Uttar Pradesh Meets Five National Education Policy Skill Standards Through Project Praveen

The news

Uttar Pradesh has become the first state in the country to meet all five skill development standards set under the National Education Policy (NEP) for school education. The announcement was made by Kapildev Agrawal, Uttar Pradesh's Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Vocational Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, on November 13, 2026. The achievement affects students in state-run schools who are now being trained in technical proficiency, digital understanding, financial awareness and entrepreneurship through Project Praveen.

The five standards cover technical skills training, soft skills training, artificial intelligence and digital skills training, financial skills and entrepreneurship development. Under Project Praveen, run by the Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission, students were already receiving a minimum of 180 hours of technical skills training, 30 hours of soft skills training and four hours of AI and digital skills training. Two new modules — two hours of financial skills and two hours of entrepreneurship development — have now been added, completing all five standards. For the financial year 2026–27, the project aims to train approximately 200,000 students across 515 schools.

What is the National Education Policy 2020?

The National Education Policy 2020 is a comprehensive framework approved by the Union Cabinet on 29 July 2020, replacing the National Policy on Education of 1986. It recommends integrating vocational education into mainstream school education from Class 6 onwards, with a target that at least 50 per cent of learners have exposure to vocational subjects by 2025. The policy envisions a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure and emphasises experiential learning, digital literacy, and the development of 21st-century skills. The NEP 2020 was drafted by a committee chaired by former ISRO chairman K. Kasturirangan, which submitted its report in May 2019.

What is Project Praveen?

Project Praveen is the school-level training programme of the Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission, designed to implement the NEP's emphasis on linking vocational education with school education, providing practical experience and encouraging skill acquisition from an early stage. The project previously offered three modules — technical, soft and AI/digital skills — and has now added financial skills and entrepreneurship development to align with all five NEP standards.

What do the five standards cover?

The five standards are technical skills training (minimum 180 hours), soft skills training (30 hours), artificial intelligence and digital skills training (4 hours), financial skills (2 hours) and entrepreneurship development (2 hours). Together, the stated durations amount to a minimum of 218 hours of training per student. The two new modules aim to provide basic knowledge of financial awareness and enterprise management alongside technical and digital competencies.

What is the target for 2026–27?

For the financial year 2026–27, the Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission has set a target of training approximately 200,000 students in 515 schools under Project Praveen. The target should be distinguished from the number of students actually trained, and progress can be assessed by tracking student participation, completion of each module and practical learning outcomes.