World Bank calls for reforming skills training in India

India must make a coordinated effort to reform and rebrand vocational skill training, besides aligning education with the job market, to leverage its demographic advantage to meet the $5-trillion target for its economy, the World Bank said.

- Rhik Kundu

"While globally true, in India, there is an overpowering narrative around skill education being for students who are weak and would have dropped out," World Bank said in report titled 'Jobs at Your Doorstep' released on Friday. "The result is that many students who want to or can benefit more from skill education than mainstream education run to conventional streams like arts, commerce or STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics)."

"Concerted efforts are needed towards rebranding skill education," the report added.

Workers must develop complex problem-solving, teamwork and adaptability skills, said the report, stressing that job exposure should be offered during school years.

India faces a dual challenge of inadequate job creation and a skills gap among professionals entering the workforce, leading to rising unemployment and low employability rates.

World Bank stressed the importance of collaboration between governments, academic institutions, skill development bodies like the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), the private sector, civil society, and multilateral organizations to tackle the nation's employment and skills gap.