Vocational Education and Training: the role of ODL

Abstract- There has been a tremendous focus on vocational education in the five year plans. It has off late caught the fancy of the academicians, policy makers, etc. The Twelfth Five Year Plan has specially laid its emphasis on skill education in its Approach paper. However, the reality check is that, given a choice between the two options for education: general education and vocational education, the tilt has been more towards general education than vocational and compared to the western countries the participation rate of students in the vocational courses are very less. Due to globalization and the growth of knowledge economy, there is a tough competition everywhere and therefore the only mantra to success is knowledge, skill and training. The focus is more on working skills and expertise in a particular field of one’s own. Hence vocational education and training can prove