Education Ministers from different states have agreed to set up a National Vocational Education Qualifications Framework, NVEQF to meet the shortage of skilled manpower at home and abroad. A Human Resource Development Ministry statement said that Education Ministers from 17 States favoured to put in place the framework at a conference chaired by HRD Minister Kapil Sibal in New Delhi last evening. Addressing the conference, Sibal said, India will need 200 million graduates and 500 million skilled persons by 2022 to sustain its double digit growth. The need to strengthen vocational education at all stages was also underscored by participants citing technological and demographic changes, global shortage of skilled manpower, skill deficit in various sectors and mismatch of demand and supply of skill.

HRD Ministry statement said, the Framework will be especially useful to promote the creative genius of every child including children with special needs. It said, the Framework will set common principles and guidelines for a nationally recognised qualification system, covering schools, vocational education institutes and institutes of higher education with qualifications ranging from secondary to doctorate level. Sector Skill Councils and Industry will collaborate in the development of quality standards, competencies, model curricula, assessment standards and testing procedures.