Agartala, February 13, 2026: Industries Minister Santana Chakma on Friday felicitated the winners of the Regional IndiaSkills Competition 2025–26 and announced a series of skill and employment-oriented initiatives, reaffirming the government’s focus on empowering youth and women through skill development.

Tripura registered a commendable performance at the regional competition held in Assam, participating in 16 trades with 28 competitors. The state secured 2 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze and 1 Medallion of Excellence. Notably, 17 candidates from Tripura will represent the state at the National IndiaSkills Competition, including 13 direct qualifiers in future-ready sectors such as Cyber Security, Industry 4.0, ICT Infrastructure, Renewable Energy and Digital Construction.

Under the Regional IndiaSkills framework, the National Skill Development Corporation awards cash prizes of ₹75,000 for Gold, ₹50,000 for Silver and ₹25,000 for Bronze medalists. In addition, the Government of Tripura is providing matching incentives under the Mukhya Mantri Dakhyata Unnayan Prakalpa (MMDUP). The minister personally handed over certificates and cash awards to the achievers, praising students, trainers and institutions for strengthening the state’s presence in the national skill ecosystem.

On the occasion, the minister also launched an 8-month General Duty Assistant on-the-job salaried training programme under MMDUP in collaboration with Swadhin Trust. The initiative will train 100 candidates with a minimum monthly stipend of ₹8,000 and assure placement in the healthcare sector with a starting salary of at least ₹10,000 after successful completion.

Additionally, a Soft Skills and Interview Preparedness Course was launched for 200 students from government degree colleges across the state. Delivered through 28 short online live one-on-one interview modules, the course aims to enhance communication skills, confidence and professional behaviour, equipping students for improved employment prospects and competitive examinations.