Date: 2026-05-20Category: Press ReleaseState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
NCVET convenes first meeting of Research Advisory Committee to strengthen evidence-based skilling ecosystem through establishment of Research Division in NCVET
**Executive Summary**
The National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) convened the first meeting of its Research Advisory Committee (RAC) on 20 May 2026 to institutionalize evidence-based policymaking. The committee will guide the establishment of a dedicated Research Division to serve as a national knowledge hub for vocational education and training (VET). Moving forward, the RAC will meet quarterly to review progress and define strategic priorities for the skilling ecosystem.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Establishment of the Research Division**
* The NCVET is establishing a dedicated Research Division to function as a national knowledge and research hub.
* The division’s role includes supporting policy formulation, regulatory reforms, quality assurance, and labour market analysis through data-driven research.
* The initiative was approved during the 12th NCVET Council meeting in January 2026 and ratified by the General Body.
* **Strategic Research Priorities**
* The RAC is tasked with defining short, medium, and long-term priorities to guide the VET ecosystem.
* Key focus areas include skill gap analysis, the adoption of emerging technologies, and the integration of youth perspectives.
* Efforts will be made to consolidate research across organizations and enhance regulatory effectiveness.
* **Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing**
* The committee aims to strengthen institutional collaboration between government, academia, industry, and think tanks.
* Knowledge-sharing will be promoted through the launch of journals, conferences, lecture series, and related initiatives.
* There is a highlighted need for greater participation from individual States in these national skilling forums.
**Impact Analysis**
**NCVET and Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE)**
**Impact**
These bodies will gain a robust institutional mechanism for long-term strategic planning, innovation, and evidence-based governance.
**Action Required**
The NCVET must operationalize the Research Division and host quarterly RAC meetings to review progress and chart future priorities.
**Research Organizations and Academia (e.g., NITI Aayog, IIM, TISS, NIEPA)**
**Impact**
Eminent experts and academic institutions now have a formal platform to influence national skilling policies and contribute to a consolidated research database.
**Action Required**
Stakeholders are expected to contribute credible research, participate in quarterly reviews, and support knowledge-sharing initiatives such as journals and conferences.
**Industry Bodies (e.g., CII)**
**Impact**
Industry representatives will have a direct channel to ensure skilling policies are responsive to market needs and technological advancements.
**Action Required**
Industry stakeholders must provide perspectives on skill gaps and collaborate with the Research Division to help build globally benchmarked vocational systems.
**State Governments**
**Impact**
States are identified as critical participants in the skilling agenda, with a focus on bringing regional perspectives to national forums.
**Action Required**
States are encouraged to increase their participation in RAC forums to ensure integrated solutions for the skilling ecosystem.
Key Entities Referenced
National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET): The regulatory body that convened the Research Advisory Committee to institutionalize evidence-based policymaking and establish a dedicated Research Division.
Research Advisory Committee (RAC): A newly constituted committee of experts tasked with providing strategic guidance on research priorities and the operationalization of the NCVET's Research Division.
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE): The nodal ministry overseeing the NCVET and responsible for the broader vocational education and training ecosystem in India.
Smt. Debashree Mukherjee: Secretary of MSDE and Chairperson of NCVET, who chaired the inaugural meeting to define short and long-term priorities for the skilling research agenda.
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
NCVET convenes first meeting of Research
Advisory Committee to strengthen evidence-
based skilling ecosystem through establishment
of Research Division in NCVET
Posted On: 20 MAY 2026 6:02PM by PIB Delhi
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) under the chairpersonship of Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, MSDE and
Chairperson, NCVET. The meeting marks a significant step towards institutionalising research and
evidence-based policymaking in the vocational education and training ecosystem.
The meeting 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.
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.
The Research Advisory Committee 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.
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.
The initiative reflects NCVET’s commitment to strengthening the quality, credibility, and responsiveness
of India’s vocational education and training ecosystem through institutionalised research and evidence-
based governance.
***
SH
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