Mumbai, June 11: The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) will convene the first meeting of the SARTHI — Strategic Advisory and Reforms Taskforce for Holistic ITI Transformation, on 12 June 2026 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. The meeting will be chaired by Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Minister of State for Education, Government of India, bringing together senior representatives from Central and State Governments, industry, regulatory institutions and the skilling ecosystem to deliberate on the future direction of vocational training in India.
SARTHI has been established as an apex advisory mechanism under CTS to create a structured platform for strategic dialogue, policy convergence and coordinated action among key stakeholders involved in vocational education and training. The initiative aims to strengthen Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and ensure that vocational training systems remain aligned with evolving industry requirements and future workforce needs.
CTS continues to serve as one of India’s largest institutional skill development frameworks and currently operates through a network of 13,888 ITIs across the country, including 3,326 Government and 10,562 Private ITIs, delivering training across 169 NSQF-compliant trades. As the skill ecosystem expands and labour market requirements evolve, SARTHI aims to provide long-term strategic guidance for reforms across curriculum, assessment, governance, quality assurance, institutional development and industry engagement.
In this inaugural meeting of SARTHI, the Council will deliberate on a comprehensive agenda covering critical areas of vocational training reform. Key discussion areas include the current status of the Craftsmen Training Scheme, implementation of the National ITI Grading Framework, institutionalisation of the Annual All India ITI Skill Competition, strengthening assessment processes through technology-enabled reforms, increasing women’s participation in ITIs, instructor development and qualification standards, expanding access pathways, and improving institutional governance and industry linkages.
The meeting will also provide an opportunity for participating States and stakeholders to share implementation experiences and discuss approaches for improving quality, responsiveness and outcomes across the ITI ecosystem.
Through SARTHI, MSDE seeks to establish a sustained institutional mechanism that enables stronger Centre–State coordination, structured industry participation and informed policymaking to support a more future-ready, inclusive and outcome-oriented vocational training system for India.
