The skill development tender market in India has rapidly become one of the hottest areas of public procurement. From June 2026 on, central ministries, state skill development missions, rural livelihood missions, public service undertakings (PSUs), and sector skill councils are collectively issuing tenders at a staggering rate for training partners, assessment agencies, digital platforms for learning, and placements linked to skill development.
According to tender aggregation systems that track daily RFPs and EOIs released by Government agencies, there are more than 50 RFP/EOIs available at any point in time across the entire country with a new bid being posted every day during June and July 2026. Tenders are available for some of the largest integrated projects in the country with a combined value in the crores of rupees as well as smaller niche assignments that provide access to many businesses, both large and small, to acquire work associated with their area of expertise in relation to skill development programs.
High-Value Tenders Setting the Tone
The Haryana PM-SETU Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Chhara ITI Cluster in Jhajjar is one of the major recent procurement announcements. The cluster includes the Government. ITI Chhara as the Hub ITI and four Spoke ITIs for a total project cost of ₹241 crore (₹81 crore for Hub + ₹40 crore each for four Spoke). The RFP is seeking an Anchor Industry Partner to create a Special Purpose Vehicle that will turn the ITIs into modern, industry-responsive institutions across a range of trades, including Drone Technology, Solar Tech and Advanced Manufacturing.
The RFP is part of the larger PM-SETU scheme, which has a national budget of ₹60,000 crore and aims to transform 1,000 Government ITIs into hubs of industrial excellence through an industry-led Hub and Spoke model. To date, 32 states and union territories have established State Steering Committees and 12 states have issued RFPs for the selection of Anchor Industry Partners. Significant note: development of the Anchor Industry Partners has been slow due to two issues - a ₹2,000 crore turnover average for qualified bidders and a mandatory 10% financial contribution from the industry partner.
On the rural skilling front, DDU-GKY 2.0 EOIs are active simultaneously across Bihar, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, and several other states. Bihar's BSDM has issued an EOI for employment-linked Domain Skill Development training across the state. Nagaland's NSRLM is inviting proposals for placement-linked training for rural youth for FY 2026–2028. Rajasthan's RSLDC has opened its DDU-GKY 2.0 EOI to a wide range of applicants, including captive employers, established PIAs, first-time skilling agencies, and DIPP-recognised start-ups.
What Agencies Are Actually Demanding
The shift in evaluation criteria is the most important development in this market. Training volume alone no longer wins contracts. Placement outcomes are the deliverable.
Kerala's Kudumbashree, implementing DDU-GKY 2.0, has set a minimum 70% placement rate as non-negotiable for claiming the full project cost — with placement defined as at least six months of verifiable employment backed by bank transfers, PF, or ESIC records. Bihar's BSDM mandates live CCTV access for the state mission and GPS-enabled Aadhaar biometric attendance at training centres, while explicitly prohibiting subcontracting or franchising.
In practice, agencies now expect bidders to operate as end-to-end service providers — covering candidate mobilisation, training delivery, certification, digital monitoring, employer linkage, and post-placement tracking under a single contract. Evaluation criteria consistently reward trainer qualifications aligned with NCVET and SSC standards, documented employer partnerships, digital infrastructure, and proven track records in placement-linked programmes.
Sectors and States Driving Demand
Procurement is no longer concentrated in a few large states or flagship schemes. Active tenders are visible across Bihar, Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Haryana, Rajasthan, Odisha, Telangana, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Kerala, and the Northeast.
Sector-wise, demand is strong across manufacturing and Industry 4.0, healthcare, IT and future skills, construction, renewable energy, apparel and textiles, agriculture, and rural livelihoods. Karnataka's KMDCL has issued a ₹3.92 crore tender for Future Skills training in IT/ITeS for minority candidates. Multiple states are empanelling construction worker skill training providers. PM-SETU clusters are incorporating AI, drones, green tech, and semiconductor-adjacent skills into their trade profiles.
The Practical Takeaway
For training providers, NGOs, EdTech companies, and consulting firms, the opportunity is real — but the bar has risen. Organisations that invest in employer partnerships, digital attendance and monitoring systems, and structured post-placement tracking are far better positioned than those relying on classroom delivery alone.
Procurement is also becoming more inclusive in terms of who can participate. DDU-GKY 2.0 EOIs now welcome entities registered under the Companies Act, LLP Act, Trust/Society Acts, SHG federations, and DIPP-recognised start-ups — not just established training institutes.
With PMKVY 4.0, DDU-GKY 2.0, PM-SETU, and state-level schemes all running simultaneously, the volume of tenders is expected to remain strong through FY27. Organisations that can demonstrate end-to-end delivery capability — training, placement, and verification — will find this a sustained and substantive market.
