India’s premier platform to celebrate excellence in skills, the IndiaSkills National Competition 2025–26 commenced with a grand opening ceremony in Greater Noida on March 29. Organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and supported by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), the competition brings together over 650 skilled youth from across the country, competing across 63 skill categories aligned with national and global industry standards. The national competition will continue until April 2, 2026, culminating in a closing ceremony where winners across categories will be felicitated.
IndiaSkills Competition showcases an extraordinary spectrum of skills. Some of these skills are widely recognised—such as Electrical Installation, Electronics, Web Technologies, and Cloud Computing. Additionally, many others represent emerging and highly specialised careers shaping the industries of tomorrow, such as Autonomous Mobile Robotics, Additive Manufacturing, Cyber Security, Industry 4.0, Optoelectronic Technology, Unmanned Aerial Systems, Digital Construction, Logistics and Freight Forwarding, and Chemical Laboratory Technology.
Over the next few days, competitors will be evaluated by industry experts and domain specialists on parameters such as precision, creativity, efficiency, and adherence to global standards. Of the 63 categories, 43 skills are being conducted onsite, allowing for live demonstrations of technical proficiency, while 20 skills will be evaluated through offsite formats, ensuring comprehensive and inclusive assessment across a wide range of disciplines.
The winners of the national competition will earn the opportunity to represent India at the prestigious WorldSkills Competition Shanghai 2026, often referred to as the “Olympics of Skills.”
The opening ceremony was graced by several distinguished dignitaries, including Shri Gyanendra Dev Tripathi, Principal Secretary, SEED, Assam; Shri Manish Singh, Principal Secretary, Department of Technical Education, Skill Development & Employment, Government of Madhya Pradesh; Shri Zubemo Lotha Tsanglao, Additional Director, Government of Nagaland; Ms. Leena Padha, Mission Director, J&K Skill Development Mission; Shri Prashant Sinha, COO, NSDC; Shri Rajesh Swaika, CFO, NSDC; Shri Jagdish Mitra, Board Member, NSDC; along with senior officials from the Ministry and NSDC, industry leaders, and partners from academia and the skilling ecosystem. Their presence underscored the collaborative spirit driving India’s skilling ecosystem.
Addressing the gathering, Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, MSDE, said, “Education builds knowledge, but skills give that knowledge purpose and power. In a rapidly changing world, the real strength of a nation lies in its commitment to lifelong learning and pride in craftsmanship. Through platforms like IndiaSkills, we are nurturing role models who inspire young Indians to pursue excellence in skills. As we prepare to send a strong contingent to the WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, we are sending a clear signal that India is building one of the most skilled workforces in the world.”
Smt. Manisha Sensarma, Senior Economic Adviser, MSDE, observed that IndiaSkills is not merely a competition but a key part of India’s effort to build a structured skilled talent ecosystem. She noted that with over 200 industry partners and competitions across 63 skills, 43 onsite and 20 offsite, the platform reflects strong industry alignment, scale, and inclusivity.
Shri Arunkumar Pillai, CEO, NSDC, highlighted the importance of industry-aligned skilling and collaboration, noting that IndiaSkills represents a powerful convergence of training, industry, and performance, setting benchmarks for excellence while equipping youth with skills aligned to real-world demands and global standards.
The national competition features top-performing candidates who have emerged as winners from five regional rounds held across the country. These regional competitions—organized in different zones—witnessed participation from thousands of candidates, each demonstrating exceptional technical expertise, discipline, and commitment. The finalists gathered here today represent the very best talent from these rigorous selection stages.
The strength of IndiaSkills lies in its collaborative ecosystem, bringing together the Central and State Governments, Sector Skill Councils, academic institutions, and industry partners to ensure strong alignment with real-world requirements. In the current cycle, over a dozen Sector Skill Councils are supporting competitions across key sectors such as automotive, electronics, IT–ITeS, construction, retail, agriculture, tourism, and healthcare, with active participation from more than 200 leading industry partners, including Toyota Kirloskar, Maruti Suzuki, JK Cement, and Lincoln Electric, ensuring that tasks and assessments closely mirror industry standards.
The competition marks a significant milestone in India’s journey towards building a future-ready workforce and advancing the vision of a Viksit Bharat.
