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Reinventing Vocational Training System
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Context:
The Prime Minister’s August 15 address proposed education reforms, highlighting the need to strengthen vocational education and training (VET) for boosting employability in India.
Challenges in India’s VET System
- Low Enrolment and Utilisation: Despite over 14,000 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and 25 lakh sanctioned seats, actual enrolment in 2022 was only 12 lakh, with just 48% seat utilisation.
- Weak Employment Outcomes: Employment rates for VET graduates in India remain low at 38.5%, compared to 80–90% in countries like Germany, Singapore, and Canada.
- Academic Bias and Skill Gap: India’s education system emphasises academic degrees, neglecting vocational pathways, leading to limited employability skills and inadequate industry orientation.
International Best Practices
- Germany’s Dual System: Germany integrates vocational training with high school education, offering paid apprenticeships and strong industry linkages that ensure smooth labour market absorption.
- Singapore’s Quality Assurance: Singapore ensures high standards in VET through regular audits, feedback mechanisms, and structured pathways from technical to university education.
- Public-Private Collaboration: Advanced economies invest heavily in VET by linking government funding with industry participation, ensuring financial viability and market relevance.
Way Forward
- Strengthening ITIs and NSDC: India must improve ITIs’ financial autonomy, upgrade outdated curricula, and align training with local industry needs through the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).
- Increasing Public Investment: India allocates only 3% of its education expenditure to VET, compared to 10–13% in advanced economies, requiring higher investment to match global standards.
- Integrated Policy Reforms: Employment-linked schemes like PM Internship Scheme, ELI, and ELPTA must be linked with quality vocational training, providing clear career progression and improved employability.
Practice Question
“India’s vocational education and training (VET) system faces challenges of low enrolment, poor industry linkage, and weak employability outcomes. Critically examine the gaps in India’s VET framework and suggest reforms by drawing lessons from global best practices.” (250 words)
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