Employability push: Skill development university’s new sub-centres to come up in Nashik & Sambhajinagar

Nashik: Two new sub-centres of the Ratan Tata Skill Development University will be established in Nashik and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, skill development minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha said in a written reply to a starred question raised by Sunil Shinde during the ongoing monsoon session of the legislative council on Thursday.The university, set up under the state’s skill development department, is headquartered in Mumbai, with existing sub-centres already functioning in Nagpur and Pune. Lodha told the House that the expansion was part of an effort to strengthen skill-based education and improve employment opportunities for youth across Maharashtra.The proposed centres in Nashik and Sambhajinagar are aimed at decentralising skill development infrastructure and making training more accessible.

Officials said the Nashik centre was expected to benefit students and jobseekers in a district known for its strong industrial presence, including engineering, automobile, wine, and agro-processing sectors. A dedicated facility in the city would help align training programmes with industry needs, improving graduates’ job readiness, they said.Similarly, the Sambhajinagar sub-centre will cater to the Marathwada region, where demand for skilled workers in manufacturing and services has been rising.

While no timeline has been announced, the minister said land identification for the new centres was under way. Details related to courses, infrastructure and intake capacity will be finalised by the university in consultation with state govt.The Ratan Tata Skill Development University was established to promote industry-oriented education, vocational training and skill enhancement, with a focus on bridging the gap between academic learning and industry requirements.

With the addition of these two centres, its network is set to expand further, enhancing access to quality skill development initiatives across the state.Nashik has three major MIDC estates — Ambad, Satpur, and Sinnar — housing more than 5,000 industrial units and employing nearly 3 lakh people. Over 85% of these are micro and small enterprises, underscoring the need for a skilled workforce in the region.