On the occasion of Teachers' Day, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship on Thursday felicitated trainers from various sectors for their contribution towards creating a future-ready and skilled workforce. The move was aimed at motivating and incentivising more trainers to join the Skill India Mission.

A total of 53 trainers from diverse backgrounds, including trainers from national skill training institutes, industrial training institutes and others, were honoured on the occasion. The ministry also announced an annual event 'Kaushalacharya Awards' to recognise the contribution made by skill trainers in the vocational training ecosystem.

By 2022, it is estimated that India will need about 2.5 lakh trainers across the skilling ecosystem. "The Guru-Shishya parampara has been a unique feature of ancient Indian civilisation where our teachers imparted life's lessons and skills to disciples. On this day, we honour our trainers who have imparted their learning to the youth and helped in moulding their careers," Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Mahendra Nath Pandey said.

Urging the industry to enter into more longstanding partnerships, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Raj Kumar Singh said industrialisation in India has been hamstrung by a dearth of skilled manpower since a long time. "We are looking at introducing degree programs for trainers to boost technical education and vocational training in the country," the minister added.