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Concept Note - Composite Skill Lab (CBSE) - Edited

The document outlines the establishment of Composite Skill Labs in CBSE schools to enhance vocational education as per the National Education Policy 2020 and National Curriculum Framework 2023. It emphasizes the need for practical skills training to bridge the skills gap and improve employment prospects for students, mandating schools to set up skill labs within specified timelines. The framework details the integration of skill education across various grades, promoting hands-on experience and real-world projects to prepare students for diverse career pathways.

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Sujit Panigrahi
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208 views4 pages

Concept Note - Composite Skill Lab (CBSE) - Edited

The document outlines the establishment of Composite Skill Labs in CBSE schools to enhance vocational education as per the National Education Policy 2020 and National Curriculum Framework 2023. It emphasizes the need for practical skills training to bridge the skills gap and improve employment prospects for students, mandating schools to set up skill labs within specified timelines. The framework details the integration of skill education across various grades, promoting hands-on experience and real-world projects to prepare students for diverse career pathways.

Uploaded by

Sujit Panigrahi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Concept Note

Setting up Composite Skill Labs in CBSE Schools


Introduction
India has a large youth population that needs to be prepared for the job market which addresses the
need for trained and skilled workforce to bridge the skills gap and meet industry demands.
The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) provides immense focus on integrating vocational
education with mainstream education and removing the boundaries between these streams of
education. Building on the vision set forth by NEP 2020 and operationalizing its provisions, National
Curriculum Framework – School Education (NCF-SE) - 2023 provides critical guidance on the integration
of skill education in schools.
National Curriculum Framework for School Education has:

• advocated the inclusion of skill subjects as an integral part of the curriculum by including it as
a mandatory subject of study from class VI-X
• emphasized delivery of multi-sector skill education across three forms of work in schools
namely:
➢ working with life forms,
➢ working with materials and machines, and
➢ working on providing human services
• stressed the importance of equipping students with practical skills alongside traditional
academic subjects
• emphasised that schools must provide opportunities for students to engage in real-world tasks
and projects related to their chosen skills, thus bridging the gap between theory and practice
• advocated the establishment of well-equipped skill labs to cater to the multi-sectoral approach.
Lifecycle of Skill Education in schools as per NCF 2023 can be demonstrated as follows:

Current Skill Landscape of CBSE

• Skill Modules (Class 6 onwards): 34 skill modules of 15 hours where 10,082 schools have
completed at least 1 skill module
• Skill Subjects (Class 9-10): 22 skill subjects with 17,13,213 students in class X
• Skill Subjects (Class 11-12): 43 skill subjects with 2,56,417 students in class XII

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About CBSE Mandate for Composite Skill Labs in Schools

• Given the above landscape, CBSE has noticed that many schools lack a skill lab and tools and
equipment to effectively deliver the curriculum across three forms of work
• It has mandated the setting up of composite skill labs as per Circular No Skill-75/2024 dated
23 Aug 2024. The circular states that:
➢ setting up ‘Composite Skill Labs’ will help in providing training on practical skills aligned with
industry needs, enhance employment prospects for students in various trades and
vocations, enable exploration of diverse career pathways beyond traditional options, and
foster entrepreneurial capabilities among students
➢ schools are advised to set up either one Composite Skill Lab of 600 sq. ft. area for classes
VI–XII, or two separate labs of 400 sq. ft. area each, one for classes VI–X and the other for
classes XI–XII
➢ for the schools seeking fresh affiliation with CBSE, a Composite Skill Lab with all necessary
equipment and machinery is mandatory
➢ schools already affiliated with CBSE must establish a Composite Skill Lab with all necessary
equipment and machinery, within a period of three years from the date of this circular.
This committee has been constituted to discuss and finalize the guidelines for setting up the
Composite Skill Labs in schools.

EXTRACTS FROM THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK – SCHOOL EDUCATION


The NCF-SE 2023 details out the key elements of vocational education in each stage as follows:
Section 9.3.2.2: Middle stage
a. Students will develop basic skills and knowledge in all three forms of work: Working with Life
forms, Working with Machines and Materials, and Working in Human Services. At this stage, the
skills for work are the focus and not specific vocations.
b. In each Grade, three projects, one from each form of work will be implemented in schools. Thus,
by the end of this Stage, students will work on nine projects.
c. States/Schools will choose vocations within the three forms of work, and design projects for each
Grade in each form of work. The selection of projects must consider the context of the school,
locality, and age-appropriateness of students.
d. Projects that align with other Curricular Areas will be supported by the respective subject
teachers. These projects can aid in interdisciplinary understanding by integrating concepts from
other Curricular Areas. For example, in the case of agriculture or animal husbandry concepts from
botany and zoology can be integrated with the project.
e. Towards the end of the academic year, a Kaushal Mela (skills fair) will be organised in the school
for students to demonstrate their projects to the school, community members and other
stakeholders. This will include a presentation of the project work, key learnings, reflections, and
use of learnt skills at home.

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Section 9.3.2.3: Secondary stage grades 9 and 10
a. Students will be given exposure to six vocations (two from each form of work) spread over two
years. These will be at least equivalent to NSQF Levels 1 and 2, where relevant.
b. The vocations will be carefully identified considering the basic skills needed by students at this
Stage for each of the three forms of work.
c. The focus would be on developing the appropriate skills with hands-on experience with the tools
and techniques involved; only the limited theoretical knowledge relevant to students will be
included. The hands-on experience will be supplemented with internship opportunities at this
Stage.
d. These six vocations are chosen on the premise that exposure across these vocations will not only
enhance exposure but also enable students to make an informed choice in Grades 11 and 12.
e. The choice of these vocations is also based on the premise that certain capacities in skills within
cut across vocations. For example, a farmer needs to understand how motors and tractors work,
and someone working in machine servicing needs similar capacities.
f. Students will learn the relevant skills for these vocations through both workshops conducted in
the school as well as projects and internships in local sites of work.
g. Further, students will be given on-site exposure to industrial/agricultural spaces to broadly
understand the functioning of vocations in the world of work. Schools must develop linkages with
local industries, farms, service centres, cooperatives, relevant NGOs, state transport
corporations, cottage industries, printing presses, call centres, software design companies,
mobile operating companies, law companies, local water/electricity boards to enable students
to spend part of their time gaining work/practical experience at these facilities as interns while
they are still in school.
h. It is not likely that all schools will have a trained Teacher for vocational courses. Hence, these
vocational courses can also be taught by locally trained and experienced resource trainers and
coordinated by regular Teachers who have been relevantly trained, also with appropriate use of
technology.

Section 9.3.2.4: Secondary stage grades 11 and 12


In Grades 11 and 12 students take choice-based courses in different Curricular Areas. Vocational
Education is one of the Curricular Areas that should be available for students. Students choosing
vocational courses from this Curricular Area would have in-depth training in a specific vocation
over the period of two years. These will be minimally at NSQF levels 3-4 where relevant.

Further, the NCF-SE has allocated time within the school timetable for the integration of vocational
education:

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Section 4.4.2: Time Allocation in Middle Stage

Table shows that the vocational education subject periods may be combined to have a continuous longer
period required for hands on activities

Section 4.4.3: Time Allocation in Secondary Stage (Grades 9 and 10)

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