Marking a significant step towards institutionalising research and evidence-based policymaking in the vocational education and training ecosystem, the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), convened the first meeting of its Research Advisory Committee (RAC) on May 20.
The RAC has been constituted to guide the establishment and operationalisation of a dedicated Research Division within NCVET. The proposed Division aims to function as a national knowledge and research hub for vocational education and skill development, supporting policy formulation, regulatory reforms, quality assurance, labour market analysis, and assessment systems through credible and data-driven research.
Therefore the meeting under the chairpersonship of Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, MSDE and Chairperson, NCVET, which brought together eminent experts and representatives from government, academia, industry, think tanks, and research organisations including NITI Aayog, the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Directorate General of Training (DGT), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta, National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Ashoka University, National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), Young Lives India, among others, assumes a significance in its functioning.
The Committee deliberated on defining short-, medium-, and long-term priorities to guide its future work. Key focus areas of discussion included strengthening institutional collaboration, consolidating research efforts across organisations, enhancing regulatory effectiveness, and promoting knowledge-sharing through journals, conferences, lecture series, and related initiatives. The Committee also underscored the importance of greater participation of States in such forums.The discussions further highlighted the need for broad guiding frameworks on skill gap analysis, adoption of emerging technologies and integrated solutions, and bringing more youth perspectives into the skilling agenda. The Committee will meet quarterly to review progress and chart future priorities.
Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, Chairperson, NCVET reaffirmed the need for evidence based policy designing and added, “As India moves towards becoming a global skill capital, research and data-driven insights will play a critical role in shaping responsive and future-ready skilling policies. The Research Division of NCVET is envisaged as an important institutional mechanism to support innovation, quality assurance, and long-term strategic planning in the VET ecosystem.”
Further, speaking on the occasion, Prof. (Dr.) Ashok Kumar Gaba, Executive Member , NCVET said, “The establishment of the Research Advisory Committee is a significant step towards creating a robust evidence base for India’s skilling ecosystem. A dedicated research framework within NCVET will enable informed policy decisions, strengthen regulatory mechanisms, and contribute towards building globally benchmarked vocational education systems.”
The establishment of the Research Division was approved in principle during the 12th Meeting of the NCVET Council held in January 2026 and subsequently ratified by the General Body of NCVET. The Research Advisory Committee will provide strategic guidance to the Division in defining research priorities, strengthening collaborations, and ensuring alignment with national and global best practices.
