The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship organised a national level felicitation ceremony to honour young innovators emerging from India’s skill development ecosystem during the Kaushalta se Udyamita Navonmesh Protsahan Spardha at the National Skill Training Institute in Bengaluru.
The initiative was organised under the Directorate General of Training of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship with the objective of encouraging trainees from National Skill Training Institutes across the country to transform their technical skills into innovative ideas and entrepreneurial ventures.
Promoting Entrepreneurship Among Skilled Youth
Director General of Training Dilip Kumar attended the ceremony and emphasised the importance of nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset among India’s skilled youth. He said that skilling must go beyond imparting technical competencies and should encourage young trainees to think creatively and develop solutions that address real world challenges.
Dilip Kumar said the objective of the initiative is to empower trainees to emerge not only as job seekers but also as job creators capable of building sustainable enterprises based on their technical expertise.
He highlighted that strengthening the link between skill development and entrepreneurship can play an important role in driving innovation and economic growth in the country.
Collaboration With Industry And Incubation Partners
The programme was implemented in collaboration with Aditya Birla Capital Foundation and Pilani Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Society, the incubation centre of BITS Pilani.
Through this collaboration, the programme aimed to create a structured mentorship ecosystem to guide trainees in developing their ideas and converting them into viable entrepreneurial ventures.
During the event, representatives from Pilani Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Society presented the journey of the programme and highlighted the mentorship and guidance provided to participants throughout the competition process.
Dilip Kumar also appreciated the efforts of the Directorate General of Training team for conceptualising and implementing what he described as a pioneering initiative within the National Skill Training Institute ecosystem.
He also urged Pilani Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Society of BITS Pilani to continue mentoring the winning teams and support them in refining their ideas and exploring pathways for real world implementation.
Nationwide Participation From NSTI Trainees
The national level innovation competition attracted participation from trainees enrolled in National Skill Training Institutes across India.
A total of 773 trainees participated in the competition, presenting innovative ideas and solutions based on their technical training and domain expertise.
The competition focused on five major sectors including Information Technology and IT enabled services, Automotive, Apparel, Electronics and Hardware, and Manufacturing.
Participants submitted ideas addressing practical challenges and potential entrepreneurial opportunities within their respective sectors.
Multi Stage Evaluation Process
The competition involved multiple stages of evaluation conducted by experts from industry and the skill development ecosystem.
Following the initial screening process, the top 15 ideas were shortlisted for the final round of the competition.
These finalists presented their projects before an expert jury during the final pitch session held at the National Skill Training Institute in Bengaluru.
The evaluation focused on the originality of ideas, feasibility, innovation potential and their relevance to industry needs.
Recognition And Cash Awards For Winners
To encourage innovation and entrepreneurial thinking among trainees, sector wise prizes were awarded to the winning participants.
The winners of the first prize in each sector received a cash award of one lakh rupees. The second prize winners were awarded seventy five thousand rupees while the third prize winners received fifty thousand rupees.
Officials said the awards aim to motivate trainees to pursue their ideas further and explore opportunities to convert them into start ups or technology based enterprises.
Senior Officials And Industry Participation
The felicitation ceremony was attended by several senior officials and representatives from the skill development ecosystem.
Those present at the event included Regional Director Karnataka G C Ramamurthy, Director CFI Directorate General of Training Hemant D Ganjare, Director Directorate General of Training Swati Sethi, along with officials of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
Industry representatives, incubation centre mentors, faculty members and trainees from National Skill Training Institutes across the country also participated in the programme.
Strengthening Innovation In Skill Development Ecosystem
Officials said the initiative reflects the broader vision of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to promote innovation and entrepreneurship within the national skilling ecosystem.
By encouraging trainees to translate their technical training into practical innovations and enterprise ideas, the programme aims to strengthen the link between skill development and economic growth.
The Ministry stated that initiatives such as Kaushalta se Udyamita Navonmesh Protsahan Spardha are expected to help build a new generation of skilled innovators capable of contributing to India’s start up ecosystem and industrial development.
