The Ambedkar University, Delhi, recently had a formal launch of School of Vocational Studies (SVS) at its Karampura Campus by Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi and Education Minister. The university comprises of schools and centres instead of departments and the new school will take the number of constituent schools to twelve. AUD is one of the few universities in Delhi to offer a vocational degree, which is in continuation of its vision to reach candidates from a wider section of the society. The School will be formally launched
The SVS is currently offering three Bachelor of Vocation (BVoc) degrees in Retail Management, Tourism and Hospitality; and Early Childhood Centre Management and Entrepreneurship. The three programmes will follow the broad guidelines of the UGC and the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) with provision for multiple entry and exit options that will lead to certificate, diploma, advanced diploma and BVoc degrees. The BVoc programmes in SVS are unique because the curriculum has been designed in close partnership with industry experts, industry association like retailers association of India, sector skill council like Tourism and Hospitality Sector Skill Council (THSC), institutions like the Centre for Early Childhood Education and Development (CECED, AUD), and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) as well as academicians.
The curricula of the programmes have been designed keeping in mind the current trends as well as the future scenario to ensure that the programmes are dynamic and relevant for its main purposes - employability and entrepreneurship.
The compulsory foundation General Education Component (GEC) has also been customised to suit the needs of vocational programme as well as enable and empower the students to become conscious citizens.
SVS has partnered with various organisations as training and industry partners — Pravah and The Ferdinand Centre, Il&FS, Retailers Association of India (RAI), The leela Ambience Convention Hotel, Oberoi Hotel Maiden, Reliance Retails, Biba Apparels, Aditya Birla, etc.
It has adopted a pedagogy where the learning takes places beyond the lecture mode and draws from different modes like workshop, activities, etc. In the first semester, 101 students have been admitted.