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COMMUNITY COLLEGES
:
A VIABLE SOLUTION FOR
SKILLING THE INFORMAL SECTOR
Understanding the Informal SectorThe Economic Survey of 2007-8 states that 93% of labour in India is self-employed or employed in the unorganized sector. The National Commission for Enterprises in the unorganized sector (NCEUS), 2006, highlights the large size but poor condition of the unorganized sector. 370 million work in the unorganized sector of which 120 million are women. The term “unorganized or informal” refers to men and women engaged in different forms of employment. It
ranges from home based (rolling bidis) to self-employment (vegetable vending), self-employment in home enterprises, small units, agriculture, construction, domestic workers and other casual employment. Recent trends show an increase in casual workers with “informalisation” of formal labour. Some examples are contract work in housekeeping; outsourcing work to C grade BPOs. Several studies have highlighted the poor conditions of these workers despite their invaluable contribution of 60% to the national economy. Issues include low wages, seasonal employment, no social benefits, longer work hours, and no state regulation. For women, additionally, it means discrimination at work place with lower wages and low grade jobs; no access to facilities; sexual harassment; occupational and health hazards and no bargaining power.
Women entrepreneurs in the medium and small enterprises (MSME) face complex challenges due to limited educational and skills. These range from lack of knowledge of markets & competition, management skills, technology, and access to finance. According to a report in the Economist, this lack of knowledge and continuing treatment of women as second class citizens keeps women in the pervasive cycle of poverty.
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Access to education and vocational skills is an important ingredient of the multi-dimensional approach required to tackle these complex challenges to improve the status of women in the unorganized sector. India has put in place a large skilling program of training 500 million youth with a clear institutional
structure and budget to reap its demographic dividend. Planning Commission document of 2012 emphasizes the importance of focusing on women, disabled and other vulnerable categories. There is a sense of urgency as the MDG goals cannot be met if women social and economic empowerment lags behind. It makes emminent sense, therefore, to conceive a educational-cum-vocational model for women in the unorganized sector now.
An action research project for evolving a concept of a community college for women in the Informal sector is proposed. As a beginning, it will be piloted with SEWA.
II. Why Community Colleges?
The Community Colleges model addresses the concerns stated above, as it offers low cost and high quality education and skill development at the doorsteps of the learners with opportunity for horizontal and vertical mobility and community based lifelong learning. The model is flexible and aligned to local community needs. The HRD department of Government of India has formulated a Community College-like scheme, based on the proven US community college model. Since creating infrastructure takes time, the Ministry is presently piloting the concept in 100 existing colleges/Universities. Key objectives of the community college are the following, keeping in mind the mission of equipping the currently under-equipped knowledge workers by overcoming barriers of affordability, accessibility and employability:
To provide career oriented skills education to students currently pursuing higher education but actually interested in entering the workforce at the earliest opportunity;
To provide opportunities for employable and certifiable skills with necessary general education to high school pass-outs not ready to enroll in traditional colleges and also providing them a path to transfer in future to higher education including technical education programmes;
To provide opportunities for up-gradation and certification of traditional / acquired skills of the learners irrespective of her / his qualification or age; and
To provide opportunities for community–based life-long learning by offering courses of general interest to the community for personal development and interest
III. Why SEWA?
SEWA, registered as a trade union, has a membership of over 1.7 million women. Their main occupations are vegetable vending, construction, waste management, making kites, agarbattis, and bidi rolling, all of which fall under the “unorganized “sector. Women are organized in cooperatives to give these invisible women a voice and bargaining power. SEWA Bank gives easy access to finance for its members.
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Piloting the concept with SEWA helps leverage the following:
A strong value system with a belief in Gandhian priniciples and the latent potential of the poor
Large networks of women and their children
A cadre of grass root leaders & managers
Proven pioneering models run “by the women, for the women” like SEWA Bank, Video SEWA.
Shared belief in creating viable, sustainable institutions; members are willing to pay for services
A felt need of the SEWA community, especially younger members, for a
flexible education-cum-market linked vocational model with certification
National and global footprint
III. What kind of Community College?
Currently, there are three models or frameworks based on which community colleges are being developed around the country, and are available for adoption:
1. UGC-Accredited Community Colleges 1
The idea of establishing Pilot Community Colleges (PCC) in the country was unanimously endorsed in the Conference of State Education Ministers held on 22nd February, 2012. The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) decided to start 200 community colleges in 2013 from existing Colleges / Polytechnics to be selected by the
State Governments.
