Bachelor of vocational (B-VOC.) Degree program strives to align higher education with the emerging needs of the economy to ensure that the graduates of the higher education system have both knowledge and skills for employment and entrepreneurship. By introducing B-VOC. A degree program in the higher education system, Department of Higher Education, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh has attempted to incorporate the requirements of various industries in the course curriculum, innovatively and flexibly. B-VOC.
Degree program under Himachal Pradesh Skill Development Project is well designed by including a judicious mix of general and skill components to equip youths of the state with skills and knowledge to fit themselves for jobs across various levels of a particular sector job hierarchy. Under B-Voc. Degree program 02 sectors have been selected by the department of higher education of Himachal Pradesh based on the potential demand of the economy. The following section has mentioned the details of job roles adopted under the B.Voc. degree program in the state.
Progress of B.Voc. degree program in the state
Skill development based higher education i.e. B.Voc. was introduced in the academic year 2017-18 by the Department of Higher Education. The vocational degree program is under implementation in 18 Government colleges of the state to provide vocational degrees to around 4000 plus students.
The B. Voc. Degree program in the state is funded under the ADB – assisted Himachal Pradesh Skill Development Project. Apart from funding, the B.Voc. degree program in the state is being implemented under the public-private partnership model. The skill components of this flexible vocational degree program are imparted through four private training services providers and the general components of this program are being managed by the faculties of the concerned colleges. Institutionalization of lab facilities in the colleges and organizing on-job training projects have been entrusted to the private training services
providers. The distribution of responsibilities of conducting vocational degree programs has been judiciously done between the stakeholders such as the department of higher education, Himachal Pradesh University, concerned government degree college, private training services providers.
Salient unique features of B.Voc. degree program in Himachal Pradesh
- B-Voc. – The degree program is vertically integrated from NSQF Level-4 to Level-7 training program.
- Flexibility in entry and exit of students after completion of a certain level of a training program.
- B-Voc. Degree program involves dual certification such as University level degree certificates like Diploma, Advance Diploma and Bachelor Degree and level wise skill qualification certificates from the concerned Sector Skill Councils based on National Skill qualification framework.
- On-job training to the students across various levels of skill training
- Embedment of general components into the skill components to provide a progressive career path
and to meet the industry needs.
( Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article above are those of the author Dr. Saneel Thakur, General Manager, Himachal Pradesh Kaushal Vikas Nigam. The matter and intent of this article has not been edited by skillreporter.com. SkillReporter shall not be responsible for any damage if caused to any person/ organization directly or indirectly. )
