VIBRANT PROGRESS TOWARDS SKILL BASED EDUCATION.

The country today is teeming with fresh graduates who are unfit for employment because of lack of requisite skills. The Indian education system puts maximum emphasis on bookish knowledge. Hence, graduates struggles to apply this knowledge in the real life scenario. It will be observed that the curricula do not cover components of employable skills nor is there any option to introduce students to different vocations. There is a huge gap between the numbers of those who are educated and those who are gainfully employed. A person may be knowledgeable but not skilled enough for a particular job. Education does not help young people land a job. The lack of employability as an outcome of the education system has given rise to the need for skill based education. It is necessary to quickly address the root cause of skill deficit by promoting a learning culture and a curriculum that emphasizes on enhancing productivity, efficiency and performance. It is also necessary to work towards a holistic view of education that connects with employment and employability. Integration of skill development and education is essential that should be introduced from an early age of 6-7 years onwards in an incremental manner. This paper addresses on issues like the major employable skills that the industry is seeking, and opportunities available to explore quality skill development and training.