PM-SETU: Centre holds Rajasthan industry meet to boost ITI skilling in Bhiwadi
Synopsis
The Centre is taking its ITI overhaul to one of North India's busiest manufacturing belts. With PM-SETU now targeting Rajasthan's Bhiwadi cluster, the pitch to industry is sharper: lower hiring costs, Sector Skill Councils as anchor partners, and ITIs reimagined as ‘finishing schools’ — a shift from credential factories to placement-linked hubs.
Key Takeaways
The MSDE held a PM-SETU industry interaction for the Rajasthan cluster on 3 June .
The focus is the Bhiwadi hub, strong in automotive, engineering, electronics, logistics, and green industries.
Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav linked skilling to sustainable industrial growth.
MoS Jayant Chaudhary said PM-SETU will cut recruitment and training costs while improving youth employment.
Sector Skill Councils can serve as Anchor Industry Partners; universities as knowledge partners.
ITIs to be transformed into experiential ‘finishing schools’ with modern infrastructure.
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) on 3 June convened an industry interaction on the PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability through upgraded ITIs) scheme for the Rajasthan cluster, aimed at deepening industry participation in skilling and aligning training with workforce needs in the Bhiwadi industrial hub.
Key Developments
The programme featured a detailed presentation on the PM-SETU framework, followed by consultations with industry stakeholders, policymakers, and skill ecosystem leaders to map actionable pathways for rollout in Bhiwadi, according to the MSDE statement. The cluster is among North India's fastest-growing manufacturing regions, with significant presence across automotive, engineering, electronics, logistics, and emerging green industries.
What the Ministers Said
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav underscored the importance of integrating skill development with sustainable industrial growth, the statement said. Yadav flagged opportunities emerging across sectors and stressed that targeted skilling would play a critical role in job creation.
Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary said PM-SETU aims to reduce recruitment and training costs for industry while improving employment outcomes for youth. He added that the programme will directly benefit CSR beneficiaries and promote inclusive growth.
Anchor Partners and ITI Transformation
Chaudhary said Sector Skill Councils can act as Anchor Industry Partners (AIPs), with industries collaborating with universities as knowledge partners to strengthen training frameworks. He stressed the need to transform Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) into centres of experiential learning, equipped with modern infrastructure including sports facilities.
Such upgraded centres, the minister noted, would function as holistic ‘finishing schools’ for youth, ensuring both quality education and stronger placement outcomes.
Why Bhiwadi Matters
Bhiwadi's manufacturing depth — spanning auto components, electronics assembly, and logistics — makes it a natural testbed for industry-linked skilling. The cluster's proximity to the Delhi-NCR demand corridor adds urgency to closing the skills gap, particularly as green industries scale up.
What's Next
Implementation pathways flagged during the interaction are expected to feed into the rollout plan for the Bhiwadi cluster, with Sector Skill Councils likely to be formally onboarded as anchor partners. The Centre's broader push to reposition ITIs as employability hubs will be tested first in clusters like this one.
Point of View
With employer trust thin outside a handful of states. Choosing Bhiwadi is shrewd: a dense, multi-sector cluster offers a real stress test. But unless training curricula are co-designed with auto and electronics majors and audited on placement outcomes, the ‘finishing school’ framing risks staying rhetorical.
NationPress
20 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PM-SETU scheme?
PM-SETU, or Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability through upgraded ITIs, is a Centre-led initiative to modernise Industrial Training Institutes and align their training with industry workforce needs. It seeks to reduce recruitment and training costs for employers while improving employment outcomes for youth.
Why was the Bhiwadi cluster chosen for the industry interaction?
Bhiwadi is among North India's fastest-growing manufacturing regions, with significant activity in automotive, engineering, electronics, logistics, and emerging green industries. Its sectoral depth makes it a strong testbed for industry-linked skilling under PM-SETU.
What role will Sector Skill Councils play in PM-SETU?
According to MoS Jayant Chaudhary, Sector Skill Councils can act as Anchor Industry Partners (AIPs) under PM-SETU. Industries are also expected to collaborate with universities as knowledge partners to strengthen training frameworks.
How will ITIs change under the PM-SETU framework?
ITIs are to be transformed into centres of experiential learning, equipped with modern infrastructure including sports facilities. The aim is to position them as holistic ‘finishing schools’ that deliver both quality education and stronger placement outcomes.
Who are the key ministers backing the initiative?
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav and Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary led the messaging at the interaction. Yadav emphasised sustainable industrial growth, while Chaudhary detailed the scheme's employment and CSR-linked objectives.
