Assam Universities must make Skill Development, Vocational Training essential, Govt keen on producing Skilled Workforce

Guwahati: The state education department, which is keen on producing a skilled workforce, has asked all universities in Assam to include skill development, vocational and professional courses in their syllabi.

The move is in line with BJP’s promise to introduce skill-based education for students of the state if voted to power.

The directorate of higher education recently sent a letter to registrars of all state universities, urging them to alter the existing undergraduate and postgraduate syllabi by incorporating skill development, vocational and professional courses as an essential component. The directorate has sought an action-taken report from the varsity authorities on the matter. The state government’s aim is to make such courses compulsory.

“As of now, some skill development programmes are being conducted in some colleges, but these are not mandatory. The state wants to train all students so they can find a job immediately after passing out,” said an education department official.

Education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asked all college principals to introduce vocational courses in their institutions to help students get skill-based education along with their academic degrees. “If the syllabi at the university level has to be restructured, we want the government to provide us with manpower to train students. Certificates in vocational courses from government-recognized colleges will help students get jobs soon after they complete their studies,” said a principal.

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