APITCO Limited, a Public Sector Undertaking incorporated in 1976, was jointly promoted by all-India financial institutions including IDBI, IFCI and ICICI, along with state-level corporations APSFC and APIDC and major commercial banks. As a multi-disciplinary technical consultancy organisation, APITCO delivers project management, entrepreneurship development, skill enhancement, livelihood promotion and institutional strengthening assignments for central and state government departments, public sector undertakings, development agencies and multilateral funding bodies across the country.
The empanelment places MSM Unify within India's government-led skill development framework at a time when multiple reports have highlighted a widening workforce readiness gap. According to the India Skills Report 2026 prepared by ETS, CII, AICTE, AIU and Taggd, overall graduate employability in India stands at 56.35 per cent. The Wheebox 2025 Employability Report estimated that only 42.6 per cent of graduates were employable as of 2024, while 82 per cent of employers reported difficulties in finding suitable talent. The report also projected a skilled workforce deficit of between 47 million and 49 million by 2027. The Skill India Mission, launched in 2015 with the objective of training more than 400 million Indians, remains the central policy framework supporting such collaborations.
Sanjay Laul, Founder of MSM Unify, said India's skilling challenge requires organisations with proven execution capabilities to work within the government framework. He stated that APITCO possesses the institutional mandate and government relationships, while MSM Unify contributes programme architecture, technology infrastructure and learner engagement expertise. He described the empanelment as a practical partnership aimed at delivering results rather than a ceremonial arrangement.
Rajni Bhatla, Director of MSM Global Education Private Limited, said the empanelment with APITCO demonstrates that MSM Unify's capabilities extend beyond international student placement. She said the organisation intends to contribute to workforce development through measurable programmes that benefit learners, institutions and communities, while maintaining APITCO's standards across all assignments.
M. Srinivas Rao, Chief Consultant for Operations and Strategy at APITCO Limited, said the organisation has consistently promoted sustainable development through skill enhancement, entrepreneurship and capacity building across India. He stated that MSM Unify's expertise in education delivery and workforce engagement complements APITCO's implementation capabilities and expressed confidence that the partnership would result in impactful and outcome-oriented programmes for learners and communities.
For MSM Unify, the APITCO empanelment represents a strategic entry into India's business-to-government skill development architecture. The platform's core operations currently focus on international student mobility and institutional partnerships across global markets. Through the APITCO channel, the organisation will expand its activities to domestic workforce development, creating a new revenue stream aligned with India's public investment priorities in human capital under the Skill India Mission and the National Education Policy 2020.
India continues to face a significant challenge in vocational education. Only 4.1 per cent of the country's workforce currently receives formal vocational training, compared with approximately 44 per cent across Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. The National Education Policy 2020 has set a target of increasing India's Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education from 28 per cent to 50 per cent by 2035, with skill development integrated into formal education pathways. Partnerships involving accredited private training providers and government-backed implementation agencies are considered essential for addressing this gap.
MSM Unify is a comprehensive international education platform that connects students, educational institutions, recruitment partners and industry stakeholders across global markets. Through technology-driven solutions and strategic collaborations, the platform supports student mobility, institutional growth, career readiness and workforce development. MSM Unify operates under the MSM Group, also known as Laul Global, with headquarters in Gurugram, India.
APITCO Limited, headquartered at Parishrama Bhavanam in Basheerbagh, Hyderabad, Telangana, is a leading Public Sector Undertaking providing technical, management and development consultancy services. Its activities span project management, entrepreneurship development, skill enhancement, infrastructure advisory services, livelihood promotion and institutional strengthening for government departments, public sector undertakings, financial institutions, multilateral agencies and private sector organisations.
The empanelment signals a deeper collaboration between public institutions and private education platforms at a time when India is seeking to bridge its workforce readiness gap and strengthen human capital development through long-term policy initiatives and targeted skill enhancement programmes.
About The Author
Comment List