Vocational Education and Skill Development

What is Vocational Education?

Vocational Education aims to develop skilled manpower through diversified courses to meet the requirements of mainly the unorganized sector and to instill self employment skills in people through a large number of self employment oriented courses. OR Its the form of education in which people are provided with practical skills which will allow them to engage in careers which involve practical abilities VE in India is imparted through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) (Virudhunagar district) and polytechnics.

Education in India
General and academic education It builds analytical skills and knowledge Vocational Education It develops craftsmanship, practical experience and practical problem solving more practical There is a mismatch between the skilled manpower available and the skilled manpower required The general and academic education only provide the graduates with degrees and not any specific skill sets

Objectives of Vocational Education

To increase the employability of students To provide society with personnel having a wide spectrum of knowledge and training for its upliftment To reduce and eliminate the element of frustration among the youth from non-productive and aimless education offered at secondary level To make academics more practical and spirit full rather than boring by incorporating VE in the curriculum The education to be imparted should shake off the bookish pattern and continuously inculcate self confidence in the students

Vocational Education Courses

Communication skills Fashion designing Soft skills Computer applications Educational services Journalism Para-medical Animal husbandry, forestry and fisheries Weaving Photography Home sciences

Agencies involved in the implementation of VE

Central Government
National Skills Development Council
Ministry of Human Resource Development Department of School Education and Literacy Ministry of Labor and Employment , Directorate General of Employment and Training

State Government
Directorate of Technical Education Private Sector NGOs

Vocational Education in India

The National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986 (as modified in 1992) Government of India has given high importance to vocational education and training. The National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986 (as modified in 1992) has initiated the introduction of systematic, well-planned and rigorously implemented programs of vocational education, to enhance employability, reduce the mis-match between demand and supply of skilled manpower and to provide alternatives to those pursuing tertiary education, without particular interest or purpose. The policy envisages that efforts will be made to provide children at the higher secondary level with generic vocational courses which are not occupation specific.

Vocationalisation of Secondary Education

It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme The scheme provides for financial assistance to the states/units to set up administrative structure, area vocational surveys, preparation of curriculum, text books, work book curriculum guides, training manuals, teacher training programs, strengthening technical support system for research and development, training and evaluation etc. Under the Scheme, Vocational education is provided in 9,619 schools with 21,000 sections covering about 1 million students. It is proposed to expand vocational education to 20,000 schools and the intake capacity to 2.5 million by 2011-12. About 150 job oriented courses at +2 level are being provided in the areas of Agriculture. Business & Commerce, Engineering and Technology, Home Science, Health and Paramedical, Social sciences, humanities etc. Strengthening of existing Vocational Schools and establishing new vocational schools.

Setting up/constitution of various bodies/committees for governance monitoring and implementation of the National Vocational Qualification Framework. Setting up of Central Board and State Boards of Vocational Education (CBVE) and (SBVE) for accreditation/affiliation, examination certification and equivalence. Provision of pathways among 14 Indian qualifications for vertical and horizontal mobility. Provision of multiple-entry, multiple exit and flexibility in delivery.

Various schemes for VE in India

The directorate general of employment and training (DGE&T) in the ministry of labor, government of India initiated VE in 1950 by establishing about 50 ITIs for imparting skills in various vocational trades to meet the skilled manpower requirements for technology and industrial growth of the country. JAN SHIKSHAN SANSTHAN (JSS) was launched as a Adult Education Program of MHRD, aimed at improving the vocational skills and quality of life of workers and their family members. The program initially focused on adults and young people living in urban and industrial areas and those who had migrated from the rural areas. It has acted as a district level resource to organize vocational training and skill development programs. At present, 221 JSS are functioning in various States of the country.

Craftsmen Training Scheme

The directorate general of employment and training in the ministry initiated this scheme in 1950 by establishing 50 ITIs

In 1980s several new ITIs were set up in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerela from where craftsmen found jobs in gulf countries
Training is imparted in 49 engineering and 49 non-engineering trades. ITIs are functioning under the administrative control of the respective State Govts./UTs / Private Organisations. The period of training for various trades varies from six months to three years and the entry qualification varies from 8th to 12th class pass, depending on the requirements of training in different trades. The institutes / trades having necessary infrastructural facilities as per the norms, are granted affiliation.

