Are skills getting priority in our education system ?

So far, the education system in India was more focussed on giving diplomas and degrees. Now, the New Education Policy has come up with a skill-based model of education. This has brought vocational courses under spotlight, which seek to make the youth skilful, employable and self-reliant. The Hans India has elicited the views of youth, educationists and the society on the importance of skill development in education.

Skill-based education essential for survival

After ignoring education for decades, finally, the government started to focus on skills required for employability. Our universities are known for churning out graduates in thousands every year. Unfortunately, a majority of students focus on attaining degrees rather than skill associated with their study. We often find these graduates searching for private institutes to learn soft skills even though they had studied in their colleges. The essential point is that without adequate skills, it's difficult for them to build their career. This indicates the lacunae in the system, besides exposing the absence of expertise in the institutes. Hence, skill-based education is essential to survive in the job market.

- Mandala Parashuramulu, National Youth Awardee, Warangal

Degree and skill are two sides of the same coin. To succeed in the race of life, a degree without the skill would be as empty as the skill without the degree. Both need to go hand-in-hand in order to be the survival of the fittest. Degree is nothing but the certified documentation of the skill within the individual. Similarly, every degree holder is not necessarily skilled. The requirement of the degree or skill depends upon the organisation, the nature of post etc.

Degree is an authenticate certificate that the person applying for the post is having the knowledge of the work requirement and has the ability to manage the functioning and justify the post. Every degree holder is not necessarily skilled. It is the skill that helps to achieve the target and not the degree.

n It is not the degree but the skill that achieves success. A degree can just earn the job, but it cannot help to grow further without the skill.

n It is skill which attracts the employers, clients and management which lifts or drops the person. Without the skill, the person would not be able to catch hold the interest of their superiors and attain success.

n The great people from the history were all skilled people, but they didn't have the certifications for their knowledge.

It is the skill that helps the person to grow up both materially / financially and immaterially with respect to the status, importance, social respect and recognition etc.

- Kodepak A Koushik, Business Development Head at Prathima Medical College, Karimnagar

Set up skill training centres

In general students with great expectations and suitable posts study for degrees and diplomas but their dreams are not fulfilled as there is a gap of skill set between academic studies and industrial needs. Students are forced to undergo short term paid courses to get the placements in reputed MNCs and private industries. This type of education has to be replaced by setting up skill training centers and campus interviews to realize the dreams of students.

- Srinivas, dance master, Nalgonda