• UGI USER
  • Jul 25, 2023
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Q. Highlight the challenges associated with skill development in India. Discuss how Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana attempts to address the above identified challenges.

Approach: 

  • Briefly explain the need for skill development.
  • Mention the challenges associated with skill development.
  • Explain how some of it is being resolved through PMKVY.
  • Conclude on a futuristic note.

Answer:

India’s demographics show that India is home to one of the youngest population across the world. The Sample Registration System Report 2018 shows that nearly two third i.e. 66% of India’s population is in the age group of 15-59 years and more than 50% population is below the age of 25. For such a demographic dividend to be useful, they must be skilled and employable. However, skill development in India is facing following challenges:

  • Low educational attainment:

Due to poor quality of education resulting in lack of literacy and numeracy skills, higher drop-out rates and multiplicity of curriculums for the same skills, the skill development remains poor and uneven.

  • Demand and Supply mismatch:

In Indian context, a coexistence of unemployment and unemployability is seen. It shows that industry specific skills are not being taught. According to India Skills Report, employability of Indian graduates, though has seen an improvement, remains less than 50%.

  • Sub-optimal planning:

There is lack of block level mapping of employment demand, local economy activities, youth population profile, social demographic profile etc. This leads to suboptimal planning of skill development initiatives resulting in a gap between skill development and local employment demand.

  • Women participation:

Women in India are mainly concentrated in the informal sector and are engaged in low paid jobs with no security benefits mainly due to lack of skills. According to the World Bank, India’s Female Labor Force Participation is just 20.5%.

  • Private sector participation:

The private sector is not involved adequately in curriculum development and policy formulation related to educational and vocational training. Also, most of them are located in urban areas and are costly.

To address these challenges, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship launched the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) under Skill India Mission, with an objective to provide skilling to one crore youth through following ways-

  • Short-term training:

This approach would benefit school/college dropouts and unemployed youth. It also focusses on soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial and digital literacy of the candidate.

  • Recognition of prior learning (RPL):

The RPL part of the scheme recognizes and certifies the skills already possessed by the workers. It would be of immense help to the workforce employed in the unorganised sector.

  • Incentivizing Training Partners:

The Training Partners are to provide job opportunities as well as support for entrepreneurship to trainees. With a focus on retention of placed candidates, the TPs are incentivized if a candidate is retained in employment for a period of 12 months.

  • Quality of program:

To ascertain the quality of training, NSDC and other inspecting agencies verify and record the activities of the training centers. Re-allocation of targets to TPS is based on placement achievements of previous allocated targets.

The skills taught under PMKVY complement the skills required in government’s flagship missions such as Swachha Bharat, Make in India, National Solar Mission and Digital India. The next phase of PMKVY from 2021 will focus on imparting skills related to healthcare, home delivery, sanitizing, cleaning services among others with a special emphasis over post-COVID scenario.