Bhubaneswar, March 25: As part of their official press tour, a media delegation from Odisha visited the National Skill Training Institute (NSTI), Hyderabad, to gain insights into ongoing skill development initiatives of the Government of India and training frameworks.
The visit offered a close look at how one of the country’s premier training institutions is evolving with changing workforce demands. Shri D. Sudhakar, Joint Director, Principal & Head of Office, NSTI, Vidyanagar, while interacting with the delegation, traced the institute’s journey since 1963 and placed it within the larger network of 33 NSTIs across the country, mandated for training of trainers.
At NSTI Hyderabad, this mandate has taken a multi-dimensional form. The main institute focuses on manufacturing, fabrication and emerging green skills. The Ramanthapur centre specialises in electronics and IT. Alongside, the Women’s Training Institute is building capacities in apparel and smart agriculture, linking skills with both employability and entrepreneurship.
The interaction highlighted programmes such as the Craft Instructor Training Scheme (CITS) and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS), where training is closely aligned with industry needs. Practical exposure, combined with stipend-linked learning, remains central to the model.
What stood out was the institute’s shift towards new priorities. The growing emphasis on green energy, entrepreneurship and women-centric programmes is shaping NSTI Hyderabad into a forward-looking skilling hub, increasingly comparable to a specialised skill university.
This direction gains further momentum with the recent approval of five National Centres of Excellence for Skilling at NSTIs in Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kanpur and Ludhiana, announced in the Union Budget.
The institute, in coordination with RDSDE, is also implementing apprenticeship training and the PM Vishwakarma scheme, strengthening certification systems and supporting artisans within the broader skilling ecosystem.
