academic insights and understanding for application to policy formulation and action, so as to
      ensure a just place for labour in an egalitarian and democratic society.
      Skill Development
           Skill development and entrepreneurship efforts across the country have been highly
      fragmented so far. As opposed to developed countries, where the percentage of skilled workforce
      is between 60 and 90 per cent of the total workforce, India records an abysmal 4.69 per cent of
      workforce with formal vocational skills. There is a need for speedy reorganization of the
      ecosystem of skill development and entrepreneurship promotion in the country to suit the needs
      of the industry and enable decent quality of life to its population. Currently, over 40 Skill
      Development Programmes (SDPs) are being implemented by over 18 Ministries/Departments of
      the Government of India. However, there are gaps in the capacity and quality of training
      infrastructure as well as outputs, insufficient focus on workforce aspirations, lack of certification
      and common standards and a pointed lack of focus on the unorganised sector. In view of this and
      recognising the urgency of all concerned stakeholders in this field, a separate ministry was
      created in 2014, namely, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. This Ministry
      is responsible for co-ordination of all skill development efforts, removal of disconnect between
      demand and supply of skilled manpower, building the vocational and technical training
      framework, skill up-gradation, building of new skills, and innovative thinking not only for
      existing jobs but also jobs that are to be created. The Ministry aims to Skill on a large Scale with
      Speed and high standards in order to achieve its vision of a ‘Skilled Inida’.
      Relevant Website: www.msde.gov.in
           It is aided in these initiatives by its function arms - National Skill Development Agency
      (NSDA). National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), National Skill Development Fund
      (NSDF) and 33 Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) as well as 187 training partners registered with
      NSDC.
      National Skill Development Mission
           The National Skill Development Mission was launched in 2015 on the occasion of World
      Youth Skills Day. It aims to create convergence and expedite cross-sectoral decisions through a
      high powered decision making framework. It is expected to converge, coordinate, implement and
      monitor skilling activities on a pan-India basis. The Mission aims to create convergence and
      expedite cross-sectoral decisions through a high powered decision making framework. It is
      expected to converge, coordinate, implement and monitor skilling activities on a pan-India basis.
      It consists of a three tier institutional structure, where the cascading functions of the bodies
      consist of providing policy directives and guidance, reviewing and monitoring overall progress,
      and actual implementation in line with Mission objectives. The Mission will also run select sub-
      missions in high priority areas. At the outset, seven sub-missions have been proposed in the
      following areas: (i) Institutional Training, (ii) Infrastructure, (iii) Convergence, (iv) Trainers, (v)
      Overseas Employment, (vi) Sustainable Livelihoods, (vii) Leveraging Public Infrastructure
      National Policy on Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
           The first National Policy on Skill Development (NPSD) was notified in 2009. The NPSD
      2009 laid out the broad framework as well as objectives and outcomes for the skilling landscape