RPL and Skill Deficit: The Role of ODL

Abstract

Skills acquisition is vital for any economy to compete and grow, particularly in an era of economic and technological change. Skill needs are widespread in most developing countries , including India . Skill needs are not only in demand by the modern wage sector but also by the agricultural and informal sectors. Vocational Education and Training (VET) is a direct means of providing workers with skills more relevant to the evolving needs. A VET system should not only be efficient, cost-effective and equitable but must be linked directly to industry needs and requirements. Skilling India may be the biggest challenge facing the country today. Training half a billion people by 2022 is the most ambitious goal ever set by any country in the field of education and training. // On the other hand in India there are millions of people who have considerable level of skill in a particular area but they do not have any form of certification to testify their existing skills , as a result they are unable to use this to progress further for training or improved employment. Hence, there is need for a credit and qualifications framework against which individuals' skills could be mapped. Recognition of Prior Learning ( RPL) is a new concept for India. Presently no system is designed for assessment and certification of RPL. // The Indian Government vide its executive orders notified the National Qualifications Education Framework, ( NVEQF) and assigned the task of assessment and certification of RPL for skills at the lower level of occupations mostly engaged in the unorganized sector to Open Schooling and along with the Industry through Sector Skills councils( SSC). // Recognition of Prior Learning is a crucial area in open and distance learning system. Given the magnitude of the skill development challenge, Recognition of prior learning enables effective and maximum utilization of human resources. Hence can be considered as a ‘tool’. // This paper will portray the framework developed and discuss the issues related to the implementation of this RPL Framework in the diverse country like India. // Paper ID: 78