‘Saksham Skill Survey’ Is a Significant Step Towards the Vision of a Developed India and a Developed Maharashtra – Minister Adv. Ashish Shelar

Training for 15,000 youth and creation of 5,000 jobs pledged through the country’s first such survey initiative

Mumbai, March 2026 : India, a nation of youth, possesses a young generation with the potential to provide leadership at the global level. To realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Developed India 2047’ and the roadmap for ‘Developed Maharashtra’ presented by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, skill development is a foundational step. In line with this vision, the ‘Saksham Skill Survey’ scheme—designed to understand the aptitude and capabilities of youth—is the first such survey initiative in the country. The initiative launched by Mumbai Suburban District to promote employment generation will serve as a guiding model for the state, said Cultural Affairs and Information Technology Minister and Guardian Minister of Mumbai Suburban District Ashish Shelar.

The ‘Saksham Skill Survey’—aimed at assessing the skill aptitude of youth from around 55,000 households in the Bandra, Khar and Santacruz West areas (H-West Ward) of Mumbai—was inaugurated by Guardian Minister Adv. Shelar. Conceived under his leadership, the survey will be implemented through the Mumbai Suburban District Collector’s Office and the Skill Development Department. The inauguration ceremony was held at the auditorium of National College, Bandra West, in the presence of local public representatives, District Collector Saurabh Kataria, Skill Development Deputy Commissioner Anand Mali, Regional Director of the National Skill Training Institute C. S. Murthy, Deputy Commissioner (Skill Development, Mumbai) Sachin Jadhav, Assistant Commissioner Shailesh Bhagat, Principal of National College Neha Jagatiani, along with officials from the District Collector’s Office and Skill Development Department, entrepreneurs, principals of various colleges, and students.

Addressing the gathering, Adv. Ashish Shelar said India has the strength of a demographic dividend. With the right direction, skill development and employment opportunities, Indian youth can lead the nation towards global leadership. The ‘Saksham Skill Survey’ is the country’s first initiative to assess youth aptitude and skill orientation. Using AI-based and transparent methods, data will be collected from youth aged 18 to 40, their skills will be identified, and they will be linked with appropriate training institutions. Following the survey, the government has resolved to train around 15,000 youth by 2027 and enable at least 5,000 of them to become self-reliant through employment or entrepreneurship. A structured ecosystem will be created in coordination with industries, companies and the corporate sector to provide employment and self-employment opportunities. He appealed to the government, colleges and youth to actively participate to ensure the success of the initiative.

District Collector Saurabh Kataria said Mumbai offers vast opportunities across multiple sectors. With aptitude-based training and guidance, youth can make significant contributions in employment and self-employment. The programme will be implemented in three phases over the next two to three months—survey implementation, aptitude-based training, and guidance for employment or self-employment. He noted that, along with the District Collector’s Office and Skill Development Department, stakeholders such as industry, labour, municipal bodies, self-help groups and entrepreneurs from various sectors will play an important role. He urged colleges, citizens and youth to actively participate and make the initiative successful.

On the occasion, the ‘Saksham Yuva, Saksham Rajya’ logo of the ‘Saksham Skill Survey’ was unveiled. Memoranda of Understanding were also signed with various entrepreneurs for training and employment generation. Additionally, students from the western division of Mumbai Suburban District who won national-level skill competitions were felicitated by the Guardian Minister. Assistant Commissioner Shailesh Bhagat delivered the vote of thanks on behalf of the Skill Development Department.

About the ‘Saksham Skill Survey’ Scheme

The objective of the Saksham Skill Survey is to assess the interests and aptitude of male and female candidates aged 18–40 and, based on this assessment, make them employable through appropriate training.

In Mumbai Suburban District, the survey will be conducted by Sapio Analytics through door-to-door visits to nearly 55,000 households in the H-West Ward, using an AI-based survey mechanism. Prescribed information about eligible candidates from each household will be collected.

Special focus will be placed on understanding the inclination of men and women aged 18–40 towards acquiring skills required for education and employment. Candidates will be informed about government-recognised courses, and their interest in skill acquisition will be recorded accordingly.

Official skill training institutions available nearby will be identified and linked. Based on a candidate’s interest, enrolment will be facilitated in relevant courses at training institutions, where course-wise training will be provided.

After completion of training, candidates will be assisted by authorised training institutions in securing employment or self-employment opportunities with nearby entrepreneurs or establishments.

A dedicated portal/website will be developed for registration of entrepreneurs/establishments, training institutions, and candidates aged 18–40. This platform will provide comprehensive information to all stakeholders and facilitate employment or self-employment based on acquired skills.

This survey is building India’s first decentralised, AI-based workforce intelligence model. The entire process will be driven by advanced artificial intelligence, resulting in an innovative and autonomous AI model that will create a long-term intelligence framework for local-level skill development, employment and strategic planning.

The scheme will be funded through grants from the District Planning Committee, Mumbai Suburban, with the District Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship Guidance Centre, Mumbai Suburban, serving as the implementing agency. Under this innovative initiative, 5,000 candidates per year—totalling 15,000 by 2027—will receive skill enhancement training and be enabled to secure employment or self-employment in the H-West Ward of Mumbai Suburban District. This survey is being conducted for the first time not only in Maharashtra but across the country.