Odisha’s Minister of State (MoS) for Education Subhas Sarkar on Wednesday, April 26, said that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims at strengthening institutional capacity to embed lifelong learning in the education and skills system.

As per ANI, Sarkar said, “It goes a step ahead to distil the outcomes on strategies and measures to strengthen human and institutional capacity for the delivery of 'future skills' for a 'future-ready' workforce through upskilling, re-skilling and lifelong learning while ensuring inclusivity and removing barriers to learning."

He added said that skill development and lifelong learning are key drivers in adapting to and further shaping the world of work disrupted by the current structural transformations, particularly in digitalisation.

"India has a robust digital ecosystem and a strong public delivery architecture, demonstrated by the widespread use of the United Payments Interface. Precipitated by COVID-19, this technological innovation is generating new forms of employment with a focus on the acquisition of a new set of skills, competencies and qualifications that emphasize the human-centric focus of the future of work," ANI quoted him saying.

MoS Education said that the Government of India is rethinking the ways in which they develop, assess and recognise skills, primarily through the integration of Academic and Vocational Education and Training to reduce the structural barriers for transitioning between the two related to curriculum, assessment models, certification, governance and so on.

"We are working towards building agile and continuous learning pathways and creating personalised learning that is simultaneously responsive to career aspirations and labour market needs. We are also working towards recognition of micro-learning and up-gradation of training delivery mechanisms — all of which signify the shift in focus from qualifications to skills," he added.