DGT, MSDE launches public registry for all skill development information

“We have created these registries with machine readable data and open APIs to allow other organisations to also play a part in disseminating this information. Moreover, these organisations will be able to return feedback on the data, allowing us to crowdsource verification of data.” said Rajesh Aggarwal, Additional Secretary DGT and Chair of DGT IT Sub-committee on the launch of a public registry with all the relevant skilling information on 19th December 2019.

The registry will ensure greater accessibility of information to those who need it the most and was launched by Directorate General of Training (DGT), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).

The central repository for skills will provide NSQF curriculum, course materials, videos and question banks. These newly created digitally-accessible registries, created by DGT, will act as a single source of information of all skilling resources being provided by the government and allied private enterprise. This includes information on training centres, courses, teachers, and students in the ecosystem. The aim is to provide accurate information to potential students, trainers and employers on the courses being offered by Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and the like. 

MSDE has opted to publish Registries of Training Centres, Courses, Teachers, and Students which are accessible via Open APIs. Electronic Registries allow the Ministry of Skill Development to create a single source of truth on key skilling data on actors and entries for the ecosystem. MSDE will also soon be issuing digital National Trade Certificate credentials as per a machine readable open standard. 

Picture source: Visual created from Bharat Skills portal

How to locate the public registry for all skill development information from Bharat Portal

The public registry for all skill development information can be accessed by visiting their portal at: https://bharatskills.gov.in/. Under the Developer tab, there are two options and the second one will direct people to the registry.

Through these new electronic registries, third party organizations can easily access the skilling information through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). The new applications enable easier dissemination of detailed information on the training centres, courses along with the contact details of the concerned authorities. The information will be made available in different languages for easy access and a link has been created for registry on Bharat skills, a central repository for skills providing curriculum, course information and other relevant material like question banks and mock tests.

Additionally, DGT has introduced digitally signed PDF certificates for all ITI students. Electronic Skill Credential Standard (ESCS) with JSON-LD digitally signed certificates will prevent tampering and fraud. Most importantly, these certificates are digitally authenticated and verified by the reviewer. DGT is issuing the credentials as per an open standard that will also encourage other employers and education institutions. The aim is for aggregators such as LinkedIn and Naukri to be able to verify the information and to connect individuals with suitable job profiles.