Lok Sabha Question No. 1367 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-28
Subject: Support to Startups through Skill Development
Ministry: SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Asked by: Smt. Malvika Devi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1367

ANSWERED ON 28.07.2025

## SUPPORT TO STARTUPS THROUGH SKILL DEVELOPMENT

1367.  SMT. MALVIKA DEVI:

Will the Minister of SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP be pleased to state:

- (a) the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  take  to  integrate  skill development  programmes  with  the  needs  of  industries  so  as  to  increase  and enhance employment opportunities;
- (b) the  manner  in  which  the  Government  plan  to  support  start  ups  and  small entrepreneurs specially  in  rural  areas  along  with  the  Government  plan  to  promote entrepreneurship in these regions; and
- (c) the  number  of  new  startups  started  during  the  last  financial  year  and  the number of such startups doing well?

## ANSWER

THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a): Under the Government of India's Skill India Mission (SIM) , the Ministry of Skill Development  and  Entrepreneurship  (MSDE)  delivers  skill,  re-skill  and  up-skill training  through  an  extensive  network  of  skill  development  centres under  various schemes,  viz.  Pradhan  Mantri  Kaushal  Vikas  Yojana  (PMKVY),  Jan  Sikhshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), to all the sections of  the  society  across  the  country.  The  SIM  aims  at  enabling  youth  of  India  to  get future ready, equipped with industry relevant skills.

To ensure that the skills imparted are aligned with the current industry requirements and  thereby  improve  employability  of  the  youth,  the  following  specific  steps  have been taken by MSDE:

- (i) National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) has been set up  as  an  overarching  regulator  establishing  regulations  and  standards  to ensure quality in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) space.
- (ii)  The  Awarding  Bodies  recognised  by  NCVET  are  expected  to  develop  the qualifications  as  per  the  industry  demand  and  map  them  with  the  identified occupations as per the National Classification of Occupations, 2015 and obtain industry validations.
- (iii)  36  Sector  Skill  Councils  (SSCs),  led  by  industry  leaders  in  the  respective sectors, have been set up which are mandated to identify the skill development needs of respective sectors as well as to determine skill competency standards. NSDC, under the  Market  led  program,  provides  support  to  training  providers that collaborate and align skill courses with industry demand.
- (iv) General of Training (DGT) under the aegis of MSDE is implementing Flexi MoU Scheme  and  Dual  System  of  Training  (DST)  which  are  meant  to  provide training to ITI students in industrial environment as per their requirements.
- (v)  Under PMKVY, the new age/future skills job-roles have been specially aligned with  Industry  4.0  requirements  in  areas  like  AI/ML,  Robotics,  Mechatronics, Drone Technology, etc. for upcoming market demand and industry requirements.
- (vi) DGT  has  introduced  new  age  /future  skills  courses  in  Industrial  Training Institutes  (ITIs)  and  National  Skill  Training  Institutes  (NSTIs)  under  CTS  to provide  training  in  emerging  areas  such  as  5G  Network  Technician,  Artificial Intelligence Programming assistant, Cyber Security Assistant, Drone Technician etc.
- (vii)  DGT  has  signed  MoU  with  IT  Tech  companies  like  IBM,  CISCO, Future  Skill Rights Network, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft to ensure industry linkages for the institutes at the state and regional levels under CSR initiatives. These partnerships  facilitate  the  provision  of  technical  and  professional  skills training in modern technologies.
- (viii)  Indian  Institute  of  Skills  (IIS)  established  at  Ahmedabad  and  Mumbai,  in Public  Private  Partnership  (PPP)  Mode,  provide  training  to  create  a  pool  of industry-ready workforce for Industry 4.0, equipped with cutting-edge technology and hands-on training.
- (ix) National Skill Development  Corporation under the aegis  of  MSDE  has partnered with a number of international organizations such as AWS, Microsoft, Intel, Redhat, Pearson VUE, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Cisco Networking Academy for providing digital courses.
- (x)  MSDE  has  launched  Skill  India  Digital  Hub  (SIDH)  a  unified  platform  that integrates  skilling,  education,  employment,  and  entrepreneurship  ecosystems to provide a life-long array of services targeting a wide range of stakeholders. The  details of the trained candidates  are  available on  SIDH  portal  for connecting  with  potential  employers.  Through  SiDH,  candidates  can  have access to jobs and apprenticeship opportunities.
- (xi)  Further,  Rozgar  Melas  and  Pradhan  Mantri  National  Apprenticeship  Melas (PMNAMs) have been organized to facilitate the placements and apprenticeship opportunities to the certified candidates.

(b) & (c): The Government of India has taken up various initiatives to create a more inclusive  entrepreneurial  ecosystem  through  entrepreneurship  education,  training, advocacy  and  easy  access  to  entrepreneurship  network.  Government  of  India implements  various  schemes/programmes  for  the  entrepreneurship  promotion  like Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme; Micro and Small Enterprises -Cluster Development Programme; Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries;   Scheme  for  Promoting Innovation,  Rural  Industry  &  Entrepreneurship  ;

Startup India; Startup Village Entrepreneurship Program; Pradhan Mantri Formalisation  of  Micro  Food  Processing  Enterprises;  Technology  Incubation  and Development of Entrepreneurs Scheme; etc.

Government of India with intent to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation, startups  and  encouraging  investments  in  the  Startup  ecosystem  of  the  country launched the Startup India  initiative  on  16th  January  2016.  The  flagship  Schemes namely,  Fund  of  Funds  for  Startups  (FFS),  Startup  India  Seed  Fund  Scheme (SISFS)  and  Credit  Guarantee  Scheme  for  Startups  (CGSS)  support  Startups  at various stages of their business cycle. As a result of these efforts, a total of 1,80,683 entities (as on 30th June 2025) have been recognised as startups by DPIIT. Out of these, 34,294 entities were recognised as startups in 2024.

MSDE through its autonomous institutions, i.e, National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), Noida and Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati conducts Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EAP) and Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) to promote entrepreneurship across the country including special areas like northeastern region and aspirational districts. MSDE in collaboration with the Women Entrepreneurship  Platform  of  NITI  Aayog,  launched  the  Swavalambini  -  a  Women Entrepreneurship  Programme  in  February  2025  in  the  North  Eastern  States  of Assam,  Meghalaya,  Mizoram  and  also  in  Uttar  Pradesh  and  Telangana.  The programme  aims  to  cultivate  an  entrepreneurial  mindset  among  female  students through EAP and EDP to be implemented through National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development, NOIDA and Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship, Guwahati.

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