Efficacy of SEC-Skill Enhancement Courses under NEP 2020 amongst College Students – A Review

The Government of India proposes many rising developmental requirements of the 21st century to achieve Vision 2047. The National Education Policy of India 2020 aims to ensure that these goals are reached in the education sector. It states that students must develop higher-order cognitive capacities like critical thinking, decision-making, and problem solving, along with social, moral, ethical, and emotional capacities, values, and temperaments through education. One of the foundational principles of the NEP 2020 is to develop life skills such as communication, creativity, stress management, cooperation, self-awareness, teamwork, time management, and resilience (NEP 2020). Keeping in mind the aims and objectives of NEP, educators must recognize the importance of skill development in achieving the desired outcomes. This can be achieved by implementing practical and hands-on learning experiences and designing the syllabus accordingly for students. In the present review study, the effectiveness of such skill development programs has been discussed through reviewing the literature of various research papers, articles, and books. This paper further highlights the necessary vocational and life skills for college students under the guidelines of National Education Policy 2020 and the potential impact it can have on students’ successful career development.