The document discusses experts' views on how the Indian government can improve its new National Policy for Skill Development to better achieve its goal of skilling 40.2 crore people by 2022. Experts suggest that the government focus on design in India rather than just manufacturing, as design has a larger and longer impact. They also argue that skilling programs need to develop higher-level skills beyond just training technicians. Additionally, introducing hobby courses in schools could help generate student interest in skills training and empower school/college dropouts to find jobs.

1. Focus on design, else we may create
screwdriver technicians in name of
skilling
G Raj Narayan
www.grajnarayan.com
twitter.com/grajnarayan

2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today launch the Pradhan
Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana to mark the World Youth Skills
Day. The government has set a target of skilling 40.2 crore
people by 2022, under the new National Policy for Skill
Development, which will also be formally launched today.
According to Union Skills Development & Entrepreneurship
Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy of the targeted population, 54
percent is in the agriculture sector.
The vision of the skill development policy is to create an
ecosystem of empowerment by skilling on a large scale at
speed with high standards and to promote a culture of
innovation-based entrepreneurship which can generate
wealth and employment so as to ensure sustainable
livelihoods for all citizens.
It has four thrust areas, and addresses key obstacles to
skilling, including low aspirational value, lack of integration
with formal education, lack of focus on outcomes, low quality
of training infrastructure and trainers.
What really matters is how the government put this into
action.
This should be a concern for all players in this area – the
government, the industry, the vocational training institutions,
training providers, assessment agencies, certification
providers and student financiers.

3. What should the policy do to make the policy a success?
Firstpost spoke to specialists and analysts, who while
welcoming the new initiative of the government, suggested
a few measures that the policy could look at and help plug
loopholes at the ground level: The government is talking
about manufacturing in India. Time it focused on design in
India, says G Raj Narayan, Chief Mentor of DRONA and
Founder & MD of Radel Group, that delivers indigenous
solutions in Aerospace, Defence and Electronics.
“Design has a large and longer impact on what we are
manufacturing. When you do that, you are adding in a huge
way to manufacturing and using Indian talent.
Manufacturing under licence get us nowhere. Then it would
mean skilling 1,000 employees in screwdriver technology,”
he said.
Skilling has to be at a higher level than merely creating
technicians. Lack of artistic skill in design and manufacturing
is a big gap in India. One of the way to get the youth to be
interested in skilling is to introduce hobby courses in school
at the high school or mid-level.
“Right now, marks are important for students and parents
to get to engineering and medical seats. If skilling hobbies
are introduced at the school level, school and college
dropouts will be empowered to get a job. Academicians are
needed to look at integrating this policy at the school level.
All stakeholders should be involved by the government to
make the policy a success,” Narayan said.