This Scheme was introduced by the Government of India in year 1950 to ensure a steady flow of skilled workers in different trades for the domestic industry, to raise quantitatively and qualitatively the industrial production by systematic training, to reduce unemployment among the educated youth by providing them employable skills, to cultivate and nurture a technical and industrial attitude in the minds of younger generation. The Scheme is the most important in the field of Vocational Training, has been shaping craftsmen to meet the existing as well as future manpower need, through the vast network of ITIs spread over various States / Union Territories in the country. 

Presently, training courses under the Craftsmen Training Scheme are being offered through a network of 14955 ITIs (Govt. 3248 + Private 11707) located all over the country with total trainees enrolled 26.58 lakhs (in the trades of 1 year and 2 year durations) on NCVTMIS portal with an objective to provide skilled workforce to the industry in 150 NSQF compliant trades.