Commonwealth Educational

Media Centre for Asia

Technical Vocational Skill

Development through Open and

Distance Learning in India

Dr Ankuran Dutta

Programme Officer

CEMCA, New Delhi

Education in India

1.4 Million Schools

36.7 K Colleges

11.5 K Stand-

alone Inst.

712 Universities

56% 28%

9%

7%

School Education

Primary

Upper Primary

Secondary

Senior Secondary

31%

4% 23%

41%

1%

Stand Alone Institutions

Diploma LevelTechnical

PGDM

Diploma LevelNursing

Diploma LevelTeacher Training

Institute underMinistries

Higher Education

6%

43%

18%

20%

0% 2% 10%

1% 0%

Universities in India

Central University

State Public University

Deemed University

State Private University

Central Open University

State Open University

Institution of National Importance

Institutions under State Legislature Act

Others

What GER says?

Gross enrolment ratio

(GER) is 90.8% for the

school level, 49.1% in

the senior or higher

secondary level and

21.1% in the higher

education level

2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13(P)

Secondary (IX-X)

14-15years51.7 52.2 53.5 58.2 60.4 62.9 65.2 66.6 67.7

Senior Secondary (XI-XII)16-17years

27.8 28.5 28.9 33.5 34.5 36.1 39.4 45.9 43.6

(IX-XII) 14-17 years

39.9 40.4 41.1 45.8 47.4 49.4 52.2 56.8 56.3

Higher Education 18-23 years

10.0 11.6 12.4 13.1 13.7 15.0 19.4 20.8 21.1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Gross Enrolment Ratio

Dropout- the threat in Indian Education

• The drop-out rate in

secondary level is

47.4%, which was

82.5% in 1980-81.

• The rate is more for

the backward classes.

• Girls dropout rate is

decreasing than boys-

70.9% (I-V) in 1960-

61is projected to came

down to 18.3% in

2013-14 for girls,

which is for boys –

61.7 to 21.2

2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-122012-13(P)

2013-14(P)

Classes(I-X) All

61.6 59.9 56.7 54.2 52.7 49.2 50.3 50.4 47.4

Classes(I-X) SC

70.6 69.0 68.4 59.8 59.0 56.1 55.3 52.5 50.1

Classes(I-X) ST

78.5 78.1 76.9 76.0 74.9 70.9 65.9 62.7 62.4

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

Drop out rates

Quality vs Quantity in Education

• Are we producing unemployable youth?

• A research shows that 67% of Indian employers

reported that they struggle to find workers who

meet their requirements.

• “80% of the workforce in rural and urban areas

does not possess any identifiable marketable

skills.”

• 75% of future job opportunities will be “skill-

based.”

http://monitor.icef.com/2013/02/to-upskill-workforce-india-goes-international/

Vocational Education in India • Labour Force as % of Population is 45 %

• India has one of the lowest productivity index in the world.

• Number of people undergoing TVSD courses in the ‘organized sector’

about 3.5 million {& 45 million in the ‘unorganized sector’ (estimated)}

• Percentage of work force undergoing some sort of TVSD course 8%

to10 %

• Nearly 20 Ministries of the Government seem to be imparting TVSD

courses. The largest are the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of HRD.

• Ministry of labour has more than 5000 ITI’s. Ministry of Education has

about 700 Polytechnics and about 6000 Vocational schools.

• The National Policy for Skill Development, adopted in 2009, aims to

create a skilled workforce of 500 million people by 2022.

• The NSDC alone is tasked with training 30% of the 500 million workers.

What ODL contributes?

• Out of 21.1% GER in higher education, 3.5 million students enrolled

in the open and distance institutions that comprises of 12% of the

total enrolment of 29.6 million in higher education in the year 2012-

13.

• About 44% enrollments in distance education are female students

and 80% students are enrolled in the undergraduate level

programmes.

• Through- 14 Open Universities + more than 150 dual mode

universities.

• In schooling level except state open schools, cumulative enrolment at

NIOS is 2.71 Million (Secondary - 46%, Senior Secondary - 49% &

Vocational - 5%). NIOS is the largest Open Schooling System in the

world.

Why ODL for Vocational Education?

• ODL can play a major role in skilling a large number

• It can provide the support in skilling and re-skilling

• It has the flexibility and learner friendly approach

• ODL play a significant role to those who could not get access to

the formal education system

• It is cost effective and can take place while continuing full-time

employment

• ODL can provide skill training to the learners of remote areas

• It can be aligned with changing skills demands due to competition

and rapid market changes, especially in Small and Medium

Enterprises

• More suitable for TVET for the girls and women

Why to develop courses considering gender?

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

Vocational Admission 2001-7*

No of Students

Male

Female

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13

Vocational Admission 2009-13*

Boys

Girls

Total

Linear (Boys)

Linear (Girls)

Linear (Total)

* Statistics of National Institute of Open Schooling.

Medium of Instruction should be a major

concern

11559

15832

19511

20722

7514 6947 6843

7312

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13

Medium Wise Vocational Admission at NIOS

HINDI

ENGLISH

Linear (HINDI)

Linear (ENGLISH)

ODL should focus on all age groups for skill development

-2000

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13

14 - 20

21 - 25

26 - 30

31 - 35

36 - 40

41 - 45

46 - 50

Above 50

Linear (Above 50)

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5

14 - 20

21 - 25

26 - 30

31 - 35

36 - 40

41 - 45

46 - 50

Above 50

What gets priority in vocational certification?

