The Council for Technical and Vocational Training (CTEVT) Act 2045 was issued to ensure the arrangement, coordination, regulation and quality of technical and vocational education and training with the aim of producing skilled, semi-skilled and skilled manpower to support the economic development of the country.

  The

act has given full authority to CTEVT to produce basic, medium and high-level technical manpower . However, although CTEVT has got the legal right to prepare high-level technical manpower, that right has not been implemented so far.

In point number 64 of the government's policy and program for the fiscal year 2082/083, it is mentioned that upon completion of school education, students will be admitted to technical and vocational education or university education based on their grading, and the edge of technical education will be brought up to the university level . Similarly, in point number 90, it is said that a general nursing program will be conducted to ensure the supply of manpower in the health sector. This policy of the government has clearly indicated to increase the level of technical and vocational education and has again reminded the way of technical higher education envisioned by the Technical and Vocational Training Council Act. Such provisions of

policies and programs have given an appropriate time and opportunity to expand technical and professional education towards higher education from this direction. If this policy can be implemented, it will be possible to produce manpower with high-level technical skills in the country. In addition, it has also emphasized on the creation of laws necessary for the implementation of the National Qualification Framework (NQF), which was passed by the Council of Ministers in 2077.

NQF helps to create an environment of flexibility and mobility between both streams by coordinating technical and vocational education, general education and lifelong learning. It has a structure of Level 1 to 8, showing the journey from Basic Education Class 8 to Vidyavaridhi . In addition, arrangements have been made to link non-formal and lifelong learning with the formal education system through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). It will show the way for the students to gradually advance in skill-based technical and professional education from the basic level to the higher technical level and will institutionalize the change in education. 

Technical and vocational education is now developing as mainstream education nationally and internationally, not just as an alternative education. The diversity of the labor market and the rapid pace of technology have necessitated a transformation in the quality, level and capacity of skilled manpower. In this context, it is necessary to conduct the basic skill training program in Nepal making it consistent with the labor market. 

For the past three decades, CTEVT, as a leading organization of technical and vocational education, has been successfully conducting programs from basic to diploma and certificate levels under the faculties of health, engineering, agriculture, hotel management, etc. Likewise, the council has been certifying skilled manpower with prior training from level 1 to 4 by testing informally acquired skills and experience through the pre-learning recognition program. Based on such successful practices and experiences, it seems relevant and timely to conduct programs at the graduate level and above in the field of technical and professional education. 

It is not only a national need to conduct technical bachelor's or similar programs in this field, including general nursing, hotel management, information technology, automobile engineering and agricultural technology as mentioned in the government's policy and program, but it is necessary to set a strategic priority to move forward with the participation of hospitals, industry, business and service sectors. Most of the universities in Nepal have been conducting programs focusing on general education until now. The practicality and direct relationship with the industry seems to be relatively weak. However, there is a growing need for universities to redefine the nature and structure of their educational programs to address the rapid transformation of the labor market, the development of technology and the inequality of skills in employment. Therefore, it is necessary for the university to conduct technical graduate, post-graduate and postgraduate level programs related to practical education in accordance with the growing demand of the labor market, the development of technology and the needs of industry and business. If such programs are conducted in coordination with agriculture, industry, business, factories, and service sectors, practical knowledge, skills, innovation, work with research and production capacity will be developed . It will further strengthen the relationship between the university, industry, business and employment .

The role of National Vocational Qualification Format is important in this context. It is a structured system, which coordinates general, technical and prior learning recognition . The NQF provides a clear roadmap for different levels of skills and qualifications. The grading system makes it easy to determine the student's placement, while credit transfer makes it easy to change majors or levels while recognizing the subjects learned. It saves time by eliminating duplication in studies and helps in continuity of education . Accreditation systems for early learning work to link non-formal and lifelong learning with formal education . But currently, the delay in the creation of laws related to NQF in the country has hindered the development of skills necessary for multi-dimensional assessment, credit transfer, level advancement and labor market. 

Now it is necessary to take a decisive lead in policy implementation to transform the education system into employment, self-employment and entrepreneurship. In order to implement NQF, it has become necessary to establish the identity between education, skills, employment and entrepreneurship by creating legal, technical and administrative aspects and maintaining dynamism and coherence at the edges and levels of education.

Although the government's policies and programs have encouraged the concept of 'learning and reading, earning while reading' and have prepared an environment to transform the technical edge into mainstream education, there is still a need for a clear, practical and sustainable structure to carry it into effective implementation . There should be no delay in ensuring the necessary legal structure, policy clarity, cooperation and accountability arrangements between relevant agencies to implement the NQF effectively. 

The government, policy makers, educational institutions, private sector and all stakeholders should take a decisive initiative to implement the technological education system according to the roadmap from 1 to 8 levels. Only through this means, it will be possible to produce and mobilize skilled technical manpower necessary for building the nation as a whole, while giving social recognition to technical and vocational education and building a national system of inclusive, quality and labor market-oriented education.