This paper evaluates the Skill India Mission (SIM) as a transformer framework designed to align India’s demographic potential with the demands of a modernising economy. Utilising a descriptive research design based on secondary data from 2015 to 2025, the study examines the mission's trajectory through flagship schemes like PMKVY and NSDM. Key achievements include massive enrolment growth, exceeding 6.4 crore trainees, and a strategic shift toward Industry 4.0 technologies such as AI and Green Energy, supported by a ₹60,000 crore ITI modernisation plan. However, the analysis identifies critical structural challenges, including a persistent skill-gap mismatch, low placement rates (18–21%), and significant regional disparities, with rural access remaining limited. The study concludes that while the mission has successfully built a massive institutional foundation, future success depends on transitioning from quantitative targets to qualitative, industry-led outcomes to achieve the vision of a self-reliant, globally competitive Viksit Bharat.
Sen et al. (2026) studied this question.