Skill Karnataka 2.0 will train seven lakh candidates over the next seven years, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said at the Bengaluru Skill Summit, as the state seeks to link training, employment support and digital governance under one framework.
The programme, organised by the Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, will provide short-term training to about 75,000 candidates every year, according to the Chief Minister. The initiative also includes special projects, assistance for employment and a digital governance platform.
Shivakumar said the government would offer a monthly incentive of ₹2,500 for each job created by enterprises operating outside Bengaluru. The stated aim is to encourage companies to generate employment beyond the state capital and to identify and develop talent from rural areas.
“Rural talent must be identified and nurtured,” Shivakumar said, adding that the government’s Nanna Vrutti, Nanna Aayke programme was helping students understand career options and make informed decisions about their professional paths.
The announcement comes against the backdrop of unfilled seats in higher education and concerns over graduate employability. Shivakumar said 30,000 engineering seats had remained vacant in the state this year, while some medical seats had also not been filled. He also said many engineering graduates approach him seeking jobs and that some people were unable to find employment even at Infosys.
The Chief Minister said the state currently had 550 global capability centres. Karnataka is targeting around 500 additional centres and 3.5 lakh jobs by 2029, he said. The government also plans to reach around 30 lakh beneficiaries over the next seven years and intends to invest approximately ₹5,000 crore for this wider effort.
The figures announced cover multiple layers of the state’s skills and employment agenda. The seven-lakh training target under Skill Karnataka 2.0 is distinct from the broader goal of reaching 30 lakh beneficiaries, while the proposed global capability centre expansion is linked to the creation of 3.5 lakh jobs. The announcement did not provide a detailed district-wise allocation, implementation schedule or breakdown of the proposed investment.
The state is also setting up a Skill Development Vision Group to guide the future of skills development. Mindtree co-founder Subroto Bagchi has been appointed to chair the group, which will include representatives from industry, education and the skills development sector, Shivakumar said.
Home Minister Priyank Kharge, Skill Development and Livelihood Minister Dr Sharanprakash Patil and Karnataka Skill Development Corporation chairperson Shivakanthamma Naik were present at the summit. The government’s next steps will include implementing the training framework, supporting enterprises that create jobs outside Bengaluru and operationalising the vision group.
