Bengaluru: The third India skills regional competition began here on Thursday with about 300 candidates from 14 states participating in 36 skills, including aircraft maintenance, floristry, mobile robotics, fashion technology, welding, graphic design, web designing, cooking, jewellery and beauty therapy among others. Organised by the Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, winners from the three-day event will move to nationals to compete with winners from other regional contests and get a chance to represent India at World Skills 2019 at Kazan in Russia. The candidates are from Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. “The contest is being held to promote world-class standards in vocational education and training by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) of the ministry,” said 2017 World Skills silver medalist Mohit Dudeja at the event. For the first time, 22 states and Union Territories partnered with NSDC to organise 500 districts and states competitions, which mobilised 50,000 competitors across 45 skills. The winners from the four regions will compete at the National Competition in New Delhi later this year for selection to represent the country at the Kazan contest. “As Bengaluru has been at the forefront of skill development, it is hosting the regional contest to provide the youth a platform to showcase their skills at the global level,” said NSDC Executive Director Jayant Krishna. NSDC partner Mettl is also hosting at the venue — Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) – a Career Guidance Assessment to help the participants pursue a career in alignment with their skill set and an Innovation Gallery for start-ups to showcase their technology and products. The contest also promotes exchange of ideas and experience in vocational training through seminars and panel discussions. Union Minister of State for Skill Development and entrepreneurship Anant Kumar Hegde will felicitate winners of the competition on Saturday after the 3-day contest. IANS

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