India is said to be the second-most populous country in the world and with the largest working population. Due to this, India has the advantage of reaping benefits from this demographic dividend. However, high drop-out rates from schools along with poor vocational training hinder this benefitting.
Green Skill Development Programme or GSDP enhances the demographic dividend across the country. The main motive of GSDP is to provide green skills training to people and fill the skill gaps present in the forest and environment sector. Most vocational training programmes give attention to mechanical or technical skills rather than ‘green’ or ‘soft’ skills.
Green skills contribute to preserving and restoring the environment for a sustainable future that includes protecting the ecosystems and biodiversity, minimising waste and pollution. Realising the need for developing these green skills, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is utilising its complex network and expertise of ENVIS or Environmental Information System hubs and Resource Partners.
Application process
The procedure for application of the Green Skill Development Programme is now available online. The steps for applying are given below:
- Visit the official website
- Then, click on the ‘apply now’ tab present in the header of the page
- The Green Skill Development Programme application form will appear
- The applicant here has to fill in all the details as asked on the registration form
- Click on ‘submit’ to complete the registration process
- Next, the applicants can log in by clicking the ‘login’ tab in the header of the homepage
- After logging in, make login to participate in the Green Skill Development Programme.
Opportunities offered
The candidates that have completed the course successfully will be employed gainfully in the following:
- National parks/zoos/wildlife sanctuaries/biosphere reserves/ wetland sites/ botanical gardens/ nurseries/ biodiversity management committees/ state biodiversity boards/ wildlife crime control bureau
- Tourism- as eco-tourist/nature guides
- Education and research
- Agriculture- as green practitioners or organic farmers
- Water management, construction related areas
- Engage in waste management- councils/ urban local bodies to advise on how to improve sewage, land use, sanitation services/ municipal corporations/ tackle pollution
- Industries- involved in manufacturing or production of green products, as ETP operator.
Achievements of GSDP
The first GSDP course was formulated for skilling Biodiversity Conservationists (Basic Course) and Para-taxonomists (Advance Course) for 3 months duration each, on a pilot basis in 10 selected districts of India, covering nine bio-geographic regions. A total of 94 trainees completed the basic course successfully, qualifying as skilled Biodiversity Conservationists and a total of 152 trainees completed the advanced course successfully, qualifying as skilled Para-taxonomists. ZSI and BSI were the nodal Centres for the pilot programme
Importance of GSDP
The manpower in India is youthful, a result of the demographic dividend, and needs to be provided with skills and the ability to take on worldly challenges. The more we give importance to developing skills the more efficient the youth will turn out to be. It is crucial to determine the possibilities of the future and accordingly prepare them today.