Guwahati, Jan 19 (PTI) Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary on Monday emphasised on the Central government’s priority for development of the North East.
The Minister of State (Independent charge) for Skill Development
and Entrepreneurship also stressed on integrating skilling with formal education to open new avenues for employment for the youth.
He was speaking after inaugurating the IndiaSkills Regional Competition 2025–26 for the North East, where youth from all eight states of the region will be competing across 26 skills.
Highlighting the prime minister’s sustained focus on the North East, Chaudhary said this has created renewed confidence and opportunity for the region’s youth.
He maintained that initiatives such as IndiaSkills complement this vision by taking national platforms directly accessible to young talent in the region.
“IndiaSkills is not merely a competition; it is a celebration of excellence, discipline and the dignity of work. The North East has immense talent and aspiration, and this platform reflects our confidence that youth from this region are ready to lead India’s skilled workforce and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s growth,” Chaudhary said.
He emphasised the growing importance of integrating skilling with formal education in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, noting that closer alignment between education and skill development expands pathways for employability, entrepreneurship and lifelong learning, while making young people future-ready for a rapidly evolving economy.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Nani Gopal Mahanta, Vice-Chancellor, Gauhati University, Gyanendra Dev Tripathi, Principal Secretary to the Government of Assam, Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship Department, and Hena Usman, Joint Secretary, MSDE, among others.
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), along with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) as its implementation partner, has brought the country’s premier skilling championship to the North East region for the first time.
Students from Directorate General of Training (DGT) institutions, including Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs), are participating, demonstrating the growing alignment between long-term vocational education and national-level competitive platforms.
The North East Regional Competition has drawn 162 competitors from all eight states.
The competition spans a diverse range of contemporary and traditional skill areas including Automobile Technology, Cloud Computing, Mobile Applications Development, Software and Web Technologies, Fashion Technology, Bakery and Patisserie, and Visual Merchandising.
The IndiaSkills competition follows a structured, multi-tier evaluation process designed to identify and nurture the best talent across the country.
Candidates are first assessed at the district level, followed by state-level competitions, after which shortlisted participants advance to regional competitions.
Top performers from the regional stage qualify for the IndiaSkills National Competition, where they are evaluated against national benchmarks, with select winners earning the opportunity to represent India at WorldSkills Competition to be held in Shanghai in September. PTI SSG SSG RG
