A systematic manpower development effort in the Ministry was started in 1999-2000 for project planning, system design, product development, operation, maintenance and repair of deployed systems for the first time by way of introducing a scheme for renewable energy training with provision for organizing short duration training and skill development programmes.

The HRD scheme is continued for the period of 2021-22 to 2025-26 (Administrative approval of the present HRD scheme). The objective of the Ministry’s Human Resource Development programme is to institutionalize the renewable energy education and training to meet the requirement of qualified and trained manpower in the country.

Components of the Scheme:

(1) Short term trainings and skill development in renewable energy

(2) Fellowships for higher studies and research in renewable energy

(3) Enhancement of Renewable Energy education and training infrastructure.

(4) Renewable Energy Chair

(5) National Renewable Energy Internship Programme

(1) Short term trainings and skill development in renewable energy

(1) (a) Solar PV technician (Suryamitra Skill Development) Programme ;

One of the skill development programmes viz. Solar PV technician (Suryamita) training was initiated in 2015 to create a work force to meet the demand of solar energy sector. A cumulative total of 51529 number of Suryamitras were trained till September, 2022. Suryamitra training programme will be implemented on pan India basis with focus on solar energy potential areas / installed solar projects. The brief details of the programme are as under:

i. Implementing Institute: National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), Gurugram through training centres / institutes selected by NISE on the basis of infrastructure, faculty strength and past training experience in solar and other renewable energy technologies.

ii. Duration of the programme: The duration of programme is three months (residential)/600 hours including classroom training, lab practical, SPV plant exposure, on the job training, soft skills and entrepreneurship skills etc.

iii. Target participants: Min. 10th Pass + ITI in Electrician/ Wireman/ Electronics Mechanic/Fitter/Sheet Metal.

iv. Funding Pattern: Funding for trainings would be as per Ministry of Skill and Entrepreneur Development (MSDE) and the periodical changes will be in accordance with MSDE revision of the norms.

v. Assessment and certification: by Skill Council of Green Jobs (SCGJ) / any other MSDE approved institutions.

vi. Other details: The details regarding the Suryamitra programme can be referred at mnre.gov.in and https://suryamitra.nise.res.in

SuryamitraTraining Centres FY  2021-22

 List of Trained Suryamitras

•  Foryear 2015-16

•  Foryear 2016-17
•  Foryear 2017-18
•  Foryear 2018-19
•  Foryear 2019-20

(1) (b) Skill Development in other RE technologies:

Varunmitra Programme :

Under PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahaabhiyan) scheme which has provision of hybridization of decentralised renewable energy plants and agriculture pumps, it is planned to replace Agriculture Diesel pumps with Solar Water pumps and Solarise Grid connected Agriculture pumps. Installation of large number of ‘Solar Water Pumps’ under PM-Kusum would necessarily need ‘Trained and Skilled’ manpower for installation / Commissioning as well as for repair/ maintenance. Keeping in view all this ‘Training Programs on Solar Water Pumping Systems’ under “ Varunmitra ” was designed across the county to impart awareness about the technology. The trained and Skilled Workforce are called “Varunmitras”. Solar water pumping Technician training programme is implemented through National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE).

Details of trained participants under Varunmitra programme Link

Vayumitra Programme:

Vayumitra Skill Development Programme (VSDP) (Phase-1) was launched to train Wind Power Plant Technicians for Wind Energy Projects with a target to develop 5734 no. of skilled manpower for the period of 3 years. National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE), Chennai has been assigned the task of coordination of the trainings.

Jal Urja Mitra Programme:

The Ministry has launched the Jal-Urjamitra Skill Development Programme to train Small Hydro Power Plant Technicians for maintenance of Small Hydro Power Projects with a target to develop 1780 no. of skilled manpower for the period of 5 years. Hydro and Renewable Energy Department (HRED), Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee has been assigned the task of coordination of the trainings.

Other trainings:

Ministry supports the training activities in resource assessment, technology, performance, Detailed Project Report (DPR) preparation, project appraisal etc. in different areas of RE technologies for graduate professionals, management graduates, engineers, post graduates, working professionals etc.

The guidelines and the proforma for submission of training proposals

(a) Training of professionals working in the Ministry and its attached offices and autonomous bodies at specialized institutions in India and abroad;

Other traning Programme in Renewable Energy

List of Participants trained By Barefoot college, Rajasthan

• For year 2015-16
• For year 2016-17
• For year 2017-18
• For year 2018-19  

List of persons trained during 2015-166 & 2016-17( By Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Rural Energy and Development, Bengaluru, Karnataka)

List of persons trained during 2014-15 (By The Gandhigram Rural Institute Deemed University, Gandhigram, Tamilnadu))

List of persons trained during 2014-15 ( By Larsen & Toubro Limited - Construction)

List of persons trained during 2012-14 ( By KPCL, Bangalore)

List of persons trained during 2013-14 ( By NIESBUD)

List of persons trained during 2014 ( By Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises)

List of persons trained during 2014-15 under various shortterm training programmes.

