NIOS Partners with Centurion University to Boost Skill-Linked Education for Underprivileged Youth

Bhubaneswar: In a significant move to bridge the gap between formal education and employability, the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) has entered into a strategic partnership with Odisha-based Centurion University to expand access to skill-integrated education for school dropout and disadvantaged youth across the country.

The collaboration, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), aims to create a seamless pathway between vocational training and academic certification by combining NIOS’s nationwide training framework with Centurion University’s portfolio of more than 100 market-focused skills programmes. The initiative is expected to support inclusive socio-economic development by enabling students to gain formal qualifications as well as industry-relevant skills.

The MoU was signed by NIOS secretary Colonel Shakeel Ahmad and Centurion University Vice-Chancellor Prof. By Supriya Pattanayak, NIOS Director (Vocational Education) Dr. TN Giri and Centurion University president Prof. It was signed in the presence of senior academic and administrative leaders from both institutions, including Mukti Kanta Mishra.

Key features of the partnership include academic integration that will enable vocational trainees to obtain Grade 10 and 12 equivalence certificates, apprenticeship-based diploma programs in accredited industry locations, and a mutual credit transfer system between NIOS and Centurion University vocational courses. The collaboration also envisages pan-India skill assessment and certification under the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET).

“This partnership eliminates barriers between vocational training and formal education. By crediting skills certifications, we offer students a flexible and recognized path to both a diploma and high school equivalency,” said Colonel Ahmad.

Prof. Pattanayak said the initiative aligns education with livelihood opportunities. “By combining our skills ecosystem with NIOS’ national reach, we provide underprivileged youth with official academic credentials and industry-ready expertise,” he said.

Under the agreement, NIOS will expand academic and technical support, including learning materials; Centurion University will lead the identification of beneficiaries and program implementation in sectors such as automotive, hospitality, agriculture and related health sciences. Both institutions will jointly carry out training of trainers programs in order to strengthen vocational pedagogy.

Established in 1989 under the Union Ministry of Education, NIOS is India’s largest open school system. Centurion University is known for its skills-integrated higher education model that focuses on creating sustainable livelihoods.