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Nepal Vocational Qualifications System (NVQS)

Youths entering the labour market in Nepal are compelled to remain unemployed or underemployed and work in low-pay jobs due to a lack of skills, and lack of certification and recognition of the skills they have. To provide wider opportunities and to enable Nepali youth without formal vocational training and education, and those who have gained skills through work experience to enter the labour market with recognized certificates for better employability and career path, the Government of Nepal (GoN) has initiated a National Vocational Qualifications System (NVQS) with the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) to be implemented.
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kathmandu
27.7172453
85.3239605
Nepal
Project duration
2020 - 2026
Financed by
  • Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC

The project

Nepal Vocational Qualifications System Project (NVQS-P) aims for systemic reform in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector of Nepal. The successful implementation of the National Vocational Qualifications System (NVQS) would transform Nepal’s TVET landscape making it sustainable through the availability of market-relevant competent people and increased productivity of businesses and industries. This would ultimately create better earning opportunities for Nepali youths and aid in poverty reduction. 

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) provides financial and technical assistance to develop NVQS in Nepal through the Nepal Vocational Qualifications System Project (NVQS-P). The Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT)/National Skill Testing Board (NSTB) implements NVQS-P on behalf of the Government of Nepal. Swisscontact provides Technical Assistance to the project on behalf of SDC.

Project partner

Council of Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTVET), National Skills Testing Board (NSTB)

Results

Expected outcomes:

  • Through the National Vocational Qualifications System, certified Nepali youths gain employment in domestic and international markets.
  • CTEVT/NSTB on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology implement the National Vocational Qualifications System in partnership with the private sector.
  • Provincial governments implement the vocational qualification system.

Priorities for 2022-23:

  1. Endorsing NVQF detailing document by the relevant authority and using it as a common communication tool,
  2. Communication and outreach expansion about NVQS, NVQF, and RPL,
  3. Facilitating to approve the National Vocational Qualification Board (NVQB) rules that will allow implementing NVQF up to NVQ Level 5,
  4. Establishing additional three sector skills committees making a total of eight SSCs,
  5. Upscaling RPL in all provinces,
  6. Developing additional 30 National Competency Standards (NCS),
  7. Strengthening Accredited Skills Assessment Centres (ASCs),
  8. Expanding NVQS in two additional provinces,
  9. Facilitating collaboration among the federal, provincial, and local, governments in NVQS implementation, and
  10. Engaging employers in key processes.

Downloads

National Qualifications Framework (NQF)
305 kB
Short Explanation of National Qualifications Framework of Nepal
293 kB

News

View all news from NVQS
Nepal
Initial vocational education and training, Labour market insertion
30.04.2026
West Asia Conflict and the Skills Agenda in Nepal
Each year, nearly 700,000 Nepalese leave the country in search of foreign employment, with around 65 percent, approximately 450,000 individuals heading to Gulf countries. These migrants are vital to Nepal’s economy, contributing 22–25 percent to Nepal’s GDP, with nearly 40 percent of total remittance inflows originating from West Asian countries (Banjade, 2026) (Adhikari, 2024).  These figures underscore the centrality of migrant labour to Nepal’s foreign currency reserves and overall economic stability.

The ongoing conflict in West Asia poses significant risks compelling many migrants to return home. This shift could have profound consequences for Nepal’s remittance earnings and labour market.
Nepal
Initial vocational education and training
27.04.2026
Co-Funding for Skills Recognition: A Coordinated Public Investment in Nepal’s Workforce
Across Nepal, many workers develop valuable skills not through formal education but through years of practical experience. These competencies sustain livelihoods and local economies, yet without formal certification, workers often face barriers to better employment opportunities, fair wages, social recognition and jobs that match their abilities, both within Nepal and abroad.
Nepal
Labour market insertion
22.04.2024
Transforming Labour Markets
In 2023, Nepal saw economic improvements, including a surplus in the balance of payments, increased foreign currency reserves and tourist arrivals, among others. Despite these positive indications, the Economic Survey for Fiscal Year 2022-23 reported a modest 2.16 percent economic growth rate. To boost growth, the government introduced the Digital Nepal Framework (DNF), aimed at enhancing digital literacy and advancing adoption of technology across the economy. The DNF comprises eight categories - digital foundation, agriculture, health, education, energy, tourism, finance, and urban infrastructure.