ABSTRACT
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is increasingly being recognised by policymakers in India as a tool for employability in a fast-changing labour market. Unfortunately, it is viewed as an inferior stream of education designed for those who are unable to pursue formal academic programmes and one that is primarily suitable for lower-caste youth. In this study, we explore the experiences of young people enrolled in Industrial Training Institutes across two locations in India. We examine the range of outcomes that the Dual System of Training (DST) facilitates, which in turn influence attitudes towards vocational education. While the pandemic highlighted the need for a robust skills formation system, it also revealed how programmes like the DST do not transform relations of exploitation brought on by the neoliberal market. Instead, the vulnerabilities of students in a precarious job market are exacerbated, further contributing to the continuing low status of vocational education in the country.
