Day 7 – Q 5.Despite several initiatives, skill development in India is not taking at a pace as expected. Why? Also suggest various measures that can improve the situation.
5. Despite several initiatives, skill development in India is not taking at a pace as expected. Why? Also suggest various measures that can improve the situation.
कई पहलों के बावजूद, भारत में कौशल विकास अपेक्षा के अनुसार गति नहीं ले रहा है। क्यूं? इस स्थिति में सुधार करने वाले विभिन्न उपायों का भी सुझाव दें।
Approach:
- Introduction: Initiatives taken
- Main body-
-Pace of skill development- Not as expected.
-Reasons behind.
-Measures to improve the situation
- Conclusion
Introduction:
India is one of the youngest nations in the world with more than 63% of the population in the working age group of 15-59 and above 54% of the total population under the age of 25 years. Every year, millions of job seekers enter the job market with their skill sets, making skill development India’s one of the highest priorities. Skill building is a powerful tool to empower individuals and improve their social acceptance.
Some of the initiatives are Skill India Mission, DDU-GKY, Ajeevika skills, PMKVY, SANKALP, STRIVE etc. are some of the initiatives launched in this regard.
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) with its core focus on converging all skill development initiatives in the country under one National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), was created by the Government of India.
Slow pace of skill development:
Structural issues (Sharda Prasad Committee)
- The skill development programme has faltered in establishing the exact role of the industry, government agencies and other stakeholders.
- The skill development programme is marred with overlaps in roles and responsibilities across some of its departments such as the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), National Skill Development Authority (NSDA) etc.
- Sector skill councils (SSCs) has been termed as ‘hotbed of crony capitalism’ that have tried to ‘extract maximum benefit from public funds.’
- Conflict of interest in the councils’ membership base, including those involving three NSDC board members.
Other issues:
- Labor laws are yet to be reformed.
- Lack of awareness regarding various schemes.
Suggested measures:
Recommendations made by Sharda Prasad Committee:
- The committee has suggested a merger of a majority of 40 sector skill councils (SSCs) running skill development centers to half their numbers.
- Developing a credible, sound, aspirational, national system, which is quality assured and internationally compatible.
- The Centre scrap all existing skill councils, many of which have overlapping roles and introduce an oversight mechanism on the NSDC.
Other recommendations:
- Academic curriculum uptill college needs an overhaul so that it comes in sync with global developments like automation.
- Mindset change as in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is required. So that vocational training is respected.
- Sensitisation of industrial owners, employers.
Conclusion:
The government has rightly set skill development as one of its topmost priority. However, given the pace is slow, structural issues must be sorted and implementation should be made more effective.
Best answer: Sanavia Ahmed
