The Ministry of Human Resources is working on a framework to provide vocational courses in schools.

A pilot project is already on in Haryana where such training is being imparted in Class IX, said Mr S. Ramadorai, Advisor to the Prime Minister in the National Skill Development Council (NSDC).

This can be extended to the college level too, he told newspersons on the sidelines of the launch of a master resource centre. “The need of the hour is ‘vocationalisation' to meet the growing demand of the industry,” he said.

On if shortage of skill of students is a problem, Mr Ramadorai said it was a challenge and gives an opportunity to create 500 million skilled manpower by 2022, which incidentally is also the year of ‘India@75' (India after 75 years of Independence). The real issue is coming out with large number of quality vocational students for the industry, said Mr Ramadorai, Vice-Chairman of Tata Consultancy Service.

The veteran IT professional holds the rank of a Cabinet Minister. The council, headed by the Prime Minister, seeks to develop a strategy for skill development at the national level along with variations at the state level and formulate strategies to address the skill deficit.

Mr Ramadorai said 93 per cent of employment is still in the unorganised sector. This trend should be reversed, and this can be made possible only by providing quality vocational training in various areas. “While starting anything is easy, delivering the promise is important,” he said, referring to various plans to improve vocational skills in the country.

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