AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON THE GROWTH IN ENROLMENT OF ADDITIONAL SKILL ACQUISITION PROGRAMME IN KERALA

Objective: The study's purpose is to evaluate the efficacy and impact of the Additional Skills Acquisition Programme (ASAP) initiated by the Kerala government in India. The research questions focus on understanding the enrolment trends and assessing the impact of skills development across various sectors. Theoretical Framework: The research is grounded in the understanding of the pivotal role of higher education and skill development in driving economic and social growth. It proposes the essentiality of knowledge and skill-based education in catering to the requirements of a globalized economy and society. Method: The methodology employed for this study involves using secondary data gathered from the official website of ASAP, Government of Kerala, for the period 2014-15 to 2018-18. The data was analysed using ANOVA tests and Time Series Analysis to discern patterns and trends. Results and Conclusion: The analysis unveils a consistent enrolment of approximately 2500-2700 students in the ASAP program during the examined period, with a steady composition of students across B.Com, B.Sc, and BA. However, the study recommends implementing stringent measures to further boost enrolment. Implications of the research: The study highlights the need for an effective skill development framework to achieve global competitiveness and economic growth. It provides recommendations to capitalize on India's demographic dividend through apt skill development. Originality/Value: This research contributes to the understanding of the practical implementation and outcomes of a government-led skill development program, and its impact on economic and social development, particularly in the context of a rapidly globalizing economy.


INTRODUCTION
Skill development is a cornerstone of socio-economic progress, particularly in the context of a rapidly globalizing economy. A globally competent workforce can catalyze development and harness the opportunities that globalization presents. Recognizing this, many nations, including India, have prioritized the upskilling and reskilling of their human resources. Among Indian states, Kerala is known for its proactive approach to socio-economic issues, including its initiatives for skill development. However, while Kerala boasts an impressive diaspora of skilled workers across the world, the state's own employability is estimated to be under twenty percent. This paradox presents a unique case for studying the state's attempts to counteract this trend and create an adaptable and employable young generation.
One such initiative by the Kerala government is the Additional Skills Acquisition Programme (ASAP). ASAP aims to equip the state's youth with specific skills to cater to the demands of the future labor market. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and impact of ASAP by understanding enrolment trends and assessing the influence of skill development across various sectors.
This study is significant as it contributes to the theoretical understanding of how skill development initiatives can drive socio-economic growth, particularly in the context of a globalized economy. It also offers practical insights into the implementation and outcomes of a government-led skill development programme, thus adding value to policy-making and practice in the field of higher education and skill development. The study uses secondary data from the official website of ASAP, Government of Kerala, for the period 2014-15 to 2018-18. The data was analysed using ANOVA tests and Time Series Analysis to discern patterns and trends.
In conclusion, this study underscores the critical role of effective skill development in achieving global competitiveness and economic growth. By exploring the case of ASAP in Kerala, the research provides valuable recommendations for leveraging India's demographic dividend through apt skill development initiatives. Singh and Kaur (2018), who are very knowledgeable in the painting and coating industry, conducted research on staff education. This study aims to investigate the existing skills gap in the paint business and make recommendations for potential remedies. The study made use of both interviews and first-hand accounts from participants. Painters from the Kurukshetra area were asked to complete a questionnaire to contribute to the data collection. The data suggest a paucity of skilled painters due to a lack of resources and formal training opportunities. According to these findings, there needs to be more painters available in the market. Ansari and Khan (2018) believe that if India were to expand expenditure on education and training, it would benefit the country's labour market. This study was carried out to give an up-to-date report on education's condition and make suggestions for its improvement. Secondary sources, including scholarly articles, polls, books, and well-known online resources, were used in order to compile this information.

LITERATURE REVIEW
After reading the research conducted by Davies, Jindal-Snape, Collier, Digby, and Hay (2013), the topic of how unusual classrooms affect kids' growth arises. However, there was also sufficient evidence to support the importance of the following factors in encouraging children's and youth's creative skills development: free use of space and time; availability of suitable materials; working outside of the classroom or school; innovative approaches that include learner autonomy and allow for collaboration with peers; partnerships with outside organizations; regard for learners' interests; and inclusive planning that draws on the children's and youth's existing strengths and interests.
In their book "The Future of Labor", Roger Harris and Berwyn Clayton (2018) analyzed the manner in which various domestic and international problems have affected the nature of work. This Pearson study was written by researchers from Oxford University and Nesta. It examines the interaction between seven trends already having a considerable impact on the labour market. The writers are from those institutions. It is a reasonable assumption to make that people's employment and career paths will be different from what they do at this point in time.
The "bioecological positivity to success" that was researched by Mei-Shiu Chiu, Weiyan Xiong, and Ping-Yin Kuan (2021) is something that recent college grads can attribute to their own success. The designers of the BEPS model say that it provides ecological confirmation of the achievements of graduates by taking into consideration the relative relevance of a large number of bioecological variables while making predictions about the graduates' future success (along with diversity in ecological aspects). The BEPS framework is an example of an approach that is hypothetical in nature and focuses equal emphasis on both "hard" (STEM) and "soft" (interpersonal and critical thinking) skills. Graduates who are gifted in both mathematical and emotional (hard and soft) areas are more likely to achieve great success in their professional careers. This is because both of these domains require a balance of hard and soft skills.
The purpose of the study was carried out by Rebecca Ye. (2020) and named "Reality Tests: Navigating Education for Work Transitions into Early Career Work and Function" was to investigate new employees in Sweden who continue to engage in inefficient work practices. The primary purpose of this study was to illustrate the harsh realities of the working world as well as the moral conundrums that newly graduated college students are confronted with. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on the abilities and education necessary to fulfil the needs of tomorrow's workplace by introducing the concept of "weak-form professions." These professions are intended to help better identify and evaluate non-traditional pathways from school to work.
The following is a passage that was taken from the Handbook of Research on Developing a Post-Pandemic Paradigm for Virtual Technologies in Higher Education that was published in 2021 by Athanasios Kriemadis, Dimitris Spiliotopoulos, Costas Vassilakis, and Dimitra Kapnisi (2021): "The authors of this book give the testimony of teachers and students who share their personal experiences and express their perspectives on a wide variety of themes," the authors write. "These testimonials are presented in the form of interviews." This book is beneficial for anyone who is interested in learning more about the advantages and disadvantages of learning at a distance and would like to do so.
The authors Dilip Chenoy, Shobha Mishra Ghosh, and Shiv Kumar Shukla (2019) write in their book Skill development for accelerating the manufacturing sector that "the rise of Industry 4.0" has fundamentally altered the business landscape. This calls for a concerted effort from the public, private, and educational sectors to foster 21st century skills such as critical thinking, design thinking, creativity, and sustainability. The authors also write that "the rise of Industry 4.0" has fundamentally altered. In order to have good policy and implementation in a country as large as India, where both the federal government and the state governments play vital roles, multiple aspects would need to be taken into consideration. This article examines the current political, social, and economic climate in India, as well as the efforts made by the government to find a balance between developing a "4.0 manufacturing" infrastructure and a "future-ready" labour force. In addition, the article discusses the political, social, and economic history of India.
Three researchers, Anita Gupta, Neeta Sharma, and Ajeya Jha (2020), undertook a comprehensive inquiry into animal slavery. Analyzing Sikkim's training and industrialization initiatives This article explores the perspectives of a wide variety of Sikkim's stakeholders in relation to the state's skilling apparatus, illuminating the system's many flaws while also drawing attention to its few positive aspects. Concerning the unstructured nature of the programme and the difficulty trainees have in receiving up-to-date information regarding eligibility requirements, available employment and internships, and other relevant aspects, some complaints have been lodged. During a roundtable discussion hosted by the State Department's Directorate of Capacity Building and Skill in 2016, this was the conclusion reached by the majority of the various stakeholder groups.
Because of Jon Scott (2005), Over the past few years, there has been a push for curriculum reform that places a higher emphasis on imparting transferable skills to students. Over two-thirds of these abilities are now considered par for the course in biosciences lecture halls. When asked about this type of instruction, approximately half of the undergraduate biology majors at Leicester University who were questioned about it were unaware that they had been exposed to it in the course of their studies. Because of the incorporation of skillspecific modules in the first and second years of the programme, as well as the inclusion of a clear reference to critical skills in the prerequisites for every module, students obtained a more nuanced understanding of the significance of developing their capabilities. With the exception of numeracy, students' confidence in their ability to carry out skill-related activities increased between the time they enrolled in the course and when they graduated from it. The training resulted in an unforeseen but beneficial side effect, which was an improvement in the individuals' capacity to function well in groups. Additionally, graduates who had completed the skills modules tended to have a higher level of confidence overall, despite the fact that this was not statistically significant for any individual skill. Shabani & Govender (2023). This literature review critically investigates how ethical instruction affects creative behaviour and its dimensions. The theoretical framework emphasises leaders' influence on organisational atmosphere and morality, contrasting autocratic tendencies with ethical ones. 160 respondents-middle and executive managers as leaders and low-level managers as employees-complete predeveloped questionnaires for the quantitative study. Ethical leadership boosts employee creativity in idea discovery, generation, and advocating. The evaluation also notes the insufficient understanding of ethical leadership's impact on employee creativity in South African state-owned firms and the rising need for ethical leadership after corporate governance problems. The study improves organisational performance through strengthening leadership and innovation. Schreiber, Hupffer & Gayer (2022). This literature study uses theoretical analysis to link advertising's effect on obsolescence perception and its performance. This social science review uses hermeneutic and interpretative methods. Social and behavioural changes in mankind foster individual competitiveness, the weakening of social bonds, and the demand for individual validation, supporting programmed obsolescence.

METHODOLOGY
The study relies on secondary data procured from the official website of the Additional Skills Acquisition Programme (ASAP), a Kerala government initiative, for the period 2014-15 to 2018-18. To identify patterns and trends, the data was evaluated using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) tests and Time Series Analysis.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The following tables clearly show the number of prosperous students registered in ASAP for the various years. The details are explained below.  further increase was noted and it comes to 286 and 310 respectively. In Idukki district, a gradual decline in the enrolment was noted till 2016-17, and in 2017-18 a slight hike in enrolment was seen. There were 220 students registered in 2014-15 at Palakkad district for ASAP programme. In 2015-16, the figure has been decreased to 193 and in 2016-17 and 2017-18 further increase was noted and it comes to 239 and 249 respectively. Finally, there were 199 students registered in 2014-15 at Kozhikode district for ASAP programme. In 2015-16, the figure has been increased to 223 and in 2016-17 and 2017-18 further increase was noted and it comes to 271 and 296 respectively. From the above table it is clear that in 2014-15 the total number of students registered for ASAP programme of Arts and Science colleges in Kerala was 2638. In 2015-16, the figure has been declined to 2570 and in 2016-17 and 2017-18 further increase was noted and it comes to 2684 and 2761 respectively.
Further statistical analysis was done to examine, whether the enrollment for the ASAP programme of Arts and Science colleges in Kerala for the said period was statistically significant, Anova test was performed. The Anova value is 0.0478 and p value is 0.986 (P>5%), showing the result is not significant. This implies the fact that the enrollment for the ASAP programme of Arts and Science colleges in Kerala for the said period was found no difference. Thus the null hypothesis formulated in this regard is accepted. From the above table, it is clear that there were an average of 227 B.Com students, 293 B.Sc students and 278 BA students registered/year. In order to examine the statistical significance of mean enrolment to different faculties, ANOVA test was performed. Anova test value is 2.20 and P value is 0.1272 (P>5%), showed there is no significant difference among the faculty based on the enrolment of the students to ASAP programme. This shows enrolment of the students to ASAP programme from various faculties of Arts and Science Colleges of Kerala is same. This means the attitude of the different students from various faculties towards ASAP remains the same.  (2023) ASAP is a unique skill development program launched by the Kerala government. Launched in 2012, the initiative has grown over the years to offer eighty-three skill courses across twenty-three sectors. These sectors include hospitality, organized retail, healthcare, IT and ITES, event management, business services, media and entertainment industry, banking and finance sector, and construction. The study compared the enrolment of students in ASAP from 2014-15 to 2018-18 across various disciplines and faculties. It found that the program sees an average enrolment of 2500-2700 students each year, with no significant variation observed over the analyzed years. The distribution of students across disciplines like B.Com, B.Sc, and BA remained consistent during the study period.
The study suggests that ASAP has established itself within Kerala's higher education sphere, providing specific skills relevant to future labor market needs. However, the steady enrolment numbers point towards the necessity for additional measures to boost participation. These results underline the importance of a robust skill development infrastructure and concerted efforts to harness India's demographic dividend for a competitive edge in the global scenario.

CONCLUSION
The examination of the Additional Skills Acquisition Programme (ASAP) by the Kerala government reveals some intriguing trends and valuable insights. The study addressed the questions around enrolment trends and the impact of skills development across various sectors. Results indicate that the program registers an average of 2500-2700 students per year, with no significant variation observed over the last four years. Furthermore, the distribution of enrolled students across the disciplines of B.Com, B.Sc, and BA remains consistent throughout the studied period.
These findings suggest that ASAP has established a steady foothold in Kerala's higher education landscape. It has shown promise in providing specific skills that could cater to the future labor market's demands. However, the static enrolment numbers also indicate the need for more rigorous measures to increase participation in such programs.
Indeed, in the context of an increasingly knowledge-based economy, the relevance and advancement of skills become progressively crucial. As India strives for global competitiveness and further economic growth, a proficiently skilled workforce becomes indispensable. The insights from this study underscore the importance of a robust skill development structure and coordination in converting India's demographic dividend into a global competitive advantage. However, the study does have limitations. The analysis is primarily based on secondary data from the official ASAP website, which might not provide a comprehensive picture of the program's full impact. Additionally, the study only considers data up to the year 2018-18, which might not account for more recent developments or changes in trends.
For future work, it is recommended to conduct more comprehensive and in-depth research involving primary data collection, such as surveys or interviews with students, teachers, and stakeholders involved in the ASAP program. It would also be beneficial to extend the analysis to more recent years to capture the latest trends and impacts. Moreover, comparative studies with other skill development programs in India or other countries might provide more insights into the effectiveness of such initiatives and ways to optimize them.