Short courses, faster jobs:
ICAI, ICSI to design skill programmes in Budget 2026 employability push

Feb 1, 2026

Synopsis
The Union Budget proposes supporting professional institutions like ICAI and ICSI to develop short-term modular courses for skill enhancement and employability. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled a six-step growth plan, emphasizing manufacturing, traditional industries, MSMEs, infrastructure, security, and city economic regions to drive India's economic progress.

The government has proposed supporting professional institutions such as ICAI and ICSI to design short-term modular courses aimed at improving skills and employability.

Presenting the Union Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman outlined a six-step growth plan to accelerate and sustain India’s economic progress.

The focus areas include scaling up manufacturing across seven strategic sectors, rejuvenating traditional industries, creating champion MSMEs, pushing infrastructure development, ensuring long-term security and stability, and developing city economic regions.

The Finance Minister began her address by stressing macro-economic stability, highlighting low inflation, steady growth and fiscal prudence. She described the Budget as a “yuva shakti” Budget, placing young people at the centre of economic growth.

Overall, the Budget focuses on reforms, ease of doing business, MSMEs, revival of traditional businesses, and the development of city-based economic regions to drive long-term growth.

[The Economic Times]