Handicrafts and Carpet Sector Skill Council

What Handicrafts and Carpet Sector Skill Council does

Handicrafts and Carpet Sector Skill Council (HCSSC) is a non-profit Sector Skill Council established in 2014 and headquartered in New Delhi. It is jointly promoted by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH), the Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC), and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. HCSSC holds recognition from the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) as an awarding body for the handicrafts and carpet sector. Its mandate is to develop competency standards, certify the existing informal workforce, and deliver structured skilling programs to artisans and weavers across India.

HCSSC's core product is a competency-based skill development framework aligned with the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF), supported by 93 developed Qualification Packs (QPs) and National Occupational Standards (NOS) covering 125+ job roles. Its programs include fresh skilling under PMKVY (Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana), Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) certification for existing artisans, and trainer certification. The council operates a Labour Market Information System (LMIS) and, since 2022, an e-commerce market-linkage channel through a partnership with Flipkart Group. Delivery is executed through a network of 300+ Training Partners, 700+ Training Centers, 10,000+ certified trainers, and 250+ Industry Partners. Since inception, HCSSC reports having trained and certified 1,830,000+ candidates.

HCSSC's revenue model is primarily government-grant-funded, with scheme allocations from MSDE and the Ministry of Textiles forming the core revenue stream. Secondary revenue comes from Training Partner affiliation fees and certification fees. Pricing is not publicly disclosed because training is delivered free or subsidized to artisans under government schemes. The customer base is structurally bifurcated: the paying customer is the Government of India, while the beneficiary population consists of 1.8M+ individual artisans and weavers operating in micro/solo capacities across handicraft subsectors. HCSSC is not a commercial investment vehicle and is governed as a public-private partnership entity.

Name

Handicrafts and Carpet Sector Skill Council

Legal name

Handicrafts and Carpet Sector Skill Council

Website

https://hcssc.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HCSSC is a non-profit Sector Skill Council, jointly promoted by EPCH, CEPC, and NSDC under India's MSDE, that develops NSQF-aligned competency standards and delivers certified skilling programs to artisans and weavers through 700+ training centers nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Skills Development and Certification

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Qualifications & Credit Framework Authorities (EDADAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Learning & Training Content Development (EDAGAKAC)

Keywords

• Skill development training
• Vocational certification programs
• Handicrafts sector skilling
• Carpet weaving training
• NSQF qualification framework

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Scheme Funding: Primary funding from Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and Ministry of Textiles under schemes like PMKVY (Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana) for training delivery.
2. Training Partner Affiliation Fees: Revenue from affiliation fees charged to training institutes seeking to deliver HCSSC-aligned skill development programs.
3. Certification Services: Certification fees for candidates completing skill training and assessment under the NCVET-recognized qualification framework.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

HCSSC is a not-for-profit Sector Skill Council that develops competency standards — Qualification Packs (QPs), National Occupational Standards (NOS), and curricula — for the handicrafts and carpet sector, and delivers Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessments, short-term skill development training, trainer certification, and centre accreditation under the NSQF framework. It operates as an NCVET-recognized awarding body through a pan-India network of Training Partners and Training Centers.

