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Direction (1-9): Read the passage given below carefully and answer the questions.

1. Against the backdrop of a severe skills shortage in the country and millions of youth unemployed or unemployable, India's Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system can do with some rework. An estimated 3.5 lakh engineers and 2.5 million university graduates come out of the higher education system each year, with an estimated 5 million graduates out of work at any given point. Moreover, A FICCI-Ernst & Young report (2012) on skill development had forecast 50 to 70 million new jobs up to 2017-18, of which 75%-90% would require some form of TVET education.

2. Universal enrolment rate in India at the primary level (class I-V) is on par with developed countries, with around 100% enrolment in class I-V in 2014-15. However, after class VI, things change. In higher education, India's enrolment rate stands at 23%, as against about 87% in the US, 57% in the UK and 39% in China. Dropout rate from formal education peaks at the secondary level (class IX-X) at 17%, as compared to 4% in elementary school (class I-VIII) and 2% in upper secondary school (class XI-XII). Thus, it is quite disturbing if years of schooling and education are unable to produce work-ready youth.

3. Vocational training in India is split into two forms - formal and non-formal. The former is a structured training programme leading to qualifications recognised by public and private sector employers. Much of the formal skills training is imparted through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and Industrial Training Centres (ITCs) under the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Non-formal vocational training, on the other hand, follows no standard curriculum, assessment or qualification. It is completely outside the ambit of the education system.

4. To participate in vocational training, a young person must have completed 8-10 years in education. Moreover, most apprenticeship posts in Indian industry and PSUs ask for minimum eight years of education plus one to three years of formal vocational training from an ITI or ITC. However, as the dropout rate from formal education in India peaks at the secondary level (class IX-X), youth who have got to this stage and are disenfranchised from the traditional schooling route with zero exposure to vocational education are left out in the cold. Increasing enrolment in lower secondary education by providing clear alternative pathways for school to work transition is an urgent need to tackle the issue of drop-outs and must form an integral part of the country educational policies.

5. A way around would be to lower the entry point to vocational training for youth who have not completed secondary education, and offer more courses with lower levels of educational attainment. For instance, in Germany, after four years of elementary school, students have a choice within the three-tier school system:

[a] general education leading to a university degree;

[b] a middle school curriculum leading to certification in broad based education and vocational preparation qualifications; or

[c] secondary school, which is a customised educational programme for students with practical skills or interests which introduces real-world working.

6. Vocationalisation of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education is a centrally sponsored scheme to implement vocational education in government secondary and higher secondary schools. The scheme aims to

[a] enhance employability of youth through competency based modular vocational courses;

[b] maintain their competitiveness through provisions of multi-entry multi-exit learning opportunities and vertical mobility;

[c] fill the gap between the educated and the employable; and

[d] decrease pressure on academic higher education.

7. In May 2018, the ministry of HRD launched a new scheme called Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (Holistic Education for Holistic Development) where vocationalisation of education will be one of its key features from pre-school to class 12. Another route is the \[UGC{}^\circ s\] Bachelor of Vocational (BVoc) degrees with multiple entry-exit points such as Diplomas & Advanced Diplomas under the NSQF framework. In 2015-16, universities and colleges numbering 162 were approved under the scheme.

8. In conclusion, notwithstanding several schemes and initiatives to strengthen the presence of TVET in mainstream education, the absence of clear data and a somewhat disjointed implementation make it difficult to gauge their impact. Where weaknesses have been found, a unified effort is required to simplify the processes. A robust vetting and monitoring system for VET in India is crucial. Given the severe skill crunch and high youth unemployment facing the country, the value of vocational education in mainstream education becomes indisputable and should become a matter of national priority.

The two forms of vocational training are

A) training in ITIs and ITCs

B) non-formal and formal

C) recognised by public and private sector employers

D) None of the above