Rajasthan proposes continuous career guidance for students in schools to tackle delayed counselling practices

Jaipur. The Rajasthan School Education Department has initiated plans to shift career guidance from a one-off exercise into an ongoing support process for school students, responding to persistent gaps in how young learners make academic and career decisions. Under the proposal, the department will draft a three-year structured roadmap to provide consistent guidance throughout secondary education, from early adolescence through senior classes.

Traditionally in Indian schools, career advice arrives late and sporadically, often limited to seminars or fairs in the final year when students are already under examination pressure and choices are constrained. The state’s new approach seeks to realign guidance with the National Education Policy 2020, which places career planning as part of regular schooling rather than an isolated event.

Officials from the Rajasthan School Education Council and the Rajasthan State Council of Educational Research and Training are collaborating with UNICEF Rajasthan and non-profit partners to shape the roadmap. The strategy emphasises helping learners connect interests and aptitudes with practical exposure and informed pathways, supported by teachers, parents and industry linkages.

Deputy Director of Vocational Education Dalchand Gupta noted that students today face an abundance of options but require structured support to evaluate those options in a context that reflects both their strengths and evolving work landscapes.

The plan moves beyond traditional lectures to incorporate hybrid modules, experiential exposure and enhanced school-level counselling. The state aims to embed career planning into routine academic life so students gain confidence and clarity at each stage, rather than confronting critical decisions at the last moment.

If adopted across schools, the initiative could establish a model for other states seeking to strengthen career counselling systems and reduce the pressure that typically surrounds tertiary choices in India.