Centre explores outcome-based reforms for ITIs, sector skill councils

The government is considering outcome-based grading mechanisms for industrial training institutes (ITIs) as part of a broader push to improve training quality and strengthen institutional accountability, officials said on Thursday.

The proposal was discussed at the concluding session of the week-long Kaushal Manthan, chaired by Jayant Chaudhary, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education.

The deliberations focused on identifying priority reforms and initiatives aligned with national priorities, and culminated in the finalisation of Skill Resolutions for 2026, which will guide policy action and programme implementation in the coming year.

“Emphasis was placed on the next phase of reforms, with a sharper focus on outcomes, stronger convergence with state governments and industry, and improved monitoring of training quality, assessments, and certifications,” an official statement said.

A key theme of the discussions was the need to strengthen institutional mechanisms while simplifying systems. “Proposed directions include outcome-based grading mechanisms for ITIs (industrial training institutes) to drive quality improvement, delegation of powers to regional and institutional levels to enable ease of doing business,” the statement said.

The reorganisation and strengthening of Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), along with their regular review, also formed part of the discussions.

Participants highlighted the need for continuous curriculum upgradation in line with technological change and evolving industry demand. Modernising curricula, strengthening industry co-creation, and ensuring flexibility and adaptability in training design were identified as key enablers for building a resilient skilling ecosystem.

The deliberations also emphasised the creation of clear and seamless pathways across skill levels — from school to post-school — covering dropouts, working professionals and lifelong learners, supported by credit frameworks and mobility across programmes, the statement said.