India teams up with World Economic Forum to boost skilling and job readiness

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) on January 22 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to deepen cooperation in skill development, vocational

education, and training.

Under the agreement, MSDE and the WEF will collaborate to launch a Skills Accelerator in India, a multi-stakeholder platform designed to identify, scale and implement solutions to address skill gaps in the workforce. The initiative aims to strengthen India’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) ecosystem by aligning skilling programmes more closely with industry requirements and global labour market trends.

The Skills Accelerator will focus on promoting lifelong learning, upskilling and reskilling, while encouraging flexible curricula, integration of vocational and higher education pathways, and mutual recognition of qualifications. MSDE will work with higher education institutions, vocational training bodies and regulators such as AICTE and UGC to support implementation and scale-up.

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The collaboration will also support innovative financing mechanisms for skilling, coordination among stakeholders, and identification of emerging global demand across job roles to enhance international employability. Areas of focus include artificial intelligence, robotics, green energy, cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing.

The implementation of the MoU will be overseen through a governance framework involving representatives from government, the private sector and the World Economic Forum. The agreement builds on ongoing engagement between India and the WEF, where skill development has been highlighted as a priority area for workforce readiness and economic growth.

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