The Rajasthan government has taken a pioneering step with the launch of India’s first “career portal” specifically catering to secondary and higher secondary students. The portal, developed with the assistance of the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), seeks to provide comprehensive information on career choices and scholarships. The primary aim behind this initiative is to facilitate informed decision-making among students regarding their academic and professional pursuits.
A Comprehensive Career Guiding Portal
With a definite focus on diminishing school dropouts and enhancing job retention, this portal strives to align students’ careers with their interests, ambitions, inclinations, and aptitude. The portal’s design stems from an array of assessments carried out by UNICEF, encapsulating the needs, awareness, and perspectives of students, teachers, and education system functionaries.
The career portal stands as a rich repository of career-related resources. It offers information on 200 vocational careers, 237 professional careers, 455 employment avenues, 960 scholarships, 955 competitive examinations, and over 10,000 higher education institutions for students from Classes IX to XII.
Why Rajasthan?
The choice of Rajasthan for launching this exclusive portal marks the state’s impressive performance in employment-oriented education. The majority of boys and girls in Rajasthan harbor a strong ambition to join the workforce after completing Class X or XII. Additionally, the state showcases substantial progress in gender equality among students.
Sources of Career Information among Students
In accordance with the assessment conducted by UNICEF, teachers and family members are pinpointed as the two most influential sources of career information for students. Remarkably, approximately 69% of students leverage the Internet for addressing their career queries. This propensity towards digital platforms among students indicates a swift adaptation to the career portal.
Rajiv Gandhi Career Counselling Cell
Alongside the career portal, there has been an announcement regarding the establishment of the ‘Rajiv Gandhi Career Counselling Cell’. This is designed to connect school and college students with skill development programs and internship opportunities, further facilitating their career choices.
| Career Information | Number |
|---|---|
| Vocational Careers | 200 |
| Professional Careers | 237 |
| Employment Avenues | 455 |
| Scholarships | 960 |
| Competitive Exams | 955 |
| Higher Education Institutions | 10,000 |
United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, known as UNICEF, was brought into existence by the United Nations General Assembly in 1946. The initial mandate was to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries affected by World War II. In 1950, the mandate expanded to address the long-term needs of children and women in developing countries globally. UNICEF became a permanent fixture within the United Nations system in 1953, with its headquarters in New York, USA.
