The National Skill Development Corporation has now collaborated with TCS iON by an MoU in an endeavor to provide industry recognized skill through its National Proficiency Tests to enhance employability across India and to address the much-heralded skill deficit prevalent among youths and other working professionals in India.

Today, the alliance was announced as part of the overall Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) plan by which India will strengthen its workforce with industry-validated skill certifications more closely attuned to industry demand present today. Powered by TCS iON, the tests are monthly and can be attempted from any city in India, with unlimited attempts. It would be used more like a standard in measurement of job skills, under a two-pronged structure for assessment: Test of Knowledge and Test of Application. It shall be used as a nationwide platform for skill validation.

Standardized proficiency tests allow students, job seekers, and professionals to have their mastery verified in specific domains. Having successfully obtained a proficiency score from these standardized exams, participants can update their professional profiles with an industry-recognized certification that is both accessible and adaptable according to one’s needs.

Participants will get to leverage the experience of NSDC and TCS iON together, more particularly in the focus areas identified at the onset – Information Technology (IT), Banking, Financial Services & Insurance (BFSI), Manufacturing, and Healthcare.
HR, Finance, and Sales & Marketing are also going to be covered as the initiative scales up. Conduceted by TCS iON’s authorized examination centers all over the country under strict observation, the partnership aims to establish a credible, nationwide assessment standard for job readiness. Access to Exclusive Job Listings on TCS iON Platform

Participants who are having an NPT score will also be able to access exclusive corporate job listings that are on the TCS iON platform. This enables the recruitment agencies to directly connect the job seekers with employers who require verified skills thereby improving job placement opportunities. The same platform gives participants a chance to showcase validated skills that are in-line with the industry needs in a competitive employment scenario.

One step in this direction is by having a job-ready workforce.

Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO of NSDC said, “This association is a significant step to bridge the gap of employability in our country. We can ensure that our youth are not only ready for a job but to perform at their best. Today, enabling our youth through skills and certification will boost a robust economy.”.

It represents an endeavor to balance education and skill acquisition with the demand in the real world by industries. The scheme in question is a progressive move in making India’s youth prepared for a dynamic workforce by providing monthly, accessible, and industry-recognized proficiency tests.