The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has empanelled Manovikas Charitable Society as its skill knowledge provider for students with special needs under National Vocational Education Qualification Framework (NVEQF).
The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act also makes facilities for inclusive education mandatory.
Students with special needs studying under CBSE-affiliated schools in classes IX, X, XI and XII can join Manovikas’ skill knowledge programme to receive hands-on skills training in a specific sector. They can choose two vocational subjects along with one compulsory language and two formal subjects of their choice under the programme.
The confirmation of admission under Skill Knowledge Programme (SKP) will be intimated to the student from Manovikas within 15 days. The CBSE has empanelled Manovikas for several vocational courses like retail, IT Application, health and beauty studies, and hospitality and tourism.
Manovikas is one of the partner organisations of the CBSE, National Institute of Open School (NIOS) and Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) for vocational education and training (VET) to provide appropriate theory and practical training, access to real work exposures, job skills and job placement for students with special needs, including learners with disabilities from Class III to Diploma, i.e. NCC-3 in higher education level.
According to Vikram Dutt, president of Manovikas Charitable Society, it was a matter of immense satisfaction for all in the disability sector that efforts at universalisation of educational and vocational studies leading to inclusion were bearing fruit.
The organisation focuses on supporting children with developmental disabilities, including those with mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy, and multiple disabilities. Community colleges are an alternative system of education which aims to empower individuals through appropriate skill development leading to gainful employment in collaboration with the local institutions/industries.
