Scholarly Research Journal for Humanity Science & English Language ,

Online ISSN 2348-3083, SJ IMPACT FACTOR 2016 = 4.44, www.srjis.com

UGC Approved Sr. No.48612, OCT- NOV 2017, VOL- 4/24
https://doi.org/10.21922/srjhsel.v4i24.10401

LIFE SKILL EDUCATION: STASTUS, PRACTICE AND POLICY IN INDIA

Geeta Shinde, Ph. D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Education & Extension, Savitribai Phule Pune
University, Pune

Now a day’s parents, teachers, students, institutes, policy makers, and politicians also talking about
life skills. They consider that “We should not give the only a text book knowledge to our child, we
should provide them all skills which required for excellent life .If you want to say say I am human or
we are social animals then you must acquire the skills which defined by the WHO.These are known as
communication,critical thinking, creativity, self-awareness, decision making, problem
solving,empathy, interpersonal relationship ,these all require for coping with stress and coping with
emotions.This paper is focus based on literature reviews,how this skills are nurtured not only our
education system overall human life. Along with trying to focus life skill policy and practices.
Keywords: life skills, education, UNICEF, WHO, Policy
Scholarly Research Journal's is licensed Based on a work at www.srjis.com

Introduction:
Skills and knowledge are the driving force of economic growth and social development for
any developed or developing countries. India currently focusingseveral shortagesof well
trained, well skilled workers.It is estimated that only 2.3% of the workplace in India,has
undergone formal skill training as compared to 68%in Germany,52% in USA and 80% in
Japan and 96% in South Korea.Large section ofthe educated workforce have few or no job
skills making them largely unemployable. ThereforeIndia must focus on scaling up skill
training efforts to meet the demands of employers and increase economic growth.India is one
of the youngest nation in world more than 54% population below 25 years and 62% of are
working groups ,this is the great strength of India .India therefore has focusing on NMSD.in
which will provide the overall institutional frameworks to rapidly implement and scale up
skill development efforts across India.
Defining life skills:
Before talking something about life skill, let’s try to understand what is the skills? Skills
mean ability to do taking great mastery, expertise or we can say skill mean professionalism
and talent.Skill is a type of work or activity which required special training and knowledge.

Copyright © 2017, Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies

 Dr. Geeta Shinde
(Pg. 6581-6587) 6582

Than what is the life skill? according the literature review life skill means problem solving
behavior used appropriately and responsibility in the management of personal affairs.They
are the set of human skills acquired via teaching or direct experience that are the used to
handle problems and questions commonly encountered in daily life. Most important 10 life
skills defined and listed by UNICEF.This skills basically based on Psychological and
interpersonal skills. Life skill education is very important and integral part in education
system, but it should not restarted only with value education, through a value education or
handicraft and project means not a life skill it’s beyond that. Indian education system has not
yet awakened to the necessity of life skill training prgramme in schools. WHO developed the
training modules on life skill with this it required the strong networking of good
educationalist, great psychologists, mental health professionals and pure policy makers for
effective implementation of life skill in schools, society and overall the world.
Shifting life skill concept from “Survival and Income generation skills-live hood skill” to
“every individuals capacity to fully function and participate in daily life-Part of life”
UNICEF standards for Life skill education:
UNICEF designed quality standards for life skill education in five steps.
Standard 1 Life skill education need based (child centric)
Outcome
Standard 2 Life skill education is result based
Assessment

Standard 3 Life skill learning is knowledge, attitude and skill based

Activities

Standard 4 Teachers are trained on method and psychological support

Teaching based

Standard5 Life skill education is provided in protective and enabling

Learningenvironment environment with access to community service.
Ref. Carneiro, Crawford &Goodman(2007) the impact of early cognitive and non cognitive
skills on later outcomes.
Effective life skill approaches driven by many aspects.it is classified in four important
aspects.
Programme content: Developingrelevantinformation ,attitudes, skills and reinforcement.
Teacher Training: building teachers belief and potential of life skills education and their
capacity to impart such skills.

