Bridging Education with Employment: NEP 2020 Initiatives

NEP 2020 promotes holistic, multidisciplinary, and flexible higher education, allowing students to acquire diverse knowledge and skills.

National Credit Framework (NCrF), National Higher Education Qualifications Framework (NHEQF), Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), and Multiple Entry Multiple Exit provisions enable integration, accumulation, and transfer of learning.

Outcome-based education, skill-based modules, project-based learning, internships, and industry engagement are incorporated into higher education curricula.

UGC and AICTE have issued guidelines for Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programs (AEDP) to provide practical experience and improve employability.

National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) provides workplace-based training; about 17.22 lakh apprentices were engaged in the last five years (2021-22 to 2025-26).

Ministry of Education released Rs 2,892.75 crore as stipend support for apprentices under NATS during this period.

NATS 2.0 portal is a technology-based platform for digital registration, contract processing, and monitoring of apprenticeship training.

Around 457 MoUs signed with HEIs for AEDP implementation under NATS; over 75,000 apprentices benefited from AI apprenticeship program.

AICTE revised model curricula to reduce credit requirements, include value-added courses, and focus on experiential learning, internships, and emerging technologies.

AICTE launched Project Practice in September 2025 to promote practical project-based learning in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.