Cabinet approves National Policy on Skill Development
The Union Cabinet has approved the National Policy on Skill Development proposed by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The objective is to create a workforce empowered with improved skills, knowledge and internationally recognised qualifications to gain access to decent employment and ensure India’s competitiveness in the dynamic global labour market.
The policy aims at increasing the productivity of workforce both in the organised and the unorganised sectors, seeking increased participation of youth, women, disabled and other disadvantaged sections. This is the first ever Policy in the country and has been evolved after multiple rounds of consultation among different ministries of Central and State governments, industries and employer organisations, trade unions and other stake holders. It aims to synergise efforts of various sectors and reform the present system.
The salient features of the Policy are :
1. Demand driven system guided by labour market signals thereby reducing skills mismatch,
2. Expansion of outreach using established as well as innovative approaches,
3. National Vocational Qualifications Framework which will inte-ralia include opportunities for horizontal and vertical mobility between general and technical education, recognition and certification of competencies irrespective of mode of learning,
4. System to deliver ‘competencies’ in line with nationally and internationally recognised standards,
5. Focus on new emerging occupations,
6. Focus on pre-employment training and Life-long learning,
7. Equity consideration
