SDD unveils HSDP for mega skilling of J&K populace
* CS lays emphasis on achieving set targets
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 17: Jammu and Kashmir is all set to embark on a transformative journey in skill development with the unveiling of Holistic Skill Development Plan (HSDP), a comprehensive strategy aimed at creating a future-ready workforce and fostering sustainable economic growth.
The plan was presented to Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, which outlines the ambitious goals and strategic interventions across various sectors.
Present on the occasion were ACS, Higher Education Department; Principal Secretary, School Education; Secretary, Skill Development Department (SDD); MD, Skill Development Mission besides Director, Skill Development along with other concerned officers.
The Chief Secretary emphasized that the true impact of the plan lies in its effective implementation at the grassroots level. He underscored the need for seamless coordination between the Education and Skill Development Departments, terming it essential for the plan’s successful execution.
Highlighting the significance of skill development, Dulloo stated that it is a cornerstone for securing sustainable livelihoods for the people. He further noted that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 offers a clear roadmap to guide this transformative mission.
Reviewing the department’s progress under schemes like PM Vishwakarma and PMKVY, the Chief Secretary asked the officials to go beyond basic training. He stressed the importance of complimenting skill-building efforts with distribution of toolkits and access to credit linkages to truly empower the beneficiaries and enhance their livelihood opportunities.
ACS, Higher Education Department, Shantmanu, in his remarks, made out that a lot of transformative work had been done to link the education sector with the vocational courses to enhance employability of the students. He acknowledged that the department has a greater role to play in view of the objectives set under NEP-2020 and this skilling plan as well.
Principal Secretary, SED, Ram Niwas Sharma, also gave his inputs about the time bound implementation of the skilling plan besides ensuring about the seamless coordination with SDD in making the strategy to achieve these goals without facing any hindrance.
Secretary, SDD, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, while highlighting the plan informed that J&K has strengthened its skilling infrastructure to a larger extent in the past few years. He revealed that there are currently 54 Government ITIs offering 71 trades with enrolment of 12,600 admissions taken against a capacity of 12,832 students. Similarly, the region has 22 Government Polytechnics offering 18 trades with an intake capacity of 3,275 students and corresponding enrolment of 3,200 admissions in 2024, he added.
The main focal point of this meeting was the discussion on the Holistic Skill Development Plan (HSDP) created by the department, envisioning empowerment of every individual with relevant skills, entrepreneurial mindset and livelihood opportunities, leading to sustainable employment and enterprise creation.
The plan delineates four tracks of skilling program-Skilling for School Explorer (Age 14-18) which focuses on early vocational exposure and foundational skills. This is followed by Skilling for Career Launch-Pad (Age 18-22) which envisages equipping the students with job-ready certifications and entrepreneurial orientation.
The 3rd path comprises of ‘Skilling for Job & Entrepreneurship Accelerator’ (Age 22-35) enabling youth to choose between employment, entrepreneurship or competitive exams. The fourth one is ‘Skilling for Livelihood Enabler’ (Age 35-59) which would support re-skilling for sustainable livelihoods and promote home-based/self employment.
The key challenges identified in HSDP implementation were set in the shape of the skilling ecosystem in J&K facing weak placement linkages, lack of upskilling pathways, limited access to skilling, poor delivery, outdated curriculum and lack of industry feedback.
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