All For Skill Development

Since the inception of Naan Mudhalvan in 2022, as many as 2,51,958 students have secured jobs; the programme now offers over 300 career pathways

- BINITA JAISWAL @ Chennai

Tamil Nadu has always been a pioneering leader in higher education while making sure that its role must also expand to help the state's youth prepare for the future. While upskilling has recently become a national priority, the state has been ahead of the curve. In 2013, it established the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (now TN Skills) to enhance employability among youth. The initiative gained momentum with the introduction of the Naan Mudhalvan (NM) programme in 2022, an attempt to transform the state's workforce.

The Naan Mudhalvan programme, which has benefited more than 41.38 lakh students, provides skill training and entrepreneurship development to young people with a unique approach, aiming not only to identify student talent but also to bridge the gap between academia and industry. With some tailored training programmes, it equips students with the skills necessary to meet industry demands.

Around 25.63 lakh students come from arts and science colleges, followed by 10.91 lakh from engineering colleges, 3.77 lakh from polytechnics, and 1.07 lakh from Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).