In a significant step towards strengthening rural entrepreneurship and promoting sustainable livelihood opportunities, the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) today exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Academy of RUDSETI (NAR) to establish uniform training standards, ensure quality administration and facilitate systematic capacity building across Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs) in the country.
The MoU exchange took place on 12 October 2026 in the presence of Shri Rohit Kansal, Secretary, Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Rural Development. The MoU was exchanged between Shri S. Sasikumar, Joint Secretary (Rural Skills), Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Rural Development, and Shri Raju N. Kori, Director General, National Academy of RUDSETI (NAR).
A key focus of the partnership will be to improve candidate registration through Kaushal Panjee and Aadhaar-based face authentication through the Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS), while enhancing the quality and relevance of training delivered through RSETIs. This will include the implementation of National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF)-aligned new-age courses, the adoption of industry-benchmarked training aids and equipment, and the delivery of core Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) courses as notified by MoRD. The partnership will also strengthen Training of Trainers (ToT), assessment and certification of trainees and trainers through the Unified Portal (kaushal.rural.gov.in), and compliance with the Common Norms notified by the Ministry.
A training target of 6.35 lakh rural youth is given to RSETIs for the current year, comprising women, SC/ST, PwD and other vulnerable groups which is more than the training target fixed for the previous year, 2025–26.
The MoU marks an important step towards strengthening the RSETI ecosystem through improved training quality, institutional capacity, digital governance and outcome-oriented monitoring. By reinforcing the link between skill development, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods, the partnership seeks to enhance the capacity of rural youth to establish viable enterprises and contribute to inclusive rural economic growth.
The MoU marks an important step towards reinforcing the RSETI ecosystem and strengthening its role in rural skill development, entrepreneurship promotion and livelihood generation. The initiative aligns with the broader objectives of the Ministry of Rural Development to empower rural communities through skill development, enterprise creation and sustainable livelihoods, contributing to the vision of Viksit Bharat.