Karnataka shifts skill policy focus from training to job placements
The state will link final funding instalments for training centres to their ability to secure jobs for trainees.
Karnataka is changing its skill policy to prioritise employment outcomes over the number of people trained, according to Urban Acres. The state is implementing this shift through the Chief Minister’s Kaushalya Karnataka Yojana (CMKKY) and new district-level plans designed to match training with local demand.
Under the revised CMKKY 2.0, training centres will receive funding in three instalments of 30 per cent, 40 per cent, and 30 per cent. The final 30 per cent will only be released if a centre places at least 70 per cent of its trainees in jobs. The previous version of the scheme did not include this mandatory employment threshold.
The state aims to skill approximately five lakh people annually, with 2.5 lakh falling under the skill development department. Current year enrolments have reached about 1.5 lakh with two months remaining. However, Ravi M Tirlapur, managing director of the Karnataka Skill Development Corporation and the Karnataka Vocational Training & Skill Development Corporation, said budget constraints limit how many enrolled candidates can actually be trained.
Tirlapur stated that government funds alone will not be enough. He added that the state is discussing non-government funding sources, such as corporate social responsibility, at an ongoing summit.
To address local needs, all 31 districts have developed skill development plans and gap analyses. These plans, prepared by district skill development officers and deputy commissioners, determine course selection and training partner approvals based on specific regional requirements.