Make for India, Make for the World: 5 National Centres of Excellence to Be Set Up for Youth Skilling

In a move to equip India’s youth with the skills required for emerging industries, the government has announced the establishment of five National Centres of Excellence for skilling. These centres will offer world-class training in partnership with global experts, aiming to boost India’s competitiveness on the global stage.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted the importance of these centres during the Union Budget 2025-26 presentation on Saturday. She stated that the partnerships would include elements like curriculum design, training for trainers, a skills certification framework, and periodic reviews to ensure that the training remains relevant and up-to-date.

Shruti Swaroop, the founder of Embrace Consulting, a global HR firm, welcomed the move, calling it a "game-changer" for India's workforce. She emphasized that the creation of these centres aligns with the government's vision of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’, which aims to elevate India’s global competitiveness by providing a skilled workforce for emerging sectors. Swaroop also noted that this budget reflects a much-needed forward-thinking approach to skill development and economic growth.

Last year, the government also announced an initiative to upgrade 1,000 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) over the next five years, with an allocation of Rs 30,000 crore. This move is expected to benefit two million youth and further bolster the government's goal of developing a skilled workforce.

Additionally, the Budget includes the National Action Plan for Toys, which aims to build a manufacturing ecosystem focused on creating high-quality, innovative, and sustainable toys, all part of the ‘Made in India’ initiative. Skill development will play a key role in this initiative, ensuring that the workforce is well-prepared to meet the demands of this growing sector.