1.1 While selecting the host institution for the PCC, preference was required to be given to its proximity to the local industry
partners. Considering an
Autonomous College as host institution of the PCC may have added advantages for curriculum design, assessment, etc. Similarly,
colleges which have been
successfully offering Career Oriented Courses (COC) under the
UGC scheme may also be considered on account of their similar experience. As the PCC, conceptually, means an institution offering skill-oriented higher education, it can also be hosted in a department of the University. A University need not essentially have constituent or affiliated colleges for setting up a
1 Based on contributions by Mr. Ajay Goel, Wadhwani Foundation
SEWA workers at the Vanalakshmi Organic Farm, Ganeshpura
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Community College. The PCC can also be established in an Open University if it has a tie up with a registered Skill Knowledge Provider or a College or a Polytechnic or an ITI for acquisition of prescribed skills by the learners.
1.2 As the PCCs would be hosted in the existing Colleges / Polytechnics, the States/UTs shall have to decide upon the governance structure of these PCCs. These PCCs may be continued to be governed either by the same mechanism as that of the host Colleges/ Polytechnics or by a separate management altogether or by a separate management under the control of the management of the host Colleges/ Polytechnics, depending upon the local need and the guidelines of the State/UT Governments in this regard. But it must have representatives from all stakeholders, particularly, the industry, which includes manufacturing, mining, services, agriculture and allied sectors and the certification body. 1.3 In order to make education relevant and to create ‘industry fit’ skilled workforce, the PCCs will have to be in constant dialogue with the industry, so that they are always updated on the requirements of the workforce of the local economy. These colleges should also preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the locality, be it the art, craft, handicraft, music, architecture or any such thing, through appropriately designed curriculum with proper assurance of employment including self-employment and entrepreneurship development.
1.4 For the purpose of consultation with the industry at the national level, the National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC) has been set up by the Ministry of Finance to facilitate the development and upgrading of skills of the growing Indian workforce through skill training programs (http://nsdcindia.org). NSDC would constitute what are known as Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) with representatives from the industry and employers which would in turn lay down the National Occupation Standards (NOS) for each job role within the identified skill sectors. SSCs would primarily be a testing and certification institution, ensuring acceptance of the qualification by the industry. Assessment of training and providing credible certification will allow employers to use it as a proxy to fast track job applications. However, till the time SSCs become functional in all the identified sectors for nationally common NOS’, All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) / NIOS would develop them in consultation with industry associations, while contextualized State specific requirements could be developed by School Boards / State Technical Boards in consultation with those specific industry or trade associations. However, to meet the local requirement of the economy, States/UTs would have to devise a mechanism to develop the curricula to be transacted in these PCCs in consultation with the industry, as well as the active socio-cultural organisations. This would call for representation of these organisations on academic and administrative bodies of the Pilot Community Colleges.
1.5 With a view to make the skill acquired by the learners acceptable nationally, the curricula and system of certification has to be done against a national standard. In order to facilitate offering of
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nationally standardized skill related programmes, the MHRD has already rolled out the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) in 2013 (Previously National Vocational Education Qualifications Framework). It is a nationally integrated education and competency-based skill framework that will provide for multiple pathways both within vocational education and between general and vocational education to link one level of learning to another higher level and enable learners to progress to higher levels from any starting point in the education and /or skill system. It will permit individuals to accumulate their knowledge and skills, and convert them through testing and certification into higher diplomas and degrees and will support lifelong learning, continuous up-gradation of skills and knowledge.
1.6 The Community College Scheme will lead to an Advanced Diploma Level only. The PCC, shall work towards aligning the curriculum with the National Occupational Standards being developed by the respective Sector Skill Councils. This would promote national and global mobility of the learners, as well as
higher acceptability by the industry for employment purposes. PCCs will also work towards aligning the course architecture and curriculum design with NSQF. They shall also offer opportunities for the recognition of prior skill and learning, and bridging the gap in skill and learning outcomes to facilitate certification in one of the levels of NSQF.
(i) Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): Currently, India’s Vocational Education Training (VET) system has almost no system where the prior learning of someone who may have worked in the unorganized sector for decades is recognized and certified. This is specifically relevant to the diverse traditional occupations of the people in various parts of the country. Institutions with requisite experience will be authorized by the certifying body to conduct assessment for RPL. Objectives of RPL will be twofold: (i) recognition of prior learning or qualification acquired outside the learning path, and (ii) recognition of credits obtained through formal learning. This would lead to career progression and skill up-gradation of the learners as well as engagement of the experienced practitioners as resource persons.
