In a significant step towards addressing the skill gap among young people, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, along with Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Labour and Employment plus Youth Affairs and Sports, launched the Jobs at Your Doorstep: A Jobs Diagnostics for Young People in Six States report in New Delhi on Friday, November 22.
The event witnessed the presence of prominent dignitaries, including Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of the Department of School Education & Literacy; Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship; and Auguste Tano Kouame, Country Director for the World Bank in India. Also in attendance were Shabnam Sinha, Lead Education Specialist at the World Bank, other ministry officials, and school principals.
What is the Jobs at Your Doorstep Report?
The Jobs at Your Doorstep report is a comprehensive skills gap analysis aimed at aligning the trades taught in schools with the industry-specific needs of the districts they serve. Based on extensive primary and secondary research, the study focuses on six states participating in the World Bank’s Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS) initiative: Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Rajasthan.
The findings emphasize the importance of embedding skill-based education into the school curriculum from grades 9 to 12. By adopting a bottom-up approach, the report delves deep into district-level needs to propose localized solutions for preparing students for diverse career opportunities.
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India’s Path to Economic Empowerment
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan commended the World Bank for its in-depth analysis and urged the team to develop a pan-India framework based on the report’s findings. He highlighted the need to expand the definition of employment to encompass broader economic opportunities and empowerment, stressing that India’s population has the potential to drive the global economy.
Pradhan also emphasized the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s vision of integrating skilling into school education to better equip students for future challenges. “Skilling must start at the school level to create a workforce ready for the demands of the 21st-century economy,” he noted.
Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of the Department of School Education & Literacy, underscored the NEP 2020’s focus on instilling discipline and consistent practice among students to help them achieve mastery in their chosen skills.
