Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge) Jayant Chaudhary announced that the National Skill Training Institute (NSTI), Chennai, will be upgraded into a Centre of Excellence (CoE) at a cost of Rs 200 crore under the Prime Minister’s Scheme for Empowerment through Technology Upgradation (PM Sethu).
Speaking to faculty and students after a review meeting, the Minister said the PM Sethu scheme, with an overall outlay of Rs 60,000 crore, aims to modernize 1,000 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across India.
He added that five NSTIs—in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kanpur, Ludhiana, and Bhubaneswar—will be developed as Centres of Excellence. NSTI Chennai will focus on Advanced Manufacturing, with Singapore as the international collaboration partner.
Under a MoU between India and Singapore, students will receive training in cutting-edge technologies to gain globally competitive skills, he said.
Emphasizing youth potential, Chaudhary urged institutions to create ecosystems that nurture talent and promote continuous upskilling of teachers and trainers in line with industry needs.
The meeting was attended by MPs Roop Kumari Choudhary and Ayodhya Rami Reddy Alla, along with senior officials including Hema Usman, Joint Secretary, and Ajay Bhagat, Regional Director (Skill Development and Entrepreneurship).
Later, the Minister visited the National Instructional Media Institute (NIMI), reviewed its functioning, and released a book titled “Shawl Weaving Artisan”, aligned with the National Skills Qualifications Framework. The course is expected to benefit 500 candidates annually under the Craftsmen Trainingelections.
Chaudhary also launched “NIMI Talks – Voice of ITI”, a multilingual podcast in English, Hindi, and Tamil, available on Spotify and All India Radio, featuring inspiring success stories, job updates, and skill development insights.