NITI Aayog Proposes Vocational Tracks From Class 9, Employability Skills From Class 6

NITI Aayog has recommended introducing employability and entrepreneurship skills from Class 6 and structured vocational education tracks, or Kaushal Tracks, from Class 9 as part of a broader plan to reform India's skilling ecosystem and improve employment outcomes.

The recommendations were made in a report titled ‘Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat@2047’, which calls for vocational education to be embedded more deeply into the school curriculum and aligned with industry and labour-market requirements.

Employability Skills From Class 6

NITI Aayog has proposed that General Employability and Entrepreneurship Skills (GEES) be introduced universally from Grade 6 through Grade 12.

From Class 9 onwards, students could opt for Kaushal Tracks, allowing them to pursue structured vocational pathways and develop deeper specialisations based on local and national demand for skilled workers.

The report also recommended continuing GEES as a separate subject for all students in Grades 11 and 12.

NITI Aayog noted that although the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) provide for integrating vocational education and employability skills from Grade 6, implementation remains limited.

According to the report, fewer than one in 12 secondary schools currently offer vocational subjects.

“Skilling must begin early and be embedded within the school system to shape employability, choice, and progression later in life,” the report said.

Vocational Subjects With Equal Weightage

The Aayog also recommended revising the Class 10 and Class 12 board examination subject structure to give vocational subjects equal weightage.

It suggested that state boards accept the revised subject structure for Class 10 board certification, potentially giving vocational education greater parity with traditional academic subjects.

NITI Aayog Pushes Industry-Aligned Higher Education

The report also highlighted the need for structural changes in India's higher and tertiary education system to better align education with labour-market demand.

NITI Aayog observed that outdated curricula and the dominance of generic degree programmes have contributed to weak employability outcomes.

To address this gap, it called for greater industry participation through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models and Apprenticeship Embedded Degree/Diploma Programmes (AEDP).

The report recommended shifting from generic degrees towards applied, industry-aligned specialisations, while expanding work-integrated and apprenticeship-based degree programmes.

It also advocated flexible and modular learning models that allow students to earn while they learn.

Focus on Green Jobs, EVs and Emerging Sectors

NITI Aayog said India's skilling strategy should increasingly focus on sectors with high growth potential, including green industries and electric vehicles (EVs).

The report also called for stronger General Employability and Entrepreneurship Skills and reskilling opportunities for workers in declining occupations.

It recommended linking skilling programmes more closely with verified employment outcomes, using existing public infrastructure and adopting outcome-linked financing models to improve participation and job outcomes.

Apprenticeships to Become Mainstream Pathway

The report also called for apprenticeships to be repositioned as a mainstream and trusted pathway between education and employment.

While programmes such as the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) have expanded access, NITI Aayog noted that participation remains uneven and awareness among learners is limited.

Apprenticeship opportunities are also fragmented across multiple platforms, the report said.

To address these challenges, NITI Aayog proposed increasing apprenticeship opportunities through MSME incentives, creating integrated access through a unified state-led platform, improving the visibility of credible opportunities and aligning apprenticeships more closely with learner demand.

Skilling Push for Viksit Bharat 2047

The report said India's ambition of becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047 depends on enabling citizens to continuously learn, earn and advance.

Since 2014-15, more than 7.67 crore people have received skilling or training, according to the report. The Union Budget 2025-26 also allocated around ₹34,000 crore towards skilling-related expenditure across multiple Central ministries.

However, NITI Aayog cautioned that despite the scale of investment and training, skilling outcomes remain uneven.

The proposed reforms aim to create an education-to-employment pathway in which students begin developing employability skills early, gain access to vocational specialisations from Class 9 and transition into industry-linked higher education, apprenticeships and employment.