OREANDA-NEWS. The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Higher Education convened a meeting of all State Education Ministers looking after Higher/Technical Education, on 6th January 2015, to discuss adoption of the Credit Framework for Skills and the Choice Based Credit System in Colleges and State Public Universities. The meeting was chaired by the Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Smt Smriti Zubin Irani and attended by Ministers of State in the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Shri Upendra Kushwaha and Prof. (Dr.) Ram Shankar Katheria. The Credit Framework for Skills in education was launched on the National Education Day. It was followed by a two day national consultation with the best of Universities and Colleges implementing Community Colleges and Bachelors in Vocational Study Course, besides Career Oriented Courses on 6-7 December, 2014.  

Ministers from all the States endorsed the Credit Framework for Skills and the new Choice Based Credit System Guidelines issued by the University Grants Commission recently. A presentation was also made on reforms in teacher education and the recently approved regulations of the National Council of Teacher Education for improving the quality of B. Ed. Courses. The States welcomed the initiative.

The Conference was unanimous that adoption of the Credit Framework for Skills and the Choice Based Credit System is one of the best ways to bring about changes to meet student aspirations and employment needs. The Credit Framework for Skills also signals respect for skills and vocational courses in mainstream higher education, an initiative that will help change the mind set about vocational education being an inferior option. The Choice Based Credit System opens up possibilities for students pursuing skills and courses of their choice to enhance their employability.

All State Ministers of Higher /Technical Education endorsed the Credit Framework for Skills and the Choice Based Credit System. The Union Minister of Human Resource Development Shrimati Smriti Zubin Irani, accepted the suggestion of the Ministers from Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra to set up a Joint Working Group comprising Central and State Government nominees to sort out the critical issues in the implementation of the Credit Framework and the Choice Based Credit System. She also agreed to the setting up of a Grievance Cell in the University Grants Commission addressing challenges emanating from its implementation.