CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has always been a pioneering leader in higher education while making sure that its role must also expand to help the state’s youth prepare for the future. While upskilling has recently become a national priority, the state has been ahead of the curve. In 2013, it established the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (now TN Skills) to enhance employability among youth. The initiative gained momentum with the introduction of the Naan Mudhalvan (NM) programme in 2022, an attempt to transform the state's workforce.
The Naan Mudhalvan programme, which has benefited more than 41.38 lakh students, provides skill training and entrepreneurship development to young people with a unique approach, aiming not only to identify student talent but also to bridge the gap between academia and industry. With some tailored training programmes, it equips students with the skills necessary to meet industry demands.
Around 25.63 lakh students come from arts and science colleges, followed by 10.91 lakh from engineering colleges, 3.77 lakh from polytechnics, and 1.07 lakh from Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
The placement records have also shown promise. Since its inception in 2022, 2,51,958 students under the Naan Mudhalvan programme have secured jobs. This includes 91,234 from engineering colleges, 1.18 lakh from arts and science colleges, 26,419 from polytechnic institutions, and 15,431 from ITIs. In addition to training students in emerging sectors, the programme collaborates with multinational companies, organises job fairs, and maintains a skill registry to connect candidates with potential employers.
The success of this scheme has opened new opportunities for students, particularly in government colleges, where placements were considered rare. For example, S Sukumaran, a student at Presidency College, shared how the programme’s finance training helped him secure a high-paying job after graduation, despite financial challenges at home.
K Bhaskaran, an academician, appreciated the scheme for offering free domain-specific courses, from foundational training to deep skilling, thus ensuring the state's investment in human resources.
The programme now offers over 300 career pathways, covering fields such as engineering, Artificial Intelligence, app development, personality development, and competitive exam preparation. The groundwork for this initiative was laid in 2019 when In addition to training students in emerging sectors, the programme collaborates with multinational companies, organises job fairs, and maintains a skill registry to connect candidates with potential employers. the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC) commissioned a Skill Gap Assessment Study by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), which helped shape the framework of this programme.
To further help employability, the state has introduced emerging courses in cloud computing, robotics, big data analytics, and other fields. Coaching programmes for competitive exams like IES, GATE, CAT, and GMAT are also provided. To encourage female enrollment, especially in polytechnic courses, the state has launched programmes in fields such as interior decoration, bio-medical electronics, and web design.
A senior official from the higher education department emphasised the importance of skill development. Stating that while Tamil Nadu leads the country in terms of the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER), ensuring job security for graduates is equally important. The state has also undertaken steps to modernise curricula in engineering, arts and science colleges, making students more adaptable to emerging technologies. Additionally, all government polytechnic colleges are set to be upgraded to Industry 4.0 standards, with plans to invest `2,358.52 crore to enhance infrastructure and curriculum across 44 institutions.
In addition to skill development, the state government has also prioritised entrepreneurship through various initiatives, including providing access to affordable credit, supporting incubation centres, and helping forge industry-academia partnerships.
The Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women (TNCDW) has also been instrumental in advancing skill development for women, implementing programmes aimed at improving livelihoods since 2006. The multipronged approach of imparting industry-relevant skills, creating dynamic learning environments, conducting sector-wise demand analysis, has helped the state in providing an equal platform for all to grow, narrow the urban-rural divide, and to boost the state’s economy also.