Copyright © 2017, Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies

 Dr. Geeta Shinde
(Pg. 6581-6587) 6583

Commitment: Advocating for the integration of life skill education delivery, allowing us to
analyze the status of life skill education policy and practices in India.
Categorizing life skill:Life skill encompass a wide ranging and often unstructured set of
skills and attitudes that is different to rightly define that some time it’s called non cognitive
and non academic skills ,but we know every skills need for best academic achievement.Same
it’s known as 21st century skills, soft skills ,social and emotional learning skills
Following table showing how the life skills have been defined and categorized in different
contexts.
World Health Collaborative for Character 21st Century Hilton
Organization academic, social Lab skills Pellegrino
(WHO) & emotional Framework
learning(CASEL)
Decision Self Awareness- Curiosity Learning Cognitive
making Accurately Skills- Competencies-
assessing one’s Critical Cognitive
feeling Thinking Process
Creative Knowledge
thinking Creativity
collaborating Innovations
Communicating

Self Gratitude Literacy Intrapersonal

Problem Management- Skills- Competencies-
Solving Regulating one’s Information Work Ethic
emotions to Media Positive Self
handle stress, Technology evolution
impulses. Intellectual
Openness
Creative Relationship Enthusiasm
Thinking skills-
Maintain healthy
and rewarding
Relationships Life Skills- Interpersonal
Flexibility Competencies-
Critical Responsible Optimism Initiative Teamwork
Thinking Decision Productivity Collaboration
Communication Making- Social Leadership Leadership
Making & Intelligence
Interpersonal respecting own& Self control
skill others decision
Self Awareness Grits
Empathy
Coping with
Stress
Coping with - - - -
Emotions

Copyright © 2017, Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies

 Dr. Geeta Shinde
(Pg. 6581-6587) 6584

Ref. Carneiro, Crawford &Goodman(2007) the impact of early cognitive and non cognitive
skills on later outcomes.
Current Status of Life Skill Education:
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in 2003, Introduce life skill education
as an integral part of the curriculum through continuous and comprehensive Education
(CBSE) for class six to ten. Sarvashikshaabiyan (SSA) also has under its agenda, life skills
training for give in on upper classes.
Why Learning Life Skills?
1) Learning to know: Developing Reasoning
It relates to Cognitive life skills such as a critical thinking, problem solving and
dicssion making skill. It thus refers to both the acquisition of knowledge as well as
the use of knowledge
2) Learning to be :Enhancing Agency It relates to sell management life skills related to
self awareness sell esteem &self-confidence and coping skills
3) Learning to live together: Building Potential through Social Capital. It relates to
communication skills, negotiation skills, refusal skill, Assertiveness skills,
Interpersonal skills, co-operation skills & empathy skills.
4) Learning to Do : Functioning and capabilities
It refers to central human, functional capabilities of life, health, integrity and control
over one’s environment.
Challenges in Integrating Life Skills:
1) Definition and understanding of life skill. As per describe in above WHO, UNICFF,
CACEL and others explain in a broad and multidimensional concept sure about which life
skill suitable for which age group is required. which activities or programme might be
optimal.
2) Limited evidence in developing countries about life skillstext. If we see there is very less
evidence based on research and less documentation.
3) Prescriptive approachalways this correlate with value education. There is lack between aim
of life skill and actual school environment incontext of practical building targeted skills,
attitude and knowledge in new generation.
4) Teacher Mindset: Practice of traditional teaching & learning system is seems everywhere.
In the teaching of life skills is different task. Because teacher equipped in their own

