National Skills Qualification Framework

The National Council of Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), notified on December 5, 2018 has been set up as an overarching umbrella regulator establishing regulations and standards to ensure quality in the TVET space, subsuming the responsibilities of National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) and the erstwhile National Council of Vocational Training (NCVT).

NCVET regulated ecosystem will ensure strong industry interfacing, layered effective regulations for the varied stakeholders for improving outcomes, set standards for Awarding Bodies and Assessment Agencies.

Regulation of Awarding body ecosystem and Assessment Agencies are the focus areas of NCVET considering the existence of multiple regulators and non-standardized norms leading to quality issues and poor outcomes of the training. The NCVET will strive to integrate fragmented regulatory system and infuse quality assurance across the entire vocational training value chain, leading to strengthened outcomes.

NSQF Notification

The key elements of the NSQF provide

  •  National principles for recognising skill proficiency and competencies at different levels leading to international equivalency
  • Multiple entry and exit between vocational education, skill training, general education, technical education and job markets
  • Progression pathways defined within skill qualification framework
  • Opportunities to promote lifelong learning and skill development
  • Partnership with industry/employers
  • A transparent, accountable and credible mechanism for skill development across various sectors
  • Increased potential for recognition of prior learning

The objectives of the NSQF are to provide a framework that

  • Accommodates the diversity of the Indian education and training systems
  • Allows the development of a set of qualifications for each level, based on outcomes which are accepted across the nation
  • Provides structure for development and maintenance of progression pathways which provide access to qualifications and assist people to move easily and readily between different education and training sectors and between those sectors and the labour market
  • Gives individuals an option to progress through education and training and gain recognition for their prior learning and experiences
  • Gives individuals an option to progress through education and training and gain recognition for their prior learning and experiences
  • Supports and enhances the national and international mobility of persons with NSQF-compliant qualifications through increased recognition of the value and comparability of Indian qualifications