Law to provide legal backing for skill framework: Rajiv Pratap Rudy

Rohit Nandan, Secretary in the ministry, said the government would come out with a national skill plan soon

A law to provide legal backing to National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) to help improve quality in the skill eco system is in the works, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy said on Tuesday.

At an interaction with editors, he also said the Apprenticeship Act was being completely revamped so that private industry and public sector units help in skilling youth for better employment prospects in future.

Rohit Nandan, Secretary in the ministry, said the government would come out with a national skill plan in the next few months.

Under the NSQF, a major decision has been taken to align the aspirations of an 8th or a 10th pass with student with technical qualifications for higher studies either in science or humanities discipline or in engineering courses by providing equivalence and bridge courses, the minister said.

The student may be asked to take a language subject or more subjects depending on his aptitude that will help him pursue higher studies, which the NSQF will enable.

"This is for a technical student who wants to have a degree. This will be enabled thorough the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) system," Rudy said.

What was now available under a Cabinet order will be given teeth through legal backing that will help improve quality in skill eco system.

"We are putting this system from this academic session which will be one of the radical measures," he said adding this will be done through horizontal courses and credit transfer.

By 2018, classification of skills 1 to 10 bringing almost all kinds of skills and trades under it will be done.