In a significant step towards strengthening rural entrepreneurship and promoting sustainable livelihood opportunities, the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National RUDSETI (NAR) Academy to establish uniform training standards, ensure quality administration and facilitate systematic capacity building in Rural Self-Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs) in the country.
The MoU was exchanged in the presence of Shri Rohit Kansal, Secretary, Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Rural Development, on October 12, 2026. The Memorandum of Understanding (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 for RUDSETI (NAR).
A key objective of this partnership will be to improve candidate registration through Kaushal Panji and Aadhaar-based facial authentication through Aadhaar-enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS), while also enhancing the quality and relevance of training provided through RSETIs.
This will include implementation of new age courses aligned with the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), adaptation of training aids and tools as per industry needs and delivery of core Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) courses notified by the Ministry of Rural Development.
This partnership will also strengthen Training of Trainers (TOT) assessment and certification of trainees and trainers through a unified portal (kaushal.rural.gov.in) and compliance with common norms notified by the Ministry. For the current year, RSETIs have been given the target of training 6.35 lakh rural youth, including women, SC/ST, PWD and other weaker sections, which is higher than the training target set for the previous year 2025-26.
This MoU is a significant step towards strengthening the RSETI ecosystem through improved quality of training, institutional capacity, digital governance, and results-oriented monitoring. By strengthening the link between skill development, entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihoods, this partnership seeks to enhance the capacity of rural youth to establish viable enterprises and contribute to inclusive rural economic development.
This MoU is a significant step towards strengthening the RSETI ecosystem and its role in rural skill development, entrepreneurship promotion, and livelihood generation. This initiative aligns with the Ministry of Rural Development’s broader objectives to empower rural communities through skill development, enterprise creation, and sustainable livelihoods, contributing to the vision of a developed India.