Product overview

HCSSC offers a comprehensive skill development ecosystem for India's handicrafts and carpet sector. The core offering consists of competency-based training programs aligned with NSQF, supported by 93 developed Qualification Packs (QPs) and National Occupational Standards (NOS) for over 125 job roles. Key programs include Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) under PMKVY for certifying existing artisans, and trainer certification. The organization operates through a network of 300+ Training Partners, 700+ Training Centers, and has trained 18,30,000+ individuals. Additional services include the Labour Market Information System (LMIS) for market intelligence and e-commerce linkage through Flipkart partnerships for artisan market access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Skill Development Training Programs (Short-term NSQF-aligned) Delivery of standardized, NSQF-aligned short-term training programs (institutional and target-based) across handicrafts and carpet job roles, run through HCSSC's network of Training Partners for candidates across India.
• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Certification Assessment and certification of informally acquired handicraft/carpet skills under the NSQF framework, enabling artisans and weavers to receive formal recognition of prior learning.
• Qualification Packs (QPs) and National Occupational Standards (NOS) Development Authoring and maintenance of sector-specific competency standards (QPs and NOS) covering handicraft and carpet job roles, used by Training Partners for curriculum alignment.
• Trainer Certification Program Certification and qualification of trainers and master trainers to ensure quality delivery of NSQF-aligned handicraft and carpet training through affiliated Training Partners.
• Training Center Accreditation / Affiliation Affiliation and accreditation services for Training Partners and Training Centers seeking to deliver HCSSC-approved skill programs, gated through scheme-quality and infrastructure criteria.
• Labour Market Information System (LMIS) Sector-level labor-market intelligence and workforce data service for the handicrafts and carpet industry, supporting skill-planning decisions across government schemes and Training Partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18,30,000+ candidates trained and certified since inception
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Flipkart GroupcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 July 2022HCSSC signed an MoU with Flipkart Group to provide forward linkage to artisans and weavers through the e-commerce platform. The partnership enables trained artisans to access national markets via Flipkart's platform, enhancing their ability to sell handicraft products directly to consumers.
• Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint promoter of HCSSC along with CEPC and NSDC. EPCH is the nodal agency for export promotion of handicrafts from India and provides industry linkage and market intelligence.
• Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint promoter of HCSSC along with EPCH and NSDC. CEPC focuses on export promotion of carpet and allied products, providing market linkage for trained carpet weavers.
• Bihar Skill Development Mission (BSDM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU signed for skill development initiatives in Bihar, enabling state-specific training programs for handicraft artisans in the region.
• IL&FS SkillsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorImplementation partner for RPL training under PMKVY scheme, delivering skill assessment and certification services to carpet weavers.
• NOW FoundationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTraining partner delivering hand embroidery training programs for women artisans in Delhi region.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC): Umbrella organization under MSDE that funds and governs all Sector Skill Councils including HCSSC. While not a direct peer, NSDC allocates scheme funding and sets policy direction that directly shapes HCSSC's operating environment and reach.

Direct peers

• Textile Sector Skill Council: Indian Sector Skill Council addressing textile sector skilling under NSDC. Operates with the same awarding body mandate, QP/NOS frameworks, and channel-partner training delivery model as HCSSC.
• Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council: Indian Sector Skill Council for tourism and hospitality skilling under NSDC. Operates identical standards-development, training-partner-led delivery, and certification model to HCSSC, making it a structural peer.
• Apparel, Made-Ups & Home Furnishing Sector Skill Council: Indian Sector Skill Council under NSDC covering apparel and textiles - closely adjacent to HCSSC's handicrafts/carpet focus. Comparable QP/NOS framework, training-partner-led delivery, and NCVET awarding-body role make it a strong peer.
• Healthcare Sector Skill Council: Indian Sector Skill Council delivering allied-health and healthcare skilling through NSDC framework. Same NCVET awarding-body status, QP/NOS development, and PPP governance as HCSSC.
• Capital Goods Skill Council: Indian Sector Skill Council for capital goods and manufacturing skilling under NSDC. Has same mandate as HCSSC - developing QPs, certifying workers via Training Partners, and serving as NCVET awarding body.
• Leather Sector Skill Council: Indian Sector Skill Council under NSDC/MSDE that develops NSQF-aligned Qualification Packs, certifies trainers and candidates, and operates through a network of training partners for the leather industry. Directly comparable to HCSSC in mandate, governance structure, and operating model.
• Automotive Skills Development Council: Indian Sector Skill Council delivering automotive skilling and certification under NSDC/MSDE. Operates with same institutional structure, training-partner ecosystem, and NCVET-recognized awarding-body designation as HCSSC.
• Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council: Indian Sector Skill Council delivering NSQF-aligned skilling and certification in beauty/wellness trades. Same institutional architecture (NSDC promoter, NCVET recognition, Training Partner network) as HCSSC.
• Electronics Sector Skill Council: Indian Sector Skill Council for electronics hardware skilling under NSDC. Shares the awarding-body mandate, training-partner network model, and NSQF-aligned QP/NOS framework with HCSSC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HCSSC_INDIA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCIzdP7QR6PElWhZu0sdMwxA
• Facebookfacebook.com/HCSSC.India
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hcssc-india

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Handicrafts and Carpet Sector Skill Council