Minister Jayant Chaudhary stated in Lok Sabha that the MSDE is delivering skilling under the Skill India Mission nationwide. This includes training for the maritime sector, with 240 candidates trained and 197 certified in Kerala’s Kasaragod district.
The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Jayant Chaudhary, stated in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Monday that the MSDE is actively delivering skilling, reskilling, and upskilling training under the Government of India’s Skill India Mission (SIM). This training is being delivered to all sections of society across the country, including Kasaragod, through an extensive network of skill development centres and institutes. These operate under various schemes, namely the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
Initiatives for Maritime Sector Skilling
As per the written reply of the Minister, “The SIM aims at enabling the youth of India to become future-ready and equipped with industry-relevant skills, including those for the maritime sector.” Highlighting initiatives taken to promote skilling in the maritime sector, Jayant Chaudhary noted, “Under PMKVY, training is imparted in logistics and maritime-related job roles such as Documentation Assistant, Consignment Booking Assistant, Consignment Tracking Executive, Courier Delivery Executive, Signalman Port Operation, Vessel Operator Grade-1, Marine Capture Fisherman, and Protective & Marine Painter, among others.”
“In the Kasaragod district of Kerala, 240 candidates have been trained or oriented under PMKVY, out of which 197 candidates are certified,” the Minister stated in his reply.
Regulatory Framework and Training Standards
Jayant Chaudhary further added that the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) has approved 171 Maritime Training Institutes (MTIs) in India. The employment of seafarers on Indian or foreign ships depends on their training, assessment, and certification in accordance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW Convention) of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), to which India is a signatory.
“The DGS has also issued a list of approved maritime training courses. All these courses are to be in line with the Model Course issued by the IMO and the STCW Convention, 2010. The Training, Examination and Assessment Programme (TEAP) manual has also been issued by the DGS, providing necessary guidelines and details of training courses, seagoing service, and examinations. Besides these, there is a common course for faculty members of the Maritime Training Institutes (MTIs), namely the Vertical Integration Course for Trainers,” the Minister added.
MoPSW’s Skill Development Initiatives
Additionally, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) has initiated various steps to promote skill development, including for coastal youth in the ports, shipping, and waterways sector, by strengthening maritime education and training, upgrading the curriculum of maritime institutes, and enhancing industry-oriented skill programs in the port sector and logistics. These efforts aim to create a globally competitive, skilled workforce to support India’s maritime growth. Some of these steps include 11 shipyards signing MoUs with 34 ITIs across 8 coastal states toward the implementation of 150 hours of On-the-Job Training (OJT), the implementation of the Training of Trainers (ToT) program at 2 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in West Bengal by the Centre of Excellence in Maritime and Shipbuilding (CEMS), and the completion of a preliminary Skill Gap Study across 9 shipyards. Furthermore, the Indian Ship Technology Centre (ISTC) has been established as a Section 8 company to facilitate skilling, and a Plan of Implementation (PoI) has been signed between MoPSW and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for a skill development project in the shipbuilding sector.
Enhancing Employability in Coastal Regions
“The Government has taken several measures to improve employment opportunities for youth, including those from coastal areas, which include providing industry-aligned skilling through PMKVY and other skill development initiatives, offering training in diverse sectors including logistics, port operations, warehousing, supply chain management, and marine-related job roles, aligning courses with National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF)-based Qualification Packs developed in consultation with industry, promoting Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for workers possessing existing skills, and encouraging the linkage of trained candidates with employment opportunities through industry partnerships and placement facilitation, among others. These initiatives aim to enhance the employability of youth in coastal regions and support manpower requirements in maritime, logistics, and allied sectors,” the Minister added. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)