Mumbai — The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has expanded its Centre for Future Skills (CFS) initiative, a campus-based model aimed at integrating advanced technical training and global certifications into mainstream higher education programmes.
The initiative is designed as a long-term national intervention targeting one million students over the next decade by aligning academic curricula with industry standards and emerging technology requirements. According to NSDC, the model is currently operational in 12 institutions, with more than 43,000 candidates trained. The corporation plans to add 22 additional centres over the next three years.
A new centre has been inaugurated at the Federal Institute of Science and Technology (FISAT) in Kochi. The facility is expected to enrol approximately 3,500 students per semester, or about 7,000 annually.
The CFS operates as an on-campus hub that integrates academic credits, industry-recognised certifications, mentorship and laboratory infrastructure. Students earn two to three academic credits per semester alongside certification programmes without extending their degree duration. Certification courses run for 45 to 50 hours per semester and are delivered through in-person lab sessions and assessments.
Through partnerships with global technology companies, the initiative offers access to more than 200 certification programmes across high-growth domains. NSDC said certifications are provided at subsidised rates and structured across multi-semester pathways, enabling students to build project portfolios and earn multiple credentials by graduation.
NSDC Chief Executive Officer Arunkumar Pillai said the initiative aims to embed industry-aligned skills and globally benchmarked certifications within degree programmes to improve workforce readiness.
