The NEP 2020 emphasizes the integration of vocational education into all levels of education in India, aiming for at least 50% of learners to receive vocational training by 2025. Currently, less than 5% of the Indian workforce aged 19-24 is formally educated in vocational skills, highlighting the urgency for reform. Recommendations include integrating vocational training in mainstream education, providing local internships, and involving local experts as instructors.

1. NEP 2020 on Vocational Education
Gautam Kumar
Assistant Professor
University Department of Teacher Education
Utkal University, Bhubaneswar
https://www.gautamkumar.net/

3. NEP 2020 on Vocational Education
• Higher education must play a key role in preparing individuals for the world
of work.
• Educational programmes are designed for preparing people for specific
occupations.
• Vocational education must be also distinguished from skills and skilling.
• Vocational education integrates a complex of knowledge, attitudes and skills,
for particular occupations.

4. NEP 2020 on Vocational Education
Status of Vocational Education
The 12th Five-Year Plan (2012–2017) estimated that only a very small
percentage of the Indian workforce in the age group of 19–24 (less than 5%)
received formal vocational education
• USA - 52%,
• Germany - 75%,
• South Korea - 96%.
These numbers only underline the urgency of the need to hasten the spread of
vocational education in India.

5. NEP 2020 on Vocational Education
Objective: Integrate vocational education into all educational institutions -
schools, colleges and universities. Provide access to vocational education to at
least 50% of all learners by 2025.

6. NEP 2020 on Vocational Education
• Vocational education will be an integral part of school and higher education.
• All school students must receive vocational education in at least one vocation
during Grades 9-12.
• Vocational education must not be developed separately from ‘mainstream’
education. It must be fully integrated within mainstream education so that all
students are exposed to vocational education and have the choice to pursue
specific streams of vocational education.
Recommendations

7. NEP 2020 on Vocational Education
• No hard separation of curricular, extra and co-curricular, arts and science,
sports and vocational crafts. Curriculum to integrate Indian culture and ethos.
• Vocational education integration from primary grades and a ten days (no bag
days) internship with local trades/craftsperson for Grades 6-8.
• Shorter local teacher education programmes to be available at BITEs, DIETs, or
at school complexes for eminent local persons who can be hired to teach at
schools as 'master instructors', for promoting local professions, knowledge, and
skills, e.g., local art, music, agriculture, business, sports, carpentry, and other
vocational crafts
Implementation Strategies

8. NEP 2020 on Vocational Education
• Lok Vidya - local artists as master instructors in schools.
• NIOS to expand to include vocational courses and courses for grades 3, 5 and 8.
• Vocational skill development be a part of Adult Skill Development Curriculum.
• Train local teachers in schools and HEIs to contribute towards offering
vocational education through supplementing the hand-on training students
receive.
• NCERT through the Pandit Sunderlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational
Education (PSSCIVE) and with the SCERTs (through the State Institutes of
Vocational Education where they exist) to create curriculum and supplementary
educational material for vocational education that are adapted to local needs.
Implementation Strategies

9. NEP 2020 on Vocational Education
Implementation Strategies

10. Discussion