Must measure learning by skills shown, not by ‘how long someone sits in a classroom’: ASDC chief

By Arindam Lahiri

India has a huge opportunity right now. With more than 65% of our population under the age of 35, we’re often told we’re sitting on a goldmine – our demographic dividend. And yes, that’s something to celebrate. But it also comes with a big responsibility: we need to make sure our young people are not just educated, but actually ready for the future – employable, adaptable, and equipped for real-world challenges.

The truth is, our current education system isn’t quite there yet. We continue to follow a 19th-century model in a 21st-century economy – rigid age groups, fixed course duration's, and standardised textbooks that don’t always match what today’s jobs demand. In short, we’re trying to prepare students for a fast-changing world using a system designed over a century ago.

It’s time we rethink all of that. Instead of focusing on how many years a student has spent in a classroom, we should be asking: what can they actually do? Do they really understand the subject? Can they apply their knowledge in real situations? That’s where mastery-based learning, hands-on experience, and technical skills integrated into academics come in. These are real game-changers for education today — and they’re what we need to build into our system if we want our youth to truly thrive.

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Duration-based learning myth

Our education system still rewards seat time over skill. Students are grouped by age, progress by grade, and graduate by completing a fixed number of academic years. This one-size-fits-all approach does not account for individual learning speeds, aptitudes, or evolving industry requirements.

In reality, some learners master concepts faster and are ready to move ahead, while others may need more time or a different learning method. But our system rarely accommodates this flexibility. The focus remains on syllabus completion rather than competency acquisition.

Contrast this with mastery-based learning – an approach gaining ground globally – where students only move forward after demonstrating a deep understanding of the subject. This ensures not just coverage but comprehension. A mastery-based system recognises that learning is not linear and that progress must be based on competence, not the calendar.

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Why mastery matters

Mastery matters because the workplace demands proficiency, not paper credentials.

In industries like automotive, renewable energy, digital technology, and advanced manufacturing, the ability to apply technical knowledge practically is far more valuable than merely possessing theoretical understanding.

This is particularly true in the current climate of rapid technological disruption. With AI, automation, and sustainability reshaping industries, today’s students will need to re-skill multiple times in their careers. A mastery-based system lays the foundation for lifelong learning, adaptability, and self-efficacy – traits far more critical than just textbook knowledge.

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Technical skills, courses

A key reform needed in India is the integration of hard skills or technical competencies directly into mainstream academic programmes. This is no longer optional – it’s essential.

In many developed countries, particularly across the US and Europe, vocational education is not seen as inferior or separate from mainstream academics. Instead, technical skill acquisition is embedded within the curriculum, sometimes even replacing traditional classroom hours with hands-on projects, apprenticeships, or industry-led labs.

For instance, in Germany’s dual education system, students divide their time between classroom instruction and on-the-job training at a company. Similarly, community colleges in the US regularly integrate certifications from industry leaders such as AWS, Cisco, or Microsoft into their course modules, giving students both a degree and market-relevant certifications.

In India, National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has rightly acknowledged the importance of vocational education and experiential learning. However, implementation at scale remains a challenge. Educational institutions must partner actively with Sector Skill Councils, industries, and training providers to embed skill modules, apprenticeships, and simulations as part of their curriculum — not as add-ons, but as core components.

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Learning by doing

Nothing accelerates learning more effectively than application. The classroom must extend beyond four walls into labs, production floors, start-ups, research centres, and even community projects. This is where true learning — and unlearning — happens.

One of the most underrated yet powerful models is the on-campus work model prevalent across American and European universities. Students are permitted to work up to 20 hours per week during their academic term, often taking up part-time jobs within campus facilities — libraries, administrative departments, labs, IT help desks, cafeterias, and even faculty-led research projects.

These are not just economic support mechanisms; they are learning laboratories. Students gain not just an income, but a first-hand understanding of workplace behaviour, time management, customer service, teamwork, and accountability. Over time, they graduate with not only a degree but also a résumé.

In contrast, most Indian campuses continue to isolate learning from work. Internship opportunities remain sporadic, often limited to the final semester, and in some cases, more symbolic than substantive. We need a radical rethink.

Imagine Indian students contributing to their institutions by managing digital infrastructure, assisting in labs, organising university events, providing peer tutoring, or even helping in admissions and career counselling cells. These are not “menial” tasks — they are opportunities for skill-building.

Campus as workplace

To integrate learning and working effectively, we must re-imagine the Indian campus as a microcosm of the real world — a living, breathing ecosystem where students not only study but work, experiment, fail, recover, lead, and grow.

This shift calls for policy support, institutional mindset change, and structured implementation. Key recommendations include:

• Allowing part-time paid work on campus for enrolled students under faculty or staff supervision.
• Encouraging departments to offer assistantships – not just in research but in administration, IT, events, and outreach.
• Creating student-led services — helpdesks, social media teams, maker spaces, and tutoring clubs – with real responsibilities and accountability.
• Formalising internships and apprenticeships as mandatory components from Year 1 — not just final-year checkboxes.
• Incentivising faculty-industry partnerships to co-create capstone projects and real-life problem-solving challenges.

These steps, while simple, build a portfolio of experiences — something that recruiters value over marksheets.

Academic vs vocational

India must shed the artificial binary between “academic” and “vocational” education. Someone learning electric vehicle design is no less “academic” than one pursuing a BA in Economics. Conversely, a literature graduate running a community library is no less “skilled” than someone at an auto workshop.

We need to de-stigmatise skill-based education and move towards an applied learning ecosystem where every course includes modules on communication, problem-solving, teamwork, digital literacy, and domain-specific technical know-how.

The government’s initiatives like National Credit Framework and Academic Bank of Credits are commendable steps. However, their success hinges on active industry participation, faculty retraining, and regulatory flexibility for institutions.

Compliance to competence

To prepare India’s youth for the future of work, we must shift our focus from compliance to competence. This means:

• Moving from age-based progression to outcome-based progression
• Shifting from degree-centric learning to skills-first credentialing
• Emphasizing experiential learning over rote memorization
• Making apprenticeships, internships, and on-campus work a part of every student’s academic journey
• Educational institutions must become enablers of talent, not mere certifiers.

We must unlock the potential of students not by stretching their time in classrooms, but by immersing them in the realities of work, life, and society. India stands at a critical inflection point – and the decisions now will shape the future of millions of young people. They deserve more than just an education system that teaches lessons; they need one that truly transforms them.

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We need to stop measuring learning by how long someone sits in a classroom. What really matters is what they can do with what they’ve learned. Theory and practice should go hand in hand.

It’s time to reimagine education. Let’s build a system where mastering skills means more than passing exams. Where classrooms prepare students not just for grades, but for life. And where every college and campus becomes a launchpad to the real world. The world is changing — and education must lead, not lag.

Arindam Lahiri is the CEO of Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC), India’s leading organisation for skill development in the automobile industry. This piece first appeared in the 200th issue of the Careers360 magazine, published in August 2025.