks a key milestone in building a future-ready, globally competitive workforce. By bringing government, industry, and education together, the initiative supports coordinated action to address current and emerging skill gaps, enable outcome-based skill financing, and promote lifelong learning and alignment with global labour market demand. Aligned with NEP 2020 and Vision India@2047, it places skilling at the centre of inclusive growth and national development.”

Shri Sukanta Majumdar, Minister of State for Education, said the collaboration connects education systems more directly with employability and future job requirements. He said, “I warmly welcome the landmark MoU between the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and the World Economic Forum to launch the Skills Accelerator in India. This collaboration complements the National Education Policy 2020 by integrating education with skilling, supporting lifelong learning, and linking curricula with industry needs.”
From the private sector, Sanjiv Bajaj, Co-Chair for the India Skills Accelerator and Chairman and Managing Director of Bajaj Finserv Ltd., said, “The India Skills Accelerator initiative is a strategic step toward India’s long-term competitiveness. Using global insights on the future of work alongside India’s talent base can help create skilling systems that are scalable, industry-led, and linked to productivity and innovation.”

He added that with a large young population, investment in skills remains central to economic outcomes over the coming decades.
Shobana Kamineni, Co-Chair for the India Skills Accelerator and Executive Chairperson of Apollo Health Co and Promoter Director of Apollo Hospitals, said, “India’s workforce advantage lies in linking scale with skills. The India Skills Accelerator connects policy intent with on-ground implementation by bringing together industry, educators, and innovators to convert emerging workforce needs into deployable skills and sustainable jobs. In partnership with the World Economic Forum, the initiative supports India’s role as a reliable talent contributor to the global economy.”

The Skills Accelerator will also engage with higher education institutions, vocational training bodies, and regulators including AICTE and UGC to support implementation and scale. Focus areas include flexible curricula, mutual recognition of qualifications, institutional capacity building, and collaboration in future work domains such as artificial intelligence, robotics, green energy, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing.
The partnership reflects coordination between the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of External Affairs, and builds on discussions held during India’s participation at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in January 2025.

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