Govt steps up skill development to equip youth for maritime sector: MoS Jayant Chaudhary
New Delhi, July 27
The Minister of State for the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Jayant Chaudhary, stated in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Monday that the MSDE is actively delivering skilling, reskilling, and upskilling training under the Government of India's Skill India Mission.
This training is being delivered to all sections of society across the country, including Kasaragod, through an extensive network of skill development centres and institutes. These operate under various schemes, namely the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
As per the written reply of the Minister, "The SIM aims at enabling the youth of India to become future-ready and equipped with industry-relevant skills, including those for the maritime sector."
Highlighting initiatives taken to promote skilling in the maritime sector, Jayant Chaudhary noted, "Under PMKVY, training is imparted in logistics and maritime-related job roles such as Documentation Assistant, Consignment Booking Assistant, Consignment Tracking Executive, Courier Delivery Executive, Signalman Port Operation, Vessel Operator Grade-1, Marine Capture Fisherman, and Protective & Marine Painter, among others."
"In the Kasaragod district of Kerala, 240 candidates have been trained or oriented under PMKVY, out of which 197 candidates are certified," the Minister stated in his reply.
Jayant Chaudhary further added that the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) has approved 171 Maritime Training Institutes (MTIs) in India. The employment of seafarers on Indian or foreign ships depends on their training, assessment, and certification in accordance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW Convention) of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), to which India is a signatory.
"The DGS has also issued a list of approved maritime training courses. All these courses are to be in line with the Model Course issued by the IMO and the STCW Convention, 2010. The Training, Examination and Assessment Programme (TEAP) manual has also been issued by the DGS, providing necessary guidelines and details of training courses, seagoing service, and examinations. Besides these, there is a common course for faculty members of the Maritime Training Institutes (MTIs), namely the Vertical Integration Course for Trainers," the Minister added.
Additionally, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) has initiated various steps to promote skill development, including for coastal youth in the ports, shipping, and waterways sector, by strengthening maritime education and training, upgrading the curriculum of maritime institutes, and enhancing industry-oriented skill programs in the port sector and logistics. These efforts aim to create a globally competitive, skilled workforce to support India's maritime growth.
Some of these steps include 11 shipyards signing MoUs with 34 ITIs across 8 coastal states toward the implementation of 150 hours of On-the-Job Training (OJT), the implementation of the Training of Trainers (ToT) program at 2 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in West Bengal by the Centre of Excellence in Maritime and Shipbuilding (CEMS), and the completion of a preliminary Skill Gap Study across 9 shipyards.
Furthermore, the Indian Ship Technology Centre (ISTC) has been established as a Section 8 company to facilitate skilling, and a Plan of Implementation (PoI) has been signed between MoPSW and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for a skill development project in the shipbuilding sector.
"The Government has taken several measures to improve employment opportunities for youth, including those from coastal areas, which include providing industry-aligned skilling through PMKVY and other skill development initiatives, offering training in diverse sectors including logistics, port operations, warehousing, supply chain management, and marine-related job roles, aligning courses with National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF)-based Qualification Packs developed in consultation with industry, promoting Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for workers possessing existing skills, and encouraging the linkage of trained candidates with employment opportunities through industry partnerships and placement facilitation, among others. These initiatives aim to enhance the employability of youth in coastal regions and support manpower requirements in maritime, logistics, and allied sectors," the Minister added.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see Skill India expanding beyond IT and retail into niche sectors like maritime. However, I hope the training quality matches global standards. The article mentions STCW compliance and IMO model courses—that's great on paper. But ground reality in many ITIs is different. Infrastructure is outdated, trainers lack industry exposure. The Vertical Integration Course for Trainers is a step, but let's see implementation. Also, 150 hours OJT through shipyard-ITI MoUs seems low for practical skills.
As someone who worked in international shipping, I'm impressed by India's commitment to maritime training. The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is smart—many experienced but uncertified workers can now get formal recognition. The collaboration with KOICA for shipbuilding skilling is also promising. However, the real test will be whether these trained youth actually get jobs on ships. The global maritime industry is competitive. India needs to focus on English proficiency and soft skills too. Good start though! 🚢
Honestly, every government talks about skill development but ground reality is different. My cousin from coastal Karnataka completed a maritime course under PMKVY but struggled to find placement. The article mentions "placements through industry partnerships"—where exactly? We need more transparency. Also, why only 11 shipyards signed MoUs with 34 ITIs? There are hundreds of ITIs along the coast. Scale matters. The intent is good but execution is half-baked. Hope they improve before the next election cycle. 🙏
I love that women aren't left out—job roles like Documentation Assistant, Consignment Tracking Executive are gender-neutral. But I hope the government also encourages women in hands-on roles like Vessel Operator or Marine Painter. Maritime sector has been male-dominated forever. Skill India should have dedicated outreach for coastal women. Also, nice to see the Skill Gap Study across 9 shipyards—data-driven planning is the way forward. Just ensure the findings lead to action
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.