Tamil Nadu's 'Naan Mudhalvan' scheme expands: New industry collaborations for 2026-27 academic year
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has decided to appoint new industry and training partners for the 2026–27 academic year under its flagship 'Naan Mudhalvan' scheme, aiming to roll out trending and employment-oriented skill courses across colleges in the state.
The move is designed to strengthen skill development for students enrolled in Engineering, Arts and Science, Polytechnic and ITI programmes by aligning academic learning with evolving industry requirements.
The 'Naan Mudhalvan' initiative provides free, employment-linked skill training to youth aged 18 to 35. The programme is fully funded by the Tamil Nadu government through the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC).
A senior Higher Education Department official said reputed industry bodies and established training partners will be empanelled to deliver structured, outcome-based courses across institutions in Tamil Nadu.
Selected partners will conduct offline, in-person training sessions as per a defined academic calendar. Each course will run for 45 to 60 hours over a semester. In addition to student training within colleges, partners will also provide faculty development and industry-recognised certifications.
Training of Trainers (ToT) programmes will be conducted to ensure continuous faculty upskilling and adherence to quality standards. All 'Naan Mudhalvan' skill courses will be embedded into university curricula as mandatory credit programmes delivered during regular college hours, making skill development part of formal academic progression.
Training partners must submit detailed course frameworks, including defined learning outcomes, industry use cases, final projects, assessment plans and evaluation rubrics, in line with TNSDC guidelines to ensure uniform standards and measurable outcomes.
Officials said the expanded 'Naan Mudhalvan' programme will introduce more than 60 courses for engineering students, 38 courses for Arts and Science colleges, and 43 programmes for polytechnic institutions.
The state government has invited Expressions of Interest (EoI) from industry and training partners, signalling an intensified push to boost employability and bridge the academia-industry gap in Tamil Nadu.
IANS