Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh-
Haryana Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda said that the Haryana School Education Department, through the Haryana School Shiksha Pariyojna Parishad (HSSPP), has been implementing the Vocational Education Programme under the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) since the academic year 2012–13. The programme is a Government of India–funded scheme supported under Samagra Shiksha and PM SHRI, with annual approvals accorded by the Project Approval Board (PAB) of the Ministry of Education.
He said that the programme is targeted at students of Classes IX to XII and is currently operational in 1,398 government schools across the State. A total of 2,238 vocational laboratories have been established in these schools, and 2,03,557 students are enrolled in the current academic session.The Minister was replying to the Calling Attention motion tabled on the first day of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha which commenced here today.
He shared that the vocational education is being imparted in 15 sectors, namely Beauty and Wellness, IT/ITeS, Automobile, Healthcare, Retail, Tourism and Hospitality, Private Security, Banking and Finance, Apparel and Fashion Designing, Power, Plumbing, Construction, Media and Entertainment, Agriculture, and Physical Education.
The Minister said that out of 2,784 vocational teacher posts sanctioned by the Government of India, 2,052 posts have been filled. The Government of India provides partial financial assistance of Rs. 25,000 per month per vocational teacher towards remuneration, while the remaining amount, against a total salary of Rs. 35,075 per month, is borne by the State Government.
Sh. Mahipal Dhanda said that continuous efforts are being made for the capacity building and skill upgradation of vocational teachers. Regular training programmes are organized, including five-day in-service training programmes for all vocational teachers through Shri Vishwakarma Skill University (SVSU), Palwal, District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), and State Council of Educational Research & Training (SCERT) Gurugram.
The Cabinet Minister said that in addition, selected vocational teachers have also undergone specialized training at the Pandit Sundarlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education (PSSCIVE), Bhopal. Beyond classroom teaching, the programme places strong emphasis on practical exposure through Guest Lectures by artisans and Industry Experts, On-the-Job Training (OJT), and field visits in accordance with the curriculum prescribed by the Government of India.
He said that Rozgar Melas are organized annually in every district (except during the COVID-19 years) to facilitate employment opportunities, and so far, 3,430 students have been issued appointment letters. Another significant initiative is the Kushal Business Challenge (KBC), launched by the Government of Haryana, which encourages students to develop innovative business ideas and gain a practical understanding of entrepreneurship, he said.
Dhanda further informed the House that the government is establishing 22 Centres of Excellence, one in each district, within selected Model Sanskriti Schools. Each Centre of Excellence will offer five vocational skills, aimed at strengthening skill-based education among students. This initiative will be implemented through the collective efforts of Shri Vishwakarma Skill University, Palwal, the Board of School Education, Haryana, Bhiwani and the Education Department, Haryana.
He said that overall, the Vocational Education Programme under NSQF is functioning effectively in Haryana and is making a substantial contribution towards skill development, employability, and entrepreneurial readiness among school students.