The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI), has announced the expansion of its Future-In-Charge (FIC) skilling programme to Pune, Bengaluru and Kolkata, marking a significant step in strengthening India’s electric vehicle (EV) charging workforce.
The FIC programme is India’s first National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET)-approved curriculum focused exclusively on EV charging infrastructure operations and maintenance. Supported by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and MBRDI, the initiative is now entering Phase 2, scaling beyond Delhi/NCR to other EV-active regions across the country.
The announcement coincided with the Valedictory and Certificate Distribution Ceremony for the programme’s inaugural cohort, held at the TERI Seminar Hall at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The expansion builds on insights from the TERI–MBRDI whitepaper EV Charging in India: Ecosystem Perspectives and Skilling Opportunities, which highlighted critical gaps in skilled manpower for charge point operations and underscored the need for a nationally aligned skilling framework.
The FIC curriculum blends classroom learning with intensive hands-on training, covering EV and battery fundamentals, installation and commissioning of charging stations, diagnostics and safety, central management systems, and real-world exposure to the charge point operator (CPO) ecosystem. The pilot batch of 60 students trained at TERI’s Gwal Pahari campus recorded encouraging outcomes, with nearly 50 percent securing placements with EV service providers, CPOs and allied companies.
Under Phase 2, TERI will establish new training hubs in partnership with State EV Missions, academic institutions and industry stakeholders. Each centre will train around 30 students per batch, with the expanded network expected to train nearly 90 students as operations scale. The selected cities were chosen due to their rapid EV adoption, growing charging infrastructure and rising demand for skilled technicians.
Addressing the ceremony, Ms Nameeta Prasad, Joint Secretary, MoEFCC, emphasized that green skilling is critical to India’s climate goals and energy transition. She noted that programmes like Future-In-Charge play a vital role in equipping the workforce with the technical competencies required to safely install, operate and maintain EV charging infrastructure.
Industry leaders also highlighted the importance of public–private collaboration in driving India’s green mobility ecosystem. TERI officials reiterated that sustained investments in EV skilling, innovation and knowledge systems will be essential as India scales its charging network nationwide.
With its multi-city expansion underway, the Future-In-Charge programme is set to emerge as a national reference model for EV charging workforce development, improving employability, enhancing safety and reliability, and supporting India’s broader transition to electric mobility.
