Overview
The National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) was set up in 2005 under the NAVTTC Act 2005 as Pakistan's federal body for technical and vocational education and training (TVET). It makes TVET policy, develops competency-based qualifications, standards and curricula, runs the National Vocational Qualifications Framework (NVQF), keeps a national registry of institutes, programmes, trainers, assessors and graduates, and runs national training programmes. It works with the provincial TEVTAs. It is a regulator and framework body, not a single exam.
Levels or stages
The NVQF was introduced in 2013 and has eight levels:
| Level | Qualification | Described as |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Vocational Certificate | Semi-skilled |
| 2 | National Vocational Certificate | Skilled worker |
| 3 | National Vocational Certificate | Highly skilled |
| 4 | National Vocational Certificate | Technician |
| 5 | Diploma (including the DAE) | Senior technician |
| 6 | Bachelor (B.Tech) | Engineer |
| 7 | Master (M.Tech) | Senior engineer |
| 8 | Doctorate (PhD) | Expert |
Levels 1 to 4 are certificates assessed by Qualification Awarding Bodies (QABs), Level 5 diplomas are awarded by QABs, and Levels 6 to 8 are university degrees accredited by the Higher Education Commission. Each level describes the knowledge, skills and responsibility expected of a learner.
Exam pattern
Competency-based qualifications are built on a competency standard, with formative and summative assessment packs published per qualification. NAVTTC lists them by sector and level on its Competency Based Training page, and you can download the standards, curricula and assessment packs there. Assessment is against the standard for the chosen qualification, so there is no single national paper.
Who can apply
Entry conditions for NAVTTC courses are set per programme and are not given on the pages used for this page.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is aimed at experienced workers, overseas workers, informal-sector workers and self-learners who want informally acquired skills certified without a full course. NAVTTC's page says RPL certificates have been issued in 51 trades at NVQF Level 2, and lists 125 assessment centres.
How to apply
For RPL, NAVTTC lists six steps: register and upload documents on the online portal, document check, practical assessment, review of results, certification, and completion as a certified worker. For courses, the NAVTTC site has an Apply for Trainings button.
After the exam
NAVTTC and the NVQF provide online certificate verification pages for NVQF and PMYP certificates.
FAQs
Is NAVTTC a training provider or a regulator?
It is the federal TVET body: it sets policy, runs the NVQF and the national registry, and runs national programmes. Training is delivered by registered institutes.
How many levels does the NVQF have?
Eight. Levels 1 to 4 are National Vocational Certificates, Level 5 is a diploma, and Levels 6 to 8 are university degrees.
Can I be certified for skills I learned on the job?
Yes, through Recognition of Prior Learning, which assesses your skills with practical tasks and issues a certificate without a full training course.