Delhi government mandates placement drives for class 12 vocational students

New Delhi: The Delhi government has directed schools to organise a placement drive for students who passed Class XII with vocational education in the academic year 2025–26, according to a statement.

The Directorate of Education introduced vocational programmes for classes 9-12 under the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) in 2014-15. NSQF subjects include IT-ITeS, Retail, Agriculture, Healthcare, Tourism and Hospitality, as well as specialised areas like Beauty and Wellness and Automotive.

The curriculum has been aligned with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023 and focuses on three broad categories of work — Work with Life Forms, Work with Machines and Materials, and Work in Human Services. Students are expected to complete three projects each year, one from each of the three categories.

The programme encourages hands-on learning through activities such as organic farming, pottery, carpentry, cooking with millet, embroidery and basic electrical work. Teachers will guide students in carrying out tasks safely, collaborating in groups and applying their learning in practical settings, the statement said.

Each student will be assessed based on written tests, oral presentations, activity books, portfolios, and teacher observations, with a total of 110 hours allocated annually for these activities, the circular read.

The DoE, through its Vocational Education Branch, has asked school heads to compile and submit detailed information on eligible students. This initiative aims to connect students with potential employers and improve their chances of early employment.

The vocational education programme is currently being implemented in 625 state-funded schools and 360 schools under the Samagra Shiksha framework. It is aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF), which emphasise preparing students for employment through practical skills and training.

As per the circular dated June 2, schools are required to collect data on students, including the vocational subjects studied, the number of students interested in employment, and relevant teacher details. This information will help identify placement opportunities and create a bridge between schools and industry partners.

The step is part of ongoing efforts to reimagine vocational education and create well-defined career pathways for students choosing non-traditional academic routes, it added.

In May this year, DoE introduced a pre-vocational education programme for students of classes 6 to 8 in government schools of Delhi in the academic year 2025-26 in line with the National Education Policy.