Drawing on nine years of experience operating in the country, NOCN Group Chief Executive Graham Hasting-Evans used his session at the AELP National Conference to explore how India's education and skills landscape works, from occupational standards and sector skills councils to international mobility and employer demand.

A recurring theme throughout the session was the importance of understanding the market before looking for opportunities within it. Drawing on NOCN's experience, Graham highlighted the value of building relationships, understanding local structures and recognising where organisations can genuinely add value.

Scale changes everything

One of the first points Graham made was the sheer scale of India.
The country's population now stands at almost 1.5 billion people, representing nearly 18% of the world's population. It is home to more than 1,300 universities, over 70,000 higher education institutions and nearly 15,000 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).

The scale extends into industry too.

Graham highlighted construction as one example, noting that the sector alone employs more people than the entire population of the UK. Continued investment in housing, infrastructure, transport, healthcare and education is driving demand for skilled workers across multiple sectors.

He also pointed to the country's growing focus on future industries, including artificial intelligence, with specialist institutions being developed to support the next generation of skills and economic growth.

Understanding that scale is important because it shapes how skills development is organised and delivered.

Education and skills are different systems

A key point throughout the presentation was that education and skills sit within separate structures in India.

Education falls under the Ministry of Education and includes schools, universities and technical education institutions. Skills, however, sit within the Ministry of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship.
This distinction matters because skills policy is closely linked to employment and economic development.

Graham explained how national occupational standards are developed through sector skills councils and applied across the country. While individual states have flexibility around delivery and local programmes, occupational standards remain nationally agreed.

He contrasted this with the UK's approach, observing that India operates with a single occupational standard for occupations such as welders and electricians despite its significantly larger population and workforce.

The balance between national consistency and local flexibility was one of the aspects of the system Graham found particularly interesting, especially given ongoing discussions around devolution in the UK.

Adaptation matters more than exporting products

Drawing on NOCN's own experience, Graham stressed that organisations should avoid assuming that UK products can simply be transferred into the Indian market.

He reflected on previous attempts by different countries to introduce apprenticeship models into India, noting that approaches which sought to replicate systems directly often struggled.

More successful initiatives adapted existing approaches to fit local needs and employer requirements.

NOCN's own work has focused on understanding the system and identifying where it can add value, particularly in technical education and progression opportunities, rather than attempting to replace what already exists.

A particular area of focus has been supporting progression from technical diplomas and occupational programmes towards internationally recognised standards, helping learners build on the qualifications they already hold.

Employment and international mobility

One of the most significant themes in the presentation was the focus on employment outcomes.

Graham explained that India's skills system is designed around two broad objectives: helping people gain employment and supporting international labour mobility.

As a country with a young population, India sees opportunities to develop skills that meet both domestic demand and international workforce needs. This has led to a strong focus on preparing learners to work not only within India but also in overseas markets where demand for skilled workers continues to grow.

This creates opportunities for organisations that can support international standards, technical skills development and progression pathways.

It also explains the importance of areas such as skills recognition, workforce development and international partnerships.

What can UK organisations offer?

Towards the end of the session, Graham offered practical advice for organisations considering India as a market.

He encouraged providers to think carefully about the sectors in which they have genuine expertise and where they can add value.

Areas linked to occupational competence, technical training, sector-specific programmes and internationally recognised standards may offer opportunities. However, he cautioned against assuming that UK qualifications and programmes can simply be exported unchanged.
In fact, Graham was clear that many familiar UK products, including apprenticeships, T Levels and other qualification structures, are not necessarily the right fit for the Indian market.

Instead, organisations should focus on understanding local needs, identifying suitable partners and developing solutions that fit the system already in place.

Start with understanding

Closing the session, Graham returned to a central point. Success in India begins with understanding.

Understanding the sector. Understanding the system. Understanding where your expertise can genuinely add value.