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Context

• The Ministry of Labour and Employment is developing an upgraded version of the National Career Service portal, incorporating artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance its efficiency.

National Career Service (NCS)

• The National Career Service (NCS) is an initiative by the Ministry of Labour and Employment aimed at transforming the National Employment Service to provide a variety of employment-related services.
• Launched on 20th July 2015, the NCS project seeks to bridge the gap between job seekers and employers by offering services such as career counselling, vocational guidance, information on skill development courses, apprenticeships, and internships.

Objectives of NCS

• The primary objectives of the NCS project are to enhance career and employment opportunities, provide counselling and guidance for career development, improve the quality of the workforce, and focus on inclusive growth initiatives.
• By strategically intervening and partnering with leading institutions and organizations, the NCS aims to address key issues such as enhancing decent employment, increasing female labour force participation, promoting entrepreneurial endeavors, facilitating the informal to formal transition, and engaging with rural workforce for higher productivity.

NCS Portal

• The NCS Portal (ncs.gov.in) serves as a nationwide online platform for jobseekers and employers to interact and match job opportunities in a dynamic, efficient, and responsive manner.
• It offers a rich repository of career content on over 3000 occupations across 53 sectors.
• The services provided by the NCS are accessible online and can be accessed directly, through career centers, Common Service Centres, mobile devices, cyber cafes, etc.

Services Offered by NCS

• The NCS project organizes job fairs to facilitate interaction between employers and job seekers.
• It also provides online career counselling and vocational guidance services to help jobseekers make informed career choices.
• NCS offers employability training programs in partnership with industry leaders to enhance the skills of jobseekers.

Partnerships and Collaborations

• NCS has partnered with TCS iON to offer a free, self-paced Online Training Program on “Career Skills” in Hindi and English.
• It has also collaborated with Microsoft India for the Digisaksham initiative, which focuses on empowering rural and socially disadvantaged youth with digital skills for better career opportunities.

Young Professional Scheme

• Under the NCS project, Model Career Centers (MCCs) have been set up to provide standardized employment services across the nation.
• To make these MCCs effectively functional, a ‘Young Professional Scheme’ was launched, deploying one young professional at each MCC for a span of three years to facilitate the activities of the NCS Project.

National Career Service (NCS) Portal's Expansion Plans

• The NCS portal, managed by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, aims to connect job seekers with employers.
• Integration of Private Sector Companies: Plans to onboard private sector companies offering jobs in India and overseas.
• Utilizing Government Credibility: Aims to leverage the credibility of a government entity to connect employers and job seekers.
• Current Unemployment Scenario: According to the India Employment Report 2024, jointly published by ILO and IHD, India's youth face high unemployment rates, with nearly 83% of the jobless population belonging to this demographic.

NCS Portal Statistics:

• Over 10 million jobs posted till March.
• Number of job providers increased to 2.6 million.
• User base of over 40 million registered job seekers.
• Around one million active job vacancies hosted monthly.

Sectoral Growth:

• Significant growth in vacancies across sectors like finance, insurance, construction, manufacturing, transportation, storage, and supply chain.
• Vacancies in finance, insurance, construction, manufacturing, transportation, storage, and supply chain grew up to 214% in FY24 compared to the last fiscal.

Future Plans:

• Collaboration with international job providers and premium sector employers to enhance opportunities for Indian job seekers.

Objectives of NCS:

• Revolutionizing national employment service by providing a wide range of employment-related services.
• Services include job matching, career counselling, and employability enhancement facilities, all accessible online.

Surge in Job Vacancies:

• Surge of 135% in vacancies in the financial sector.
• Operations sector saw a 305% growth.
• IT and communication sector saw a 158% growth.
• Education sector recorded a 121% increase.

Increased Vacancies Across Qualifications:

• 452% rise in 10th passed/below jobs.
• 378% surge in ITI and diploma jobs.
• 179% increase in 12th passed jobs.
• 123% growth in postgraduate, PG diploma, and PhD positions.

Challenges and Criticism:

• Authenticity of data questioned by some, citing rising unemployment despite reported job growth.
• Calls for focus on creating real job opportunities instead of relying on potentially manipulated data.

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Discuss the performance of the National Career Service (NCS) Portal in addressing unemployment challenges in India. Evaluate its effectiveness in providing job opportunities, career guidance, and skill development initiatives.