ITI reforms: SARTHI advisory panel to meet on Friday under Jayant Chaudhary

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship will convene the first SARTHI meeting on Friday. The panel was formed to review the industrial training institutes system. The session will discuss the future direction of vocational training. It will also examine reforms linked to ITIs, as the labour market shifts.

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Jayant Chaudhary, Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, will chair the meeting. Senior representatives will join from central and state governments. Industry members will also take part. Regulatory bodies and other skilling ecosystem stakeholders are expected to attend, according to an official statement.

SARTHI meeting on ITIs to set reform priorities

SARTHI stands for Strategic Advisory and Reforms Taskforce for Holistic ITI Transformation. The ministry set up the advisory group to strengthen ITIs. It also seeks to keep vocational training aligned with changing industry needs. The taskforce aims to support future workforce requirements through planned reforms.

The ministry said the inaugural SARTHI session will take up a wide agenda on vocational training reform. The council will review the current status of the Craftsmen Training Scheme. It will also discuss the National ITI Grading Framework and its rollout. Another item is making the Annual All India ITI Skill Competition a regular process.

SARTHI meeting on ITIs to focus on assessment and instructors

Participants will also examine assessment reforms that use technology. The agenda includes instructor development and qualification standards. The meeting will look at ways to widen access pathways for learners. Improving governance in institutes is another listed priority, along with tighter links with industry.

Another focus is increasing womens participation in ITIs. The meeting will also allow states and other stakeholders to share how implementation is going. They are expected to discuss steps to lift quality and responsiveness. The goal is to improve outcomes across the ITI ecosystem.

SARTHI meeting on ITIs highlights national scale of training network

India currently has 13,888 ITIs across the country. Of these, 3,326 are run by the government. The remaining 10,562 ITIs are privately managed. The ministry is positioning SARTHI as a platform to guide reforms across this large network.

As the skilling system grows, the ministry expects training needs to keep changing. SARTHI is meant to offer long-term strategic guidance for reforms. Its scope covers curriculum, assessment, governance, quality assurance, and institutional development. The first meeting on Friday will set the early direction for this work.

With inputs from PTI