The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) on October 28 convened the National Review of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) in New Delhi, with a focus on strengthening apprenticeship engagement across public sector enterprises and positioning apprenticeship as a mainstream pathway from learning to livelihoods.
The review underscored the need to reposition apprenticeship not as a fallback option, but as a credible and aspirational pathway that combines theoretical learning with practical workplace experience, enabling young people to acquire industry-relevant skills and become job-ready.
Emphasising the need to shift attention from scale alone to tangible outcomes, Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said: “Apprenticeship must become a mainstream and aspirational pathway from learning to livelihoods. As the ecosystem expands, our focus must go beyond the number of apprentices engaged to what apprenticeship enables young people to become. CPSEs can play a catalytic role by expanding quality opportunities, improving participation of women and under-represented groups, and creating stronger pathways to productive employment. Our collective success should ultimately be measured through completion, certification, employability, absorption and retention.”
The apprenticeship ecosystem has achieved significant scale under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS-2). From FY 2022-23 to 22 September 2026, 44.75 lakh apprentices were engaged, supported by 47,452 active establishments. Optional Trades accounted for 76.27% of apprenticeship engagement, reflecting the increasing importance of flexible, employer-responsive apprenticeship pathways.
During the review, CPSEs were called upon to address the gap between apprenticeship potential and actual engagement through realistic enterprise-wise intake plans aligned with the applicable 2.5%–15% apprenticeship requirement. Enterprises were encouraged to validate their workforce and portal data, establish time-bound recruitment trajectories and nominate senior-level nodal officers to monitor implementation and resolve bottlenecks.
The National Review reinforced the collective responsibility of CPSEs, States and other stakeholders to strengthen apprenticeship as an integral component of India’s skilling and employment ecosystem and provide young people with meaningful pathways to gain workplace experience, industry-relevant skills and opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.
