India is all set to showcase its young talent at the WorldSkills 2024 in Lyon, France with 60 participants competing in 61 skills with competitors from 70 countries. The WorldSkills Competition is a biannual skills competition, often considered as the Olympic Games of international skilling events.

More than 52 WorldSkills experts, along with support from over 100 industry and academic partners, have been involved in training and preparing the India Contingent which is one of the largest group representing their country at WorldSkills Lyon.

The competition showcases excellence in skills across various sectors, including construction, manufacturing, information technology, and creative arts. Competitors, typically under the age of 23, engage in rigorous testing, completing tasks that reflect contemporary industry standards. For the first time, international trainers were invited to the country and competitors were also sent to countries like South Korea, Japan, Austria, Thailand, and Dubai, with Switzerland for international exposure and rigorous training.

Commenting on India’s participation at WorldSkills Lyon 2024, Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said, “India’s participation in WorldSkills 2024 is a testament to our nation’s commitment to nurturing world-class talent. Our young competitors, rigorously trained by WorldSkills experts and supported by industry and academic partners, are well-prepared to showcase their skills on the global stage. This journey reflects not just their hard work and dedication, but also India’s growing stature in the international skill ecosystem. As they step onto this prestigious platform in Lyon, we stand behind them with immense pride and confidence, knowing they will make the nation proud.”

The India contingent will reach Delhi on 1^st September and undertake the last leg of training. The trainings include yoga sessions, psychological tests to improve mental strength, nutritional advice and guidance.

The National edition of the competition witnessed over 900 participants. Conducted at district, state, and national levels, culminating in the IndiaSkills National competition, this platform showcased skills across traditional crafts to modern technologies.

These candidates will leave for Lyon on 6^th September with their send-off ceremony organized at Kaushal Bhawan on 3^rd September, with the unveiling of their ceremonial attire. Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Minister of State, Ministry of Education, Govt of India will send off these winners for the WorldSkills 2024 in France.

In the 2022 edition, India saw the highest participation in this event with over 56 competitors, out of which 11 were women and 12 candidates qualified from ITIs. Along with this, India finished the event at the 11^th rank. The nation received 13 Medallions of Excellence with two silver medals and three bronze medals. The country began participating in 2007 and has witnessed steady progress in the competition. In 2017, India won 19 medals and built up on this success in 2019 coming in at 14^th position.

The selection of the candidates for this global skills event was done during the IndiaSkills Nationals 2024 competition held in May ’24 at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi. The regional competition saw over 2.5 lakh registrations who were digitally pre-screened via SIDH in the first round. Over 200 workshops were conducted both through physical and online medium to create drive increased participation.

IndiaSkills is an initiative by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. It serves as a national platform for skill competitions, aiming to identify and nurture talented youth in various vocational fields.

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