Quote on Union Budget 2026–27 : Mr. Saleem Ahmed, Officiating Head, Electronics Sector Skills Council of India (ESSCI)

Union Budget 2026–27 strongly reinforces India’s ambition to emerge as a global powerhouse in electronics and semiconductors, and from the perspective of the Electronics Sector Skills Council of India (ESSCI), this is a defining moment for skills-led growth. The launch of India Semiconductor Mission 2.0, with its focus on indigenous equipment, materials, full-stack IP and industry-driven research and training centres, will significantly reshape the nature and scale of skill requirements across the semiconductor value chain. ESSCI views this as a critical opportunity to build a future-ready workforce in chip design, fabrication support, advanced packaging, testing, electronics manufacturing services and allied domains.

The enhanced allocation for the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme further deepens India’s electronics ecosystem and will drive demand for skilled manpower across consumer electronics, automotive electronics, industrial electronics and emerging technologies such as IoT, AI-enabled hardware and smart devices. For ESSCI, this expansion translates into a strong mandate to align National Occupational Standards, curricula and certification frameworks with next-generation manufacturing, automation, quality systems and supply chain competencies.

Importantly, the Budget’s emphasis on industry-led training centres and education-to-employment alignment validates the role of Sector Skill Councils in bridging the gap between policy intent and shop-floor readiness. ESSCI stands committed to working closely with industry, government and training partners to scale up skilling, reskilling and upskilling initiatives that can support high-value jobs and sustainable careers for India’s youth.