National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) and Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University (KKHSOU) signed an agreement on second March 2026 granting NCVET recognition as an Awarding Body (AB-Dual) to the university. The recognition makes the university eligible to award, assess and certify learners where training is directly imparted by the awarding body in campuses or training centres owned or fully managed by it for approved or adopted qualifications. The arrangement is intended to strengthen the institutional capacity of the university to deliver vocational qualifications at scale. The first KKHSOU qualification, Solar Plant Installation and Maintenance Technician, under the Environmental Sciences sector has already been approved by NCVET and will form part of the initial rollout. The initiative is expected to strengthen the renewable energy ecosystem in Assam by equipping young people with technical competencies for installation and maintenance of solar power systems. The university has territorial jurisdiction across the entire State of Assam as per its Act and has submitted another qualification in geriatric care for NCVET recognition. KKHSOU plans to scale up skill development initiatives in renewable energy to create a trained workforce capable of installing and maintaining solar energy plants across the region, thereby supplementing government efforts to augment green energy potential in the north east. In the coming years the university intends to introduce NCVET-recognised skill qualifications in sectors such as health, hospitality, agriculture and tourism to address emerging manpower requirements and promote sustainable regional development. The recognition as an awarding body is expected to support quality assurance in training delivery and to strengthen linkages with industry and local training providers. By focusing on practical skills and standardised assessment, the university aims to increase employability and local participation in the green energy transition. The move is also likely to complement broader regional strategies for job creation and sustainable development without imposing new centralised frameworks.