India’s EV Transition Needs Skilled Workforce Alongside Growing Public Ev Charging Infrastructure Deployment
India’s electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem is expanding at record speed, but a looming shortage of skilled manpower could threaten its growth trajectory. According to a whitepaper by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI), the country will require 1–2 lakh trained professionals by 2030 to operate and manage EV charging stations.
Tata Power’s MegaCharger Hub Signals Infrastructure Growth
On Tuesday, Tata Power inaugurated Mumbai’s first premium MegaCharger hub near the city airport. Built in partnership with Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, the facility houses eight fast DC chargers with 16 bays, designed to cut wait times for both private users and fleet operators. This hub adds to Tata Power’s 1,000-plus charging points in Mumbai, underscoring the momentum in EV infrastructure rollout.
Yet, as the number of charging points expands rapidly, the availability of skilled charge point operators (CPOs) and technicians remains a bottleneck.
Skilled Manpower: The Missing Link
The TERI-MBRDI study stressed the critical role of CPOs, calling them the backbone of India’s EV transition. However, the sector faces major hurdles, including:
- Lack of hands-on training opportunities
- No standardised training modules for CPOs
- Shortage of qualified trainers who understand both technical and operational aspects
The report warns that without addressing these challenges, India’s charging infrastructure may not be able to scale at the pace required.
India’s Charging Growth – and the Challenge Ahead
Public charging points have grown from just 25 in 2015 to nearly 30,000 by August 2025. Still, to meet the government’s target of a 1:40 charger-to-EV ratio, India must install 400,000 new chargers annually throughout this decade.
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This rapid expansion will be impossible without building parallel human capital.
Industry Voices Call for Structured Training
Anshuman Divyanshu, CEO of Exicom’s Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment unit, noted that the skill challenge is no longer limited to electrical basics. Today, a charging technician must also be adept in high-voltage systems, software integration, and connectivity.
“Fast, reliable charging infrastructure is at the heart of India’s EV transition. But the ambition will be measured not just in megawatts installed, but in the expertise that keeps those megawatts running reliably,” Divyanshu said.
He added that Exicom has invested in structured training, as the pace of talent readiness lags deployment.
Similarly, Akshay Shekhar, CEO of Kazam, described skill realities outside metros as uneven. While electricians are available through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), many lack exposure to EV-specific safety practices, earthing procedures, and adherence to standard operating protocols.
Shekhar pointed out that in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, technicians often lack quality standards, soft skills, and proper tool-kit training. Despite this, he highlighted a strong willingness to learn, citing Kazam’s training of over 500 technicians in smaller cities who are now helping expand India’s EV network.
Gaps in Curriculum and Training Standards
The TERI-MBRDI study highlighted that most ITIs still lack EV-focused curricula, forcing charge point operators to depend on in-house training. The report also flagged gaps in diagnostics, safety standards, and digital integration, which could slow India’s infrastructure build-out.
With India’s EV sector projected to create 1 crore direct jobs and 5 crore indirect jobs by 2030, the challenge is clear: charging hardware is growing, but workforce readiness is lagging.
Opportunities for Scalable Solutions
Kunal Khattar, founding partner of AdvantEdge, offered a more optimistic view, noting that the rollout of EV infrastructure will happen in a staggered and predictable manner, giving India time to upskill manpower.
He argued that many of the required skill sets already exist in adjacent sectors, and technology will gradually reduce the reliance on manpower as unmanned charging stations become more common.
Khattar also pointed to the role of petrol pumps in scaling the network. “They can add charge points as demand rises, and since they already have manpower on site, there is no incremental investment required,” he explained.
The Road Ahead
India’s EV ambition is clear: millions of vehicles, hundreds of thousands of chargers, and a robust ecosystem to support them. But as experts warn, the sector’s success will not be measured only in chargers deployed, but in the skilled workforce that keeps them operational.
Unless training and certification programmes expand as quickly as hardware deployment, the country risks an imbalance — well-built infrastructure without the human expertise to sustain it.
