Punjab seeks Indian Institute of Skills in Ludhiana, Doubles ITI Capacity in Three Years

Punjab has also rolled out an industry-integrated B.Tech programme in Mechanical Engineering at MRSPTU, Bathinda. Under this model, students gain exposure to real industry environments from the first semester, with the industry premises serving as an extension of the university.

Punjab government has announced an ambitious plan to expand its skill development ecosystem, with Technical Education and Industrial Training Minister Harjot Singh Bains urging the Union government to set up an Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) in Ludhiana.

He said 20 acres of land are already earmarked for the project in the industrial hub, which would give a major boost to the state’s youth employability.

Punjab has also rolled out an industry-integrated B.Tech programme in Mechanical Engineering at MRSPTU, Bathinda. Under this model, students gain exposure to real industry environments from the first semester, with the industry premises serving as an extension of the university.

Bains highlighted that Punjab’s Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) have seen rapid growth. The number of ITI seats has doubled from 25,000 in 2022 to 52,000 in 2025, with admissions surging from 60% to nearly 98% this year. The state has also phased out obsolete trades and introduced 814 new industry-aligned courses, designed in consultation with industries and Institutional Management Committees.

Showcasing Ludhiana’s Government ITI as a national model, Bains invited Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary to visit the facility.

Chaudhary stressed on the need for inter-state collaboration and industry convergence. He underlined reforms such as a revamped National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme, a cluster-based ITI upgradation plan, and recognition of language and sports as employable skills.