Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing on the occasion of World Youth Skills Day, said the mantra to remain relevant during the Coronavirus pandemic in the country amid changes to markets and businesses is “skill, re-skill and up-skill”.

The day also marks the fifth anniversary of the launch of Skill India Mission, a pet project of the Prime Minister that was launched to make India’s youths job-ready.

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“Many ask me that in today’s fast-changing business and market, they do not understand how to remain relevant. In this time of corona, this question has become even more pertinent. I give only one answer: The only mantra to stay relevant is skill, re-skill and up-skill,” he said in a video message.

Detailing on his mantra he said, “Skill – Learn a new skill and value add to things; Re-skill – Add to your skill everyday by learning something new; Up-skill – Widening your skill set is up-skilling yourself”.

Making a strong pitch for Indians to be more skilled and linking it to self-reliance, PM Modi said, “Skill is something which we gift to ourselves, which grows with experience. Skill is timeless, it keeps getting better with time. Skill is unique, it makes you different from others” and added, “It’s self-reliance that not only makes one employable, but self-employable.”

Further stressing on the need for being skilled, the Prime Minister said, “Some people always create confusion between knowledge and skill. I say to them that you can read in books and watch on internet how to ride a cycle; this is knowledge but it doesn’t guarantee that you will be able to ride a cycle. To actually ride a cycle, you need skill.”

PM Modi also said that over 5 crore people have been skilled in the last five years.

Stressing on the importance of skill while addressing job concerns, he said: “Millions of skilled people are needed in several sectors in today’s burgeoning businesses, especially in the health sector.”

“This corona crisis has changed the nature of jobs, along with the world culture. The ever-changing technology has also created an impact on it.”

He added that if the gap between knowledge and skill is bridged, entrepreneurship is encouraged, which has been the goal of his government.

Extending his best wishes to youngsters on World Youth Skill Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also noted that the youth are gaining new skills in these changing times.