These institutes are required to conduct training courses as per the curriculum prescribed by National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT). About 70% of the training period is allotted to practical training and the rest to theoretical training relating to Trade theory, Workshop Calculation & Science, Engineering Drawing, Social Studies including environmental science & family welfare. Training in Govt. ITIs is provided free of cost or nominal fee is charged. Syllabi of various trades are periodically revised to keep pace with changing technology in industry. Routine evaluation of services and infrastructure in ITI's and if found to not be conforming to the standards/norms prescribed by NCVT are pulled up by the government

Vocational Guidance and Employment Counseling Program

To cater to the Educational and Vocational Guidance needs of the students and job-seekers the Vocational Guidance and Employment Counseling program as an integral part of National Employment Service was formulated in the year 1956 under the technical guidance of ILO provides the necessary guidance and employment counseling services to the job-seekers and the students through the network of 938 Employment Exchanges

The program include rendition of different Vocational Guidance and Employment Counseling Services to the Jobseekers visiting Employment Exchanges
consists of discussions of Vocational Plans and Problems of Guidance Seekers at length taking into account their Educational Qualifications, Intelligence, Aptitudes, Interests and Socio-economic background etc. on the one hand and Job Requirements, Employment Market Conditions, Trends etc., on the other.

It also consists of providing information about Occupational and Training facilities, Scholarships, SelfEmployment Opportunities etc., on individual basis. special functions like organizing career conferences/exhibitions/seminars/career campaigns etc. to disseminate occupational information; coaching classes to develop desired level of skills, speed and knowledge to increase their employability by preparing the students for competitive examinations / interviews conducting and organizing campus recruitment programs Vocational Guidance is a continuous process of assisting the individual, starting from school stage and therefore, forms part of guidance services of educational institutions. For rendering this service in schools specially trained staff known as counselors and career masters are provided by the educational authorities..

Other Schemes
Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY) Employment Assurance Scheme, the Integrated Rural Development Program (IRDP) the Program for Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA), Training of Rural Youth for Self-employment (TRYSEM). The Department of Women and Child Development runs Support to Training and Employment Programs The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has 51 training centres, including 12 village industry training centers. The Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust (BYST) aims to help unemployed or underemployed youths aged 18-35 years to set up or develop their own businesses. The National Renewal Fund (NRF) provides assistance to cover the cost of retraining and redeployment of employees arising from modernization, technology up gradation and industrial restructuring. The Ministry of Agricultures Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK) impart training to

Some Reasons for Low Performance

Low priority for Vocational Education Shortage of trained teachers and trainers Inadequate linkages with Industries Absence of a National Competency Testing and Accreditation system Lack of infrastructure building, modern equipment and raw materials. Inadequate or non-coverage of trades in service sector which has higher employment potential. Lack of equivalence for employment purposes Lack of vertical mobility. Inflexible curriculum. Lack of convergence between various agencies. Lack of overall social recognition.

Skill Development in India

Skill development refers to the capacities acquired through all levels of education and training, occurring in the formal, informal and on the job setting which enables individuals in all areas of the economy to become fully and productively engaged in livelihoods and to have the capacity to adapt their skills to meet the changing demands and opportunities of the economy and the labor market

A National Policy on Skill Development has been formulated by the Ministry of Labour & Employment. The objective is to create a workforce empowered with improved skills, knowledge and internationally recognized qualifications to gain access to decent employment and ensure Indias competitiveness in the dynamic Global Labour market. It aims at increase in productivity of workforce both in the organized and the unorganized sectors, seeking increased participation of youth, women, disabled and other disadvantaged sections

At present the capacity of skill development in India is around 9 million persons per year. India has target of creating 500 million skilled workers by 2022. National Skill Development Initiative will empower all individuals through improved skills, knowledge, nationally and internationally recognized qualifications to gain access to decent employment and ensure Indias competitiveness in the global market. The aim of skill development in the country is to support achieving rapid and inclusive growth through: Enhancing individuals employability) and ability to adapt to changing technologies and labor market demands. Improving productivity and living standards of the people. Strengthening competitiveness of the country. Attracting investment in skill development.

The objectives of the national policy on skill development are to: Create opportunities for all to acquire skills throughout life, and especially for youth, women and disadvantaged groups. Promote commitment by all stakeholders to own skill development initiatives. Develop a high-quality skilled workforce/ entrepreneur relevant to current and emerging employment market needs.

The coverage of the national policy on skill development includes the following:
Institution-based skill development including ITIs/ITCs/Vocational schools/technical schools/ polytechnics/ professional colleges etc. Learning initiatives of sectoral skill development organized by different ministries/departments. Formal and informal apprenticeships and other types of training enterprises. Training for self employment/entrepreneurial development. Adult learning, retraining of retired or retiring employees and lifelong learning Non-formal training including training by civic society organisations.

E-learning, web-based learning and distance learning

Skills and knowledge are the driving forces of economic growth and social development for any country. Countries with higher and better levels of skills adjust more effectively to the challenges and opportunities of world of work. As India moves progressively towards becoming a knowledge economy it becomes increasingly important that the country should focus on advancement of skills and these skills have to be relevant to the emerging economic environment. In order to achieve the twin targets of economic growth and inclusive development, Indias Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has to grow consistently at 8% to 9% per annum. This requires significant progress in several areas, including infrastructure development, agricultural growth coupled with productivity improvements, financial sector growth, a healthy business environment, ably supported by a skilled workforce.