Chennai, March 3 – The Tamil Nadu government has announced new guidelines for appointing industry partners under its flagship 'Naan Mudhalvan Scheme' for the academic year 2026-27, further emphasizing its focus on industry-aligned skill development and improved placement opportunities for young people across the state.
The revised norms, applicable to Arts and Science, Engineering, and Polytechnic colleges, aim to enhance the quality, relevance, and employability of the skill training programs offered under the scheme.
This initiative, fully funded by the state government through the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC), provides free, employment-oriented training to young people aged between 18 and 35.
According to a senior official from the Higher Education Department, selected industry partners will take on comprehensive responsibilities, including student training within colleges, faculty development initiatives, and facilitating industry-recognized certifications.
A key requirement is the mandatory conduct of "Training of Trainers" (ToT) programs to ensure that faculty members are continuously upskilled and equipped with current industry knowledge.
To enhance employability, industry partners must demonstrate placement tie-ups with at least 10 companies and provide measurable placement data. They are required to ensure that courses and certifications are validated by relevant industries and aligned with evolving market standards.
The duration of courses has been standardized under the new guidelines. Skill training programs will run for 45 hours in Arts and Science, as well as Engineering streams, while Polytechnic courses will have a duration of 60 hours.
Before implementing faculty development programs, partners must submit detailed syllabi in the prescribed TNSDC format. These must clearly outline learning outcomes, industry use cases, project components, structured study materials, and assessment rubrics.
Additionally, adequate deployment of certified trainers for each assigned course has been made mandatory.
The government has also introduced a recognition mechanism, under which outstanding training partners will receive certification or awards from TNSDC for exemplary contributions.
Students enrolled under the scheme can further utilize psychometric tests available on the Naan Mudhalvan portal to identify their strengths and improve alignment with suitable job roles, thereby enhancing their employment prospects.
Officials said the updated framework is designed to ensure higher training standards, stronger industry integration, and improved job placements across Tamil Nadu's higher education institutions.