ADB reviews Assam Skills University project, outlines roadmap for expansion

An ADB Special Review Mission on Assam Skills University (ASU) has reviewed the progress of the project and outlined a roadmap for strengthening the university’s role in Assam’s skills and employment ecosystem.

The review, held from August 24 to September 3, focused on the progress achieved under the project and the roadmap for ASU through the loan closure period and beyond. A wrap-up meeting was held at the conclusion of the mission.

A key recommendation was to position ASU as a “thematic capacity multiplier” at the centre of Assam’s skills ecosystem, supporting rather than replacing the existing network of ITIs, polytechnics, colleges, vocational institutions, government skill programmes, MSMEs and international technical and vocational education and training (TVET) partners.

The review also highlighted the need to move beyond short-term skill certification. Since 2023, around 21.15 lakh youth have been certified under PMKVY and DDUGKY, with about 45 per cent securing employment. ASU’s stackable programmes across NSQF Levels 4 to 8 are expected to provide pathways from certificates and diplomas to degrees through accumulated credits and recognition of prior learning.

Industry integration emerged as another major priority. ASU has 82 industry MoUs and six co-delivered degree programmes with organisations including IBM, L&T and C-DAC. Its industry-oriented CNC, electric vehicle and metrology laboratories, along with credit-bearing apprenticeships, are expected to strengthen industry-linked education. ASU students have completed 239 internships within six months and won four India Skills medals.

The university is also expected to support learners and institutions beyond its campus through internships, group projects, faculty and trainer development, finishing-school initiatives and collaborative programmes involving ITIs, polytechnics and higher education institutions.

The review identified MSME productivity and innovation as another area where ASU could contribute through upskilling, productivity-support services, testing and applied research.

An applied research initiative in food technology involving Tezpur University and GKCIET, supported by the Department of Biotechnology with a recommended budget of Rs 52.52 lakh over three years, will use ASU’s Food Analytics and Food Microbiology laboratories for product characterisation, quality assessment and nutritional validation.

ASU currently offers 36 stack-based programmes across nine sectors, of which 24 are internationally aligned. Its application to become an NCVET Awarding Body could further expand certification and affiliation opportunities for short-term skill programmes.

The Assam government will facilitate departmental support and convergence, including aligning job profiles and eligibility criteria with evolving skill requirements, while working with ASU and other stakeholders on necessary course corrections and amendments.

The roadmap envisages a progressive expansion of ASU’s reach, with the overall projected impact expected to cover 5,047 learners by 2027, 30,606 by 2030 and 78,033 by 2035.

The immediate focus will be on establishing effective delivery systems, partnerships and demonstrable models before scaling up the initiative, with the state government set to continue working with ADB and other stakeholders to position ASU as a platform connecting skills, education, industry, innovation and employment.