In a significant step towards integrating vocational training into school education, a national workshop was held in New Delhi to support State and Union Territory education boards in becoming Dual Category Awarding Bodies under the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET).
Organised at Kaushal Bhawan by the Ministry of Education’s Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSE&L), in collaboration with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and NCVET, the workshop aimed to streamline vocational education pathways in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Over 150 delegates from 24 state and UT education boards participated in the workshop.
The core agenda focused on helping State Boards prepare and submit their applications for NCVET’s Dual Category Awarding Body recognition. This status enables them to both train and assess learners in vocational courses aligned to the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), up to level 4. This integration positions State Boards not just as examiners, but as key actors in India’s skilling ecosystem.
Speaking at the event, Shri Rajit Punhani, Secretary, MSDE, highlighted the shift in responsibility: “With State Boards now stepping into the role of Dual Category Awarding Bodies, the responsibility is immense… It is no longer just about conducting examinations, but about upholding high standards in vocational training, pedagogy, and outcomes.”
The workshop featured hands-on sessions, with NCVET consultants guiding participants through live application submissions. While all 24 attending states initiated the recognition process, six—Goa, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, and Nagaland—successfully completed and submitted their applications during the session.
The Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education presented its onboarding journey as a case study, sharing practical lessons for other state boards.
Senior officials including Ms. Sonal Mishra (Additional Secretary, MSDE), Ms. Prachi Pandey (Joint Secretary, DoSE&L), Dr. Vinita Agarwal and Dr. Neena Pahuja (Executive Members, NCVET) were also present.
The workshop capped weeks of preparatory consultations with state boards and marks a major milestone in expanding access to vocational education through the formal school system.