1.7 The CCs shall operate in the identified buildings and premises of existing colleges / universities. They may use industry sites and those of the approved “Skill Knowledge Providers” (SKPs) wherever required for
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imparting necessary skills. Each CC needs to have adequate laboratory / workshop facilities for face-to-face delivery of skills and hands-on practice either owned or arranged through tie up with the partner industry or other institution recognized by the certification agency.
1.8 In the CCs, the faculty would typically consist of a permanent core, and a pool of guest / part-time faculty taken from either the industry or open market for imparting skills.
2. Industry-based Community Colleges2
Industry stalwarts such as the Mahindra group, the Ambuja group and the Jindal group are now looking to train their workforce and create a steady-stream of skilled workers for their expanding businesses. These industry-based models are somewhat different from the model envisioned by the UGC in that they only provide a certification and no diplomas.
The O.P. Jindal Community College is one such example which has been
established under the aegis of Om Prakash Gramin Jan Kalyan Sansthan with the sole motive to impart quality training to the youth of Santhal Pargana region to meet out the requirement of skilled /semi-skilled work force in the industries and to improve their employability.
Established in 2007, the Community College is a CSR initiative and admits all learners including school drop-outs. It has 5 brick-n-mortar locations in 3 states (Chhattisgarh, Odisha, & Jharkhand) as well as 4 adopted ITIs. Its students come from across 7 states. This institute is affiliated to National Council for Vocational Training in six trades with an initial intake capacity of 221 students. O.P. Jindal Community College, Sikatia Godda - an Industrial Training Institute - aims at producing a new breed of technicians with the competitive edge to match both national and international standards. The college aims at educating the students to become not only competent professionals but also excellent human beings, who would contribute towards the welfare of the society and help in raising the quality of the life of its people.
The program also focuses on incubating small business and developing entrepreneurial skills through its “Saksham” initiative. It’s “Aparajita” initiative provides on-the-job full-time training to women in the construction sector in left-wing extremism affected areas, wherein women face several challenges to their livelihood security.
The Jindal Community College sets itself apart from it is and Vocational Training Institutions in that it provides Competency-based courses which are rrelevant to industry standards & community needs. It also provides practical, hands-on training (70:30) and looks at the holistic development of an individual – character, social, cognitive, physical, & technical domain. Their programs have multiple entry and exit points including RPL, with those enrolled only getting completion certificates upon satisfactorily gaining competent skills.
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3. NGO/Society/Local Body-run Community Colleges 3
These were the first prototype of a Community College initiated in India. Under the aegis of the Chennai-based Indian Centre for Research and Development of Community Education (ICRDCE), Father Xavier Alphonse spearheaded the Community College Initiative in the country in 1995. It is an undertaking of the Jesuits of Tamil Nadu Province to assist in the Community College Movement. It is a facilitating and coordinating agency for Community Colleges in India. It has been involved in the preparation, establishment, monitoring and evaluation of 232 Community Colleges in 18 States of India. It has also trained 2,247 teachers. The Centre has conducted 140 Workshops & Consultations involving 2,406 Organisations, 6,123 participants and has also organised 11 important National Consultations/Conferences with 1,415 participants. It has also prepared the basic curriculum material and supplied to all these Community Colleges. It has published 43 books and 75 articles in the leading educational journals of India and abroad on the concept and implementation of the system. The Tamil Nadu Open University (TNOU) has recognized 118 Community Colleges as Vocational Programme Centres all over the country. The Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU), Nashik is going to recognize the Community Colleges in the States of Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat. The State Government of Tamilnadu has issued a Government Order (GO) recognizing the system in May 2008. It has also sanctioned Rs.10 million Indian Rupees by way of scholarship to 10,000 students of Community Colleges in Tamilnadu for the current year.
IV. Difference between Community College and Other Vocational Training Institutions
There are various formal systems of Vocational Education in operation in India such as:
• Apprenticeship Training
• Plus Two Vocational System in Schools • Industrial Technical Institutes (ITI) • Community Polytechnics
• Vocationalisation of first-degree level education at the collegiate level.
