Vocational students to get certificates, thanks to syllabus revamp

VELLORE: The recently improved syllabus for eight vocational courses has been welcomed by higher secondary students. Now their technical qualifications will be recognised in any part of the country thereby enabling them to earn better income, sources said.

According to vocational teacher and course content writer SN Janardhanan, “the revamped courses will now ensure that if a student opts for the voluntary exam conducted by the Skill Development Council of India (SDCI), he will be issued a certificate which is valid all over the country and attests to his skill in that particular domain.”

Class 11 student Kirbakaran said, “earlier even if we successfully completed the Class 12 under the vocational stream we would find jobs ourselves, but other than the Class 12 certificate we had no technical certificate which attested to our skill. Now that this is possible it will enable us to increase our earnings.”

The eight revamped courses include accountancy, agricultural science, basics of electrical engineering, electronics engineering, mechanical engineering, office secretary ship, textile, dress designing and nursing.

If a student successfully takes the technical exam conducted by SDCI in the above subjects they will be given certificates as domestic data entry operator (for both office secretary ship and accountancy) gardener (agricultural science), field technician (electrical engineering), insulation and computer peripherals (electronics engineering), draughtsman (mechanical engineering), sewing machine operator (textile dress designing) and nurse (nursing).

Computer technology subject was converted to employability skills and included computer, communication and English skills in a bid to increase employment chances, Janardhanan added.

“To avoid complaints of students being overloaded with studies, the government made SDCI exams optional, but it has been welcomed by students who now understand its potential,” said TN Vocational Teachers Kazhagam general secretary N Ravi.

However, the food processing and child development and basics of civil engineering courses syllabi were not revamped as “they were considered unpopular having few takers,” said the Kazhagam state treasurer V Seraman.