Karnataka’s first skill policy aims to make Karnataka global hub for skilled workforce

BENGALURU: Karnataka has unveiled its first-ever Skill Development Policy 2025–2032, aiming to position the state as a premier hub for skilled talent and drive its vision of becoming a $1 trillion economy by 2032.

Approved at the cabinet meeting on Thursday, the policy leverages digital technologies and AI-driven tools for training, assessment and career guidance through a unified digital portal. It also emphasizes international workforce mobility by facilitating global certifications, migration support, and specialized training.

Although the department of skill development, entrepreneurship & livelihood (SDEL) was established in 2017 to coordinate and drive skilling initiatives, Karnataka had no formal skill development policy until now.

A key highlight of the policy is the integration of vocational education into schools, colleges, and universities through credit-based programmes.

Key Features of the Policy:

· Strong industry collaboration through apprenticeships, industry-led training, and ITI adoption.

· Focus on lifelong learning, reskilling, and upskilling to match rapid technological and industrial changes.

· Special interventions for women, persons with disabilities, marginalized communities, the urban poor, and the informal workforce.

· Infrastructure upgrade, including modernization of ITIs, expansion of GTTCs, and setting up rural and urban skilling hubs.

· Robust monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework, with 5% of scheme budgets earmarked for M&E.

· CMKKY 2.0 positioned as an umbrella scheme to unify all state skilling programmes (such as Kalike Jothege Kaushalya, Nanna Vrutti Nanna Ayke, ILC, IMC-K, RPL, and special projects) under a lifecycle approach to skilling.

Minister for Medical Education, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood Dr Sharan Prakash Patil said, “The absence of a policy framework meant that skilling efforts were often fragmented across multiple departments. With the growing demand for a skilled workforce to meet state, national and global needs, there was an urgent requirement to streamline and integrate initiatives under a common vision and strategy. The Karnataka Skill Development Policy 2025–2032 addresses this gap by aligning skilling with education, employment, and industry requirements, while also ensuring inclusivity, equity, and future readiness”.