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Appeared 8808 11456 13735 17759 21352 22496 21584 21001 23141 22616 23622 23833 13226

Certified 5796 6677 9466 11787 12474 13682 12420 12622 13784 13438 14210 12154 8595

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

cati

on

al C

ert

ific

atio

n a

t N

IOS

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

2009 2010 2011

Vocational Examination Result

Appeared

Certified

Linear(Appeared)

Linear(Certified)

ANDHRA PRADESH ASSAM

BIHAR

GUJARAT

HARYANA

HIMACHAL PRADESH

JAMMU &KASHMIR

KARNATAKA

KERALA

MADHYA PRADESH

MAHARASHTRA

ORISSA

PUNJAB

RAJASTHAN TAMILNADU

TRIPURA

UTTAR PRADESH

WEST BENGAL

CHANDIGARH

JHARKHAND

GOA

CHHATTISGARH

PONDICHERY

UTTARAKHAND

DELHI

Vocational admission in States at NIOS in 2011-12

No admission in the

states like Nagaland,

Meghalaya, Manipur,

Arunachal Pradesh.

Admission in Assam and

Tripura is bellow 1% of

the total enrolment.

Special focus needs for under developed regions.

D/ Lib & Info Science 27%

PGD/ Computer Application 18%

C/ Computer Hardware 15%

C/ Tea Cultivation & Management

14%

C/ Computer Networking

8%

PHD/ HRM 6%

C/ Computer Application

2%

PGD/ Business

Management 2%

D/ Hotel Management 2%

D/ Creative Writing in English

1%

PGD/ B'cast Journalism 1%

D/ Computer Hardware & Networking

1% D/ Tourism

Management 1%

C/ 2-3 Wheeler Repairing

1%

PGD/ Tourism & Hospitality

Management 1%

C/ Mobilephone repairing 0%

D/ Computer Application 0%

KKHSOU Vocational Admission 2011-13

Missing link- Institution vs Industry

Identify the need based and innovative courses

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

IGNOU top enrolled vocational courses

DECE

DTS

CTS

DDT

DWM

CPF

CHCWM

COF

Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education (DECE), Diploma in Tourism Studies (DTS), Certificate in Tourism Studies (CTS), Diploma in Dairy Technology (DDT), Diploma in Watershed

Management (DWM), Certificate in Poultry Farming (CPF), Certificate in Health Care Waste Management (CHCWM), Certificate in Organic Farming (COF)

Awareness, publicity, pre-admission counselling needed to

make programmes successful

11

3

12 11

18

3

5 4

3

1

9

4 4

1

5 6

3

7

DMT DPVCPO DAQ DFPT

IGNOU low enrolled vocational courses

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Diploma in Meat Technology (DMT), Diploma in Production of Value Added Products from

Cereals, Pulses and Oilseeds (DPVCPO), Diploma in Aquaculture (DAQ), Diploma in Fish

Products Technology (DFPT)

Major Challenges

1. Development of courses without market research

2. Non-availability of courses in new/emerging areas

3. Inadequate infrastructure & obsolete equipment

4. Insufficient financial resources

5. Social stigma

6. Non-availability of appropriate policies- institutional/ state

7. Lack of flexibility and autonomy to the institutions

8. Expensive print based SLMs

9. Lack of exposure on hands on activity

10.Lack of importance on blended approach

11.Inadequate industry linkage

12.Lack of Research and Development

13.Outdated curricula

14. Absence on policy for revision

Recommendations

1. Alignment of the courses with NSQF

2. Development of courses on local need

3. Innovative curricula based on need assessment, may consult

the NSDC Skill gap report

4. Design curricula as per industry requirement

5. Development of infrastructure

6. Stop duplication, use/ adopt OERs

7. Adopt appropriate policies with autonomy to the institutions

8. Mandatory internship/ hands on activity/ workshop

9. Design SLMs with blended and user friendly approach; need

more emphasis on ICT

10.Need attention for all category of people considering age,

gender, ability, location

11.Instructional design for Persons with Disability

12.Assurance of maintaining quality in designing, implementing and

delivery of vocational courses through ODL.

4 key issues for vocational education through ODL

- To be local

- To engage the private sector

- To be up to date

- To be open to the world

- Sir John Daniel

References

• All India Survey on Higher Education 2011-12. (2014). New Delhi: Ministry of Human Resource

Development, Govt. of India.

• All India Survey on Higher Education 2012-13 (Provisional). (2014). New Delhi: Ministry of Human

Resource Development, Govt. of India.

• Higher Education in India: Vision 2030. (2013). Retrieved from FICCI website:

http://www.teqipgoodgovernance.in/FICCI-E%20Y%20Report%20Final.pdf

• India - Higher Education Sector Opportunities for Private Participation. (2012). Retrieved from

https://www.pwc.in/en_IN/in/assets/pdfs/industries/education-services.pdf

• MHRD. (2014). Indian Standard Classification of Education. Retrieved January 31, 2015, from

aishe.nic.in/aishe/viewDocument.action?documentId=174

• Report of ‘The Committee to Advise on Renovation and Rejuvenation of Higher Education’. (2012).

Retrieved from MHRD website: http://www.academics-india.com/yashpal-committee-report.pdf

• Taking Stock A sector wide scan of Higher Education in India. (2012). Retrieved from

Confederation of Indian Industry website:

https://www.pwc.in/en_IN/in/assets/pdfs/industries/education/publication/higher-education-report-

nov-2012.pdf

• Understanding India: The future of higher education and opportunities for international cooperation.

(2014). New Delhi: British Council India.

Thank You

You may contact-

adutta@col.org

ankurandutta@gmail.com

Blog: comcomm.blogspot.in

Web: www.cemca.org.in