Rahi Firdous
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 strongly advocates for the vocationalisation of education. In line with its guidelines, there is an immediate and urgent need to introduce vocational and skill-based courses at the higher secondary (+2) level. This move is also supported by a growing demand from various stakeholders, including academicians and students, for subjects such as Vocational Retail, Health and Well-being, Tourism, Craft and Designing, Automobile Engineering, IT, Fashion Designing, Photography, and other practical courses like Public Administration, Anthropology, Food Technology, Fisheries, Bio-resources, Mass Communication, and Business Administration. All these courses are inherently job-oriented.
NEP 2020 emphasises choice-based and student-centred education across school, college, and university levels. Students should be afforded greater flexibility to select subjects based on their interests and aptitudes. However, the introduction of these new subjects at the +2 level remains pending.
It is noteworthy that in 2024, the School Education Department actively sought suggestions from stakeholders and academics regarding the introduction of new subjects at the higher secondary level. Feedback and recommendations were also collected from heads of institutions to facilitate the rollout of these vocational and skill-based subjects.
The demand for introducing Public Administration, in particular, is significant. This subject is unique and highly beneficial for students aspiring to appear in competitive examinations such as JKAS, IAS, IFS, IRS, and other All-India level tests, as it is an optional paper in the UPSC syllabus. Furthermore, many in-service teachers within the Department hold postgraduate degrees in Public Administration and are eager to teach it at the +2 level.
While various vocational and skill-based subjects have already been introduced at the secondary level (Classes 9 and 10), their extension to the higher secondary stage is crucial. The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JK BOSE) has commendably framed the syllabus for Public Administration at the +2 level. The student community is now keenly awaiting its introduction to better prepare for competitive exams.
The School Education Department is working diligently to formulate a comprehensive plan for introducing these new subjects in accordance with the guidelines of NEP 2020. This is a positive and bold step toward academic excellence. It is hoped that these vocational and skill-based subjects will be introduced before the commencement of the new academic session in March 2026, enabling higher secondary students to avail themselves of the benefits of a more diverse and practical education.
The writer teaches in the School Education Department
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