Vipin Kumar, Additional Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy (under the Ministry of Education) on Monday, May 8, stated that the Centre intends for at least 50% of girls who complete Class XII within the next two years to acquire expertise in a skill that is pertinent to the job market. He emphasised the importance of providing quality education to girls in India, focusing on vocational education as a means to ensure employability.
"To achieve this, the Ministry of Education is in discussions with state governments to identify requirements for specific geographical areas and industries. At least 50 pc of girls who are passing out from Class XII by 2025-26 should be experts in one skill relevant to the job market," he said, as mentioned in a report by PTI.
Kumar made these statements at the IDEATE 2023 conference, which brought together policymakers, industry leaders and experts. The discussion involved transformative strategies for empowering India's adolescent girls, who represent a quarter of the nation's population.
"India has the largest adolescent population in the world, with every fifth person in the 10-19 age group. Given that approximately 47 pc of this cohort are girls, the need of the hour is their technical and educational upliftment, so they go on to have skill sets which enable them to tackle any challenges and be equal partners in India's progress," said Subhrakant Panda, President of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry).
Panda emphasised the importance of closing the gender gap in education, health and job opportunities, boosting economic growth and inclusivity. "With young women joining the workforce, society as a whole benefits," he said.
"It is estimated that if adolescent girls continue their education, delay early marriage, and avoid early pregnancy, they could add around USD 110 billion to India's GDP over their lifetimes," Panda added, calling for a holistic approach, focusing on empowerment by seeing women as agents of change rather than just beneficiaries of health and development programs, as per a report by PTI.
