RE-IMAGINING
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
UNDER NEP

“ HOW WILL YOU RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT
THE NEED FOR VOCATIONALISATION AND
REMOVING THE STIGMA ATTACHED TO
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION?”
• With reference to National Education Policy (Para 16.4)

-Albert Einstein

CONTENTS
A. What is Vocational Education and
Training(VET)?
B. What are its applications?
C. Why is it needed?
D. How to convince students and their
guardians to take up VET?
E. Some false facts/stigmas associated with
VET
F. What are the challenges the Educational
System faces?

WHAT IS VOCATIONAL
EDUCATION?
• Vocational education and Training (VET) is education that prepares people to work
as a technician or to take up employment in a skilled craft or trade like tradesperson
or artisan.
• Vocational education is sometimes referred to as career and technical education.
• As opposed to academic education, which focuses on more theoretical and
technicalities, vocational education is considered a better alternative when it comes
down to quicker school-to-work transition and hands-on experience.

SOME APPLICATIONS FOR VET
Veterinary
Medicine and
Agriculture.
Architecture
and
Construction
Science
Computer
Science and
IT
Business
Management
Art and Craft Education Engineering

SOME APPLICATIONS FOR VET
Humanities Law
Personal
Care and
Fitness
Media
Studies
Social
science
Hospitality
and Travel
Health
Science

“Instead of worrying about what people say of you, why not spend time
trying to accomplish something they will admire.”
— Dale Carnegie

WHY VET PROGRAMS ARE NEEDED?
 It is very clear that Education System in India is being overwhelmed by sheer
numbers and thus, is unable to provide quality education for a large
population.
 The poor and under-privileged have always received the short stick because
they often have to deal with financial and social pressures along with lower
quality of education and less chance of return on their self investments.
 Thus, in 2014-15, 17.06% of students in secondary education dropped out.
For members of Scheduled Tribes, that number is 24.68%.*
 Thus, lets analyse why they do so. For ease of understanding, we have
categorised them into two groups. Group A, which can be curbed by VET and
Group B, which are challenges faced by entire Educational System itself.
ESAG-2018
*Source:
•Data: National Institute of Educational Planning & Administration, New Delhi

What Are The
?
Group A Group B
Note: Marriage and Engagement in Domestic activities constitute about 13.90% and 29.70%,
respectively, of reasons for dropping out in women, whereas in men these numbers add up
to mere 4.80%. Also, safety and hygiene is also an issue in many rural areas.
Lack of interest
• (23.80% M; 15.60% F)
Financial Constraints
• (23.70% M; 15.20% F)
Engage in Economic Activities
• (31.00% M; 4.90% F)
Unable to cope up with studies
• (5.4% M; 4.60% F)
School is far off
• (0.5% M ; 3.4% F)
Inadequate/Unsuitable educational institutions
• (NA)

Group A
78%
Group B
6%
Others
16%
For Men
 Although, there is a long road ahead of us,
and it is not possible to curb all the
problems at once, VET does offer aid in
lots of these cases.
 Financial responsibilities and restraints can
be easily overcome by quick training and
employment post-training as students
learn on the job.
 However, due to lack of infrastructure and
instructors, there is still time till the full
potential of vocational training can be
realized
Group A
36%
Group B
8%
Others
56%
For Women

BEFORE GETTING
STARTED
When a person is about to make a
choice that determines the direction
they go in their lives, they need to
make it out of their free will and with
a sound mindset. Thus, counselors
and teachers advising students must
be well informed and systematic
towards their approach.

ABILITY-DRIVEN
V/S
DREAM-DRIVEN
Most people often choose a career on
basis of their fascinations and
haven’t actually analyzed their skills
and performance. However, this can
be fatal if they fail and this often
wrecks havoc on their self-esteem.
• Ask the students not to rush their decisions under the
influence of their peers. Everyone differs in abilities
and intelligence so one size DOESN’T fit all.
• Highlight the fact that their ability to capitalize what
they CAN do is the essence of earning a livelihood.
• Explain to them what skills are required for different
careers and compare them with theirs.

MONEY AND PASSION
Money can be used to exchange goods
and services, thus holds a great value.
Meanwhile, passion can influence
willingness of a person to learn and
perfect their craft.
These factors play a role in decision
making.
• Often, people choose their careers not on the basis of
passion, but on basis of job stability and monetary
purposes.
• Advice them not to use perceived notion of pleasure
in deciding their careers. More often than not, they
underestimate the amount of work they will have to
put in an activity that they THINK they can do
effortlessly. It is a fundamentally flawed concept.
• Help them in understanding which fields are likely to
give them best returns towards their investments.
"If passion drives you, let
reason hold the reins.
-Benjamin Franklin

FORMING THE MINDSET
There is no instruction manual for
life. We all try to imitate our peers in
hope of figuring out what is best for
us. In the digital age, information is
in surplus. Thus it is imperative that
children have a healthy mindset
towards all aspects of their lives.
• Advice students that life does not turn the way that
they plan. Life is full of opportunities and surprises.
Thus they must be able to utilize them to the best
extent.
• Most of the people change their jobs and even career
fields depending on the circumstances. They should
be resilient enough to cope with the changes.
• Help them understand that all adults face confusions,
hardships and problems and it is a part of growth.
They should be willing to take the risks in fields they
choose.
Take risks: if you win, you
will be happy; if you lose,
you will be wise.” Swami
Vivekananda.

With school turning out more runners, jumpers, racers, tinkerers, grabbers,
snatchers, fliers, and swimmers instead of examiners, critics, knowers, and
imaginative creators, the word ‘intellectual,’ of course, became the swear word it
deserved to be.
-Ray Bradbury

Common Myths/Stigma
• VET is undignified/inferior to academic education.
• VET is sometimes seen as an option for those who did not
gain entry into mainstream colleges.
• Many people are in a lower-paying role compared to those
with ‘academic’ education.
• Doors for higher studies are closed for VET students.

Myth 1: VET is ‘inferior’ to Academics

Myth 2: VET is good-for-nothing
Hania Syed
Writer

Myth 3: VET jobs are low-paying

Myth 4: No Vertical Mobility in Education
Source
• NEP 2020, para 16.6

Challenges for VET
 As of now, 93% of workforce is in unorganized sectors, out of which only 2% undergo formal training.
Every year, 1.28 crore individuals join these numbers. However, current Skill Development capacity
rests at mere 31 lakh.
 Out of 2,49,089 secondary schools, only 2,822 PAN India offer bothVET courses and counselling to
students which is nowhere near sufficient by any means to achieve the target of 50 crore skilled
students by 2022.
 Furthermore, people often scrutinize and stay away from things that are alien to them. It is very hard
for human mind to let go of its biases and pre-formed intuitions regardless of evidence.
 Teachers and counsellors cannot convince others about what they themselves know little of.VET is a
relatively untreaded path in formal education.Thus, it will take time for people to familiarise
themselves with different prospects of VET.

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