Lok Sabha Question No. 1164 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-28
Subject: Skill Development Training under NEP 2020
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Imran Masood

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1164 ANSWERED ON 28.07.2025

## Skill Development Training under NEP 2020

## †1164. Shri Imran Masood:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is committed to make students self-reliant by providing skill development training after completion of education or along with education as per the National Education Policy (NEP);
- (b) if so, the action plan of the Government made to make skill development compulsory across the country;
- (c) the areas of skill development identified/to be introduced as compulsory at the initial stage;
- (d) whether the Government has any scheme to provide employment in the same branch of skill development to the students who choose that branch during their studies; and
- (e) whether the Government proposes to run special skill development classes in minority, Dalit or slum and backward areas?

## ANSWER

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

(a)    to  (e):  The  National  Education  Policy  (NEP)  2020  lays  emphasis  on  integrating  skill development with mainstream education by embedding vocational and practical skills across school  and  higher  education,  removing  hard  separations  between  vocational  and  academic streams. NEP also calls for exposure to vocational education at early stages in middle and secondary schools.

In pursuance of NEP 2020 and under the Skill Education component of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme 'Samagra Shiksha' financial assistance is provided to State/UTs for offering National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) aligned skill courses to the students from class 9th to 12th. At the Secondary level i.e., Class IX and X, skill modules are offered to the students as an additional subject. At Sr. Secondary level, i.e., Class XI and XII, skill courses are offered as  a  compulsory  (elective)  subject.  Exposure  of  prevocational  education  at  Upper  Primary level,  10  bagless  days  etc.  have  been  included  under  Innovation  component  of  Samagra Shiksha. Under Samagra Shiksha, NSQF level aligned Job Roles (JRs) are implemented with a focus on new age skills like Industry 4.0, Web 3.0, AI/ML, AR/VR, Climate Change, Green Economy, and Energy Transition.

Further, 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.

AICTE has taken several measures to make course content for polytechnics and engineering colleges, more practical and provide additional industry exposure to the students. Internship has been made a mandatory component of model curriculum developed by AICTE. Guidelines for  Implementation  of  Apprenticeship  Embeded  Degree/Diploma  programmes  have  been developed.

- Model  Curriculum  has  been  developed  in  areas  such  as  Artificial  Intelligence, DataScience, Space Technology, Electronic Engineering (VLSI Design and Technology),Robotics and Artificial Intelligence etc. Due representation of Industry stakeholders isensured in the curriculum revision committees.
- Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with leading industries and organisations have been  signed  to  facilitate  internship,  skilling  and  upskilling  of  students  and  faculty members.
- Industry  Academia  Mobility  framework  launched  by  AICTE  to  facilitate  connect between  theoretical  knowledge  and  practical  application,  facilitating  collaboration between academia and industry.

The  Ministry  of  Education  has  implemented  National  Apprenticeship  Training  Scheme (NATS) to impart on-the -job training and enhance the employability of youth. In the last 5 financial years, i.e. from FY 2020-21 to 2024-25, the NATS scheme has engaged 12.94 lakh apprentices. For FY 2024-25, over 5.23 lakh apprentices have been engaged.

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 under various schemes, viz. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal  Vikas  Yojana  (PMKVY),  Jan  Sikhshan  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 including rural areas. The SIM aims at enabling youth of India to get future ready and equipped with industry relevant skills.