NITI Aayog proposes skilling from Class 6, jobs over degrees

NITI Aayog has released a report calling for a major overhaul of India's skilling architecture, recommending that employability and entrepreneurship courses begin from Class 6. The report, titled 'Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat@2047', proposes a shift from degree-based hiring to a skills-first model in select public sector undertakings, and suggests removing degree requirements from job ads where not legally necessary. It also calls for making apprenticeships a mainstream route to employment and linking skilling programmes to actual job outcomes rather than enrolment numbers.

The Print reports that the think tank's recommendations include 'Kaushal Tracks' from Class 9 onwards and a State Apprenticeship Platform to consolidate various schemes. Times Now reports that the paper flags a 'fundamental disconnect' in higher education, noting that only 8.25% of graduates are employed in roles aligned with their qualifications, citing the Economic Survey 2024-25. It adds that 13% of all graduates and 20.4% of graduate women are unemployed, far above the national average of 3.2%, and that 1.86 crore applications were received for just 55,000 government posts between November 2024 and July 2025.

The report notes that since 2014-15, over 7.67 crore people have undergone skills training, but 'outcomes remain uneven'. It maps India's workforce across five segments covering around 60 crore citizens, and proposes flexible courses for workers and women facing time constraints. The recommendations are part of a broader push towards achieving Viksit Bharat@2047.