Policy Update
Harshita Maheshwari
Background
According to the 2018 Sample Registration System Statistical Report, India generally had a high share of young people, with 25.9% under the age of 14, 66% in the working-age group of 15-59, and only 8.1% over 60 years. This reflects India’s demographic dividend. During that period, just 2% of the workforce had formal vocational training, and 6.1% had received non-formal vocational training. Therefore, the country faced a dual challenge: a shortage of skilled labor for jobs and a low skill level among those currently employed.
Vocational education can significantly influence the country’s economic growth. India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 promotes the transformative development of vocational training by mandating all educational institutions to include it in their curricula. To support this goal, AICTE, under the Ministry of Education, launched the “Kaushal Augmentation and Restructuring Mission of AICTE” (KARMA) on December 15, 2021, for all approved institutions.
Objective of KARMA
The aim of the scheme is –
- Strategically planned skill initiatives aim to develop a skilled and certified workforce that not only contributes to India’s growth but also helps position the country as the global skills capital.
- Encourage institutions to maximize the use of available infrastructure in the higher education system during off-hours for skill training by realigning existing facilities for skill courses, including training aids, syllabi, and curriculum, by NSQF (National Skills Qualifications Framework)-aligned qualifications.
The training under this scheme should be domain-specific, demand-led skill activities, preferably in core engineering sectors, that lead to employment or self-employment. This enables participants to acquire skills, which are assessed and certified by an independent third-party agency. Based on this certification, they can attain wage employment or self-employment, resulting in increased earnings and/or better working conditions. This may include obtaining formal certification for previously informal skills, transitioning from informal to formal sector jobs, or pursuing higher education or training.
Technical institutes may also offer training in non-technical courses that have job or self-employment opportunities in the local area, provided the required infrastructure and trainers are arranged through any training partner, partner industry, or NCVET/AICTE-approved training providers.
KARMA Models
All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) under KARMA proposed three models for upskilling in-school students, school dropouts, and those seeking higher education:
- Model 1: NSQF Aligned Short-Term Training Program
Beneficiary: School dropouts after class 10th pass
- Model 2: NSQF Aligned Advanced Level Skilling
Beneficiary: Students studying in AICTE-approved technical institutions - Model 3: Integrating School Education with Higher Education
Beneficiary: The Institute will mobilize students from nearby schools to enhance their technical skills
Source: AICTE Newsletter — Volume 8, Issue 1 (January–March 2022)
Progress Overview: AICTE’s KARMA Initiatives
According to the statistics published in the AICTE Newsletter — Volume 8, Issue 1 (January–March 2022); Volume 8, Issue 2 (April–June 2022) and Volume 8, Issues 3–4 (June–December 2022) — the following analysis presents a comparative overview of the progress made under the KARMA initiative during its first year of implementation, since its launch in December 2021.
The analysis covers all three models of the scheme and focuses on key performance indicators such as the total number of institutes registered, sectors covered, job roles approved, and approved intake. These indicators provide insights into the scale of institutional engagement, the breadth of sectoral alignment, and the overall expansion of skill development capacity facilitated by AICTE under the KARMA framework in its inaugural year.
The following is the summary of the performance analysis of initiatives during KARMA’s first-year implementation phase –
- A growing number of institutes registered over the year across all three models.
- However, Model 3 (linking school students with higher education) had the least institutional engagement, indicating implementation challenges or a lack of awareness.
- It is also noted that other emerging sectors—such as healthcare, green energy, and service-oriented roles—are underrepresented. This indicates an opportunity to better align the initiative with current trends in employment demand and future-ready skills.
- In analyzing the approved job roles under the KARMA initiative, I observed that engineering and manufacturing roles under Model 2 dominate the approved intake. This suggests a strong alignment with India’s broader industrial priorities, especially in traditional sectors driving economic growth.
- Model 2 (Advanced Level Skilling for technical institution students) accounts for the majority of intake, followed by Models 1 and 3. This suggests stronger traction among existing higher education institutions and students.
Way Forward
To strengthen the effectiveness of the KARMA initiative, it is essential to deepen sectoral alignment with India’s evolving labor market needs. In contrast, traditional engineering disciplines form the core of the current models, emerging sectors like green jobs, big data analytics, IT-ITeS, and healthcare present new opportunities for sustainable employment and economic growth. AICTE should consider conducting regular market assessments to ensure that job roles offered under each model reflect contemporary demands. Increasing collaboration with industry partners and sector skill councils can further improve curriculum relevance, enhance placement prospects, and support curriculum innovation in under-represented areas.
Furthermore, to maximize the reach and inclusivity of the scheme, targeted awareness campaigns should be launched to engage school students, particularly under Model 3, and school dropouts under Model 1. Strengthening digital infrastructure, especially in rural and underserved areas, will be critical in expanding access. Standardized monitoring mechanisms and a centralized dashboard can improve data transparency and help track performance metrics such as student intake, certification rates, and post-training employment outcomes. These steps can ensure that KARMA not only addresses current skill gaps but also builds a future-ready workforce aligned with India’s development goals.
References
- AICTE (2022, January). AICTE News. www.aicte-india.org/flipbook/newsletter/2022-q1/janNewsletter.pdf
- AICTE (2022, April). AICTE News. www.aicte-india.org/flipbook/newsletter/2022-q2/AICTE_NewsLetter%20Vol.9_April-June%202022_English.pdf
- AICTE (2022, June). AICTE News. www.aicte-india.org/flipbook/newsletter/2022-q2/newsletter.pdf
- IMPRI (2024, October 19). Ministry of Education: Key Initiatives Shaping India’s Higher Education. https://www.impriindia.com/insights/ministry-of-education/
- Karma-guidelines-updated.pdf. (n.d.-e). https://www.aicte-india.org/sites/default/files/karma/KARMA-guidelines-updated.pdf
About the contributor: Harshita Maheshwari is a research intern at IMPRI. She graduated with a Master of Public Administration, concentrating in Economic and Financial Policy from Cornell University and a Master of Arts in Applied Economics from Christ University.
Acknowledgement: The author sincerely thanks Aasthaba Jadeja and IMPRI fellows for their valuable contribution.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
Read more at IMPRI:
Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN),2015 – Effectiveness and Implementation
SVAMITVA Scheme 2021: From Ground to Governance in Reimagining India’s Rural Development
