Context:

As of June 2024, data indicates that Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) is progressing well toward achieving its objectives. 

Key Highlights of Progress

As of June 2024, SIDH has made notable progress:

• Registrations: Around 88 lakh candidates have registered.
• App Downloads: 9.59 lakh mobile app downloads.
• Course Enrollments: 7.63 lakh candidates enrolled in online courses.
• Available Content: 752 online courses leading to 7.37 lakh minutes of digital content.

About the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH)

• Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) was launched by the MSDE (Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship) in September 2023, marking a significant step towards a digital ecosystem for skill development. 
• It aims to synergize India's skill development, education, employment, and entrepreneurship landscape by providing a comprehensive and accessible platform for skill enhancement. 

Objectives

• SIDH's primary objective is to offer industry-relevant skill courses, job opportunities, and entrepreneurship support. 
• It aligns with two major government initiatives, Skill India and Digital India, and is built on a Mobile-First approach to cater to the diverse needs of citizens. 
• SIDH aims to serve as India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for skill development, education, employment, and entrepreneurship. 
• The platform envisions integrating with MSMEs to enhance access to entrepreneurship schemes for learners and job seekers, further driving India's digital and skill development agenda.

Key features include:

• Discovery of courses, schemes, apprenticeships, and job opportunities based on preferences and aspirations.
• A Learning Management System for Digital Skilling.
• Portable Verified Credentials.
• Integration with MSMEs to facilitate access to entrepreneurship schemes.

Skill India Mission

• Launched in 2015, aims to create and implement comprehensive skill development training programs that would help bridge the gap between industry demands and skill requirements and therefore, develop the country at large.

Digital India 

• It is a flagship program launched in July 2015, that aims at transforming India into a digital society. It focuses on providing digital infrastructure, services, and digital literacy to all citizens

Other Initiatives by MSDE for Promoting Digital and Online Skill Training

• STRIVE Project: Skills Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE) project to enhance skills training in ITIs and apprenticeships. 
• Bharatskills Portal: This portal supports digital skill development by providing access to e-books, question banks, and e-learning videos in 12 regional languages. 
• Partnerships with Tech Companies: The Directorate General of Training (DGT) has partnered with IBM, CISCO, AWS, and Microsoft to offer training in technologies like AI, Big Data Analytics, Blockchain, and Cloud Computing via the Bharatskills portal. 
• Advanced Diploma Program: In collaboration with IBM under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the DGT offers a 2-year Advanced Diploma (Vocational) in IT, Networking, and Cloud Computing at 15 National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs).
• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY): The program aims to address the urgent need for skilled manpower in various sectors and contribute to inclusive growth by enhancing employability
• National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs)