May 25: The first meeting of the high-powered Standing Committee on ‘Education to Employment and Enterprise’ under NITI Aayog has set the stage for a major initiative aimed at boosting India’s services sector through improved employability, entrepreneurship, and skill development.
The committee agreed to develop actionable recommendations to strengthen industry-aligned skilling, enhance job readiness, and accelerate the overall growth of the services economy. A key focus will be bridging the gap between education, employment, and entrepreneurship through coordinated efforts involving the Centre, state governments, industry bodies, academia, and the skilling ecosystem.
The initiative is part of a broader vision to increase India’s share in the global services market to 10% by 2047. It will also assess the impact of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence on future job roles and skill requirements, and suggest measures to prepare a future-ready workforce.
During the meeting, officials highlighted the importance of leveraging India’s demographic advantage to convert it into a “growth dividend” by creating more productive employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for young people. Discussions also covered key areas such as labour force participation, youth employment, skill alignment, and the transition of workers into non-farm and technology-driven sectors.
The committee reaffirmed the growing importance of the services sector in driving economic growth, export competitiveness, and integration into global value chains. It also emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between government institutions, industry associations, and education providers to build a future-ready talent ecosystem.
The committee is chaired by the CEO of NITI Aayog and includes representatives from central ministries, state governments including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh, as well as industry bodies such as NASSCOM, FICCI, CII, FISME, and SEPC, along with sector experts.