The aim of introducing vocational education at school level is to enhance the employability of youth through driven demand according to the industry oriented qualification standards. The centrally sponsored scheme of vocationalisation the secondary and higher secondary education approved by the Government of India in September 2011 has been revised on 12 Feb. 2014. The scheme covers vocational education from level 1 to level 4 (9th-12th) of the National Skill Qualifications Framework (NSQF). The scheme seeks to integrate the vocational education with general education. It envisages close partnership with the industry in the design, development, delivery, assessment and certification of skills content http://www.dietshimla.org/vocational-education.html/and nsqfhp.org/vocational education.
Himachal Pradesh has major 11 trades that have been introduced at the school level under this scheme, which are are -ITES, Healthcare, Tourism, Agriculture, Retail, Automobile, Security, Telecom and Physical Education, Media and BFSI(Banking financial Services and insurance). In district Shimla 116 Schools have been covered under the scheme of vocational education which further have 7625 (Seven thousand six hundred and twenty five) students enrolled in current session. A total of 200 permanent and 2 substitute vocational teachers (VTs) are available in the schools rendering the services of vocational education in different trades. Contingency grant, Raw material grant, Industrial visit grant and Guest lecture grant have been provided to the schools which were to be utilized by March 2020. Basic amenities like Internet and Electricity are provided in addition with the complete lab setup. Lab construction fund has been allocated to 20schools in this session, out of which 16 (Sixteen) schools have already completed the work. In one school the work is in progress, whereas only three schools have returned the amount to this office due to non availability of requisite land. In place of these schools new one schools have requisite land to construct the vocational labs , so the case has been sent to higher authority to divert the said fund in those schools These schools are GSSS Koti , GSSS Baldian and Chanawag . For the session 2020-21 Ninety nine schools have been proposed for vocational education scheme which aptly fulfill the set criteria of, specific students strength and availability of rooms for acquiring the course. But no one school have been sanctioned for this district.
This Policy was introduced because of the objective of Employment for youth, under the large scale programme of SKILL INDIAinstituted by the Government of India. Some areas in our country are poverty stricken to such an extent that, not all 12th pass students make it to the college because of lack of finances and deprivation. Along with that the changing trends and competition of industrial aspect of India has raised the need for such a study. Keeping this in mind, the vocational courses enable a person to116 Schools have been covered under the scheme of vocational education which further have secure a job after 4 years (9-12) of studyin any of the above mentioned trades, hence that student would become economically stable to support him/herself and his/her family. In turn, this policy has also given a regular employment for as many asvocational teachers (VTs) are available in the schools rendering the services of vocational education in different trades. Contingency grant, Raw material grant, Industrial visit grant and Guest lecture grant have been provided to the schools which were to be utilized by March 2020. Basic amenities like Internet and Electricity are provided in addition with the complete lab setup. Lab construction fund has been allocated to 202 vocational teachers in various schools of District Shimla.
As many as 202 vocational teachers are employed under this scheme, teaching all 10 trades in district Shimla that have been introduced in the state. These vocational trainers/teachers/ (VTs) use classroom teaching and outdoor teaching as their main methods of imparting such education. Along with theory, equal practical knowledge is imparted in the student. In addition to such methods, the students are given frequent industrial visits to understand the modern dynamics of today’s industry and guest lectures are held for the students to grasp the most of their subject. A special Communication skill improvementlecture is also organized for the students to face the panel interviews and to satiate the rising demands of industry’s interaction.
Hence, this concluded that this scheme has rendered employment to as many as 202 teachers directly associated to it and would render industrial job to as many as 7,625 students in about half a decade. The Vocational Education Scheme has not only raised employability but has also changed many facets of education. Along with basic education, the student rightfully acquires professional education and can pursue it either as a career immediately after 12th standard or can pursue the same line of profession in higher studies Vocational Education is a boon to Indian Education System and also to the Indian Economy . In the coming years this scheme would prepare able professionals who would change the face of Indian business industry.
