The Role of RPL in Societal Reforms: A Case Study of Indian Construction Workers in the Wake of COVID-19

Abstract

This paper introduces a novel dimension of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) beyond its traditional applications in skilling, employment, and informal learning recognition in India. It highlights RPL’s role as a gateway to socio-economic upliftment and its significance in organizing informal and unstructured sectors. This dimension has proven especially influential in supporting workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, facilitating their reintegration into the workforce during the post-pandemic recovery phase.

The impact of this new dimension was assessed through a study of the NIPUN scheme, initiated by the Government of India. This scheme trained 100,000 construction workers nationwide and was implemented in collaboration with sector skill councils and the implementation agency.

Employing a quasi-experimental design, the study analysed the RPL program’s impact under the NIPUN Scheme using a case-control treatment approach. The research quantitatively measured the gap between expectations in the treatment group (RPL participants) and aspirations in the control group (non-RPL participants). A representative sample of 12,572 workers from 10 states, covering seven distinct job roles within the construction industry, was examined. The study’s findings evaluate the program outcomes, highlight the transformative potential of RPL, and offer recommendations for enhancing its implementation to better serve marginalized communities.

Keywords: Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), NIPUN Scheme, socio-economic upliftment, quasi-experimental design, case-control approach, construction workers