Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: India on September 17 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to advance the ‘International Reference Classification of Occupations’, which will facilitate Indian youth in availing global employment opportunities. The MoU was signed by India’s Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva, Ambassador Arindam Bagchi and ILO Director General Gilbert F. Houngbo. Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, virtually attended the signing of the MoU.
Significant skill shortages are being faced by many countries due to demographic deficits and digitalisation. In order to fill these skill gaps, the G20 leaders during India’s Presidency in 2023 committed to working towards ensuring well-managed, regular and skills-based migration pathways. To this end, they endorsed the development of the International Reference Classification of Occupations by skill and qualification requirements. In his address on the occasion, Mandaviya highlighted that the partnership between the Indian Government and the ILO reflects a shared commitment to shaping the future of work in times of rapid transformation. “The International Reference Classification will enhance comparability of data and promote mutual recognition of skills,” he added.
Drawing attention to India’s steady progress towards greater formalisation of the economy, the minister also highlighted the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 12th Independence Day address, and stated its aim to create over 35 million jobs in the formal sector over the next two years. This would significantly boost youth employment and further expand the coverage of social protection data, he said.
