The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship will organise a two-day Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) Zonal Conference-cum-Stakeholder Consultation and Progress Review Workshop in Pune on 19–20 January 2026. The event will bring together representatives of 152 JSSs from 11 States and Union Territories, along with officials from the Directorate of Jan Shikshan Sansthan, NIESBUD and other stakeholders. The conference is aimed at reviewing implementation, strengthening capacity and improving community-based skilling delivery under the JSS Scheme.
About Jan Shikshan Sansthan Scheme
The JSS Scheme is a Central Sector Scheme implemented through non-governmental organisations. It focuses on non-formal vocational training for non-literate and neo-literate persons, school dropouts and marginalised communities. Special emphasis is placed on women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities and other disadvantaged groups.
Coverage and Training Progress
- At present, 294 JSSs are operational across 26 States and 7 Union Territories.
- The scheme offers training in 51 NSQF-aligned courses.
- As on 31 December 2025, more than 34 lakh beneficiaries had been trained.
- Women account for 28.3 lakh of the trained beneficiaries, showing a strong gender focus.
Key Focus Areas of the Pune Workshop
The conference will review physical and financial progress for FY 2025–26. It will also hold consultations on policy refinements, implementation issues and institutional challenges. Another major focus will be strengthening skills in employability, entrepreneurship, livelihood promotion, credit linkage and financial management. Emerging areas such as Artificial Intelligence and digital tools in programme delivery will also be discussed.
Capacity Building and Expected Outcomes
The programme will include thematic capacity-building sessions, an exposure visit to modern skill laboratories and a product exhibition of best practices and locally developed JSS products. A valedictory session on 20 January 2026 will consolidate recommendations for future strengthening of the scheme. The workshop reflects the government’s wider push for inclusive growth, grassroots skilling and self-reliance.
Last Modified: April 27, 2026