The National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), convened a meeting with Skill Universities at Kaushal Bhawan, New Delhi, under the chairpersonship of Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, MSDE and Chairperson, NCVET, to deliberate on strengthening India's vocational education ecosystem through enhanced collaboration, quality assurance and policy convergence. The meeting was graced by Shri N. K. Sudhanshu, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Executive Member, NCVET. The meeting was also attended by Prof. (Dr.) Ashok Kumar Gaba, Executive Member, NCVET; Ms. ArchanaMayaram, Economic Advisor, MSDE; Lt. Col. Vikram Singh Bhati, Director, NCVET; and Lt. Col. Saurabh S. Bisht, Director, NCVET.

The consultation brought together more than 25 senior academic leaders representing 14 Skill Universities across 10 States and one Union Territory, including Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU), Symbiosis Skills and Professional University (SSPU), Medhavi Skills University, Shri Vishwakarma Skill University (SVSU), Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skills University, Assam Skill University, Kaushalya – The Skill University, Young India Skills University, Bhartiya Skill Development University (BSDU), Scope Global Skills University, Centurion University of Technology and Management (CUTM), Sikkim Skill University, Lamrin Tech Skills University, and Vishvakarma Skills University, Jaipur (VSURAJ). The consultation provided a platform for deliberations on strengthening institutional collaboration, enhancing quality assurance and advancing the implementation of vocational education reforms across the country.

The meeting was organised in furtherance of the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, which envisages seamless integration of vocational education with general and higher education, enhanced learner mobility, multiple pathways for progression and lifelong learning opportunities.

In her inaugural address, Smt. Debashree Mukherjee emphasised the pivotal role of Skill Universities in preparing a future-ready workforce and highlighted NCVET's commitment to fostering a robust, transparent and outcome-oriented regulatory ecosystem. She underlined the importance of closer institutional collaboration for promoting quality assurance, innovation and wider adoption of the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) across the higher education landscape.

The participating universities made presentations on their institutional profiles, vocational education initiatives, innovative models of skill delivery, industry engagement practices and implementation experiences. They also highlighted regulatory and operational challenges and offered suggestions for strengthening the vocational education ecosystem and facilitating greater participation of universities in the national skilling framework.

The deliberations covered a broad range of issues, including integration of vocational education with higher education, quality assurance and recognition mechanisms, development and adoption of NSQF-aligned qualifications, academic credit mobility, apprenticeship integration, industry partnerships, micro-credentials, technology-enabled learning, faculty development, learner progression pathways and strategies for enhancing employability outcomes.

The participating universities appreciated NCVET's initiatives towards establishing a transparent and quality-driven regulatory framework for vocational education and welcomed the structured dialogue with the national regulator. They also made constructive suggestions regarding simplification of regulatory processes, strengthening institutional capacity, promoting innovation and expanding collaborative initiatives across the skill ecosystem.

Summing up the deliberations, the Chairperson reiterated NCVET's commitment to continued engagement with Skill Universities and other stakeholders for developing an integrated, flexible and internationally benchmarked vocational education system aligned with the vision of NEP 2020 and the national aspiration of Viksit Bharat. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to sustained dialogue, collaborative action and stronger institutional partnerships for advancing quality, accessibility and excellence in vocational education across the country.

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