Copyright © 2017, Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies

 Dr. Geeta Shinde
(Pg. 6581-6587) 6585

knowledge , attitude, and skills to teach . They need clear framework of life skills pedagogy,
which skills, which age, which methods and how should be taught.
5) Competing Prioritiesand policy Support: UNICEF and WHO trying to inculcate all
these life skills among the students.life skill is a integral part of education butstill there is no
specific guideline for all. Which life skill for which age groups and which will be teach in
priority
6) Poor and uneven implementation in schools:
Lack of the proper guideline of plan ,procedure, training and implementation of life skill
education it it’s run in schools in different way and on different track
Track I (Carrier)Through Subject of Unit (Short Term Option)
Track II Separate Subject (Long term Option)
Track III Infusion or Integration (Not Recommended)
Priority Actions of Life Skills:
From Towards
Small scale National Coverage
Isolated education Programe Comprehensive (Fresh)
Single Carrier SubjectIntegration
(Focusing, Resources, Effective School Health Ref UNESCO, UNICEF, WLTO, World
Bank)
National Skill Development Mission 2015: (NSDM)
This mission was approved by union cabinet on 1/7/2015 and officially launch by the
hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Mode on 15/7/2017 on the occasion of world Youth skill
day. This mission to focused on “Skilled India” this not only controlled and coordinate skill
efforts but also expedite decision making across sectors to achieve skilling at each skill
development and entrepreneurship this mission directly linked with three institutes.
1) National skill development Agency (NSDA)
2) National Skill development Corporation (NSDC)
3) Directorate General & Training (DGT)
Objectives of NSDM
1) Institutional Training
2) Infrastructure
3) Convergence

Copyright © 2017, Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies

 Dr. Geeta Shinde
(Pg. 6581-6587) 6586

5) Overseas employment
6) Sustainablelive hood
7) leveraging public infrastructure
National Skill Development Initiative in India 2009(NSDII)
1) Scale of Ambition :In 2009 the capacity of skill development arounel 3.1 million
person the 5th plan envisions at 15 million and India target 500 million skill workers
by 2022.
2) High Inclusivity :VNSDII be live that this mission support inclusivity inrespective of
male, female, urban, rural…
3) Demand based system planning :Develop the ebanging demands of employment &
technologies.
4) Choice, competition and accountability :This mission does not discriminate
between private or public delivery and places importance on outcomesy user choice
and competition among training providers and their accountability.
5) Policy Corrdination and coherence :This is support employment generation
economic growth and social development process. Economic, labor and social
policies and program development is the integral part of skill development policy.
Role & Responsibility of Employers/Institutes:
There are several role and responsibilities given by NSDII but I want to highlight only those
which are related to skill development.
1) Owning skill development activities.
2) Skill demand analysis and curriculum development
3) Supporting skill development of other
4) Investing in life skill development activities
Outcome of life Skill Development Policy:
1. Expansion of out reach using established as well as innovative approaches.
2. System to deliver, competencies in line with national & international recognized
standards
3. Focus on new emerging occupations
4. Life long learning
5. Equity consideration
6. Stress on research, planning monitoring

Copyright © 2017, Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies

 Dr. Geeta Shinde
(Pg. 6581-6587) 6587

7. Involvement in social partners

8. Promoting excellence
9. Use modern training technologies (web-e, distance learning)
Conclusion:
In every situation of life, we use some skills. Thinking out of the box can often find solution
to seeming difficult problem. According UNICEF it’s divided all skills in three areas
knowledge,attitude and skills. Education is very important butlive life better is more
important also. Education has to support for life skill education, training, functioning and
develop capabilities life skill education in our curriculum but still need more focus on it. Due
to globalization, moderation human life under the lot of stress. Many issues like alcoholism,
drugs, abuse, smoking, anti-social act, depression, competition, unemployment, mental
physical stress n number of problems surrounding us. Through the life skill education
everyone can able to coup with all this problems and they can make their life better.
Selected References:
Carneiro,Crawford and Goolman,(2007)The Impact Of early cognitive and non-cognitive skills on
later outcome
https://www.indiaeducationview.com
https://www.ijear.org
https://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_skills
https://www.skilldevelopment.gov.in
https://www.eric.ed.gov
https://www.centralsquarefoundation.org/wp-content/.../Life-Skills-Education-in-India

Copyright © 2017, Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies