Govt nod to India-Belarus MoU on vocational education,training

The Cabinet today approved an agreement for cooperation between India and Belarus in the field of vocational education and training, paving the way for transfer of Belarusian expertise and knowhow in skilling manpower, especially in the manufacturing sector.
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its ex-post facto approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Belarus.
The MoU was signed on September 12, 2017 during the state visit of Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus to India.
"The MoU would bring in Belarus experience and expertise for overall improvement in skill eco system of the country," an official statement said.

This is for the first time an MoU for cooperation in the area of vocational education, training and skill development has been signed with an Eurasian country.
"Belarus has a large concentration of industries, mainly into manufacturing and heavy industries, which draw their strength from available skilled manpower and a highly developed skill training system. The transfer of knowledge of their skilling methodology will immensely help in our initiatives like Make in India and Skill India," said the statement.

The cooperation between the two nations in the identified areas would be implemented through establishing institutional partnerships between the Republican Institute for Vocational Education, an institution for development of Belarusian vocational education system and Directorate General of Training for transfer of technology in vocational education and training (VET) delivery and its sustainability.

"Cooperation with sectoral VET/centres of Excellence of Belarus is proposed for research and development in the skilling ecosystem," the statement said.
Under the MoU, Belarus shall provide comprehensive transfer of knowhow of emerging technologies, training and evaluation methodologies, content development for regular and distance learning, e-learning and training of master trainers, competency building of the assessors in area of their competency and network building and industry linkages.
The Eurasian nation will also provide vocational education services for Indian citizens for skill development in the field of construction, electric-power production and distribution, manufacturing industry, trade, auto service and household goods repair and maintenance, transport, communication, hotels and restaurants as well as other fields.

The MoU will also entail retraining, up-skilling, internship for vocational education and training managers, teachers and trainers of India. Belarus will provide advisory services in order to enhance planning, management and delivery of vocational education and training and skill development.
"Implementation of the proposal includes innovation and improvement in the existing vocational education and skill development through Research and Development in the field.
"The financial arrangement for the co-operative activities undertaken within the framework of this MoU shall be mutually agreed upon by the Parties on a case-by-case basis, subject to the availability of funds," the statement said.