NSN Connect 2022 – Re-igniting the Skilling Landscape in India – Episode 2

Team NSN has launched the series of NSN Connect 2022 on Re-igniting the skilling landscape in India to learn about these areas. The esteemed guest of the eight-episode series is Mr. Rajesh A R, CEO, LabourNet who is a thought leader and domain expert who will share his experience and expertise on various aspects that are crucial to re-ignite the skilling landscape in India.

Through NSN, we brought several conversations with people who contributed to the skills, education and entrepreneurship landscape in India. NSN raised the issues of unemployment in youth and looked at a few important action points that can be implemented with the outcomes we desire.

The second episode of the series broadly focused on unlocking youth aspirations and NEP 2020. Here is the excerpt from the episode. To watch the full episode, please visit our YouTube channel.

Re-igniting the Skilling Landscape in India – Episode 2 – Unlocking youth aspirations and NEP 2020

In the second episode of the series, Mr. Rajesh A R highlighted the importance of aspirations in youth even if they are in rural parts of India and creating pathways to achieve them.

Talking about the topic, Mr. Rajesh AR has mentioned about the youth who are settling for less earning jobs due to financial crisis or other disadvantages. So, how do we unlock various aspirations in youth and allow them to dream big? We need to bring in social and economic pillars here and when they start recognizing themselves, they start to aspire big. Now, once the aspiration is unlocked, the question of the pathway to reach that particular dream arises.

NEP 2020 opens up new avenues through B.Voc

There have been two developments in the recent past.

1. B.Voc programme which is being offered by UGC, Ministry of Education and
2. Scope to make it flexible like multi-entry and exit system

When we talk about a B.Voc programme, a three-year programme comes to our mind where there are 800 to 1000 credits with on-the-job training. After structuring the programme, we need to look if a student can complete three years at a stretch or skip a year to go for work due to financial ailments. So, if he/she finishes a GDA (General Duty Assistant) programme with three-month training at PMKVY centre or any skilling centre, he/she is placed into a job and that on-the-job training can be converted to credits. Then, they can come back to the university and finish the skipped year and get the certificate.

Bridging the learning gaps through flexible NIOS courses

An integration of NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling) comes in terms of a person who dropped out of 10th or 12th standard and we need to look at how to bridge 10th to 12^th standards and NIOS kind of elements can actually give them the flexibility to enter into 12th standard which is an important milestone to get into a degree programme.

NIOS has come up with a kind of programme that gives an equivalent structure that gives an opportunity to enter into 12th standard even after dropping out after 10th and then enter into B.Tech or any other degree programme. These kinds of equivalences which are available today are further going to get fine-tuned with NEP and NSQF implementations.

Unlocking aspirations starts with creating a role model

We need a role model so as to motivate a person to aspire more.  A role model will earn better with better occupation and people around them look upon that person and think of aspiring for such living.

The element of assessments come when we talk about reigniting the skilling landscape at the district level like MGNF fellows who are working at a grassroots level. One needs to figure out what he/she is good at so as to absorb jobs from nominal wage to decent wage. This can be looked at by doing data analysis and his/her knowledge levels at primary and behavioural levels. When a person completes this assessment with counseling, one can be like a role model.

Making skills aspirational with the outcome as a decent wage

Skills should not only be looked at as a technical training aspect but also from an outcome-based aspect. If we focus on the outcome, then we will automatically bring in skill and we will definitely see different and positive results.

Also Read: Re-igniting the Skilling Landscape in India – Episode 1 – Work, Wages and Skills https://nationalskillsnetwork.in/nsn-connect-2022-re-igniting-the-skilling-landscape-in-india-episode-1/

Three action items

1. How do we leverage that model of vertical mobility of the workforce that NEP throws at us?
2. As a training institute or university, how do we communicate to our target audience and how do we create awareness within the university, industry and students?
3. Creating an effective credit system which gives in the level of credibility for bachelor of degree or programme output which we are trying to bring into the ecosystem.

These action points are something that we need to look at to implement and try to understand why they are an important endeavour towards making skilling aspirational for youth.