Guwahati, January 2026: The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship is organising the North East Regional Competition of IndiaSkills 2025–26 from 19th to 22nd January 2026 at Gauhati University, marking a landmark moment in India’s national skilling ecosystem.
For the first time, a dedicated IndiaSkills Regional Competition is being conducted exclusively for the North Eastern Region, ensuring participation from all eight North Eastern states. The initiative underscores the Government of India’s commitment to regional inclusion, youth empowerment and equitable access to competitive skill platforms.
NSDC to Act as Knowledge Partner and Implementing Agency
The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is serving as the knowledge partner and implementing agency for the IndiaSkills Competition 2025–26. The regional competition will bring together skilled youth from across the North East to compete in 26 skill categories, providing a national platform to showcase regional talent, innovation and technical excellence.
Inauguration by Shri Jayant Chaudhary
The competition will be formally inaugurated on 19th January 2026 by Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Government of India. The inauguration reaffirms the Centre’s focus on strengthening skill development frameworks and fostering competitive excellence across emerging regions.
Strengthening the Skilling Architecture in the North East
Addressing the pre-event press conference, Smt. Hena Usman, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, stated that the North East Regional Competition represents a decisive step in deepening India’s skilling architecture, particularly in geographically diverse and emerging regions.
The competition has been conceptualised to reduce geographic and logistical barriers, strengthen regional skill ecosystems and identify region-specific strengths and high-potential candidates aligned with industry demand and national priorities.
IndiaSkills: India’s Premier Skill Competition Framework
IndiaSkills is the country’s premier national skill competition framework, designed to identify, nurture and benchmark India’s best vocational talent against global standards. It creates a structured progression pathway for skilled youth from the grassroots to national and international platforms, including global skill competitions.
The ongoing IndiaSkills Competition 2025–26 cycle has recorded one of the widest participation footprints to date, with 3.65 lakh candidates registering from 35 States and Union Territories across 63 skill categories through the Skill India Digital Hub.
Opening Ceremony and Competition Schedule
The regional competition will commence with an Opening Ceremony at the B.K.B. Auditorium, Gauhati University, followed by a familiarisation programme on 19th January. Competitive events across multiple skill categories will continue until 22nd January 2026, conducted in line with national and international benchmarks.
Pathway to National and Global Opportunities
Winners from the North East Regional IndiaSkills Competition will progress to the national stage of IndiaSkills Competition 2025–26, strengthening India’s pipeline of globally competitive skilled professionals. The initiative highlights the growing role of the North Eastern Region in shaping a future-ready, skilled workforce for the nation.
