Page 29 - EW May 2025

Expert Comment

Vocational education &

skilling imperative

NIRMAL SINGH

NDIA STANDS AT AN INFLECTION POINT, POISED Can India match the skilling success
to harness its demographic dividend and emerge as a
global talent powerhouse. With an expected jump in of nations like China? The answer lies
Iemployability rate of 54.81 percent in 2025 — up from in honest assessment of our training
33.95 percent in 2014 — the nation is making significant
strides. But is it enough? Can India match the skilling suc- ecosystem, academy-industry
cess of nations like China? The answer lies in honest assess- collaboration, and changing the cultural
ment of our training ecosystem, academy-industry collabo- mindset toward vocational education
ration, and changing the cultural mindset toward vocational
education.
Promise and paradox. India’s booming IT industry with ing and reorientation, multiplying the number of VETs and
an aggregate revenue of $245 billion (Rs.20 lakh crore) in upgrading their infrastructure are of critical importance.
2023 and projected to hit $350 billion this year, is testament Tech-enabled learning. Integrating AI, virtual reality,
to its potential. The objective of the National Education and online platforms into school and HEI curriculums will
Policy (NEP) 2020, Skill India Mission, and Digital India not only modernize but also democratise Indian education
is to align education with industry demand. More than 50 with rural youth learning online.
percent of secondary and tertiary students are scheduled Entrepreneurship and innovation. Encouraging skills-
to receive VET (vocational education and training) by end based entrepreneurship can transform job seekers into job
2025. Yet, the ground reality tells a different story — of mis- creators. The success of startups like Zoho and Zomato
matched skills, indifferent VET quality, and persistent social proves that innovation thrives when skills meet opportunity.
stigma surrounding vocational careers. Changing perceptions. Vocational education is still re-
It is becoming painfully apparent to the majority of young garded as a fallback option for dropouts of conventional
engineering graduates from the hinterland that theoretical academic programmes. Changing this mindset through
knowledge isn’t enough. Employers want graduates with awareness campaigns and integrating skilling programs into
hands-on experience and industry-ready skills. mainstream education is essential.
Lessons from China & Germany. China’s rapid eco- Countrywide skills census. The annual India Skills Re-
nomic ascent has been driven by a strong national VET port (ISR) plays a crucial role in shaping the skilling land-
framework with large and small industrial companies ac- scape by providing data-driven insights to policymakers,
tively shaping curricula and providing real-world experience industry leaders, and educators. For corporate India, the
to students. Germany’s renowned dual education system annual ISR should be a guide to understanding the availabil-
seamlessly blends classroom learning with apprenticeships, ity of skilled talent and shaping recruitment strategies. For
ensuring graduates are job-ready. These models highlight education institutions, it highlights areas where curricula
the importance of practical, work-centric education, a stark need to be tweaked to meet industry demands. Policymakers
contrast to India’s predominantly theoretical education in are also enabled to leverage the report to craft initiatives that
schools and higher education institutions (HEIs). address emerging skill requirements and ensure a future-
For instance, China’s huge 11,000 VET institutes with an ready workforce. By connecting job seekers, employers, and
aggregate enrolment of 35 million students partner directly training institutions, ISR, if properly utilised, could prove
with tech giants like Huawei and Alibaba, ensuring that a vital handbook.
students graduate with skills in high demand. In Germany, The road ahead. To sum up, to harness the latent talent
nearly half of all high school-leavers opt for formal VET and of the world’s largest — and most high potential child and
acquire early experience of workplace realities. If India is to youth population — government, industry and academia
compete globally, it must urgently promote academy-indus- should cooperate to strategically invest in high quality VET;
try collaboration, modernize VET, and remove the stigma universalise apprenticeships through industry-academia
attached to vocational and skills education. collaboration; reach education and VET particularly to the
Bridging the skilling gap. While a 54.81 percent youth underserved rural hinterland; integrate AI, machine learn-
employability rate is an improvement over 33.95 percent a ing, and renewable energy studies into higher education
decade ago, it also highlights that almost half of the coun- and foster a culture of lifelong learning. With data-driven
try’s huge youth population is unemployable. The path for- policies and public-private partnerships, India can harvest
ward necessitates a multi-pronged strategy. its demographic dividend and develop it into a workforce
Industry-relevant training. Corporate India including that’s not merely employable but a highly productive na-
MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) must work tional resource.
closely with educational institutions to design school and (Nirmal Singh is CEO of the Gurugram-based Wheebox ETS and author of
HEI curriculums aligned with industry needs. Faculty train- Leadership Style: World’s Top 8 Leaders (2023))

MAY 2025 EDUCATIONWORLD 29