According to the NEP-2020, the modern industries require a workforce that can adapt to fast changing technologies and their emergent demands. The proposed vocational/technical skilling education right from grade 6, is going to work as a bridge between school education and demands of modern industries. However, it is needed to be ensured that the skills imparted are relevant to current and emergent needs of the job market and notion of sustainable development.
For this, the schools would require to promote innovation; impart relevant hands-on experiences; to prepare students for entrepreneurial skills leading to self-employment and job creation. However, challenges are many,: such as infrastructural limitations, societal perceptions, coordination between educational institutions and industries; dynamic updating of curriculum content along with raising awareness about the value of vocational and technical skilling education, says Arshid Qalmi since the demand is for the skilled, adaptable, and innovative workforce currently.
According to the CBSE, students from class VI onwards will be introduced a short choice exposure module each of 12-hour modules in 9 areas: 1. Artificial Intelligence; 2. Beauty & Wellness; 3. Design Thinking 4. Financial Literacy; 5. Handicrafts; 6. Information Technology (IT) ; 7. Marketing/ Commercial Application; 8. Mass Media; and 9. Travel & Tourism. However, one Skill Module is to be offered as an option to the students for single academic session as per convenience of schools.
According to the CBSE, the middle school students will have the flexibility of making a vocational choice of a short duration module of 12 hours for each module, at a stage in their early academic career either at Class VI, VII or VIII. "In this way they will be able to spend relevant time period pursuing this choice as per convenience of school, while benefiting from access to courses that are broader based. This would give them the necessary orientation early on, so that they are able to make a choice at a later stage to pursue Skill courses at secondary and senior secondary level, or choose a higher vocational degree," stated a recent CBSE circular.
Thus, schools/students are free to opt for a Skill Module either at class VI or class VII or class VIII with marks distribution as follows: Theory for 15 marks; and practical for 35 marks; making it total 50 marks.
It seems that most schools will opt for IT module, since they have the computers and had been running the computer science courses at the senior secondary levels
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