Deusa Foundation to be the first to start PDOT centre in the whole of NE Region to cater to the needs and aspiration of youth from seven sisters.

Government is proactively working towards instilling technical expertise across sectors and across States of India through initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PKVY). Overseas migrant workers have benefited through India International Skill Centres, which have private sector partners for skill training and certification. MEA has the Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT), which provides soft skills focused on cultural, social, linguistic aspects of destination countries and also provides information on welfare measures provided through Indian Embassies abroad. Over 1 lakh migrants have benefitted from the programme. I would like to see the private sector play a bigger role in building competencies of Indian workers for employability overseas.

About PDOT

Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT) is a flagship program of MEA started in 2018, where in Emigrant going abroad for Employment is given an free of cost 8 hours Orientation training so as to empower him with the Dos and Don’ts of the Country of Employment, his rights and welfare measures made available to him by Government of India. It started with 4 centres in Delhi and Mumbai and has now expanded to 30 PDOT Centres all across India in Partnership with State Governments and NSDC.

Benefits of PDOT

PDO Training would help migrant workers to know about the culture, language and regulations of the destination country to ensure their safety and security. Further, the programme gave the opportunity to know about the welfare measures undertaken by the Government such as Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF), Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY), eMigrate Portal, MADAD Portal, Pravasi Bharatiya Kendras (PBSKs) and 24 X 7 helplines at Indian Embassies and Consulates.

Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT)

Given the need to orient potential migrant workers with regards to language, culture, do's and don'ts in the destination country, the emigration process and welfare measures, PDOT program has been launched. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in collaboration with Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is conducting the PDOT program. NSDC is the implementing agency for this program.
Till now in Pre Departure Orientation Training

•  PDOT program is delivered by trainers who have undergone Training of Trainers (ToT) program organized by MEA. So far, 68 trainers have been certified under PDOT.
•  Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT) modules were launched and the first ever Training of Trainers (ToT) for IISC Trainers was conducted by MEA and India Centre for Migration in March 2017. Since 2017, 4ToT programs have been organised.
•  Pilot phase of 1-day PDOT program with NSDC as implementing agency has commenced from 10th January 2018 for migrant workers. PDOT is operational in 9 centres across 7 cities (2 locations of Mumbai and Delhi each, 1 location in Kochi, 1 location in Lucknow, 1 location in Chandigarh, 1 location in Gorakhpur, 1 location in Chennai):
  •  Delhi- Orion EdutechPvt. Ltd, Mandir Marg and Don Bosco Technical Institute, Okhla
  •  Mumbai- Asmacs, Sakinaka and Asmacs, Videsh Bhavan
  •  Kochi – Espoir Academy (Eram Skills), Ernakulum
  •  Lucknow – Mahendra Skills
  •  Chennai – Confederation of Indian Industry ( operationalised in November 2019)
  •  Chandigarh - Regional Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (Operationalised in November 2019)
  •  Gorakhpur - IL&FS Skills - PMKK Gorakhpur (Operationalised in November 2019)
  •  Guwahati – Deusa Foundation, Guwahati (Approved in 2022)

Total number of candidates trained across the 9 centres are 79,604 as on 24th Dec 2019
The operations at the centres in Chennai, Gorakhpur and Chandigarh were started in the month of November 2019