UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION – BACHELOR Of VOCATION (B.Voc.) PROGRAM IN UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES UNDER THE NATIONAL SKILLS QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK (NSQF)
Introduction
D.Voc / B.Voc: University Grants Commission (UGC, the statutory Organization of the Government of India by an Act of Parliament in 1956, for the coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of teaching, examination and research in university education, given approval to University – Distil (WVC) to operationalize these programs through the Embedded Degree of Skill Development based Higher Education as part of College / University Education, Leading to Bachelor of Vocation (B.Voc.) Degree with Multiple Exits such as Diploma / Advanced Diploma under the NSQF in a flexible delivery mode while they work with the industry.
Long felt necessity to align higher education with the emerging needs of the economy so as to ensure that the graduates of higher education system have adequate knowledge and skills for employment and entrepreneurship. The higher education system has to incorporate the requirements of various industries in its curriculum, in an innovative and flexible manner to produce holistic and well groomed graduates.
Govt. of India, in pursuance of the decision of Cabinet Committee on Skill Development in its meeting held on 19th December, 2013 issued a notification for National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF). Under the National Skills Development Corporation, many Sector Skill Councils representing respective industries have/are being established. One of the mandates of Sector Skill Councils is to develop Qualification Packs (QPs) / National Occupational Standards (NOSs) for various job roles in their respective sectors. The University Grants Commission (UGC) had launched a scheme on 27 February, 2014 for skills development based higher education as part of college/university education, leading to Bachelor of Vocation (B.Voc.) degree with multiple entry and exit points.
Considering the implementation modalities, the guidelines of the scheme have been revised in the year 2015. The B.Voc.program is focused on universities and colleges providing undergraduate studies which would also incorporate specific job roles and their NOSs along with broad based general education. This would enable the graduates completing B.Voc to make a meaningful participation in accelerating India’s economy by gaining appropriate employment, becoming entrepreneurs and creating appropriate knowledge.