The fundamental differences between each of these, and Community Colleges are described below:
(i) Aiming at the Employability of the individual
trained
Vocational Training Centres only offer to train an individual in a particular skill-set, Community Colleges look at overall personal growth and marketable skills, thereby, increasing chances of employability.
(ii) A system to declare competency level and duly certify the same
Community Colleges provide certification for competency level based on the NSQF for specific job roles as developed by Sector Skill Councils. This certification provides greater leverage both for horizontal as well as vertical mobility of the individual.
3 Based on contributions by Father Xavier Alphonse, ICRDCE.
TOP: St. Xavier’s College, Mapusa, Goa ABOVE: Devakottai Amala Annai Community College
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(iii) Promoting strong industrial linkage in terms of articulation of skills, requirements of the industries.
As Sector Skill Councils are formulated by Industry partners who, in turn, have defined the job roles, the individual can get training based on the demands of the industry. Thus, linkages with different sectors are strong and absorption into mainstream jobs is higher than in Vocational Training Institutions.
III. Key Ingredients of the Community College:
Based on the above-mentioned description of the existing community college models, the following synthesis with inputs from SEWA members indicates what needs to be incorporated into the design of a community college which shall cater to those in the informal sector, particularly women:
Ability to integrate back into mainstream educational system as many daughters dropped out of school for social and other reasons. They realize the importance now of acquiring a basic degree For the youth, a link between education and new trends in traditional vocations as they find the school education is disconnected from their traditional occupations. For example, CAD designs in tailoring ; modern techniques of weaving; green construction techniques
English ,soft skills, life skills
Market aligned vocational courses with close industry linkages based on the local opportunities Allow the youth to convert the skills learnt into self-employment or an enterprise, based on
aspiration
Modules in enterprise development for members in a micro-enterprise
Align traditional skills and apriori knowledge of members to national/international mainstream levels with certification. This will help enterprise building by creating an incentive system for role progression retailers, water technicians etc.
Integrate SEWA Managers School and Leadership Academy as verticals within the community college
Internationally recognized certification Flexibility in time
No age limit
IV. Target Students
The community college would serve:
Informal sector workers with prior knowledge of their primary vocation
Informal sector workers with little or no skills Younger generations of informal sector workers who are looking for viable alternatives to traditional forms of employment as well as vertical mobility
Local community members as well as the larger SEWA member-base
National/international Women members who want to learn and replicate the SEWA model
V. Opportunities and Way Forward
In consultation with the NSDC, a road-map was designed which outlines its present opportunities and identifies next steps for the execution of the Pilot Community College.
SEWA workers during an ICT Training
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1. What are SEWA’s opportunities?
Retail the core principles while expanding the work to further the cause of urban poor, especially women.
Re-align existing body of work to align with larger policy changes and frameworks for vocational skills, particularly the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF).
Explore different models in the skills development space, including NIOS, Sector Skill Councils, University affiliation, etc. with the objective to formalize ALL skills and the jobs thereof.
Priority on entrepreneurship, with creation of more sustainable micro-enterprises through relevant financial and market linkages.
Meet the aspirations and demands from younger members of the community, for a flexible education-cum-market linked vocational model with certification and/or basic degree.
Explore techno-commercial partnerships that will bring in much needed systems, processes and more importantly, business models that will aid in this transition.
Be aware of opportunities as a vocational training partner (VTP) through Central- and State-Sponsored Schemes, CSR efforts, etc.
Explore and profile business models, best practices and technology interventions from existing skill development ecosystem such as NSDC’s Innovation website– www.innovation.nsdcindia.org Deploy the right business model (hub-and-spoke, fixed centers vs mobile centers, etc.) to ensure sustainable and scalable growth of SEWA’s skill development activities.
2. Way Forward
Skill Gap Assessment
• Identify skills available and gaps to be addressed across all target
segments (youth, older women, disabled, etc.) comprising along the value chain in all SEWA activities.
Design and Develop Program
• Explore pathways for each target segment through affiliation that results in third-party assessment and certification with nation-wide recognition • Evolve a package of practices for each skill program that includes
enhancing capabilities ,core principles and values and spirit of the SEWA movement (rights, access, justice & security).
Explore Existing Resources
• Integrate existing body of work (SEWA bank, SEWA Manager ni School) into the larger program.
• Assemble a set of special programs (career counseling, master trainer, training of trainers, job portal, skill loans, etc.) to ensure superior and sustainable outcomes.
