Scheme of Vocationalisation of Secondary Education

Abstract

Secondary and higher secondary education are important terminal stages in the system of general education because it is at these points that options are exercised by the youth to enter the world of employment or to go for technical training or pursue higher education. Educationists and experts have consistently iccommended that education at these stages should be given a vocational bias to link it with the world of work. The Kothari Commission (1964-66) was of the view that for a majority of occupations, university degrees were not necessary: and these jobs could be competently performed' by trained higher secondary students. This Commission felt that it should be possible to divert at least 50 per cent of students completing 10-year education to the vocational stream, reducing the pressure on the universities and also preparing students for gainful employment. Despite the priority accorded to this programme in the report of the Kothari Commission, the enfwhile National Policy on Education (1968) as well as in successive Five Year Plans, the implementation of the programme has remained weak. Many State Governments have started vocational programmes. However, because of inadequate resources, lack of proper management structures, technical expertise and inadequate teacher preparation the results have not been commensurate with expectations.