Regional Directorate of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship

      The Regional Directorate of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (RDSDE) West Bengal is a field institute under the central government's Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), responsible for implementing, monitoring, and coordinating vocational and apprenticeship training in the state. Heads of RDSDE would be known as Regional Director. RDSDEs would be Attached Offices of the Ministry. 

• History & Evolution

The RDSDE evolved from the earlier system of regional training bodies. 

1. Foundation: The underlying framework started with the enactment of the Apprentices Act, 1961, implemented to meet industrial demand for skilled manpower through structured practical training.
2. Predecessor (RDAT): The office was previously known as the Regional Directorate of Apprenticeship Training (RDAT). RDATs were responsible for monitoring the Apprentices Act specifically for Central Government undertakings and businesses operating across multiple states.
3. Formation of RDSDEs: In December 2018, the MSDE decided to establish RDSDEs for each State/UT to ensure a more integrated approach to monitoring all skill training and apprenticeship activities at the state level. The West Bengal office assumed the functions, assets, and liabilities of the former RDAT. 

 

• Current Office Location

The RDSDE West Bengal currently operates from the Salt Lake area of Kolkata. 

Address: NSTI W (Ground Floor), CP-16, Sector V, Salt Lake City, Kolkata, West Bengal - 700091.

 

• Roles & Responsibilities

The RDSDE West Bengal acts as a nodal office for DGT and MSDE schemes, with broad functions defined by MSME notifications. 

Category	Responsibility
Apprenticeship	Implementation, monitoring, and coordination of schemes like NAPS under the Apprentices Act, 1961.
Nodal Authority for Skill Schemes	Serves as the primary coordinator for national initiatives like the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS-2) and the Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Mela (PMNAM) in the region.
Training Institutes	Supervision and coordination with ITIs and NSTIs, including affiliation, inspection, and DGT Trade Testing.
Scheme Implementation	Coordinating activities for national schemes like PMKVY, JSS, and PMKK centers.
Industry-Institute Linkages	Promoting the Dual System of Training (DST) by facilitating partnerships between ITIs and local industries to improve job readiness.
Awareness & Outreach	Conducting Apprenticeship Awareness Workshops to educate Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and youth about financial incentives and digital portal usage
Coordination	Liaising with State Governments, District Skill Nodal Centres, and NSDC State Engagement Officers.
Reporting	Developing frameworks for monitoring skill development activities and submitting monthly reports to DGT/MSDE.