ITI students get academic equivalence – landmark decision bringing education and skill development closer

In a major decision, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) / Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) came together to sign an MoU that can ensure upward mobility for ITI students learning different vocational skills and trades. With this MoU, ITI students get academic equivalence to pursue their career and higher education aspiration on par with those from high schools and colleges.

This landmark decision to give academic equivalence to ITI students is preceded by other important decisions like holding convocations and unveiling the new logo for ITIs that are expected to enhance the aspirational value of ITI courses and give the students their due.

At the same time, it ties up with various efforts to modernize the ITIs through public private participation (PPP) initiatives and give opportunities for ITI students to move into regular engineering streams for higher education.

Signing of this unique MOU, will not only break barriers between school education and skill development, it will also open path ways for ITI students, enhance employability and enable NCVT certified, ITI students to earn 10th/12th qualification.

This Memorandum of Understanding will help all past and pursuing ITI students to have their 10th and 12th qualification and they will get academic equivalence. When the proposal to permit the NIOS to sign an MoU with the Ministry of Skills came to honourable HRD Minister, Sh. Prakash Javadekar for approval, he immediately approved the proposal so that the learners pursuing or certified through any of the ITIs can obtain 10th or 12th Certificate.

This has been a long standing demand of ITI students as, in spite of the rigorous studies they pursue, they are not considered equivalent for jobs where eligibility is 10th or 12th pass. Now, the ITI students can write two papers from the NIOS and get credit of three papers transferred from their ITI Curriculum which will qualify them for a 10th or 12th Certificate as the case may be.

(This article is presented with inputs from NSDC, CII and the Press Release)