Mumbai, 21st: South Korea has carved a distinct global identity for itself in the fields of new-age industries, business, and skill development. The collaborative agreements forged between Maharashtra and South Korea will facilitate the inflow of Korea's exceptional expertise and advanced technology into India, thereby directly benefiting Indian students. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed the view that, through these Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), support will be extended to training initiatives across all levels—ranging from fundamental industrial skills to high-level advanced competencies.
A total of three MoUs were signed at the Sahyadri Guest House in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. These agreements were executed between the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training (under the Department of Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation) and Korea Polytechnics (South Korea); between the Maharashtra State Skill Development Society and the National Institute for Lifelong Education (South Korea); and between the Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skill University and two branches of a prestigious South Korean institution.
Present on this occasion were Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Minister for Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation; Manisha Verma, Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation; Lokesh Chandra, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister; Dr. Satish Suryavanshi, Director of the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training; Dr. Apurva Palkar, Vice-Chancellor of the Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skill University; Dilip Kumar, Director General of Training (Government of India); C.S. Murthy, Regional Director of the National Skill Institute; Dr. Amit Saini, Commissioner of the Maharashtra State Innovation Society; and Anchal Goyal, District Collector of Mumbai City. The delegation from the Republic of Korea included Dr. Seung Hun Han from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Dr. [Name] from Korea Polytechnics. The event saw the participation of senior representatives from organizations such as Cravit & Keys and Nexon Technology, alongside Young-ah Kang and Ms. Min-Seon Park from the National Institute for Lifelong Education (NILE).
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that the Skill Development Department has taken a significant step toward leveraging India's demographic advantage—specifically the innovative potential of its youth—for the nation's development. India enjoys a substantial geographical and demographic advantage; with nearly 65% of the country's population under the age of 35, this demographic constitutes our true strength. Our primary objective is to transform the innovative spirit of this age group into valuable 'human resources.'
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis further remarked that Maharashtra serves as the country's growth engine. The state's economy currently stands at $660 billion, with an ambitious target to reach $1 trillion in the near future. To achieve this goal, the industrial ecosystem requires highly skilled talent at every level. In this context, this international skills agreement is poised to provide a major impetus to Maharashtra's economic progress. This agreement will not remain merely on paper but will soon be translated into concrete action. This historic collaboration will provide the industrial sector with a skilled workforce while simultaneously opening up new global employment opportunities for Indian youth.
**A New Era for Skill Development in the State: Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha**
These agreements are of paramount importance in the endeavor to provide the youth of Maharashtra with world-class skills, training in modern technologies, and employment opportunities on an international stage. This partnership with leading institutions from South Korea will infuse new vigor into the state's skill development ecosystem. The Government of Maharashtra remains firmly committed to cultivating a workforce that is trained, technologically adept, and possesses an innovative mindset—precisely in line with the evolving needs of the industry. Minister for Skill Development, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, stated that this collaboration would enable the Department of Skill Development, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation in Maharashtra to secure a leading position within the country.
**Two-Day Workshop on 'DAKSH' Project in Collaboration with South Korea: Additional Chief Secretary Manisha Verma**
Manisha Verma, Additional Chief Secretary for Skill Development, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation, remarked that the 'DAKSH' initiative—along with the support received from the World Bank under the 'Korea-World Bank Partnership Facility' (KWPF)—is of paramount importance in elevating Maharashtra's skill development ecosystem to a global standard. Through this grant, projects aimed at long-term reforms within the Technical Education and Vocational Training (TVET) sector—such as skill gap assessments, tracer studies for ITI students, and the conceptualization of Model ITIs—are being successfully implemented. This workshop, organized in Mumbai on May 21–22, 2026, brings together experts from the Government of India, the Government of Maharashtra, and leading skill development institutions from South Korea onto a single platform. "I am confident that our institutional capabilities will be further strengthened through the dialogue emerging from the combined experience of global organizations from Korea—such as 'Korea Polytechnics' and 'KRIVET'—and the guidance of stalwarts from the Indian industrial sector. The empowerment of the TVET mechanism will serve as the fundamental bedrock for achieving the objectives of 'Viksit Bharat 2047' and 'Viksit Maharashtra 2047'." ‘Learning Factory’ Model to be Established in Maharashtra through DVET-KOPO Partnership
The agreement signed between the State Government’s Directorate of Vocational Education and Training (DVET) and South Korea’s Korea Polytechnics is being hailed as a significant milestone for the state's technical and vocational education sector. Under this agreement, advanced training centers—modeled after South Korea’s renowned ‘Learning Factory’ concept—will be established across Maharashtra. These centers will be driven by state-of-the-art technology and hands-on practical training, tailored specifically to meet the requirements of various industries. The organization KOPO will serve as the primary partner in this project. Additionally, the expertise of other Korean technical institutions—such as KT, KITECH, and KATEC—will be enlisted as and when required. A strategic manual for these training centers is scheduled to be drafted between May and September 2026, with the objective of making these centers fully operational at their maximum capacity between March 2027 and June 2028. Through these centers, students will receive training in modern skills, facilitated by cutting-edge machinery, industry-oriented curricula, and a team of highly trained instructors.
**Promoting ‘Lifelong Learning’ in Maharashtra through the MSSDS-NILE Agreement**
The agreement forged between the Maharashtra State Skill Development Society (MSSDS) and South Korea’s National Institute for Lifelong Education (NILE) is set to provide a new direction to the state's efforts in continuous education and skill enhancement. The primary objective of this agreement is to formulate a comprehensive policy framework for Maharashtra regarding ‘Lifelong Learning’—that is, the pursuit of education and skill development throughout one's entire life. To ensure that the youth and the workforce can continuously acquire new skills in response to evolving technologies and changing employment demands, a robust digital education and certification system will be developed.
As part of this initiative, a dedicated ‘Lifelong Learning Policy Framework’ for the state—along with its accompanying operational manual—will be formulated. Efforts will be made to bridge the gap between the industry and the education sector by developing digital platforms for upskilling and reskilling. The actual implementation of these programs is scheduled to take place between January 2027 and June 2028.
**Global Opportunities for Research and Higher Education through the RT-MSSU and KAIST Partnership**
The agreement forged between the Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skill University (RT-MSSU) and two branches of the prestigious KAIST institute in South Korea is regarded as a significant milestone for the higher education and research sectors in Maharashtra. The focal points of this partnership—established with KAIST’s Graduate School of Green Growth and Sustainability (KAIST-GGGS) and the Graduate School of Global Digital Innovation (KAIST-GDI)—are sustainable development and digital innovation. Under this agreement, selected faculty members, staff, and alumni of the Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skill University will have the opportunity to pursue Master's and Ph.D. degrees at KAIST. Upon completing their studies, these experts will return to Maharashtra to further strengthen the University's academic and research capabilities. Together, the two institutions will establish a joint research center titled the ‘Joint Research Center on Global Sustainability.’ Furthermore, a ‘Joint Steering Committee’ will be constituted to effectively plan and implement this long-term partnership.