Patna/New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday addressed lakhs of Industrial Training Institute (ITI) students across India during the National Skill Convocation, marking a major push toward skill-based education and youth empowerment.
The event, held in Bihar and connected virtually nationwide, also saw the launch of two significant initiatives: PM Setu Scheme worth ₹60,000 crore and 1,200 new Skill Labs in Navodaya Vidyalayas and Eklavya Model Schools. Bihar will go to the polls by this year-end.
Speaking alongside Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, the PM said the convocation reflects “the dignity of labour” and the “priority that New Bharat accords to skill.”
“We proudly say Shramev Jayate and Shramev Pujyate. Skill is not a fallback option but a path to a bright future,” PM Modi said, congratulating over 10 lakh ITI students who appeared in this year’s All-India Trade Test.
Unveiling the PM Setu Scheme, Modi said over 1,000 ITIs will be upgraded with modern equipment and industry-aligned curricula. “This will serve as a bridge connecting India’s youth with global skill demands,” he noted, adding that industry experts will collaborate with institutes to anticipate future workforce needs.
He highlighted that India’s ITI network has expanded from 10,000 in 2014 to over 15,000 today, with 1.5 crore youth trained in 170 trades. Training is now being provided in local languages to make technical education more accessible.
Praising the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government, the Prime Minister lauded Bihar’s transformation in education and job creation. “Two decades ago, Bihar’s schools barely functioned. Today, nearly every village has a school, and higher education is expanding rapidly,” he said.
He announced that Bihar has received its first Skill University, named after Bharat Ratna Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur, alongside new infrastructure for IIT Patna, NIT Bihta, and other universities.
Modi also hailed the state’s Student Credit Card scheme, now offering interest-free education loans, and the government’s aim to double employment generation in the next five years.
The PM said India is “on the path to becoming one of the top three global economies”, with skill, innovation, and hard work as the key drivers of a Viksit Bharat.