To What Extend is Informal Learning Contextualised? A Study of Five Different Occupations in India

The Indian economy is characterised by a high level of employment in the informal sector. Only a minority of Indian workers have been trained in formal vocational education and training measures, while the largest share gained their skills in informal settings. Informal learning is strongly influenced by a variety of external factors. The chapter examines and compares findings across different occupations and regions in India and illustrates how contextual conditions of informal learning are framed. By means of a systematic comparison of five case studies in the informal economy (fishermen, farmers, tailors, motor mechanics, and street food vendors), it is shown that contextual conditions and characteristics of informal learning are similar and sometimes even identical across different occupations and regions in India. The findings may be used for further research in the field and also to offer empirical evidence for Indian education policies to develop new flexible vocational skills learning initiatives.