India is working on a framework aimed at creating a stronger pathway from education and skilling to employment, with the Labour & Employment Ministry and Education Ministry exploring measures to help students understand career and vocational opportunities at an earlier stage. The proposed approach seeks to reduce the gap between academic education, skills development and workplace requirements.

A key part of the proposal is the possible integration of the Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) with the e-Shram and National Career Service (NCS) databases. APAAR functions as a digital academic identity, while e-Shram maintains information on unorganised workers and NCS provides employment-related services, including job opportunities and career guidance. Connecting these systems could help create a digital link between students' educational records, skills and potential employment pathways.

The government is also looking to expand career counselling for students in Classes 11 and 12. Traditionally, school career counselling has focused largely on higher education and college selection. Under the proposed approach, students could receive greater exposure to vocational education, skill-development programmes, apprenticeships and employment opportunities.

A senior Labour Ministry official said, “Most career counselling centres in schools focus on higher education institutions, whereas we intend to focus on the skilling and employment opportunities.”

The official added that the ministries are working with the school education department to provide opportunities to young people around the age of 17 or 18.

The proposal comes as policymakers increasingly focus on strengthening the connection between education and the labour market. Government research has pointed to limited practical exposure and weak industry linkages among students. A recent NITI Aayog report highlighted the need for stronger practical and industry exposure and proposed earlier access to vocational pathways, along with a Skills Passport anchored on APAAR, to connect credentials, skills and work experience with jobs, apprenticeships and skilling opportunities.

The changing nature of entry-level employment is also adding urgency to the discussion.Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran has highlighted the need to strengthen pathways into jobs as artificial intelligence changes the nature of junior-level work.

Speaking about India's employment requirements,Nageswaran said, “We will have to invest a lot more in making trade skills fashionable.”

He also stressed the importance of private-sector participation in curriculum and course development for skilling.

The proposed school-to-job framework would build on vocational and skill-based education already being expanded under the National Education Policy. CBSE has introduced vocational and skill-based subjects, while the national curriculum framework also provides for vocational exposure during school education.

By introducing students to multiple career routes before they complete school, the proposed approach could give greater visibility to vocational and skill-based careers alongside conventional higher-education pathways. The planned connections between academic, skilling and employment databases could also make it easier to identify and connect students with relevant training and job opportunities as they move into the workforce.