Recognition of prior learning
Also called: RPL · Topic: Human Capital: Education, Health and Demographic Dividend · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Recognition of prior learning (RPL) means testing and certifying skills that a person has already learnt informally, usually on the job, without any formal course. Many Indian workers are skilled but have no certificate to prove it. RPL gives them official proof, and that helps them get better jobs and higher pay. In India, RPL is a component of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), which comes under the Skill India Mission launched in 2015.
Example
A mason in Jaipur learnt his trade by working beside senior masons for ten years. He never went to a training institute. Under PMKVY's RPL component, he is assessed at a centre, gets a certificate, and can now apply for better-paid work with a large construction company.
Don't confuse with
- Apprenticeship: an apprentice learns new skills under an employer, combined with classroom study, and gets a stipend. RPL does not teach anything new. It only certifies skills the person already has.
Related concepts
- Skill gap
- Skill mismatch
- Employability
- Vocational education
- Apprenticeship
- Upskilling
- Reskilling
- NEET
- Online learning