IIT Kharagpur has unveiled a new vocational initiative—the School for Skills: Healthcare & Technology—designed to provide short-term, NSQF-aligned certificate courses to rural and semi-urban youth. The institute plans to enroll 150 students annually, beginning this November, in training programs accredited under the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF). These trainees will support patient care functions at the Syama Prasad Mukherji Super-Speciality Hospital on IIT Kharagpur’s campus and other nearby healthcare institutions. The initiative, affiliated with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, aims to drive inclusive growth, women’s empowerment, and strengthened community healthcare delivery. Institute Director Suman Chakraborty emphasized the centre’s role as a transformative bridge between skill development and societal benefit. The Times of India
Why This Matters
Potential for Inspiration: Nihar Skill Education can draw insights on how to structure similar programs, forge healthcare partnerships, or replicate inclusive training models in semi-urban and rural areas.
NSQF Integration in Healthcare Training: This marks a timely expansion of NSQF’s role beyond traditional sectors—successfully integrating into healthcare and technology for underserved communities.
Alignment with National Goals: The initiative supports both NSQF’s vision of structured competency-based qualifications and the government’s aim of broad-based skill empowerment.
