India ties up with World Economic Forum to bridge skills gap

In an attempt to advance India’s mission to build a skilled workforce, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF), has announced a transformative program known as the “India Skills Accelerator.”

As the nation grapples with the fast pace of technological innovation and economic transformation, the widening skills gap poses a substantial hurdle—reported by 65% of organizations as a primary challenge. The India Skills Accelerator is designed to bridge this divide by focusing on inclusive strategies for upskilling and reskilling. The initiative emphasizes continuous learning, encourages educational investment throughout one’s career, and strengthens collaboration between the public and private sectors.

According to a statement by the ministry, by fostering flexible career pathways, expanding access to high-quality training programs, and tailoring educational frameworks to meet industry demands—particularly in rapidly evolving fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and sustainable energy—the initiative aims to equip India’s youth with the competencies needed for the jobs of tomorrow. Ultimately, this endeavor seeks to nurture a dynamic, future-ready workforce that can thrive in a global digital economy.

The India-WEF initiative comes when several surveys, including India’s own Economic Survey, have pointed to significant job losses due to the adoption of AI.

India’s Economic Survey 2024-2025 pointed out that AI could lead to significant job displacement, particularly affecting middle and lower-wage bracket workers. Last year, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem pointed out that as AI becomes more established in the economy and its impacts more transformative, it could destroy more jobs than it creates. People who lose their jobs due to automation may struggle to find new opportunities.

Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director at WEF, said, “In the face of rapid technological and labour market changes, India’s launch of the Skills Accelerator reflects a strong commitment to equipping its workforce with the skills needed for the future. By strengthening alignment across the skills ecosystem, this initiative will help close critical skills gaps, support the growth of India’s digital and innovation-driven economy, and enable more people to thrive in a rapidly evolving world of work. We are pleased to support this important step and look forward to the impact it will deliver at scale.”

The India Skills Accelerator is envisioned as a nationwide collaborative platform that brings together public and private sector stakeholders to foster innovation and address the intricate challenges of workforce development. This initiative emphasizes the need for a unified, cross-industry response to the evolving demands of the labor market, particularly in an era marked by rapid technological and economic change.

He pointed out that the Accelerator is not just a platform for dialogue, but a catalyst for systemic transformation, anchored in shared accountability, innovation, and targeted solutions. Chaudhary further highlighted the importance of sectoral focus, mapping current standing through surveys and evidence, and prioritizing emerging areas such as Global Capability Centres (GCCs), advanced manufacturing, and formalizing the informal workforce.

Sukanta Majumdar, Minister of State for Education and Development of the North-Eastern Region, emphasized the importance of integrating a competitive edge into the country’s skill development framework, especially in rapidly advancing fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. Majumdar stressed that India must prepare its workforce not just to meet domestic demands, but to contribute to the global talent pool. He further noted that the India Skills Accelerator will be instrumental in turning this vision into tangible results.

The session also saw active participation from senior leadership of the WEF, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), the Directorate General of Training (DGT), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), as well as key representatives from the Ministry of Education, University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

During the discussions, experts highlighted the need for an in-depth assessment of India’s current skill development landscape to effectively identify 10 to 12 strategic priorities that promise the highest impact and are backed by clear, measurable objectives. They advocated for the formation of specialized working groups dedicated to overseeing the execution of these priorities, ensuring consistent monitoring and progress tracking through the WEF’s Global Learning Network. This platform would also facilitate international benchmarking and promote shared learning across countries.

The importance of creating thematic working groups was also strongly emphasized. These groups would harness the knowledge and experience of a broad range of stakeholders to convert strategic plans into coordinated, practical initiatives. Additionally, participants discussed the value of aligning the new initiative with the findings of the WEF’s Future of Jobs 2025 report, ensuring that the Accelerator remains informed of the latest global labor market trends and future skill demands.

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