Recognition Prior Learning (RPL)


What is Recognition of Prior Learning ?

‘Recognition of Prior Learning’ or ‘RPL’ is the process of recognizing previous learning towards gaining a qualification. In India 25/100 are getting skill training through informal way, by learning by doing concept. National Skill India Mission is planning to recognize these skills, through skill knowledge provider or through N-sim skill training institutes and planning to help the learner to bridge their skill with formal skill education. Certificates from formal skill education empowers them to set vertical/horizontal mobility in their career.

As estimated by the Govt of India, approximately 93% of the country’s workforce is in the unorganized sector. People from the unorganized sector acquire ‘skills’ through practice, which needs refinement to reach more levels. Recognition by Prior Learning (RPL) is an appropriate method of assessment that considers whether the candidate can meet the assessment requirements of competencies that they already possess. Valuing and recognizing these learning outcomes may significantly improve the self-esteem and well being of the individuals, motivate them to further their learning and strengthen their labour markets opportunities.


Recognition of Prior Learning as a tool in the Development of India

As per the Nsim vision recognition of prior Learning enables effective and maximum utilization of human resources and can be considered as a ‘Tool’. 93 percentage of the workforce in India acquired their skills at the workplace as on- the-job training. Persons trained this way earn low wages, despite being fully skilled and are often exploited by the employers since they do not have any formal certificate. RPL has the potential to be a powerful tool in the development of India and in the implementation of the Reconstruction and Development Programme. As per the study conducted by Nsim, RPL is seen to have the capacity to contribute to redress equity by opening up more ways for people to attain qualified status.

It could :

  • Enable more people to reach higher levels of qualification and expertise by beginning with an acknowledgment of existing skills and knowledge. 
  • Contribute to enhancing international economic competiveness by building an often invisible and unacknowledged workforce skills. 
  • Often the first step in attaining the goals of developing a multiskilled and flexible workforce by acting as an audacious tool to quality existing competence.

Broader Aims

  • The idea is to raise confidence, improve productivity and give proper direction through skill assessments and certification of the unorganized sector, to enable them to get blue-collar jobs.
  • Assessment of existing skills of the unorganized sector is very essential to channelize them for proper job opportunities
  • Every job aspirant would be treated with equal importance and would be given training in soft skills.
  • Nsim’s vision is to improve the physical and mental development of the youths of the country so that none of them remains unemployed and the country’s unemployment problem also gets reduced.
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