Lok Sabha Question No. 1379 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-10
Subject: Unemployment in the Country
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Pinaki Misra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1379 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.02.2020

## Unemployment in the Country

## 1379. SHRI PINAKI MISRA:

## Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government acknowledges the high rate of unemployment in the country;
- (b) the reasons for various surveys pointing towards the fact that graduates in the country are not employable;
- (c) whether  there  are  any  steps  being  taken  to  increase  the  employability  of  graduates  in  the country, particularly engineering graduates; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

(a) to (d): AICTE in association with various organisations carries out an employability Skill Test of pre-final and final year graduate students of AICTE approved institutionsannually. The results have indicated that there has been a constant rise in employability of engineering graduates in India over the  last  5-years.Toincrease  the  employability  of  graduates  in  the  country,  Ministry  of  Human Resource  Development  is  working  along  with  Sector  Skill  Councils  (SSCs)  under  National  Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)  to undertake Apprenticeship/Internship embedded  degree programmes  with  core  focus  on  development  of  knowledge,  skills,  aptitude  and  on-job  training. Some of the sectors like Logistics & Retail have commenced Degree Apprenticeship programmes in 15  institutions.  Further,  52  MoUs  have  been  signed  between  Media  &  Entertainment  Skills Council (MESC) and Colleges/Universities for offering specialized courses for students in Media & Entertainment  Sector.  Also,  the  Logistics  Sector  Council  is  in  the  process  of  aligning  with  50 colleges for further running courses in Agri supply- chain & Aviation, apart from the PG Diploma in Data  Science  (Logistics)  and  BBA  (Logistics).    Ministry  is  also  working  with  other  sector  skill Councils under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship.

In  addition,  to  boost  the  vocational  education in  the  country,  3  schemes  are  being implemented  by  University  Grants  Commission  (UGC)  under  National  Skills Qualifications Framework  (NSQF)  which  are  Community  Colleges  (since  2013-14),  B.Voc  Degree  Programme (since 2014-15) and DeenDayalUpadhayay (DDU) Kaushal Kendra (since 2015-16). There are 188 Community Colleges, 289 Institutions offering B.Voc Degree Programmes and 68  DDU KaushalKendras in which 68,663 students are enrolled in various skill programmes. Also, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has introduced the Vocational Degree/Diploma Programs under NSQF for AICTE approved Institutions. In the year 2019, AICTE has given approval to 473

institutions to run vocational courses with intake of 35,450 students.

Also,  Ministry  of  Skill  Development  and  Entrepreneurship  is  implementing  a  flagship scheme  known  as  PradhanMantri  Kaushal  VikasYojana  (PMKVY)  2016-20  with  an  objective  to provide  skilling  to  one  crore  people  under  Short  Term  Training  (STT)  and  Recognition  of  Prior Learning  (RPL)  across  the  country  for  four  years  i.e.  2016-2020  with  an  outlay  of  12,000  crore. Also, a committee was constituted in 2018 for preparing short term and medium term perspective plan,  with  a  view  to  improve  employability  of  Engineering  graduates  in  India.  The  Committee recommended that:

- (a) Courses  on  nine  emerging  technologies  like  AI,  DATA  Science,  IOT,  Cyber  Security Robotics, Design, Quantum Computing, AR/VR, Block Chain and 3d Printing and should be introduced in UG Engineering Courses.
- (b) Greater  focus  on  multi-discipline  course  by  reducing  seats  in  conventional  disciplines  and converting existing seats into these courses.
- (c) A Model Curriculum has been prepared in associationwith NITTTR Chandigarh in the above 9 (nine) Technologies.

The quality measures being taken by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to increase the employability of graduates in the country, particularly engineering graduates are as follows:

- (i) Preparation of outcome based model curriculum for Diploma, Undergraduate (UG) and Post Graduate (PG) courses in Engineering and PGDM/MBA Courses.
- (ii) Introduction of 3  week induction  program for students to be offered right at the commencement of the 1 st year at UG level in Engineering.
- (iii) Setting up of Induction Cell at AICTE to monitor the induction activities and National Level Coordination  Committee  to  coordinate training  of  Faculty  members  on  'Student  induction Program'.
- (iv) Exam reforms and formulation of comprehensive teacher's training. 8 modules are proposed for incumbent as well as in service teachers.
- (v) Mandatory internship, Revision of model curriculum, and Industry readiness accreditation.
- (vi) Wheebox  Employability  Skill  Test  (WEST)  being  held  for  all  pre-final  and  final  year graduates  of  AICTE  approved  institutions  to  identify  the  core  strengths  of  students  and certify the same.

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