Draft:ASAP - Additional Skill Acquisition Program Kerala
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Additional Skill Acquisition Programme Kerala (ASAP Kerala) is a Government of Kerala initiative under the Department of Higher Education established in 2012 to enhance the employability of students and the general public through structured skill-development programs.[1] In 2021, ASAP Kerala transitioned into a Section-8 company under the Companies Act, 2013.[2]
Vision and Mission
[edit]- Vision: To create a future where education is accessible, personalised, and responsive to rapid global change.
- Mission: To empower learners through innovative and industry-relevant skilling opportunities that bridge academia and employment.
Organisation overview
[edit]ASAP Kerala functions as a not-for-profit government company headquartered at KINFRA Film and Video Park, Thiruvananthapuram. It operates across all 14 districts through 16 Community Skill Parks (CSPs).[3]
Leadership
[edit]- Chairperson & Managing Director – Dr. Usha Titus IAS (Retd.) (joined 2021)
- Division Head – Finance & Procurement – Mrs. Preethy Leonold (2023)
- Division Head – Talent Base Builders / IT / HR – Mr. Vigil Kumar V V (2018)
- Business Head – Skill Demand Aggregators & CoE – Mr. I. P. Laiju
- Division Head – Funding, Assessment & Certification – Cmdr. Vinod Sankar (Retd.) (2021)
- Division Head – Curriculum Development & Accreditation – Dr. James T. G.
- Division Head – Training – Mr. Kaushal Jha (2025)
- Consultant – Chief Engineer – Mr. Padmakumar B (2019)
Operations
[edit]ASAP Kerala’s programs align with the National Skills Qualifications Framework and focus on emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, healthcare, banking, and media & entertainment.[4]
| Sector | Focus area | Example courses |
|---|---|---|
| IT – ITeS | Frontier Technology | AI–Machine Learning Developer, Gen AI and Prompt Engineering, Full Stack Java/Python Developer, Cyber Security |
| Language Development & Life Skills | Global Communication | Basic Proficiency Course in English (with APTIS certification), Communicative English Trainer, German Language A1, Japanese Language N5 |
| Healthcare | Medical Support & Diagnostics | General Duty Assistant, Medical Coding and Billing, Molecular Techniques for Clinical Application, Ayurveda Therapist |
| Banking & Finance | Financial Skills | Business Analytics, Professional Accounting, GST using Tally, Enrolled Agent (USA) |
| Media & Entertainment | Creative & Digital Skills | VR Developer with Unity, Game Artist, Digital Marketing, Film & Video Editing |
| Automotive / EV | Future Mobility | Electric Vehicle Service Technician, Automotive Service Technician |
| Aviation | Airport Operations | Certificate in Airport Operations and Cargo Operations Executive |
ASAP Kerala operates 16 CSPs and formerly managed 121 Skill Development Centres (SDCs) within higher education institutions. Current initiatives include integration of skill-training with the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUGP) and the launch of ASAP Skill Development Centres (ASDCs).[5]
Collaborations and partnerships
[edit]ASAP Kerala collaborates with over 1,400 academic, industry, and government partners. Key recent MoUs include agreements with College of Engineering, Trivandrum, IREL (India) Limited, NIELIT, Futuremug, and GMR Aero Academy.
International recognition has come via the World Economic Forum’s UpLink platform, which showcased ASAP Kerala as a non-profit organisation aligning training with industry requirements.[6]
Achievements and impact
[edit]ASAP Kerala has trained over 274,000 learners and offers placement assistance through its Work Readiness Programme and internships.[7]
Timeline of major milestones
[edit]| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Project initiated under ADB-funded Kerala State Skill Development Project |
| 2013 | Establishment of Skill Development Centres (SDCs) |
| 2014 | Received Asian Development Bank support for scaling operations |
| 2019 | Concept of Community Skill Parks introduced |
| 2021 | Transition to Section-8 Company under Higher Education Department |
| 2022 | Recognition as Awarding Agency and Assessment Body by NCVET |
| 2023 | Named Skill India International Network Centre |
| 2024 | Received ISO 21001:2018 Certification and nodal agency status for FYUGP |
Awards and recognitions
[edit]- 2017 – “Best Practice in Skilling Award” by NITI Aayog
- 2020 – “Best Project for Effective Gender Action Plan Implementation” – ADB
- 2021 – Special mention in CII–Wheebox India Skills Report 2022
- 2022 – FICCI Award for Best Practices in Skilling and Employability
- 2024 – Featured in India Skills Report 2024 for Kerala’s employability rank
Recent initiatives
[edit]- Nari Chakra Programme – Launched in 2025 to empower women through automotive sales training with Mahindra and IRAM.[8]
- AI Training Initiative – Free training in artificial intelligence for 50,000 students on World Youth Skills Day 2025.[9]
- Fee Reduction – 18 % fee reduction across 100 programs in July 2025 to mark World Youth Skills Day.[10]
Funding
[edit]ASAP Kerala is funded through the State Budget of Kerala, international grants (including ADB), and CSR contributions from industry partners.[11] It is registered under the Income Tax Act for Section 80G exemptions to encourage donations.
Institutional integration
[edit]ASAP Kerala is listed among the autonomous bodies of the Government of Kerala and is mentioned in several Wikipedia articles such as Model Engineering College, NSS College of Engineering, Kunnamkulam, and GMR Group, reflecting its integration into Kerala’s educational ecosystem.[12]
See also
[edit]- List of departments and agencies of the Government of Kerala
- Model Engineering College
- NSS College of Engineering
- Kunnamkulam#ASAP_Community_Skill_Park
- GMR Group
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Government of Kerala – Directorate of Collegiate Education (ASAP page)
- Mathrubhumi – ASAP courses and fees news
- World Economic Forum UpLink ASAP page
- Asian Development Bank Project Page
- ^ "India: Supporting Kerala's Additional Skill Acquisition Program in Post-Basic Education". Asian Development Bank. 19 November 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ "ASAP". Government of Kerala, Directorate of Collegiate Education. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ "ASAP Kerala". ASAP Kerala Official Website. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ "ASAP provides free training in Artificial Intelligence to half a lakh students on World Youth Skills Day". Mathrubhumi. 15 July 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ "ASAP Kerala to set up ASDCs in colleges for FYUGP integration". Government of Kerala. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ "Additional Skill Acquisition Programme Kerala – World Economic Forum UpLink". World Economic Forum (UpLink). Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ "ASAP – Directorate of Collegiate Education Kerala". Government of Kerala. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ "ASAP launches 'Nari Chakra' programme to empower women – Mahindra and IRAM join hands". Mathrubhumi. 1 October 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ "ASAP provides free AI training to half a lakh students on World Youth Skills Day". Mathrubhumi. 15 July 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ "ASAP Kerala reduces fees by 18 percent on World Youth Skills Day". Mathrubhumi. 16 July 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ "India: Supporting Kerala's Additional Skill Acquisition Program in Post-Basic Education – Project Overview". Asian Development Bank. 19 November 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ "List of departments and agencies of the Government of Kerala". Retrieved 5 November 2025.
Category:Government agencies of Kerala Category:Education in Kerala Category:Skill development programmes in India Category:Organisations established in 2012 Category:Public sector undertakings of Kerala