Lok Sabha Question No. 5941 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-30
Subject: Implementation and Outcomes of NSQF
Ministry: SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Asked by: Shri Selvam G, Shri C N Annadurai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  5941

ANSWERED ON 30.03.2026

## IMPLEMENTATION AND OUTCOMES OF NSQF

5941.  SHRI C N ANNADURAI: SHRI SELVAM G:

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

- (a)       whether the Government has reviewed the implementation and outcomes of the National Skill  Qualification  Framework  (NSQF)  following  recent  reviews  of  multiple  skill  qualifications across the high-growth sectors;
- (b) the number of NSQF-aligned qualifications, training programmes, and Sector Skill Council certifications currently operational in the country and specifically in Tamil Nadu during the last three years and the current year;
- (c) whether any assessment has been made regarding the of gaps between NSQF-certified training and actual employment outcomes, particularly in emerging sectors, such as electronics, logistics and advanced manufacturing;
- (d) the steps taken/being taken by  the  Government  to  ensure  alignment  of  NSQF qualifications with industry demand, apprenticeships and higher education pathways; and
- (e) the corrective measures being implemented to strengthen recognition of prior learning, mobility between vocational and academic streams and adoption of NSQF standards by training institutions and employers?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

- (a)  to  (e): 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  /  institutes  etc.  under  various  schemes,  viz. Pradhan  Mantri  Kaushal  Vikas  Yojana  (PMKVY),  Jan  Shikshan  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 including the state of Tamilnadu. The SIM aims at enabling youth of India to get future ready and equipped with industry relevant skills.

Government of India launched the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) in December 2013 and was rationalized and notified in June, 2023. NSQF is an outcome and competencybased framework which organizes qualifications according to a series of levels of knowledge, skills, aptitude, and responsibility levels defined in terms of learning outcomes which the learner must acquire through formal, non-formal or informal learning which may comprise of academics, vocational education, training & skilling and experiential learning including relevant experience and proficiency/ professional levels acquired, subject to assessment. The NSQF is segregated from Level 1 to 8, and each level represents a different level of skills, complexity, knowledge, responsibility and autonomy.

NSQF provides for integrating and creditizing vocational education, training and skill learning in various dimensions of academics, skilling and experiential learning including relevant experience and proficiency/  professional  levels  acquired,  subject  to  assessment.  It  establishes  academic equivalence between vocational & general education while enabling mobility within & between them  and  recognize  learning  through  close  partnership  with  industry  and  employers  through internships apprenticeships and on the job training across all sectors.

As on 31.12.2025, a total of 9549 qualifications has been NSQF aligned and approved, out of which 3122 qualifications (including NOS and MC) are active and valid, while 6427 qualifications have been archived so far. Of the 3122 qualifications, 502 are National Occupation Standards (NOS) and 268 are Micro-credentials (MC). These active qualifications also include 678 future qualifications from various domains i.e AI/ML, Big data, IoT, green Energy, Semi-Conductors etc. Around 1.40  crore  candidates  has  been  trained  in  last  three  years  and  in  current  year  upto 31.12.2025 in India out of which 7.28 lakh candidates were trained in the state of Tamil Nadu under various schemes of this Ministry.

Skill Gap studies conducted from time to time provide information on the skills needed and the skill gaps in various sectors. Such studies guide the interventions of the Government aimed at preparing the workforce as per the industry needs. Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) have undertaken skill  gap  studies  across  sectors  including  sectors  such  as  Electronics, Logistics,  Advance Manufacturing, etc. since 2019,  providing  demand -supply  assessments  and  manpower requirement projections.

Further, to synergize initiatives of skill development in the country and to fulfil the regional skill requirements,  the  schemes  of  MSDE  focus  on  implementation  of  training  interventions  with participation of States and Districts through State Skill Development Mission (SSDMs) and District Skill Committees (DSCs). DSCs identify sectors with employment opportunities as well as the associated demand for skilling in the district, and map the available facilities for Skill Training. Skill  Development  Programmes of  the  Government  are  designed  and  implemented  to  bridge identified skill gaps across sectors.

To align skill  development programs with the industrial requirements in different sectors, and thereby improving the employability of the skilled manpower, 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 identify the skill development needs of respective sectors as well as to determine skill competency standards.
- iv. Directorate 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  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, Microsoft, AWS etc. to ensure  industry  linkages  for  the  institutes  at  the  state  and  regional  levels.  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, equipped with cutting-edge technology and hands-on training.
- ix. Kaushal  Melas  and  Pradhan  Mantri  National  Apprenticeship  Melas  (PMNAMs)  are organised  to  facilitate  the  placements  and  apprenticeship  opportunities  to  the  certified candidates.

In  addition,  the  National  Education  Policy  2020  lays  emphasis  on  integration  of  vocational education programs with mainstream education in all educational institutions in a phased manner. The  National  Credit  Framework  (NCrF)  has  been  developed  as  a  comprehensive  credit accumulation & transfer framework encompassing elementary, school, higher, and vocational education  &  training.  NCrF  integrates  creditization  of  learning  in  various  dimensions  i.e. academics,  vocational  skills  and  experiential  learning  including  relevant  experience  and proficiency/  professional  levels  acquired.  The  University  Grant  Commission  (UGC)  has  also mandated that upto 50% of the total credit requirement of an UG/PG program can be fulfilled through skill courses including NSQF aligned qualifications.

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