Maharashtra minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha on Friday announced plans to expand the Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skill University to 50 locations across the state by next year, an official statement said.
He said the expansion would be modelled on Singapore’s skill development system, with a strong focus on employability and industry readiness.
Speaking at the university’s third foundation day event in Mumbai, Lodha stressed that students should be trained in a way that ensures 100 per cent job readiness.
He said that the aim was to create a system where students completing courses are equipped with practical skills that match industry needs, similar to Singapore’s education model.
Push for skill-based education
Lodha highlighted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country is moving towards skill-based education through new education policies, the statement said.
He added that Maharashtra is working to strengthen vocational training and entrepreneurship through targeted initiatives.
The minister announced that under the Chief Minister’s Maha Fund scheme, loans will be provided at an interest rate of 3 per cent to support aspiring entrepreneurs.
The state aims to create around 2 lakh entrepreneurs and support up to 50,000 startups. Selected startups will also receive financial assistance from the government, the official statement said.
Strengthening ITIs and training infra
The Maharashtra minister further said that land will be made available near 417 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the state to promote entrepreneurship and skill development under the scheme.
He emphasised the goal of ensuring “employment for every hand and dignity for every job”.
Learning from Singapore model
The minister pointed out that Singapore’s success is largely driven by strong educational reforms and skill development systems.
He said Maharashtra aims to adopt a similar approach, focusing on education, technology, and employment generation to boost the state’s economy, the statement said.
The announcement was made during a programme marking the university’s third anniversary, where students were honoured for their performance in various competitions, it said.
Officials and dignitaries from the education and innovation sectors were present at the event, and awards were given to staff members for their contributions.
