NVEQF proposes university to create skilled workforce

Updated on: Monday, October 10, 2011

The National Vocational Education Qualification Framework (NVEQF), seeking to create a pool of skilled workforce for the country, has proposed a university with regional centres in states to execute implementation of the ambitious initiative.

The Framework, unveiled by HRD Minister Kapil Sibal here last Saturday, has proposed a 'National Vocational Education and Training University' which will develop framework and define requirements of certificate, diploma and degrees in different areas.

It has also proposed the establishment of a 'National Vocational Education and Training Institute' that shall supplement of the role of the proposed varsity. NVEQF, an initiative of AICTE, seeks to empower 200 million students, including dropouts by 2011 and secure career opportunities to about 150 million students who may not even have access to higher education by 2020.

The framework, which will be implemented from 2012, will have seven level of certification providing students multi-level entry and exit options enabling them to seek employment after class XII. The end objective is to integrate vocational education with mainstream education and bringing parity between vocational and mainstream education.

The proposed university, according to NVEQF will define fee structure, monitor knowledge delivery and evaluation methodologies of training providers and award certificate, diploma and degree to students. The regional centres will be engaged in giving sufficient publicity to modular programmes and the requirement for award of diplomas and degrees.

Besides, the centres will inspect and register teaching and training institutes and provide career guidance to students to select modules. However, as the varsity as well as the centres are expected to take time to fructify, AICTE and its regional offices will play the role of the proposed varsity to facilitate implementation of NVEQF.

The framework will spread from Class IX of schooling to the last level culminating in vocational graduation. According to AICTE, "as the initiative is linked with the industry needs, it will fetch jobs, and if properly dovetailed with the formal education may even fetch the student a degree or a diploma in the appropriate specialisation or even fetch a bachelors in vocational education or fetch a equivalent technical diploma".

Each of the seven level of certification will require 1,000 hours of education and training per annum. These hours shall have both vocational and academic component.

NVEQF proposes university to create skilled workforce

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