The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) held a major industry consultation in Pune as part of the rollout of the PM-SETU scheme—Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs—aimed at strengthening industry linkages and improving employability outcomes.
The consultation, hosted at the Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration (YASHADA), was led by Debashree Mukherjee, secretary, MSDE, and Manisha Verma, additional chief secretary, Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Department, Government of Maharashtra.
More than 40 companies from sectors such as automotive, construction, textiles, FMCG, electronics, oil and gas, and renewable energy participated. Industry representatives included Mahindra, Tata Group, Tata Motors, Bharat Electronics, Godrej and Fiat, among others. Discussions centred on the hub-and-spoke ITI model, industry-led governance through special purpose vehicles (SPVs), curriculum modernisation, trainer upskilling and strengthening placement outcomes.
Mukherjee said PM-SETU is anchored in making ITIs more industry-relevant, aspirational and outcome-driven, not only through upgraded infrastructure but also through improvements in training quality, pedagogy, trainer performance and measurable employment outcomes. She underlined the scheme’s design as a sustained partnership in which industry plays a central role in governance, curriculum alignment and trainer development, ensuring training keeps pace with evolving technologies and shopfloor requirements.
She also highlighted benefits for participating companies, including access to a steady pipeline of job-ready trainees, reduced recruitment and onboarding costs, and improved access to modern labs and advanced equipment.
Verma said Maharashtra would provide an enabling environment for industry participation under PM-SETU through close coordination with stakeholders and supportive state-level arrangements. She added that the state aims to position its ITIs as high-quality skill institutions with strong industry linkages and improved employment outcomes.
Industry feedback reflected strong interest in the collaborative framework envisaged under PM-SETU. Participants from automotive and renewable energy sectors noted the scheme’s potential to build a future-ready talent pool and support the evolution of ITIs into centres for production-linked training and innovation.
Discussions also highlighted strategic advantages for industry, including participation in governance structures, scope to contribute to curriculum and training delivery, enhanced employer visibility, and closer alignment with CSR and ESG objectives.
As part of the engagement, participants undertook field visits to ITI Aundh Pune, ITI Girls Pune, ITI Pimpri Chinchwad, and Fronius India Pvt. Ltd. in Bhosari, gaining first-hand exposure to institutional infrastructure and industry-integrated skilling models.
PM-SETU, launched in October 2025 with an outlay of ₹60,000 crore over five years, aims to transform ITIs into government-owned but industry-managed institutions. Through infrastructure upgrades, new courses and industry-led governance, the scheme seeks to align skilling with India’s growth sectors and the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
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