New Delhi, Jan 22 (IANS) The government on Thursday said the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to collaborate on strengthening India’s skills and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) ecosystem.

MSDE will collaborate with the WEF to launch and implement a Skills Accelerator in India, a multistakeholder platform aimed at identifying, scaling, and accelerating innovative solutions and public–private partnerships to address critical skills gaps in the workforce.

The Accelerator will support efforts to strengthen India’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) ecosystem by ensuring closer alignment between skilling initiatives and the evolving demands of industry and the global economy.

“What began as a strategic vision to align India’s skilling ecosystem with the future of work has now taken a structured and global form. The formalisation of the India Skills Accelerator, in partnership with the World Economic Forum, marks a key milestone in building a future-ready, globally competitive workforce,” said Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

Aligned with NEP 2020 and Viksit India at 2047, it reinforces skilling as a central pillar of inclusive growth and national transformation, he added.

Sukanta Majumdar, Minister of State for Education said this collaboration strongly complements the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 by integrating education with skilling, fostering lifelong learning, and aligning curricula with future industry needs.

The Skills Accelerator will focus on strategically addressing skills gaps by promoting lifelong learning, upskilling, and reskilling.

The initiative will encourage flexible curriculum, integration of vocational and higher education pathways, mutual recognition of qualifications, and capacity building across institutions.

MSDE will work closely with higher education institutions, vocational training institutions, and regulatory bodies such as AICTE and UGC to support awareness, implementation, and scale the Accelerator.

This collaboration marks a new chapter in India and WEF relations, building on the momentum generated during India’s participation at the 55th WEF Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, in January 2025, where skill development was highlighted as a strategic pillar for inclusive growth and global collaboration.

–IANS

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