“My job is not to create employment, but to create skilled manpower for employment. I do not set up industries…,” says Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Minister of State Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge). Heading the Ministry which is handling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet programme – Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) – Rudy is aware of the challenges he faces. In conversation with BusinessLine he shares how his ministry defines ‘skill’, and emphasises the significance of strategic partnerships in achieving ‘Skill India’ vision — role of States and private sector. Excerpts:

How do you define ‘Skilling’ or have you adopted an adhoc definition?

We have defined Skilling based on how economists, sociologists, and world see it. We have broadly defined skilled, unskilled and semi-skilled workers as follows:

A skilled worker possesses technical and attitudinal competencies to perform a job role, as per specifications without any support or supervision. A semi-skilled worker possesses basic knowledge and attitudinal qualities on how to perform a specific job role, but requires supervision and guidance while performing the task.

An unskilled worker carries out routine manual tasks, without possessing in-depth technical competencies. A helper on the shop floor is a good example of an unskilled worker.

Creating skilled manpower is fine, how do you generate jobs?

Skilling is being done at this scale under the presumption that the economy will grow and there will be demand for skilled manpower. We have already projected skill gaps in various sectors. But, let’s be clear — my job is not to create employment. My job is to create the skilled manpower for employment. I do not set up industries.

Make in India will happen, but it will happen when we have makers in India. We have to create synergy. Everything you talk about involves trained manpower.

How different is the 2015 National Skills Policy from the 2009 version?

Skill was on the agenda of the previous government also. But, there was no ecosystem. They created a STAR Scheme which would have turned into a major scandal, if we had not stepped in. We are still putting things back in place.

Are you planning to give National Skills Qualification Framework a statutory status?

I propose to talk to the Prime Minister to get a statutory status for NSQF so that all alignment in skills takes place through this framework. My foremost job is to give an ecosystem…who has to be targeted, how it has to be done, what is the framework, assessment, certification and linkages.

What about the National Skill Development Corporation?

A total revamp is on the cards. We are emigrating from the STAR Scheme, which was a reward scheme, to a completely grant scheme so that training providers become answerable. The earlier mechanism of payments and rewards was flawed.

How are the States responding to you?

States are keen to partner. We will handhold them in certain schemes. We have two World Bank schemes to step up their capacity, support them with funding and give a component of the PMKVY to them. We are also trying to bring all the skilling schemes of the government under the PMKVY.

At present, about ₹6,000-₹7,000 crore annually is being spent on various programmes.

How do you plan to meet the Budget target of skilling one crore youth in the next three years?

A Cabinet note is in place. As of now, the money is not commensurate to meet the target of one crore. We have asked for ₹15,000 crore in the next three years. Since it was announced in the Budget speech, I am sure we will move in that direction.

Budget spoke about entrepreneurship education to be given at the school level. Are you in talks with the HRD Ministry on this?

We are working on a flagship scheme that would focus on creating a favourable eco-system for entrepreneurship development through education and training, advocacy, easy access to various components of entrepreneurship ecosystem including mentor network, credit, incubator & accelerator, information platform, research, etc.

The scheme is under consultation. We plan to launch it in the coming financial year. The Ministry is also focusing on promoting entrepreneurship at the grassroots through a provision of a comprehensive end-to-end solution which includes support for ideation, facilitation of setting up the enterprise, arranging for statutory clearances, handholding support, mentoring and loan assistance to the potential first generation entrepreneurs.

Any plan to expand the Recognition of Prior Learning Scheme to other sectors besides construction? What is the revised RPL framework?

We are re-designing the RPL concept for formal and informal sectors.

The financial viability of the scheme has been duly considered and accordingly amendments to the process guidelines have been made. Since, there is no specific role of training providers in the RPL process, which precisely talks about assessment of existing skills and certification, we are also considering approval for assessment bodies to undertake roles of training partner which include but are not limited to mobilisation, orientation, batch uploads.

You spoke about skilling programme in retail and e-commerce?

Till now, skilling has been mostly on the hard skills — plumbing and machine tools.

We are now also focussing on the services sector where retail is a very important aspect as well as hospitality, hospitals and tourism.

In all these sectors, we are putting in a component of soft skills, personality grooming and English, which will also be a part of PMKVY’s Qualification Packs.

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