NITI Aayog highlights the World Skill Center in Bhubaneswar as a model initiative in its report, as Odisha expands training to new sectors and regions
OdishaPlus Bureau
The World Skill Center (WSC), established by the Odisha Government in Bhubaneswar, has been praised by NITI Aayog as a model initiative in the country’s skill development ecosystem.
NITI Aayog’s recently released report, ‘Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat @2047’, highlights the World Skill Center for its role in providing industry-oriented training to young people. The report emphasises the need to align education and skilling with evolving industry requirements to prepare India’s workforce for the future.
The WSC offers training in advanced and emerging areas, supported by modern equipment and world-class laboratories. Its focus on hands-on practice enables students to develop practical skills aligned with workplace requirements.
Welcoming the recognition, WSC Chief Executive Officer Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra said the Odisha Government is planning to expand the WSC model to other parts of the state. Two new centres are proposed in Sambalpur and Berhampur, with training programmes designed around local industries and employment opportunities.
The Sambalpur campus is planned to offer courses in areas such as agritech, renewable energy and retailing. The Berhampur campus will focus on marine technology, underwater welding and healthcare assistance. Plans are also underway to introduce training in semiconductor and aviation sectors at the Bhubaneswar centre, added Mohapatra.
“There are also plans to introduce training in the semiconductor and aviation sectors at the World Skill Center in Bhubaneswar. Our key objective is to expand opportunities for skill development across various sectors and ensure that these opportunities reach young people in different parts of the state,” said Mohapatra.
To strengthen industry-academia collaboration, WSC has recently signed 25 MoUs with government and private engineering colleges and universities.
NITI Aayog’s report also recommends greater industry participation in training, apprenticeships and “learning while earning” models to bridge the gap between education and employment.
Odisha has also been selected among five states for the State Skills Transformation Pilot announced in the Union Budget 2026–27. The report identifies the state’s “Skilled in Odisha” programme as a notable state-level initiative in India’s skill development landscape.