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India to Train 1.5 Lakh Multiskilled Caregivers in Major Post-Budget Push

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship is hosting a post-Budget webinar to strategize the training of 1.5 lakh multiskilled caregivers. This initiative, announced in the Budget 2026-27, aims to build a robust care ecosystem for geriatric and allied services. The training programs will be NSQF-aligned, combining core caregiving with skills in wellness, yoga, and operating medical devices. The webinar will bring together stakeholders to standardize qualifications and enhance apprenticeship opportunities for this workforce.

Key Points: India's Plan to Train 1.5 Lakh Multiskilled Caregivers

  • Train 1.5 lakh multiskilled caregivers
  • NSQF-aligned programs with wellness & yoga
  • Align skills with global benchmarks
  • Strengthen care ecosystem for geriatric services
2 min read

Govt to host post-Budget discussion on training 1.5 lakh multi-skilled caregivers

Govt announces NSQF-aligned training for 1.5 lakh caregivers in wellness, yoga & medical device operation post-Budget 2026-27. Details inside.

"A variety of NSQF‑aligned programmes will be developed to train multiskilled caregivers - Finance Minister"

New Delhi, March 8

The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship will host a 'breakout session' on strengthening India's care ecosystem as part of the Post‑Budget Webinar series, an official statement said on Sunday.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said the session will focus on developing 1.5 lakh "multiskilled caregivers" capable of meeting India's increasing domestic needs while also tapping into emerging global opportunities in the care economy.

The Webinar is expected to serve as a collaborative platform for all stakeholders to deliberate on implementation strategies for vision outlined in the Budget Speech 2026‑27

Budget Speech 2026‑27 mentioned a "strong Care Ecosystem to be built covering geriatric and allied care services."

"A variety of NSQF‑aligned programmes will be developed to train multiskilled caregivers combining core care and allied skills, such as, wellness, yoga and operation of medical and assistive devices. In the coming year, 1.5 lakh caregivers will be trained," the finance minister had said.

The Union Budget 2026-27 has announced a significant push to strengthen the care ecosystem by introducing NSQF-aligned training programmes that combine core caregiving competencies with allied skills, including wellness support, yoga, and the operation of medical and assistive devices.

The webinar will convene healthcare experts, state governments, international organisations and academia to discuss standardising caregiver qualifications, enhancing trainer capacity, infrastructure and expanding apprenticeship opportunities, the statement said. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship also highlighted plans to facilitate workforce mobility for caregivers by aligning skilling standards with global benchmarks.

India's skilling ecosystem - supported by institutions such as the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs)/National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) and others are being strengthened to meet these evolving workforce requirements.

Thousands of candidates have already been trained in caregiving-related roles such as Geriatric Caregiver, Home Health Aide and General Duty Assistant, creating the foundation for a structured care workforce, it added.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will lead the full-day webinar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the post‑Budget webinar on March 9, 2026.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good step, but implementation is key. We have many skill programs but job placement afterwards is weak. Will these caregivers get proper salaries and social security? The focus on global standards is promising for exports, but let's first serve our own aging population well.
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Arjun K
Combining traditional practices like yoga with modern caregiving is a brilliant, uniquely Indian approach. This can create a new category of 'wellness caregivers' that the world will seek. Hope the NSQF alignment ensures quality and doesn't just become another certificate mill.
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Sarah B
As someone who works in vocational training, the scale is impressive. Training so many people in a year is a huge logistical challenge. The success will depend on the quality of trainers and infrastructure at ITIs/NSTIs. The webinar must address these ground realities.
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Vikram M
Finally, recognizing caregiving as a skilled profession! This will bring dignity to the work and attract more youth, especially women, into a formal sector. The mention of global mobility is interesting - could be a major foreign exchange earner like nurses from Kerala.
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Kavya N
My respectful criticism: The article talks about 'all stakeholders' but will they actually consult the existing caregivers, often women from poorer backgrounds, about what training they need? Top-down planning sometimes misses practical needs. Hope the webinar is inclusive.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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