B.VOC

Introduction

It has been a long felt necessity to align higher education with the emerging needs of the economy so as to ensure that the graduates of higher education system have adequate knowledge and skills for employment and entrepreneurship. The higher education system has to incorporate the requirements of various industries in its curriculum, in an innovative and flexible manner while developing a holistic and well groomed graduate. Ministry of HRD, Government of India had issued an Executive Order in September 2011 for National Vocational Education Qualification Framework (NVEQF). Subsequently, Ministry of Finance, in pursuance of the decision of Cabinet Committee on Skill Development in its meeting held on 19th December, 2013, has issued a notification for National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) which supersedes NVEQF. Under the National Skills Development Corporation, many Sector Skill Councils representing respective industries have/are being established. One of the mandates of Sector Skill Councils is to develop National Occupational Standards (NOSs) for various job roles in their respective industries. It is important to embed the competencies required for specific job roles in the higher education system for creating employable graduates. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has launched a scheme on skills development based higher education as part of college/university education, leading to Bachelor of Vocation (B.Voc.) Degree with multiple exits such as Diploma/Advanced Diploma under the NSQF. The B.Voc. programme is focused on universities and colleges providing undergraduate studies which would also incorporate specific job roles and their NOSs alongwith broad based general education. This would enable the graduates completing B.Voc. to make a meaningful participation in accelerating India’s economy by gaining appropriate employment, becoming entrepreneurs and creating appropriate knowledge.