PM Modi urges WorldSkills participants to help strengthen India’s skills ecosystem
India placed 10th at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, winning six silver medals and 20 medals for excellence. Its largest-ever contingent comprised 70 competitors participating across 63 skills.
Highlighting the role of vocational education, Modi said skill training institutions were no less important than IITs and IIMs. He also referred to the objective behind creating a separate Ministry of Skill Development.
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged India’s WorldSkills Competition participants to become ambassadors of skill development and use their international experience to help improve the country’s vocational training system.
Modi met representatives of Team India at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg on Friday, and congratulated them on representing India internationally and said practical skills were as important as academic degrees.
The participants described their experiences at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, including adapting to unfamiliar tools, software, technical systems and work processes.
Modi said rapid technological change required young people to continually acquire new skills, upgrade their capabilities and adapt to emerging technologies. He encouraged participants to align their skills with international market requirements and share suggestions with the government to strengthen training in India.
He called for coordinated efforts by young people, the government and training institutions to establish India as a global hub of skilled human resources.
Highlighting the role of vocational education, Modi said skill training institutions were no less important than IITs and IIMs. He also referred to the objective behind creating a separate Ministry of Skill Development.
India secured 10th position at the 48th WorldSkills Competition, held from September 22 to 27 at Shanghai’s National Exhibition and Convention Center. The team won six silver medals and 20 medals for excellence.
India fielded its largest-ever contingent, with 70 competitors participating across 63 skills. The international competition brings together young professionals to demonstrate vocational and technical capabilities.
Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State with independent charge for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, attended the interaction alongside senior government officials.
