Right Walk Foundation

Unemployment of youth is one of the most pressing challenges facing India today – there are an estimated 6 crore unemployed youth between ages 15-24 years across the country. While there exist over 15,000 government-run Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) providing skilling to Indian youth, employability of graduating students is estimated to be only 29%. Paradoxically, an Indian youth with higher education or vocational training is six times more likely to be unemployed compared to an uneducated youth. Experts attribute this to poor quality of training, as well as the lack of suitable opportunities candidates will find worthwhile after investing in training.

The Government of India has launched several schemes to tackle the dual challenge of skilling and employability, including the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme by the Ministry of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship. This scheme aims to promote apprenticeship and incentivise employers to engage apprentices (₹1500 per apprentice). The Uttar Pradesh state government has also announced the Chief Minister Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme, which further provides a monetary incentive (₹1000 per apprentice) to industries to engage apprentices.

RightWalk Foundation has developed a four-stage strategy for effective policy adoption in Uttar Pradesh:

• Driving Awareness and Adoption
  Initiating a consultation and awareness drive with companies (including MSMEs and large industries) and employable students, through ITIs, employment exchanges, etc.
• Improving Process and Governance
  Helping the government in institutionalising technology-enabled processes and governance systems; setting up a UP apprenticeship helpline for industries; capacity building and handholding of ‘Apprenticeship cells’ in ITIs; and development of ‘Apprentice Management System to standardise the engagement process, training curriculum and exit plan.
• Mapping of Supply/ Demand and Quality of ITIs
  District-wise mapping of demand and supply of relevant skills/ trades to help candidates make an informed choice at the time of course collection. Additionally, development of a constructive feedback mechanism is proposed for ITIs where companies can provide critical evaluation of candidates.
• Policy and Process Design
  RightWalk Foundation aims to increase the apprenticeship seats in the state government departments by reforming the existing recruitment rules. Further, it is proposed that a provision is made for giving special benefits (monetary or non-monetary) to companies that engage with women and differently-abled apprenticeships. To ensure effective adoption of the scheme, roundtables with industry representatives are also planned to help them tackle challenges and ease compliance with the scheme.

Despite the pandemic situation, RightWalk Foundation was able to kickstart implementation in February 2021. In the first quarter of implementation (February to April 2021), the following targets were achieved:

• Registration of companies on the National Apprenticeship Scheme Portal
  • Annual Target: 2,500
  • Q1 Target: 250
  • Q1 Achievement: 5,285
  • 2,114% of quarterly target has been achieved
  • Annual target has already been surpassed
• Registration of students on the National Apprenticeship Scheme Portal
  • Annual Target: 49,000
  • Q1 Target: 6,500
  • Q1 Achievement: 22,162
  • 341% of quarterly target has been achieved
  • 45% of the Annual Target has already been met

• Contracts for apprenticeships signed between registered students and registered companies

  • Annual Target: 25,000

  • Q1 Target: 3,500

  • Q1 Achievement: 2,923

  • 84% of quarterly target has been achieved despite the second wave of the covid-19 pandemic