Gangtok, April 6: Sikkim secured a bronze medal at the Skill India Competition 2026, held at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, from February 29 to April 2, 2026. This marked the first official participation of the State in the national-level competition.

The Skill India Competition, a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of India, aims to provide a platform for participants to demonstrate technical proficiency, innovation, and excellence in vocational skills, while promoting India’s skilling ecosystem.

The National Competition featured participants from across the country competing in 63 trade sectors. The closing ceremony was chaired by Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development, and attended by state ministers and senior officials from several states including Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.

Sikkim was represented by four competitors selected from the Regional Level Competition held in Guwahati in January 2026: Saurav Gurung and Hishey Bhutia in the Health & Social Care sector, Pritam Kumar Bhagat in Cloud Computing, and Abhijit Kirtunia in Web Technology.

In a significant achievement, Saurav Gurung won the bronze medal in the Health & Social Care sector and received a cash prize of ₹50,000. He will undergo further selection to represent India at the International Skill Competition in Shanghai, China, in October 2026.

The State Government’s ongoing skill development initiatives, supported by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay), focus on empowering youth through employable skills and creating sustainable employment opportunities. Sikkim’s performance at the national competition underscores its growing focus on vocational training and youth skill development.