- Why in news
- On 12 June 2026, MSDE held the first meeting of SARTHI, a new advisory taskforce for reforming Industrial Training Institutes, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, chaired by Jayant Chaudhary.
- What it is
- SARTHI (Strategic Advisory and Reforms Taskforce for Holistic ITI Transformation) is an apex advisory platform set up under the Craftsmen Training Scheme. It brings Centre, States and other stakeholders together to discuss evidence-based reforms in Industrial Training Institutes. The Craftsmen Training Scheme is the long-running route for vocational training in ITIs, run through the Directorate General of Training.
- Parent scheme
- SARTHI sits under the Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS), which covers training in ITIs.
- Nature of body
- It is an advisory platform for structured stakeholder engagement and policy deliberation, not an implementing agency.
- Chair and ministry
- Jayant Chaudhary, MoS (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and MoS for Education, chaired the first meeting; the ministry is MSDE.
- Themes discussed
- Quality assurance, assessment, technology use, women's participation, industry engagement, practical learning, innovation and governance of ITIs.
- Who attended
- State ministers from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh took part, along with officials from DGT, NCVET, NSDC and UGC.
- Eligibility
- Trainees become eligible for OJT or project work only after at least three months of ITI training.
- Assessment
- Final assessment is in the practical exam, based on mentor or trainer evaluation, logbook review and a viva.
- Dual System of Training
- DST trainees do mandatory project work instead of OJT, as they already train in industry.
- CTS launch
- The Craftsmen Training Scheme was launched in 1950.
Don’t confuse with DGT vs NCVET: DGT runs ITIs and the Craftsmen Training Scheme; NCVET is the regulator that recognises awarding bodies and assessment agencies in vocational education.
Don’t confuse with CTS vs Skill India schemes like PMKVY: CTS is long-duration institutional training in ITIs; PMKVY is short-term skill training.
Don’t confuse with OJT vs Dual System of Training: OJT is a short 150-hour industry stint within CTS. DST is a separate mode with ongoing industry training, so it gets project work instead of OJT.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Gives States and the Centre a shared forum to scale successful ITI reform models, since skilling is a concurrent area of effort.
- Links ITI training to industry demand and emerging sectors, which can improve employability.
- Exposes trainees to modern industrial technology that ITI campus machines may lack, improving employability.
- Deepens industry–ITI linkages and aligns vocational training with NEP 2020.
Problems
- An advisory body has no binding power, so reforms depend on States and institutions adopting them.
- Gaps in industry linkage, quality of instructors and low women's participation in ITIs persist.
- Finding enough quality industry placements, especially for small ITIs and remote areas.
- Trainee safety, travel and accommodation depend on State Directorates, which may vary in provision.
Way forward
- Set clear, measurable targets on placement, quality and women's enrolment, and report progress publicly.
- Deepen industry partnership in curriculum, apprenticeships and assessment.
- Have States map industries and partner with them, and monitor mentors and logbooks.
- Include OJT in the Data Driven Grading Methodology to reward ITIs with good placements.
Put in your answer
SARTHI: Example of cooperative federalism in skilling: a Centre-State advisory platform for ITI reform under the Craftsmen Training Scheme.
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UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: A new apex advisory platform under the Craftsmen Training Scheme. Worth a card, but first meeting offers few testable facts.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.