45th NSQC Meeting Reviews 80 Skill Qualifications Across High-Growth Sectors

New Delhi, February 6, 2026 : The 45th meeting of the National Skills Qualifications Committee (NSQC) was held on Thursday under the chairpersonship of Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and Chairperson, National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET).

The meeting deliberated on proposals under the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) with a focus on enhancing the quality, relevance and industry alignment of vocational qualifications across the country.

Senior officials and stakeholders, including Prof. (Dr.) Ashok Kumar Gaba, Executive Member, NCVET, Dr. Suhas Deshmukh, Director and Secretary to the Council, members of the NSQC from central ministries such as the Ministry of Rural Development and the Ministry of Labour and Employment, sector experts and representatives of Awarding Bodies, participated in the discussions.

A total of 15 Awarding Bodies presented their proposals before the Committee. In all, 80 qualifications were considered, covering submissions from central ministries and national institutions including the Directorate General of Training (DGT), Directorate General of Artillery, National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), National Academy of RUDSETI, Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), along with various Sector Skill Councils.

The qualifications span priority and high-growth sectors such as automotive, electronics, IT-ITeS, healthcare, life sciences, aerospace, logistics, construction, manufacturing, tourism and hospitality, green jobs and emerging technologies. New and updated qualifications were also introduced to address skilling needs in medical tourism, the unorganised economy and allied services, aimed at expanding access to structured skilling and improving employability.

A key highlight of the meeting was the approval of Artificial Intelligence–related qualifications from multiple Awarding Bodies under the Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) initiative. SOAR has been aligned as a pre-event to the India AI Impact Summit 2026, underscoring India’s focus on building a future-ready workforce for an AI-driven economy. Qualifications related to IndiaSkills and WorldSkills competitions were also ratified.

The Committee emphasised outcome-based and competency-driven qualification design, adherence to quality benchmarks, curriculum relevance, rigorous assessment standards and strong industry validation. The approved qualifications are expected to equip learners with job-ready skills, industry-recognised certifications and clear pathways for vertical and horizontal mobility within the skilling ecosystem.

Addressing the meeting, Smt. Debashree Mukherjee said the NSQC plays a pivotal role in ensuring that skill qualifications in India remain credible, robust and responsive to the evolving needs of the economy. She said the deliberations reflect the government’s commitment to building a skilled, adaptable and globally competitive workforce in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Credit Framework.

The decisions taken at the meeting reaffirm NCVET’s focus on modernising India’s skilling landscape and are expected to enhance the credibility, transparency and impact of the NSQF, contributing to improved employability and lifelong learning opportunities for youth across the country.