Employability Skills, Entrepreneurship and Communication
This domain tests workplace communication, job-readiness habits, basic statutory awareness for a small unit, and simple business arithmetic for a sewing enterprise.
Communication at work
- The 7Cs: clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete, courteous.
- Active listening: face the speaker, do not interrupt, confirm by repeating the instruction back.
- Use the technical vocabulary correctly - SAM, AQL, 301, differential feed - because vague terms cause rework.
- Written records matter: production reports, defect reports, handover notes, emails with a clear subject line and specific request.
- Feedback should describe the behaviour and the effect, not attack the person; accept feedback without defensiveness.
Employability
A short, truthful resume; interview answers built on Situation, Task, Action, Result; punctuality, safe work habits, teamwork, conflict resolution and basic digital literacy.
Entrepreneurship and compliance
- Business plan: market survey, product range, capacity, costing, pricing, break-even, working capital.
- Prime cost = direct material + direct labour + direct expenses; add overhead to get total cost.
- Registration and schemes: Udyam (MSME) registration, GST where applicable, EPF and ESI for eligible employees, Factories Act licence where thresholds apply, PMEGP, Mudra and Stand-Up India for finance.
- Break-even units = fixed cost / (selling price - variable cost per unit).
Worked example
Fixed cost 60,000 per month, selling price 120 per piece, variable cost 70. Contribution = 50. Break-even = 60,000 / 50 = 1,200 pieces per month. To earn 10,000 profit: (60,000 + 10,000) / 50 = 1,400 pieces. A price cut to 110 drops contribution to 40 and raises break-even to 1,500 pieces - so discount decisions must be tested this way.
Traps that cost marks
Confusing margin on selling price with markup on cost, pricing without counting variable cost, and assuming registration is unnecessary for scheme benefits.