Pragmatic approach will help guide India’s youth, shaping a skilled, performance-driven workforce

The Apprentices Act is a strong foundation for a kind of transformative learning.

By Lalit Bhasin 

We are in an era marked by rapid and unprecedented technological transformation. The world is embracing innovations driven by artificial intelligence, automation, and digital connectivity. National progress now hinges on the calibre of our human capital and their responsiveness to this new world of technology. Here, one of the most crucial enablers of skill development is the Apprentices Act, a legislative tool that ensures quality training and embeds a culture of excellence within the workforce.

The Act establishes a clear, enforceable framework to bridge the wide and growing gap between academic learning and practical industry requirements. By mandating the registration of apprentices and outlining a contractual mechanism that protects both apprentices and employers, the Act aims to guarantee structured and transparent training.

This framework has been effectively leveraged by forward-looking companies, particularly within IT, to nurture and harness talent. For many of these organisations, the Act serves as a catalyst for integrating rigorous training modules that align closely with global best practices. It thus fortifies India’s competitive edge in a rapidly evolving technological landscape, ensuring that our workforce is not only skilled but also agile enough to adapt to emerging challenges.

Integral to the Act’s success is its insistence on performance-based selection, wherein companies shoulder the responsibility of bearing the full cost of training while instituting stringent evaluation mechanisms. Apprentices formally acknowledge that their progress will be rigorously assessed against well-defined performance benchmarks. This commitment to continuous evaluation reflects decades of corporate experience, where regular assessments have long been the norm.

Periodic evaluations under the Act are designed to objectively filter talent, ensuring that only candidates who meet the high standards demanded by global clientele progress through the training pipeline. Thus, the Act instills a culture of discipline, fairness, and meritocracy.

Moreover, the regularity of these evaluations plays a critical role in addressing the long-standing mismatch between academic curricula and industry expectations. Academia often falls short of imparting the practical skills and adaptability required in today’s fast-paced economic environment. The Act’s emphasis on performance and continual improvement compels companies to invest in intensive, hands-on training, not only sharpening the skills of young professionals but also ensures that they are well-prepared to tackle the multifaceted challenges of modern industries.

The Act’s dual mechanism of rigorous training and accountability is noteworthy. It mandates that companies invest heavily in their apprentices’ development, ensuring that they are exposed to the latest technologies and methodologies. It also ensures that the investment translates into tangible improvements in skill and competence.

Critics could argue that the strict adherence to performance metrics might lead to the premature dismissal of apprentices who may require additional time to acclimate. However, crucially, under the Act’s ambit, letting go of underperformers is neither illegal nor unethical.

Empathy for those let go should be tempered with realities of the world of work. From Meta to Microsoft, from Amazon to Accenture, performance-based layoffs are common; they are also accepted as what they are. When Infosys recently laid off trainees, it was because they failed competence-based assessments; it was a standard, methodical pruning, not a cause for alarm, because companies across India Inc both let go off and onboard new people, guided by the shared understanding that in a competitive global market, mediocrity cannot be afforded or fostered.

Through a rigorous but fair and transparent process of testing that only the most competent individuals emerge, ready to deliver.

It is also important to acknowledge that the responsibility of skill development extends beyond law. Government initiatives like Skill India, along with corporate skilling programmes and online learning platforms, have democratised access to training. These initiatives are part of an ecosystem where formal education is complemented by continuous, self-directed learning.

However, the onus of bridging the skills gap does not rest solely on the government or corporations. Ultimately, the success of these programmes depends on the willingness of individuals to take charge of their own professional development. In countries where job seekers are consistently reskilling and upskilling to keep pace, there is a visible drive towards self-improvement. In India, too, the technological landscape - exacerbated by rapidly advancing AI - demands that every professional commits to lifelong learning.

The path to professional success is now defined by an ability to adapt, learn, and innovate continuously. The Apprentices Act, by establishing a structured training regimen and rigorous performance criteria, is a strong foundation for this kind of transformative learning. But for the Act’s intent to be fully realised, apprentices must embrace a continuous learning mindset. They must use every performance evaluation to gauge progress, identify areas for improvement, and chart a course for growth. It is through a sustained, lifelong commitment to acquiring and updating both technical and transferable skills that India can secure its place as a global leader.

(Lalit Bhasin, President, Society of Indian Law Firms - SILF).

Views are personal, and do not represent the stance of this publication.