With an outlay of Rs 4,432.5 crore, the Karnataka Cabinet Thursday cleared the first Karnataka State Skill Development Policy 2025-32.
The amount set aside for the Policy was for projects such as Centres of Excellence, various schemes for skill development being implemented by the government, along with additional budget required for the Department of Skill Development. Of the amount specified, Rs 1,386 crore will be raised through loans from the Asian Development Bank, according to documents.
The policy was cleared based on the budget announcement made earlier this year. The budget document had said that the Policy will be framed “for effective utilisation of human resources of the State and equip the youngster with necessary skills for meaningful employment, and also help them explore entrepreneurial opportunities.”
Following the Cabinet clearance, Dr Sharan Prakash Patil, Minister of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, said that the absence of a policy framework meant that skilling efforts were often fragmented across multiple departments till date. “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,” he said.
Though the Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood was established in 2017, 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.