NEP 2020 AND SKILL INDIA MISSION ON RURAL ENTERPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA

Abstract

Abstract So in that sense this paper investigates the synergistic effect of National Education Policy 2020 and Skill India Mission on the rural entrepreneurship promotion in India. Traditionally the academic vocational divide has impeded rural economic self-reliance. The current study examines the extent to which the curricular changes introduced in NEP 2020 including vocational assimilation in the schools can be aligned with Skill India certification schemes NSQF to fill this employability gap. Drawing on secondary data from government documents PLFS, MSDE this study assesses rural youth movement from a path of distress migration to local micro-entrepreneurship. Findings show that there are challenges however, in terms of digital infrastructure and connection with the market despite policy convergence of indigenous skills in a new form through initiatives like the Recognition of Prior Learning RPL. Keywords Rural Entrepreneurship, NEP 2020, Skill India Mission, Vocational Education, Atmanirbhar Bharat, National Skills Qualification Framework.