The Government has begun the process of reviewing the National Skill Development Policy to make it more result-oriented. It is mulling the possibility of providing incentives to industries that promote and participate in the Government's skill development programme. This is to encourage the corporate sector's participation in 'on-job' training and employment of human resources.
“The revised policy also endeavours to establish the international equivalent of Indian framework on skill development based on the European framework. This will facilitate mobility of workforce,” said Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of State for Skill Development, during the Indo-German conference on skill development, organised at the German Embassy.
India has sought Germany's help in developing training modules including training of instructors, capacity building and creating new skill development institutions. It also wants Germany to assist India to develop a robust system for assessment of the training programmes through third party auditors to bring in accountability in the National Skill Development Programme.
India and Germany have a joint working group since 2007 on skill development, the seventh meeting of which will be held over the next two days in New Delhi.
According to German Ambassador Michael Steiner, Indo-German co-operation in skill development got a fresh impetus when during a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized that Germany and India were natural partners in the field of Vocational Education and Training (VET).
"About 30,000 young Indians need a new job every day, while only two per cent of the work force is formally skilled. Skill development is a high priority for the Indo-German co-operation. Using principles and experience of Germany can be page-turner," Steiner said. In fact, as a pilot project, a few German companies have started training Indian workforce in India to meet their own need for skilled labour.
India is also hoping to pick ideas from Germany's experience in developing and boosting its own skills mission. Germany is known for bridging the gap between school and the labour market with its system of dual vocational training where a trainee spends 3-4 days a week in a company, which provides practical training on the job and pays an apprenticeship salary, and another 1-2 days are for theoretical education at a public vocational school.
"This is an exciting phase of working on new ideas on collaboration between the two countries," said Sonowal while adding that Germany's dual system of vocational training should also be considered for adoption in India too.
However, Steiner expressed that the skill development, vocational education and training to be backed up with legal frame work like reforms in Apprentices Act to accommodate more companies and adequate stipends. "Indian companies need incentives like tax reduction to those who participate in skill development proragmme," Steiner said.