Governance of Skill Development and Policy Perspectives: A Comparison of India, US, EU and China

Governments across the world have developed strong policy frameworks stimulating the growth of skill ecosystems. The aim of this paper is to present the evolution of policy framework for skill development across India, USA, the EU and China from a comparative perspective. The 'Skill India Mission' emphasizes employability, while skill policies across the US are focused on reducing the dependence on skill imports. The European Agenda for Skill (EAS) meanwhile emphasizes skilling citizens for the transition towards digital and greenways. Similarly, Chinese skill policies address the structural contradictions in the employment scenario. However, the policies addressing skill development depend on multiple factors such as demographic profile, socio-economic realities, industry needs, and political aspirations. Therefore, countries around the world focused on skill development must prioritise stakeholder interventions, increase in budget allocation, integrating soft skills with academically-based education, and vocational content which is crucial for transforming the workforce.