WSDS 2026 Thematic Track: Partnerships for Accelerating EV Skilling Ecosystem in India

Presently, India is the third largest automotive manufacturer in the world, contributing to 7.1 per cent of India’s GDP, providing direct and indirect jobs to 19 million people. The transport sector is one of the most polluting sectors with road transport presently accounting for 13 per cent of India’s energy-related CO2 emissions. To mitigate pollution and achieve its 2070 net zero target, the nation is focusing on decarbonizing transport through various initiatives. Electrification of vehicles is a crucial measure towards the decarbonization of transport in India.

Electric Vehicles (EVs) do not have any tailpipe CO2 emissions; it has proven to be a promising alternative for noise-proof and cleaner mobility. The overall impact of CO2 reduction through EVs shall also depend on the power grid emissions. Using a renewable source for grid power generation is very important for enhancing the overall benefits of using electric vehicles. The ICE to EV transition includes the sophistication of auto components with increased power electronic and software contents. The impact of such a technologically intensive upgrade has raised a need for complete overhaul of skilling in the Indian automotive industry. The availability of a skilled workforce plays a pivotal role for EVs to be successful in India.

TERI’s Ongoing Progress in Building EV Skills

In 2025, TERI conducted a study to identify the skill gap and job impact with EV transition and developed a roadmap for EV skilling for Viksit Bharat 2047. Additionally, TERI conducted a focused study on skilling for Zero Emission Trucks in India and prepared a policy brief highlighting the existing skill gap and job impact while transitioning to ZETs in India.

Several key stakeholders were consulted as a part of the study to include their insights. The study discusses the existing skilling initiatives in India and how it can be leveraged for the EV skilling at pan India level. The skills required by various stakeholders across the vehicle value chain have been identified. The studies also identify the gaps and challenges faced by several stakeholders of the automotive ecosystem to reskill for EV transition. The findings have been collated to prepare a Roadmap for EV Skilling for Viksit Bharat 2047 with identified actions for key stakeholders.

Further, the TERI team conducted another study focusing on skilling in the EV charging ecosystem titled “EV Charging in India: Ecosystem Perspectives and Skilling Opportunities” highlighting the existing skill gaps for the charging workforce and suggesting the training pedagogy to train workforce as skilled charge point operators (CPOs). TERI partnered with organizations like MBRDI, IIT Delhi and EVI Technologies to devise a training module titled “Future-In-Charge: Skilling Program for India’s Charging Infrastructure” integrating the learning from the TERI studies to include hands on training and EV focused training targeting the existing workforce, ITI and BTech graduates. The module has also been accredited by NCVET. Designed for young technicians, vocational students, and recent graduates from engineering and technical backgrounds aspiring to build careers in electric mobility and charging infrastructure management, this curriculum is currently being piloted with a group of students from the Delhi/NCR region under the Future-In-Charge project. Two batches were successfully completed with a 30-day training module at TERI’s Gwal Pahari Campus, Gurugram, with an encouraging outcome; 50% of the participants have already secured placements.

Building on the success of the Future in Charge project, TERI is now organizing five additional training programs in Kolkata, Pune, and Gurugram, supported by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) under the Green Skill Development Program (GSDP).

Through this roundtable event, TERI wishes to facilitate discussion on possible partnerships to upscale the skilling initiative at the PAN India level.

The discussion would revolve around the following key questions:

• Requirement of EV & CPO skilling
• Specialized areas of EV and charging installation and maintenance.
• EV & CPO skilling policy and standardization.
• Partnership options.
• Financial requirement of EV & CPO skilling