National Apprenticeship Training Scheme- Minister Launches Portal
Recently, the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) 2.0 Portal was inaugurated by The Central Minister for Education, Dharmendra Pradhan. He also promised Rs 100 crore in stipends for apprentices. The minister also spoke of the DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) system. This system will transfer a monthly stipend directly to the apprentices. This is the most recent initiative from the central government to enhance the skills of India’s youth. It also aims to equip them with higher job prospects in significant fields like IT, manufacturing, and automobiles.
Unemployment In India
Unemployment has been an issue in the country for long. With fewer opportunities within the country, India faces a brain drain, where most of the labour force slowly moves abroad for better opportunities. Some of the reasons for unemployment include:
- Inadequate Economic Growth—According to many experts, India’s economic growth is still slow. The increasing population raises the demands for resources from many quarters, making it difficult to share the resources equally.
- Lack of Cottage Industries—The decreasing number of cottage industries occurred due to the insistence on industrialization. Cottage industries do not attract the same commercial values as industrial sites. This decrease in the popularity of cottage industries hampered the nation’s growth to a significant level.
- Economic Planning—India’s current situation is partly due to the mismanagement and improper planning of prior governments. There is an inherent need for supply and demand to be balanced, but this balance has never been achieved before.
- Specialization—The country’s education system did not cater to any specific needs like other foreign countries. This paved the way for the creation of a skilled yet unemployed labor force.
NATS 2.0 is expected to ease these factors by a considerable margin. It is expected to relieve a considerable number of youths who are looking for better opportunities.
Ref. URL: https://morungexpress.com/uploads/2024/07/91185955_1722356351_20240730282.JPG
NATS 2.0 Portal
The main purpose of the Portal is to make the apprenticeship process easier. It is immensely helpful for people to look for apprenticeships, register, and apply for opportunities. It is also helpful for industries. It allows them to advertise job openings and distribute contracts more effectively.
Benefits of the Portal
The significant benefits of using the Portal are:
- The Portal will attract more youngsters looking for opportunities.
- It is mainly targeted at young graduates and diploma holders.
- It can be helpful in gaining practical job skills.
- A monthly stipend is allotted for the young apprentices as financial support during their training.
Panel Discussions
Two-panel discussions were conducted over the idea of apprenticeships. They covered the following themes.
- Apprenticeships are to be included with degrees.
- Credits for apprenticeship
- Collaboration between higher education and industries.
- Technology to aid the DBT system.
Government’s stand on Skills Development
The central government’s idea regarding higher education is to go beyond traditional degrees. The minister emphasized the importance of employability as a crucial factor to be generated through higher education. He encouraged the higher educational institutions in the country to give the significance to this factor in their courses. He also pointed out the budget, which was a highlight.
The DBT system will ensure that the apprentices receive the stipend at the right time.
Vocational Education
The NATS 2.0 Portal is developed to align with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The NEP aims to make vocational education a vital part of the education system. It promotes the idea of combining vocational training with general education.