List of persons trained during 2012-13 under various shortterm training programmes.

List of persons trained during 2010-12 under various shortterm training programmes.    

(2) (a) National Renewable Energy Fellowship scheme:

Fellowships will be provided for pursuing higher studies in renewable energy viz. M.Sc, M. Tech, Ph.D in renewable Energy technologies. Research Associates, Post-Doctoral Fellows will be provided financial support in MNRE institutions and other key institutions to pursue advanced research. Ministry would be guided by the norms of CSIR/DST/UGC for eligibility of the candidates for JRF/SRF/RA/PDF, AICTE guidelines for M.Tech and Department of Biotechnology norms for M.Sc in renewable energy. Fellowship programs are directly aligned to the overall requirement of renewable energy, research thrust areas identified by MNRE, identification of technology readiness levels and focus on commercialization. The technology areas will not be of generic nature but should involve frontier edge research in technology development with focused approach. The total number of fellowships to be supported during the period is given in table below:

Selection criteria of the Institutes and candidates for fellowships under NREF are available in administrative approval of HRD scheme

Funding pattern for fellowships under NREF

The funding pattern for fellowship for JRF/SRF/RA/PDF will be as per DST/MHRD/CSIR guidelines. For M.Tech and M.Sc., guidelines of AICTE and Department of Biotechnology respectively would be followed. These fellowship rates would automatically get revised as and when the CSIR/AICTE/DST revises the rates. The present fellowship rates are as follows:

Details of fellowship sanctioned under NREF programme during the period from FY 2017-18 to 2020-21

List of candidates provided NREF

Publications by the National Renewable Energy Fellows (NREFs)

(2) (b) National Renewable Energy Science Fellow (NRESF)

In view of the fast developments in renewable energy, Ministry supports National Renewable Energy Science Fellowship (NRESF) to provide a platform to young scientists to pursue advanced research in development of frontier RE technologies/systems. The targeted beneficiaries will be Ph.D degree holders in the field of science / engineering with specialization in RE/ and renewable energy sciences, with outstanding track record with experience of at least ten years. Under this programme, fellowship@ Rs. 1.2 lakh (including tax) per fellow / per month would be provided to five (5) fellows for a period of five years. In addition, they would be eligible for a research grant upto Rs. 15 lakh / annum and contingent grant of Rs. 5 lakh / annum to undertake research work in cutting edge areas of renewable energy. The fellows will pursue in advanced research areas as identified thrust areas for R&D by MNRE.

The procedural guidelines for application, selection and implementation of this fellowship

(3) Enhancement /Establishment of Renewable Energy Infrastructure Facilities - Support to institutions for Laboratory upgradation for RE education

In order to encourage the institutions to include education/training renewable energy courses, the support for laboratory up-gradation will be provided to enhance their capacity for conducting M. Sc., M.Tech., Ph.D courses in NRE. A total of ten (10) R&D/academic institutions will be strengthened by providing financial support by way of one time grant of upto Rs. 50 lakh to each institute to upgrade the teaching facilities by lab upgradation. The provision of support for upgradation of facilities is aimed to enable the institutions to give regular hands on experience by practicals to the students. This provision is however not for undertaking any new construction, but can be utilized for modifying lab for installations of any new equipment/teaching aid for imparting RE education.
Only those institutes will be considered for providing one time grant for laboratory upgradation which are in Top 100 institutes under National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), availability of faculty with required expertise in relevant areas of RE and infrastructure facilities for imparting education and research in RE.

The criteria for selection of the institutes and other guidelines

(4) Renewable Energy Chair

The renewable energy chairs have been conceived with a view to create technical Focal Points for renewable energy education/technology development in the institutions of national repute and eminence. To facilitate long term sustenance of the chairs, a total grant of Rs.1.5 crore will be provided i.e (i) One time support for establishment of chair – Rs. 1.00 crore as seed money (ii) Support based on performance/outcome of RE chair – Rs.50 lakh in 5 years (Rs.10 lakh after submitting the details of the RE chair candidate selected by the Institute to MNRE and Rs.10 lakh each year for next 4 years on receipt of annual RE promotional activity report including the Statement of Expenditure (SoE). The chair will in addition to acting as focal point for RE education, may look into aspects like technology development, preparation of course curriculum, policy framework aspects of renewable energy etc.

The guidelines for Renwable Energy Chair

(5) National Renewable Energy Internship scheme (NREI) :

In order to facilitate students of engineering, Science, Management and other streams to undertake internship in the Ministry and in organizations under its agies to understand the various activities of the Ministry in renewable energy area, internship facilities will be provided. The selected interns will be attached with the senior level officers of the Ministry and its Institutions. Internship will be provided to 20 no. students/persons every year. The duration of internship will be preferably 2-6 months. A stipend amount of Rs.15,000/- per month will be provided for physical internships only.

The guidelines of Internship programme