The National Service Scheme (NSS) of Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports conducts training programmes such as “Effective Leadership Programme" for volunteers, focusing on public speaking, professional ethics, and social responsibility. During 7-day special camps, senior volunteers or external experts mentor participants on specific themes like watershed management, wasteland development, disaster management, assisting students in navigating higher education and job opportunities, mentoring for community engagement, such as in slum development or literacy campaigns, sessions focusing on stress management and personal development. At present the coverage of NSS is 38.81 lakh Volunteers enrolled in all the States/UTs throughout the Country.

Under the Government of India’s Skill India Mission (SIM), the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) delivers skill, re-skill and up-skill training through an extensive network of skill development centres/institutes under various schemes, viz. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), to all the sections of the society across the country. The SIM aims at enabling youth of India to get future ready and equipped with industry relevant skills.

National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has recommended integration of vocational education into mainstream education in all educational institutions. For integration of vocational education into mainstream education, the following initiatives inter-alia have been taken:

(i) Under the vocational education component of Samagra Shiksha scheme, National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) compliant vocational courses are offered to the students from class 9th to 12th in eligible schools. At the Secondary level (Class 9 and 10), vocational modules are offered to the students as an additional subject. At the Senior Secondary level (Class 11 and 12), vocational courses are offered as a compulsory (elective) subject.

(ii) Employability Skills consisting of communication skills, self-management skills, information and communication technology skills, entrepreneurship skills and green skills have been made mandatory part of the vocational courses.

(iii) National Curriculum Framework for School Education, developed in pursuance of National Education Policy 2020, has laid down the objectives of approaches to Vocational Education. One of the objectives is that vocational capacities, knowledge, and relevant values will be developed for all students, and this will create the possibility of them joining the workforce after school if they choose to.

(iv) PMKVY 4.0 is also being implemented through schools under Skill Hubs initiative, in co-operation with the Department of School Education and Literacy. Skill Hubs Initiative provides blended learning opportunities, creating pathways for long-term career development.

(v) University Grants Commission (UGC) has facilitated Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to offer skill-based programmes as per the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF).

To synergize initiatives of skill development in the country and to fulfil the regional skill requirements, the schemes of MSDE focus on implementation of training interventions with participation of States and Districts through State Skill Development Mission (SSDMs) and District Skill Committees (DSCs). DSCs identify sectors with employment opportunities as well as the associated demand for skilling in the district, and map the available facilities for Skill Training. Skill Development Programmes of the Government are designed and implemented to bridge identified skill gaps across sectors.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, is running the National Career Service (NCS) Portal which is a one-stop solution for providing career related services including jobs from private and government sectors, information on online & offline job fairs, job search & matching, career counselling, vocational guidance, mentorship, information on skill development courses, skill/training programmes etc. through a digital platform [www.ncs.gov.in ].

CSR Foundations such as SBI Foundation, Piramal Foundation, Paytm Foundation and Reliance Foundation have joined MY Bharat portal, a youth engagement digital platform of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. Out of these, SBI Foundation and Reliance Foundation have posted their scholarship opportunities on MY Bharat for wider outreach to the youth of India.

This information was given by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on Monday.

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Pawan Singh Faujdar

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