NSDC conducts Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for CRPF families

CRPF Family Welfare Association Launches Pilot Project of Recognition of Prior Learning under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana

New Delhi, April 27, AKASH DWIVEDI:  In the quest to recognise existing skills of people and guide them to an advanced career as a part of the Prime Minister’s larger Skill India campaign, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) in conjunction with the CRPF Family Welfare Association (CWA), today launched the pilot project of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for the Spouses of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The event was marked as a proud moment for the CRPF as it became the first ever force amongst all Para-military, police and defence forces to under-go RPL.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process to evaluate skills and knowledge acquired outside the classroom for the purpose of recognizing competence against a given set of standards, competencies, or learning outcomes. It is practiced for a variety of purposes, for example an individual's standing in a profession, trade qualifications, academic achievement, recruitment, performance management, career and succession planning. RPL has been introduced under Skill Ministry’s flagship scheme - Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)

This programme is being implemented at Shaurya CRPF Institute, Vasant Kunj by Smart Skill Tech. Private Limited, which is an affiliated training partner of NSDC and will be done under the supervision of the Apparel Sector Skill Council. The three day RPL exercise will benefit the 72 women who have enrolled for the pilot phase where they will be oriented to the job role of a sewing machine operator and also assessed on their existing skills. They will then be skill certified basis the National Skill Qualification Framework approved by the industry and the government. The orientation will include training into core and soft skills.

Commenting on the commencement of the program, Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Minister of State Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge) & Parliamentary Affairs said, “This is a great opportunity for me personally to thank our CRPF Jawans and salute their families who have been a huge support system to our force, through their constant motivation and unconditional co-operation. I am aware how challenging their lives are. So today, we take this platform to make our little contribution to the families of our CRP force and wish to extend this partnership through our skill ecosystem and recognise their career skills which can take them a long way.”

“A skill certificate brings a better life and respect for your profession and every person must avail this opportunity,” he further added.

Welcoming the initiative, Smt. Sujata Prasad, president CRPF Family Welfare Association said, “I am grateful for this partnership with Skill Ministry and NSDC, on behalf of the CRPF Family Welfare Association. This is a great way of getting our women into the formal professional sphere which will encourage them to do better than what they can, in their current capacity. I thank Shri Rudy and partners in the skill ecosystem, for rolling out the RPL process with us. After successful completion of this pilot phase, we will see many more women from the families of CRPF personnel come to the fore-front and advance towards a brighter career of their own, by not only recognition of their existing skills but also by learning new ones. We want to contribute to the vision of a Skilled India by our Honourable Prime Minister. We shall also extend the benefit of this PMKVY scheme to our families, widows of martyrs, disabled and retired CRPF personnel all across the nation.”

“India has a huge workforce which has specific abilities to perform tasks but these skills are not recognised and certified as per industry standards. Hence it is imperative that we get more and more people formally recognised through RPL. We are happy to initiate this pilot and are certain that this will benefit as well as motivate many,” said Jayant Krishna, CEO, NSDC.

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) was introduced by the Government last year. The scheme has a target to cover 24 lakh persons. There have been more than 19 lakh enrolments out of which 2 lakh enrolments have been done under RPL. 86 per cent of the candidates enrolled under RPL have already completed their domain orientation, till now. RPL has been done in 26 states across 167 job roles through 24 identified Sector Skill Councils and 216 training partners.