The Mission aims at skill training and certification of the Indian workforce for a better livelihood with dignity and self-reliance. Being one of the youngest nations globally, India has the potential to become the Skill Capital of the World. Since its inception, MSDE has undertaken significant initiatives and reforms in terms of formalizing the policy, framework and standards; launching new programs and schemes; building infrastructure and upgrading the existing institutions. It has also partnered with States and collaborated with industries to create societal acceptance and aspirations.

Skill India Mission

Skill India is an initiative of the Government of India aims to train over 40 crore people in India in different skills by 2022. The initiatives include National Skill Development Mission, National Policy for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship 2015, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) scheme and the Skill Loan scheme.The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is responsible for co- ordination of all skill development efforts across the country, removal of disconnect between demand and supply of skilled manpower, building the vocational and technical training framework, skill up-gradation, building of new skills, and innovative thinking not only for existing jobs but also jobs that are to be created.

It is aided in these initiatives by– National Skill Development Agency (NSDA), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), National Skill Development Fund (NSDF) and 39 Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) as well as several training partners registered with NSDC. The Ministry also intends to work with the existing network of skill development centers, universities and other alliances in the field. Further, collaborations with relevant Central Ministries, State governments, international organizations, industry and Non-Government Organizations (NGO) have been initiated for multi-level engagement and more impactful implementation of skill development efforts.

About Skill Saathi Scheme

The Skills Career Counselling Scheme aims to counsel 1 crore candidates from the age group of 15– 35 years focusing on School & College drop-outs, young adults from the community, college students, polytechnic students, ITI students, Diploma students, Graduates, Post-Graduates, NEET category (Not in Employment education or Training), etc. pan India from August 2018. Counselling will be conducted on a standardized module/content as defined by NSDC/MSDE.

Objectives of the Skill Saathi Scheme:

• Create Awareness about the Skill India Mission and inform the youth of India aboutvocational education and its opportunities.
• Sensitize prospective candidates about available Market Opportunities under the Skill India Mission, including horizontal and verticalpathways.
• Facilitate Psychometric Testing and Face-To-Face Counselling Interventions to create an individual-level impact to guide aspirants to make the right choice of training and subsequent employment/entrepreneurship.
• Facilitate Awareness and Guidance among the Candidates about the available courses as per their aptitude and Psychometric Test results and availability of skill training prospects.
• Capacity Building of Counsellors to fulfil the objective of the scheme.
• Skills on Wheels – Skills on Wheels will be a part of the Skill Saathi in order to create awareness about skill development among youth at their doorsteps. Specially branded vehicles shall tour the villages/towns for propagating the skill India mission and counsel the students.
• The scheme will have outcome-based payouts.
• Mind mapping/ Psychometric test/ interest mapping would also be encouraged through appropriate incentive structure.

Strategy and Approach

• Nationwide capacity building workshops for counsellors of the CIOs, will be undertaken by competent professionals, as assigned by NSDC.
• All CIOs to conduct counselling sessions on the standardized module provided by NSDC, during working hours.
• All the CIOs for all purposes of the scheme will be separate and no overlap of roles will be permitted to ensure transparency and objectivity.
• The scheme will provide pay-outs to the Counselling Implementing Organizations (CIOs) in alignment with reimbursements predefined by NSDC upon successful completion of counselling.
• Pay – outs will be based upon successful Monitoring Reports, mapped electronically through the skillindia.gov.in portal.
• The pay-outs will be made through bank transfer to the Counselling Implementing Organizations’ (CIOs) accounts, as applicable.
• Branding norms as defined in the Branding Guidelines will need to be adhered to.
• All content on the collaterals shared will be adapted in regional languages as well.

Target Beneficiaries:

The Counselling Scheme aims at benefitting 1 crore students/youth across India in the age group of 15- 35 years. The target group could be school students, ITI students, Diploma students, young adults from the community, college students, polytechnic students, as well as the NEET category (Not in Employment education or Training) candidates and the youth of India at large. These sessions will be conducted across India, through the CIOs.

Counselling Implementing Organizations (CIOs):

Counselling Implementing Organizations (CIOs) shall be given the task of conducting the Counselling Sessions on a pan-India level.

Counselling Session

Each Counselling Session is proposed to be of one-hour duration, approximately and shall be divided into 5 steps which need to be adhered to, by the CIO executing the counselling scheme on-ground. The following are the proposed steps in which the Counselling Session would proceed.

• Introductory Session – Duration 10-15 Minutes (As in the Skill Saathi Process Manual provided to CIOs)
• Counselling Video Screening – Duration 10-15 Minutes
• Tool Kit distribution for each candidate. Duration 5 Minutes
• Post Screening Interactive Session – Duration 5-10 Minutes
• Psychometric Test (Occupational Interest Profiling) – Duration 20 Minutes
• Question & Answers – Duration 5 Minutes

Monetary Payouts

Each CIO may be incentivized with a financial reimbursement @Rs.13 per candidate. The CIO could make batches of 50/batch up to a maximum of 200 candidates, for each session/per venue/day –registered on the Skill India portal and validated through the Skill Saathi monitoring app.

The reimbursable amount will be for registered candidates, valid counselling session photo uploads on the Skill Saathi app. (Process Methodology)- up to a maximum of 200 candidates, i.e. up to a maximum of Rs.2600 for 200 candidates for each session per venue (per address), per day, only.

The amount will be transferred electronically based on the bank details provided by the CIO in the CIO Skill Saathi Monitoring App. A proposed amount is mentioned below:

Number of candidates Per Session/Venue/Day Reimbursement – 200/2600

Documentary Evidence required for Reimbursement

1. a) Undertaking from the CIO in the desired format, as notified by NSDC/MSDE
2. b) Submission of Invoice
3. c) Letter from the Head of Institution for completion of counselling, for the number of candidates for which reimbursement is being sought. E.g. If the counselling session has been conducted in a KV, then a letter from the principal of that KV is required, with the required details.