Suryamitra scheme targets 30,000 trained solar technicians across Uttar Pradesh
The five-year push under the state solar policy equips technical graduates to build and maintain expanding clean energy capacity.
Uttar Pradesh has set a target to train 30,000 youth as certified technicians under the Suryamitra Skill Development Programme, anchoring the state's rapid solar infrastructure rollout to a home-grown technical workforce.
The initiative, embedded within the Uttar Pradesh Solar Energy Policy 2022, deploys structured coursework to prepare young workers for operational roles across utility-scale power projects and rooftop photovoltaic installations.
What the Suryamitra programme delivers
Launched by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in 2015, the Suryamitra programme is coordinated at the national level by the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) in Gurugram. In Uttar Pradesh, training operations run through specialised centres tied to the state's nodal renewable agency, the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA).
The course spans 600 hours of instruction across three months. It mixes classroom theory with hands-on laboratory work, on-site exposure at working solar photovoltaic plants, customer-facing soft skills, and foundational business training.
| Programme component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Course duration | 3 months (600 hours) |
| Minimum qualification | Class 10 pass with ITI certificate |
| Eligible trades | Electrician, wireman, electronics mechanic, fitter, sheet metal |
| National coordinator | National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) |
| State nodal agency | UPNEDA |
| UP training target | 30,000 candidates over five years |
| Assessment body | Skill Council for Green Jobs |
Ground-level technical requirements
To qualify for enrollment, applicants must hold a Class 10 certificate alongside an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) credential in eligible technical trades, such as electrician, wireman, electronics mechanic, fitter, or sheet metal work.
Assessment and formal certification are conducted under standards set by the Skill Council for Green Jobs and accredited bodies overseen by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. The credential validates skills in system assembly, inverter troubleshooting, panel maintenance, and grid safety protocols.
Powering state clean energy targets
The training drive directly addresses the operational bottleneck that often challenges renewable expansions: having enough certified labour to maintain distributed systems once installed. As Uttar Pradesh ramps up solar installations across agricultural feeders, government rooftops, and commercial complexes, certified technicians provide the local support required to keep generation capacity running at peak efficiency.
Beyond direct technical maintenance, the inclusion of entrepreneurship training gives certified technicians the groundwork to establish local solar service businesses or work as independent contractors for private solar developers.
While final employment depends on local industrial contracts and regional market uptake, creating a verified talent pool of 30,000 technicians establishes the technical backbone necessary for India's clean energy transition at the grassroots level.
Key numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State training target | 30,000 youth | Uttar Pradesh Solar Energy Policy 2022 |
| Course duration | 3 months (600 hours) | Ministry of New and Renewable Energy |
| National launch year | 2015 | Ministry of New and Renewable Energy |
In this story
| Name | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| National Institute of Solar Energy | Gurugram-based autonomous body coordinating national training operations. |
| Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency | State nodal agency managing implementation and training centres in Uttar Pradesh. |
| Uttar Pradesh | State targeting the training of 30,000 solar technicians under its 2022 policy. |
| Ministry of New and Renewable Energy | Central ministry that established the Suryamitra skill programme in 2015. |
