ANNUAL STAFF CONFERENCE OF RUDSETI: 12th & 13th September, 2025

The Annual Staff Conference is a key event organized by RUDSET Institute, focused on organizational development through performance review, experience sharing, preparation of qualitative action plans, and vision building by the leadership team. For the year 2025, the Annual Staff Conference was held at “Sri Sannidhi,” Dharmasthala, on 12th and 13th September 2025. The event was inaugurated by Dr. Veerendra Heggade, President of RUDSET Institutes, Dharmasthala, who addressed the gathering and set the tone for two days of productive deliberations.

Shri M Bhaskara Chakravarthy, General Manager of Canara Bank, FI Wing, Bengaluru, in his keynote address, emphasized that RUDSETI—an innovative initiative conceptualized by Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade back in 1982—has been successfully replicated by the Government of India as RSETI in 2009. Canara Bank takes pride in its association with the SDME Trust in sponsoring RUDSETI, and is currently advancing this initiative under the guidelines of the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India.

Under the RUDSETI/RSETI programs, approximately six lakh candidates are trained every year. The directors and staff associated with these institutions are rendering a yeoman service to the nation under the visionary leadership of Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade. This endeavour contributes to nation building in an indirect yet impactful way, by empowering rural unemployed youth through skill development and entrepreneurship training.

Many entrepreneurs trained under RUDSETI have gone on to establish and successfully run their own businesses, marking the success and effectiveness of the program. As a result, India is steadily emerging as a pooling force of semi-skilled and skilled labourers globally. We urge all stakeholders to maintain the same passion, dedication, and commitment in this noble work of transforming lives and contributing to the nation’s economic progress.

Canara Bank is committed to providing all-round support to RUDSETIs in ensuring full compliance with the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) Guidelines and Norms. The MD & CEO of Canara Bank has emphasized that 100% of candidates trained in RUDSETIs must be enrolled for Financial Inclusion (FI) products, such as PMJDY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana), PMSBY (Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana), PMJJBY (Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana), and APY (Atal Pension Yojana).

Although the MoRD guidelines mandate that at least 50% of trained candidates should receive financial support from banks, our MD & CEO has called for a higher target—ensuring 90% of the trained candidates are provided credit linkage support to start their business units after training. To achieve this goal, it is essential that all candidates are supported by their respective Institutes in registering on the Jansamarth Portal, in addition to other available registration channels.

Regarding the mobilization of candidates, all Institutes should collaborate actively with the District Administration, Zilla Panchayat/DRDA, Lead Bank, and Gram Panchayats. Gram Panchayats should be sensitized to sponsor at least one candidate per month. The Directors are expected to work systematically in this direction to ensure steady mobilization of candidates. He concluded by urging all stakeholders to adopt a proactive and responsible approach, thereby contributing meaningfully to the growth of RUDSETIs and the nation.

Shri Raju N. Kori, Director General of the National Academy of RUDSETI (NAR), Bengaluru, highlighted that the success of the RUDSETI model has been widely recognized and appreciated by the Government of India. It was accepted as a replicable model for skill development and entrepreneurship promotion. Today, there are 617 RSETIs operating across India, and so far, RUDSETI and RSETIs have successfully trained over 56 lakh candidates—an achievement lauded by both RBI and NABARD.

RUDSETIs are considered the model, guide, and mentor for all RSETIs. In every forum, RUDSETIs continue to demonstrate exemplary performance, and it is expected that all RSETIs will align their practices in accordance with the RUDSETI model. Considering India’s demographic structure, where the youth population is substantial, not all can be absorbed by conventional employment. Through RUDSETIs, we are upskilling the rural youth, empowering them to pursue self-employment and entrepreneurial ventures.

Moreover, all Institutes are encouraged to establish liaison with their respective State Governments and actively seek their support to mobilize candidates for training programs. At present, 20 districts in Karnataka have been identified by the Watershed Department for the purpose of training rural youth, and Institutes should utilize this important opportunity effectively.

We also call upon all Institutes to identify regionally specific skill development courses, and submit proposals to our office to seek permission from NCVET (National Council for Vocational Education and Training) to incorporate these courses into the curriculum.

Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, in his presidential address, highlighted that the Staff Conference serves as a valuable platform for RUDSETI Directors and Faculties from all Institutes to come together, share experiences, and formulate strategies to meet the expectations of the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD). At the Institute level, he stressed that the Director and Faculty members must engage personally with each candidate who comes for training, recognizing that every individual arrives with their own aspirations and expectations. While systems and procedures for assessment and evaluation are already in place to meet government requirements, Dr. Heggade emphasized that our focus should also be on orientation, motivation, and empowering candidates to grow and improve their skills.

He shared inspiring examples of candidates who, despite facing limitations and challenges, developed their skills and went on to become successful entrepreneurs. These examples reinforced the importance of nurturing resilience and confidence in trainees. Dr. Heggade further emphasized the significance of continuous skill upgradation and called upon all Institutes to uphold their leadership by being the number one trainers in the country. He made a strong appeal that every effort should be made to ensure that all trainees are not only trained but also settled and self-employed, thus contributing meaningfully to the socio-economic development of the nation.

Shri G. Murugesan, National Director for RSETIs, NACER, Bengaluru, and Shri R. R. Singh, National Controller of Assessment & Quality Assurance, National Academy of RUDSETI, Bengaluru, addressed the gathering on the latest MoRD guidelines pertaining to the RSETI programme.

Shri B P Vijay Kumar, Executive Director of RUDSETIs welcomed the guests and the participants and presented highlights of the performance of RUDSETIs for 2024-25 and up to 31.08.2025 during Financial Year 2025-26. Shri Ajeya, Director, RUDSETI, Ujire proposed vote of thanks. Smt Anasooya, Senior Faculty, RUDSETI, Central Secretariat, Ujire compeered the programme.

In the afternoon, the review of the performance of RUDSETI Institutes commenced, with the active participation of Shri M. Bhaskara Chakravarthy, General Manager, Canara Bank FI Wing, and Shri B. P. Vijay Kumar, Executive Director of RUDSETIs.

Events on September 13^th, 2025: 2^nd Day
In order to assess the relevance of our method of training and the impact created by our efforts, a Buzz Session was conducted in coordination with Dr. Venkataraj, Associate Professor, SDM Institute of Management Development (IMD), Mysuru, who brings over 20 years of academic experience in the field of Economics.

All our Directors and Faculties were divided into 9 groups, and the following important topics were discussed under the central theme: “Building Resilient Human Capital for Viksit Bharat”

Relevance of Current Training Program Offerings and Their Curriculum in the Present Scenario of Rapid Technological Advancements: An Introspection
Shift from Human-Intensive Production to Machine-Intensive Production: Readiness of Indian Skill Programs Towards New-Age Skill Imperatives
From Skill to Self-Reliance: Overcoming Challenges on the Path to Sustainable Employment and Entrepreneurship Post-Training
Reimagining Skill Education: Integrating the Gurukul Ethos with Digital Innovation
Aligning Skill Training with NEP: Chances and Challenges for Training Institutes
Enhancing Admissions to RUDSETI Training Programs: Challenges and the Way Forward
Capacity Building for Trainers: Ways of Enhancing Effectiveness in Relevant Skill Transfer
Success Stories: Scaling Impact and Replicating Best Practices in Rural Training
Monitoring and Evaluation Techniques to Measure Impact of Skill Development Programs

Each group debated and presented their views, followed by in-depth deliberations and explanations by Dr. Venkataraj, who provided critical insights into the relevance of these topics in the context of our training programs.

The session concluded with a valedictory function, graced by our President Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, who congratulated all participants and wished them success in their future careers.

Shri B P Vijay Kumar, Executive Director of RUDSETIs welcomed the guest presented the brief report of the Conference and said that Staff Conference is organised to give inputs to continue good work done by the predecessors. Shri Jayachandran, Director, RUDSETI, Kannur, Smt Somya Bhargava, Director, RUDSETI, Gurugram, and Shri Rajath Kumar Sathpathy, Faculty, RUDSETI, Bhubaneshwar shared their experiences. Shri Ravi Tailor, Director, RUDSETI, Bhilwara proposed vote of thanks Shri Lohith Kumar Jain, Faculty, RUDSETI, Central Secretariat, Ujire compeered the programme.

Certificates of Excellence were awarded to the top performing Institutes for their outstanding achievements.