Greater Noida, March 30: The IndiaSkills National Competition 2025-26 was launched with a grand inauguration ceremony in Greater Noida, promoting skill excellence in India. Organized under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and supported by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), this competition brings together over 650 skilled youth from across the country. Participants are competing in 63 skill categories that align with national and global industry standards. This event marks a significant milestone in India’s journey towards building a future-ready workforce and advancing the vision of a developed India.
The national competition features top performers from five regional rounds held across the country. Thousands of candidates participated in these regional competitions, showcasing exceptional technical expertise, discipline, and commitment. The finalists gathered today represent the best talents emerging from these rigorous selection processes.
Addressing the attendees at the inauguration, MSDE Secretary Debashree Mukherjee stated, “Education builds knowledge, but skills give that knowledge purpose and power. In a rapidly changing world, a nation’s true strength lies in its commitment to lifelong learning and pride in craftsmanship. Through platforms like IndiaSkills, we are promoting ideals that inspire young Indians to excel in skills. With preparations underway to send a strong delegation to the WorldSkills competition in Shanghai, we are sending a clear message that India is building one of the most skilled workforces in the world.”
Manisha Sen Sharma, Senior Economic Advisor at MSDE, emphasized that IndiaSkills is not just a competition but a crucial part of efforts to build a structured skilled talent ecosystem in India. She noted that with over 200 industry partners and competitions held in 63 skills (43 onsite and 20 offsite), this platform reflects strong industry coordination, inclusivity, and comprehensiveness.
NSDC CEO Arun Kumar Pillai highlighted the importance of industry-aligned skill development and collaboration, stating that IndiaSkills is a powerful amalgamation of training, industry, and performance that sets excellence standards and equips youth with skills that meet real-world demands and global benchmarks.
Professor Rana Pratap Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Gautam Buddha University, remarked that platforms like IndiaSkills promote lifelong learning and help students recognize skills as integral to higher education and future workforce preparation. He added that the National Education Policy 2020 promotes a strong integration of education and skills through multidisciplinary education and flexible academic pathways.
The IndiaSkills competition 2025-26 has recorded the highest participation in its history, with over 365,000 registrations from 36 states and union territories, competing in 63 skill categories through the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH). This extensive participation reflects the growing aspiration among Indian youth to adopt skills as a viable and lucrative career path.
The competition showcases an extraordinary array of skills. Some of these skills are widely recognized, such as electrical installation, electronics, web technologies, and cloud computing. Additionally, many other skills represent emerging and highly specialized careers that are shaping future industries, including autonomous mobile robotics, additive manufacturing, cybersecurity, Industry 4.0, optoelectronic technology, unmanned aerial systems, digital construction, logistics and freight forwarding, and chemical laboratory technology.
The strength of IndiaSkills lies in its collaborative ecosystem, which brings together central and state governments, regional skill councils, educational institutions, and industry partners to ensure a strong alignment with real-world needs. Currently, over a dozen regional skill councils are supporting competitions in key sectors such as automotive, electronics, IT-ITeS, construction, retail, agriculture, tourism, and healthcare, with active participation from more than 200 leading industry partners, including Toyota Kirloskar, Maruti Suzuki, JK Cement, and Lincoln Electric, ensuring that work and assessment meet industry standards.
In the coming days, competitors will be evaluated by industry experts and domain specialists based on criteria such as accuracy, creativity, efficiency, and adherence to global standards. Of the 63 categories, 43 skills will be conducted onsite, allowing for live demonstrations of technical proficiency, while 20 skills will be assessed through offsite formats, ensuring comprehensive and inclusive evaluation across various subjects.
Winners of the national competition will have the opportunity to represent India at the prestigious WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai 2026, often referred to as the “Olympics of Skills.”
The inauguration ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including Gyanendra Dev Tripathi, Principal Secretary of SEED, Assam; Manish Singh, Principal Secretary of Technical Education, Skill Development & Employment Department, Madhya Pradesh; Jubemo Lotha Tsanglao, Additional Director of the Nagaland Government; Leena Padha, Mission Director of Jammu and Kashmir Skill Development Mission; Prashant Sinha, COO of NSDC; Rajesh Swaika, CFO of NSDC; Jagdish Mitra, NSDC Board Member; along with senior officials from the ministry and NSDC, industry leaders, and partners from the education and skill development ecosystem. Their presence underscored the importance of India’s skill development ecosystem.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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