Chhattisgarh focuses on skills to empower youth as CM Vishnu Deo Sai launches 'India Skills Report 2026'

Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Vishnu Deo Sai unveiled the ‘India Skills Report 2026’ report that focuses on employability, regional skill gaps, and actionable policy insights for India’s skilling ecosystem.

Contributing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Skill India, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has launched India Skills Report 2026, to promote evidence-based policymaking in the country's skill development ecosystem. This year, the report includes a special chapter on Chhattisgarh, which analyzes the state's skill landscape, jobs situation, industry needs, and the associated skill gaps. It also offers suggestions on the policy level, models for industry-academia partnerships, and ways to increase youth employability.

According to the officials, the launch of the India Skills Report 2026 signifies a milestone in India's journey towards evidence-based policymaking in its skill development ecosystem. This report has been authored by the team of researchers at *Rungta International Skill University (RISU)* under the leadership of Vice Chancellor Dr. Jawahar Surisetti.

Under the Government of India’s Skill India Mission (SIM), launched in 2015, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) provides skill, re-skill, and up-skill training through an extensive network of skill development centres under major schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), and the Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), to all sections of the society across the country, to enhance the skills and employability of the working age population. The India Skills Report 2026 will act as a support to the existing ecosystem when it comes to policies and decision-making."

"The establishment of prestigious educational institutions in the country has opened new doors of opportunity for the youth, while the expansion of health services is propelling the Chhattisgarh towards becoming a 'Medical Tourism Hub'," said Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. This report will come out every year and would be dedicated to India each year, wherein each version of the report would have a separate chapter highlighting a particular state every time, thereby giving a detailed picture of India's changing skill landscape across regions.

Dr. Jawahar Surisetti, Vice Chancellor, Rungta University, said, "The India Skills Report 2026 is expected to be a national policy paper for India. The purpose of this project is to enable the decision-makers in government agencies, industries, and educational institutions to make informed decisions regarding skill development by making it more than just academics, it can be a source of livelihood."

He said that the document, which is going to be provided to policymakers, industry players, and government officials, aims at becoming a respected source of information pertaining to skill development.