Lok Sabha Question No. 943 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-10
Subject: Need for Skill Development Strategies
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Aditya Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 943

ANSWERED ON 10.02.2025

## Need for Skill Development Strategies

## 943. SHRI ADITYA YADAV:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether there is a need for skill development strategies in educational institution; and (b) if so, the details thereof and the initiative proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a) & (b) The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 was launched by the Government of India with  an  aim  to  transform  and  improve  the  quality  of  education  in  the  country.  NEP  2020 promotes  holistic  development  of  learners  by  identifying  specific  sets  of  skills  and  values across domains for integration and incorporation at each stage of learning from pre-school to higher  education.  NEP  2020  also  envisages  Curriculum  Frameworks  and  Transaction Mechanisms to ensure that these skills and values are imbibed through an engaging process of teaching and learning.

NEP 2020 promotes a framework for integration of experiential learning through integration of important vocational crafts as mapped by local skilling needs, as early as Grade six.

In alignment with the objectives of NEP 2020, the National Credit Framework (NCrF) has been launched as a comprehensive credit framework encompassing elementary, school, higher and vocational education & training, integrating creditization of learning in various dimensions i.e. academics,  vocational  skills  and  experiential  learning  including  relevant  experience  and proficiency/ professional levels acquired. The NCrF has been jointly developed by University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and National Council  for  Vocational  Education  &  Training  (NCVET)  among  others  and  it  provides  for creditization of all learning and assignment, accumulation, storage, transfer & redemption of credits,  subject  to  assessment;  removes  distinction  and  establishes  academic  equivalence between vocational & general education while enabling mobility within & between them.

For Skill Enhancement of learners in the field of Technical Education, AICTE has taken several steps including:

- AICTE has made Internship, an integrated part of technical education through the Internship Policy. Model Internship guidelines for technical courses have been launched. Internship is mandatory component of Model Curriculum issued by AICTE for different courses.
- To facilitate connect between theoretical knowledge and practical application, AICTE facilitates collaboration between academia and industry.
- AICTE  has  developed  guidelines  for implementation  of Apprenticeship Embedded Degree/Diploma programmes in the AICTE approved institutions, wherein courses having apprenticeship component embedded are be encouraged to make the students industry ready and to enhance potential employment.
- Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with leading industries and organisations have been signed to facilitate internship, skilling and upskilling of students and faculty members.

In order to fulfill the objective of improving employability and forming robust industryacademia linkage, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has framed Guidelines for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to offer Apprenticeship / Internship Embedded Degree Programmes.

With focus on Digital Education, UGC has notified UGC (Open and Distance Learning Programmes  and  Online  Programmes)  Regulations,  2020  on  4th  September,  2020. Subsequently, amendments have been notified on 1st July, 2021, 18th July, 2022 and 2nd May, 2024. UGC has accorded recognition/entitlement to 108 Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to offer ODL programmes and 99 HEIs to offer online programmes.

The  Ministry  of  Education  in  collaboration  with  IIT  Madras  and  eminent  Industry Partners have launched SWAYAM Plus platform on 27th February 2024, expanding its offerings to identify and include courses aligned with industry needs and to enhance learners' employability. The platform provides high-quality learning and certification programs from the leading industry and academia to the students/ learners which can help them in reskilling and upskilling and making them employment ready. Ministry of Education and IIT Madras has signed more than 55 MoUs with the leading industries partners. As on 22nd November, 2024, more than 320 Courses are available on the platform and more than 1.27 lakhs learners have enrolled on this platform for their Skill enhancement.

For on-the-job training and skilling of Indian youth, Ministry of Education is implementing National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS). The scheme is implemented through four regional Boards of Apprenticeship Training/Practical Training (BoATs/BoPT). NATS has engaged 8.72 lakh apprentices and Rs 1298 Cr has been released as stipendiary grant under this scheme in last five years.

Under  the  Government  of  India's  Skill  India  Mission  (SIM),  the  Ministry  of  Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) delivers skill, re-skill and up-skill training through an extensive network of skill development centres/ institutes etc. under various schemes,  viz.  Pradhan  Mantri  Kaushal  Vikas  Yojana  (PMKVY),  Jan  Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), to all the sections of the society across the country. The SIM aims at enabling youth of India to get future ready  and  equipped  with  industry  relevant  skills.  The  schemes  of  MSDE  for  skill development are demand driven and the training centres (TCs) are set up/engaged on need basis to impart the training across the country.