Tamil Nadu expands Naan Mudhalvan initiative to healthcare

Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC) will expand its flagship Naan Mudhalvan program to students pursuing Nursing and Allied Health Sciences to increase employability in the healthcare sector.

As part of this new initiative, students will receive specialized training in communication skills and digital skills, two competencies that are increasingly critical in today’s clinical environments.

“We held numerous discussions with MGR University, Nursing Council and some other stakeholders and launched these courses based on their collective feedback. These are not generic modules but specifically designed for hospital environments. Stakeholders were involved throughout the finalization of the curriculum,” said Kranthi Kumar Pati, Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC). “Our board approved it,” he added.

Mr. Pati explained that these courses are specifically designed for hospital settings and focus on how students should interact effectively with both doctors and patients. “Tamil Nadu is a major hub for medical tourism and our nurses are increasingly exploring opportunities abroad as well. So this will help them,” he said.

This will be available to students in the academic session starting in November. For students taking Nursing and Allied Health courses, the program will last 40 hours. It will consist of 20 hours of training for those enrolled in Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy programs.

Skill registration

During the interaction, Mr. Pati also highlighted a new initiative launched by the ministry: TNSkill Registry, a portal designed for employers, industries and students trained under the Naan Mudhalvan programme.

Students can upload their profiles to the portal where registered employers can access them. If an employer is interested in a candidate’s profile, they can mention this on the platform. If the student expresses interest in this opportunity, the student’s contact information will be shared with the employer. The advantage for employers is that the service is free and saves significant time, as all data is automatically verified.

More than 600 companies have already registered. Over 133 companies are from the Capital Goods and Manufacturing sector. There are employers spread across 30 sectors, including textiles, life sciences, energy, leather, telecoms, BFSI and tourism.

“It is consensual. The registration link is available on the Naan Mudhalvan portal,” Mr. Pati said. “What we aim to do is to bring all students studying under Naan Mudhalvan to a unified skill register. Currently, more than 14 lakh students are benefiting from this programme,” he added. To date, around 58,331 students have registered on this portal, out of which 26,549 are women. Mr. Pati said that we encourage more students to register on this portal.

A recent report on ‘Evaluation of Naan Mudhalvan Programme’ by the State Planning Commission points out that the courses in the programme, both common skill and Engineering and Polytechnic field specific courses, significantly boost the student’s confidence; 76% of engineering students and 81% of polytechnic students in Tamil Nadu report improved job prospects by equipping them with practical skills for a variety of career paths, especially in rural areas.