The National Credit Framework (NCrF) will help dropouts from the formal education system to get reintegrated by aligning their practical experience with the appropriate framework level, secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Sanjay Kumar said.
He made the remark while chairing the consultation workshop and two roundtable interactions with Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Directorate General of Training (ITI), PSSCIVE,Bhopal, NCERT, CBSE, NCVET, AICTE among others.
The workshop and roundtable interaction were also attended by various experts from PwC, YuWaah, Civil Society organizations, state education department, practitioners and organisations working in the fields of vocational education and career counselling, corporates and current and passed out students.
During the keynote address, Kumar pointed out that India needs to catch up with other countries in terms of skilling the workforce through formal vocational training during the student years. National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has identified such issues and has suggested remedial measures, he added.
Kumar further pointed out that as per NEP vocational education needs to be integrated into all schools and higher education institutions in a phased manner over the next decade. Trades and courses shall be chosen based on skills gap analysis and mapping of local opportunities to make it demand driven. Concerted efforts from all stakeholders will be required to de-stigmatize vocational education and make it aspirational.
The National Credit Framework, currently under finalization by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship will also eliminate traditional hierarchies and silos between different areas of learning. It will help in removing complex separations between arts and sciences, between curricular and extra-curricular activities, between vocational and academic streams.