Title: Integrating Skills in Higher Education:Problems & Prospects
Author: Dr Raheijuddin Sheikh
ISBN: 978-93-86934-05-5
Edition: 1
Year of Publication: 2017
About the Book:
As it is rightly
mentioned in the Framework of the National Skill Development Mission, India has
become one of the youngest Countries in the World with the largest population
of youth by the end of 2022. The Country has now more than 55% of the total
population below 25 years of age and over 65% of the population in the working
age group ranging from 15 years to 59 years of age. The population pyramid of
the Country is going to bulge across 15 years to 59 years of age groups over
the next one decade. This demographic dividend is predicted to have advantage
which may last only until 2040. India, therefore, has a very narrow time frame
for harnessing the skill potentialsof the youth as per this demographic
dividend and to overcome the skill shortages in time.
In the same report
it is also stated that India currently faces a severe shortage of well-trained,
skilled workers. It is estimated that only 2.3 % of the workforce in India has
undergone formal skill training as compared to 68% in the UK, 75% in Germany,
52% in USA, 80% in Japan and 96% in South Korea. Large sections of the educated
workforce have little or no job skills, making them largely unemployable till
now. However, India has taken up many initiatives which would focus on scaling
up skill training efforts to meet the demands of employers and drive economic
growth.It is a well-known fact that Skills and knowledge are the driving forces
of economic growth and social development for any country.Therefore, we need to
find out an education policy where Knowledge may be integrated with Skills in a
judicious proportion in the higher education sector.
From the
statistics discussed above, we are expecting to make India a Skill Country in
the World by the end of the next decade or so. This needs perhaps, a tough
competition with some of the South Asian Countries including South Korea who
had already achieved a target of almost 100% skilled youth in the workforce
followed by Japan and China. We are expecting40 crore people trained in various
skill sectors by the end of 2025. This dream would be fulfilled only when the youth
in the north eastern part of the Country are givenskills trainingin all sectors
irrespective of the skill gap analysis under the National Skill Development
Corporation (NSDC). This is because India needs to capture the international skill
markets in the north eastern region before it has been under the control of the
South Asian counterparts including China and Korea. The people in the north
eastern region more particularly, the Manipuri youths have to be focused while
harnessing the skills potentials with more attention, more infrastructure and
more facilities as a targeted mission to make each and every individual trained
in all skill sectors.
It may be
maintained that Manipur stands at the corridor of the proposed Trans Asian
superhighway and the capital city of Imphal would become one of the skills
hotspots in the World. It would be the people of Manipur who would defend the
nation’s skill policy from the South Asian Countries. Even today, the Paona
International Market at Imphal has been dominated by the innovations and skills
from Myanmar. Many items of daily requirements, though not durable, right from
the smallest needles to the biggest ones including the products of Information
Technology (IT), Food, Beauty and Wellness, Apparel and Households etc. can be
purchased at the cheapest prices either from the international border town of
Moreh or even from the Paona International Market Complex at Imphal City.
India has
initiated translating the erstwhile Look East Policy into Act East Policy
enhancing the international trade linkages with the South Asian Countries
including China, Japan, Thailand and Korea etc. In the meantime, out of 28
lakhs population of Manipur more than 7 lakhs educated youths are now seeking
employment with more than 3 lakh girls listed in the employment exchanges. Many
boys and girls have been scrambling for jobs in government offices only as they
cannot find any big industries for placements. Many had to go outside the state
seeking for employment as we can see a large number of Manipuri boys and girls
who are working in offices in the big cities in India. At this moment, the
skill development programs which are being implemented in Colleges and
Universities are going to be a boon for the youths.
We also have
enough potential of skills particularly in Art & Culture, Games &
Sports, Tourism & Hospitality, Media & Entertainment, Healthcare,
Beauty & Wellness, Traditional Art & Crafts, Food & Agriculture,
Information Technology (IT) & IT enable Services. Some of our traditional
Art & Crafts are also dying out due to the lack of support in terms of infrastructure,
management, training and funding. If proper skill education is given to the
youths in these sectors, still we may hope for running much faster than the neighboring
countries and can make the sale of our skills and innovations in the
international markets.