The Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal has said that the country will have its vocational curriculum framework in place by May 2011. The framework will ensure employability to millions of students even if they are not able to continue higher studies. The National Vocational Education Qualifications Framework will be launched in May and the curriculum for the same is now being prepared in consultations with the industry. The proposed vocational training will begin at the school level and will be of 10 levels. Students from Class VIII onwards will be able to take up various vocational courses, like carpentry and para-medical, along with their regular courses till Class XII. “We are in the process of bringing vocational education into the school system. Vocational courses like music, automobile engineering, tourism, hospitality and paramedical will be available for students,” Sibal said, addressing a seminar. He said the HRD Ministry is currently in talks with industries like Telecom, Infrastructure and Automobiles to prepare the curiculum for the vocational course framework. The Ministry had earlier set up a group of State Education Ministers to suggest ways for strengthening vocational education at all levels and develop a broad consensus on the contours of the proposed National Vocational Education Qualifications Framework. India's national skill development policy aims to train 50 crore people by 2022.
