MSDE to Convene First SARTHI Meeting to Drive Holistic Transformation of India’s ITI Ecosystem

New Delhi, 12 June 2026: The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is set to convene the first meeting of SARTHI – Strategic Advisory and Reforms Taskforce for Holistic ITI Transformation at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, marking an important step toward strengthening India’s Industrial Training Institute (ITI) ecosystem.

The inaugural meeting will be chaired by Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Government of India. The meeting will bring together senior representatives from Central and State Governments, industry bodies, regulatory institutions and key stakeholders from the skilling and vocational training ecosystem.

SARTHI: A Strategic Platform for ITI Reform

SARTHI has been established as an apex advisory mechanism under the Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) to provide a structured platform for policy dialogue, strategic coordination and reform-oriented decision-making in vocational education and training.

The initiative aims to create stronger alignment between ITI training systems and changing industry requirements. It is expected to support reforms across curriculum design, assessment systems, institutional governance, quality assurance, instructor development, technology adoption and industry participation.

Why the SARTHI Meeting Matters

India’s ITI ecosystem plays a major role in preparing youth for employment across technical and vocational trades. As industry requirements evolve due to automation, digital transformation, green jobs and emerging technologies, the need for a modern, responsive and outcome-oriented ITI framework has become increasingly important.

The Craftsmen Training Scheme continues to be one of the country’s largest institutional skill development frameworks. It currently operates through a network of 13,888 ITIs, including 3,326 Government ITIs and 10,562 Private ITIs, offering training across 169 NSQF-compliant trades.

Through SARTHI, MSDE aims to strengthen long-term planning and coordination among stakeholders so that ITIs can better respond to workforce demand, improve training quality and support employability outcomes.

Key Areas Likely to be Discussed

The first SARTHI meeting is expected to deliberate on a comprehensive reform agenda covering critical aspects of the ITI ecosystem. Key focus areas include:

Current status of the Craftsmen Training Scheme: Review of the existing implementation framework, institutional performance and reform priorities under CTS.

National ITI Grading Framework: Discussion on quality benchmarks, grading parameters and mechanisms to improve transparency and performance standards across ITIs.

Annual All India ITI Skill Competition: Institutionalisation of skill competitions to promote excellence, practical learning and healthy competition among ITI trainees.

Technology-enabled assessments: Strengthening the assessment process through digital tools, improved monitoring and more reliable evaluation systems.

Women’s participation in ITIs: Measures to increase enrolment, retention and participation of women in technical and vocational trades.

Instructor development: Improving instructor qualification standards, capacity building and continuous professional development for ITI trainers.

Access pathways and inclusion: Expanding access to vocational training and creating stronger pathways for youth from diverse backgrounds.

Governance and industry linkages: Enhancing institutional governance and building deeper partnerships with industry to improve training relevance and placement outcomes.

Centre–State Coordination and Industry Participation

A key objective of SARTHI is to create sustained engagement between the Centre, States, industry and training institutions. The meeting will provide an opportunity for participating States and stakeholders to share their experiences, discuss implementation challenges and identify practical approaches for improving the quality and relevance of ITI training.

The platform is also expected to encourage structured industry participation in vocational training reforms. Stronger industry linkages can help ITIs align training delivery with real-time labour market requirements, improve apprenticeship opportunities and enhance job-readiness among trainees.

Toward a Future-Ready Vocational Training System

The establishment of SARTHI reflects MSDE’s effort to build a more future-ready, inclusive and industry-aligned vocational training system for India. With the ITI network serving lakhs of learners across the country, reforms in curriculum, assessments, governance and instructor capacity can have a significant impact on workforce development.

The first meeting of SARTHI is expected to set the direction for coordinated reforms aimed at making ITIs more responsive, quality-driven and employment-oriented. By bringing together government, industry and skilling ecosystem stakeholders, the initiative can play an important role in shaping the next phase of vocational education and training in India.

MSDE will convene the first SARTHI meeting at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, to discuss reforms in India’s ITI ecosystem, including curriculum, assessment, governance, industry linkages, women’s participation and vocational training quality.

MSDE, SARTHI, ITI, Skill Development, Vocational Training, Skill India, CTS, NSQF, Industrial Training Institutes, Future Skills, Workforce Development, Jayant Chaudhary