New Delhi, 30 Nov (KNN) One of the distinguishing features of New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has been its emphasis on soft and ‘life skills such as communication, cooperation, teamwork and resilience’.

The institutional set-up for skills is prescribed by the National Policy on Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, 2015 which paved way for creation of Sector Skill Councils (SSCs). There are 36 Sector Skill Councils covering sectors such as Apparel Made-Ups & Home Furnishing, Beauty & Wellness, Gems & Jewellery, Handicrafts and Carpet, Life Sciences,  Management & Entrepreneurship and Professionals and Tourism and Hospitality  among others.

However, most of the Skill Councils are not even aware of the key role envisaged from them by the NEP 2020.

Colleges especially in non-metros face a double challenge: convincing the students for signing-up the skill related courses on the one hand and persuading the Skill councils to provide technical support, on the other. 

Kanohar Lal Post Graduate Girls Degree College- an all-Girls education institution in Meerut, comprises of students living in rural areas who belong to economically weaker section of the society is case in point.  

Speaking to KNN, Dr. Alka Chaudhary, Principal of the College said, “As our College focuses on the empowerment of our girl students, hence we planned to introduce those skills with relevant sectors which can equip them to earn their livelihood.”

“The students have been reluctant in the beginning as these skill courses fall under the self-finance category but we managed to counsel them regarding their significance,” she added.

The bigger challenge the college encountered with the Skill Councils which were yet to have the strategy and the processes to help integrate the skill programme in various undergraduate courses.

“Still we received positive response from 5 Skill Councils and have signed MoUs with Beauty and Wellness Sector Skill Council and Handicrafts and Carpet Sector Skill Council” says Dr. Neha Sharma Dixit, Director Self Finance courses at Kanohar Lal Post Graduate Girls Degree College.

The five skill councils have shared some guidelines including credits, structure and time and promised online training to the college faculty.

However, the Principal has suggested that the National Skill Development Cooperation must assign guest speakers and visiting faculty from premier educational institutes such as IIT and IIM so that the students receive an insightful exposure.

Apparels made ups and Home Furnishings, Food Processing and SSC Nasscom are the other three Skill Council included in the UG course.