Introduction
The ‘demographic dividend’ of a nation is defined as the growth potential of the nation that can occur due to the rapid increase in the percentage of working population (15 – 64 years), in comparison to the total population of the nation. Economists across the world have termed this as India’s demographic dividend and a key factor in propelling India into a five trillion dollar economy within the next decade. It is here that the crucial concept of Skill Development comes to play.

Efforts by Government to reap the Demographic Dividend

• GoI defines Skill Development as, any domain specific demand led skill training activity leading to employment or any outcome oriented activity that enables a participant to acquire a skill, duly assessed and certified by an independent third party agency.
• A full-fledged Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship that controls the pace and tenor of skill development in the country while at the state levels in the form of State Skill Development Mission (SSDMs) have been set up.
• North East has found much prominence in the governance paradigm of the country and has been rebranded as ‘New Engine in New India’.

North-East specific measures

• In Arunachal Pradesh, recently the government coordinate with the North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) in preparing a study which would prepare the ground work for strengthening the foundation of skill development in the state.
  • 4 new Industrial Training Institutes in the State
  • Skill Development University is being planned.
  • First of its kind Home Stay Skill Development Programme has been launched in Tawang.
• In Assam, skill development is imparted through EGM (Employment Generation Mission) as well as Assam State Livelihood Mission and Nation Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM).
  • Karaghar Pora Karighor scheme to train jailed inmates in skills.
  • Partnership with countries like CISCO and Dabur to focus on sectoral skill development.
• Manipur has set up a number of committees that are engaging with varied stakeholders to carry the idea of skill development forward.
• The Meghalaya State Skill Development Society has trained 7700 youths in skill development, in its first phase and has ensured their placement too in different industries and sectors.
• Both Mizoram and Nagaland have aligned their skill development schemes and goals within the gambit of broader skill development goals of the country. Tripura has set up a separate State. Skill Development Mission in order to give impetus to skill development in the state. Sikkim has inaugurated livelihood schools where skills are imparted to youth in different sectors including training them in arts and crafts.

Overcoming Challenges and augmenting to the rapid pace of Skill Development in NER

•  One of the first steps that can be taken would be a comprehensive skill mapping of each state. Skill mapping would encompass the harnessing of traditional knowledge of a particular area and develop it into a skill which can be redesigned as a source of employment. For example,
  • Tripura can harness its immense potential of becoming a rubber giant. The rubber manufactured in Tripura can also be exported to neighbouring countries. Nagaland can focus on tourism centred on the Hornbill Festival. Meghalaya can stress few areas like Sohra, Dawki and unexplored Jaintia Hills. Assam could focus on local fireworks, pottery, Sital Patti work, rice milling etc.
• A second measures that can give further impetus to making skill development more meaningful is its integration with the international market by identifying new areas where traditional domain knowledge of these areas can be harnessed to create a market for certain products in neighbouring countries. This model has been replicated by Pran Foods in Bangladesh. The food processing company from Bangladesh has created in niche market for itself in North East by introducing products like Litchi Juice.
• The third measure that can be taken in shifting to outcomes-based approach by adopting the National Skill Qualifications Framework (NSQF) standards.
• There is also a need to catch aspirational youth at a young age to prevent a high dropout rate. Vocationalisation of school education is a welcome step in this regard.
• It must be remembered that, while the task of skill development is huge, the infrastructure available is finite. The revised National Policy on Skill Development gives guidance to the question of leveraging the existing infrastructure to its maximum use. The presence of private training providers in the region must also increase, perhaps new ways could be found to linking CSR for companies present in the region and acting as a training provider for that particular sector.

Conclusion
As the Asian Societies age faster, there will be need for skilled workers in these countries, India can fill this void, the NE region is best placed to fill the gap in these countries and the status of skill development and the placement of skilled youth in NER looks brighter in the future.