Q.What is meant by on-the-job training?
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🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — Training Versus Development
Imagine you are learning to ride a bicycle. At first, someone holds the seat, you wobble, you fall, but by the end of the day you can pedal in a straight line. That is training — you are acquiring a specific, immediate skill. Now imagine that same person, years later, deciding to become a cycling tour guide. They need to learn route planning, first aid, customer service, and leadership. That broader, longer-term growth is development.
In the world of business and human resources, this distinction is crucial. Training is about the present job; development is about the future person.
What the NCERT Textbook Says
The NCERT Class 12 Business Studies textbook (Chapter 6: Staffing) defines these two terms clearly:
Training is the process of increasing the knowledge and skills of an employee for doing a particular job. It is a short-term process that focuses on the current job.
Development is the process of enhancing the overall personality of an employee to help them grow as an individual and as a manager. It is a long-term process that focuses on the future career.
The textbook emphasises that training is job-specific — it teaches you how to operate a machine, how to handle a customer complaint, how to use accounting software. Development, on the other hand, is career-specific — it builds conceptual abilities, judgment, and leadership qualities that prepare you for higher responsibilities.
The Core Differences at a Glance
| Aspect | Training | Development |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Current job skills | Future career growth |
| Time horizon | Short-term (days/weeks) | Long-term (months/years) |
| Purpose | Improve performance in the present role | Prepare for future roles |
| Who receives it | Usually non-managerial staff | Usually managerial or potential managers |
| Method | On-the-job (coaching, apprenticeship) | Off-the-job (seminars, role plays, case studies) |
| Outcome | Immediate efficiency, fewer errors | Broader perspective, better decision-making |
In practice, the line can blur. A company might run a "leadership training" program that actually develops future managers. But the textbook keeps them distinct: training is for doing, development is for becoming.
Why This Distinction Matters …
On-the-job training means learning a job by actually performing it at the workplace under guidance. …
On-the-job training teaches employees the job by having them do it at the workplace under supervision.
On-the-job training methods are those in which the employee is trained while performing the real job at the actual place of work. The worker learns by doing, under the guidance of a superior or experienced worker. Common methods include apprenticeship programmes, coaching, internship training and job rotation. It is practical, economical and lets the trainee contribute to production while learning.
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Showing the 12 most recent of 32 on this concept.
- CBSE 2026Set 66/3/11 markMCQQ.Which of the following statements are correct with respect to the benefits the organisation would get by imparting training to its employees ?(i) Training equips the future manager who can take over in case of an emergency.(ii) Training makes an employee more efficient to handle machines and thus, they are less prone to accidents.(iii) Training increases the satisfaction and morale of the employees.(iv) Training enhances employee productivity, both in terms of quantity and quality, leading to higher profits. Options : (A) (i), (ii),(iii) and(iv) (B)(ii) and(iii) (C)(i) and(iv) (D)(i) and (ii)
›Reveal solutionSolution
All four statements correctly describe benefits an organisation gains from training its employees — covering emergency readiness, safety, morale, and productivity.
Training and development are two closely related but distinct concepts in human resource management. Training focuses on the specific job skills an employee needs right now — it is short-term, task-oriented, and aimed at improving performance in the current role. Development, by contrast, is broader and longer-term, preparing an employee for future responsibilities and growth. The question here is about training, and the benefits it brings to the organisation itself.
Let us examine each statement carefully.
- Training equips the future manager who can take over in case of an emergency. This is correct. When employees are trained, they become capable of handling not just their own tasks but also stepping into other roles when needed. A well-trained workforce creates a bench of potential successors. If a manager falls ill or leaves suddenly, a trained subordinate can take charge without disruption. This is often called "succession planning" in management textbooks, and it is a direct organisational benefit of training.
- Training makes an employee more efficient to handle machines and thus, they are less prone to accidents. Absolutely correct. Proper training teaches the correct procedures, safety protocols, and machine handling techniques. An untrained or poorly trained worker is far more likely to make errors that cause accidents — damaging equipment, harming themselves, or endangering colleagues. Training reduces these risks, which means fewer compensation claims, less downtime, and lower repair costs for the organisation.
- Training increases the satisfaction and morale of the employees. This is also correct, though it is a benefit that flows through the employee to the organisation. When an employee receives training, they feel valued, more confident, and more competent. They know the organisation is investing in them. This boosts morale and job satisfaction, which in turn reduces absenteeism and turnover. A stable, satisfied workforce is a clear organisational advantage. …
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Fill in the blank: _______ improves the skills and knowledge of the employee. (Education/Training)
›Reveal solutionSolution
The correct word is Training — it improves an employee's job skills and knowledge.
In the staffing chapter, training is the process of imparting job-related knowledge, skills and attitudes so that an employee performs his current job more effectively. It is narrower and more job-specific than education (which is broader and general) and than development (which prepares a person for fut …
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Name the method of training in which educational institutions and business firms cooperate to give practical skills to their student trainees.
›Reveal solutionSolution
The method is Apprenticeship training.
Among on-the-job and off-the-job training methods:
- Apprenticeship training programmes are organised jointly by educational/technical institutions and business organisations: the institution provides the theoretical base while the firm provides supervised practical, hands-on training, so students graduate with job-ready skills. This is common for technical/vocational trades and professional courses (e.g., engineering, ITI trades, management programmes with industry internships). …
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Method(s) of development is/are (A) position rotation (B) short-term syllabus (C) development on the job (D) all of these
›Reveal solutionSolution
Methods of development include position rotation, short-term courses and on-the-job development — all of these.
Development refers to the overall growth of managers and employees for greater responsibilities. It is carried out through several methods, including position (job) rotation to give varied experience, short-term training courses or syllabi to build knowledge, and on-the-job development through guidance and assignments. Since each of …
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Objective of development is (A) Opportunities of promotion (B) Better performance (C) Increase in skills (D) All of these
›Reveal solutionSolution
The objectives of development include promotion opportunities, better performance and increased skills — all of these.
Development seeks the long-term growth of employees and managers. Its objectives are to increase their knowledge and skills, to improve their present and future performance, and to prepare them for higher responsibilities and promotion. Because each of these is a genu …
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Development of employees involves (A) Promotion (B) Transfer (C) Training (D) All of these
›Reveal solutionSolution
Development of employees involves all of these — promotion, transfer and training — option (D).
Development is the broad, continuous process of improving an employee's total personality, knowledge and career prospects, aiming at long-term growth rather than just the current job. It is brought about through several means together:
- Training — builds the skills and knowledge needed to perform better.
- Promotion — moves the employee to a higher post with more responsibility, encouraging growth. …
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.On the job method of training is - A) Cinema B) Conference C) Coaching D) Case study
›Reveal solutionSolution
Coaching is an on-the-job training method; cinema, conference and case study are off-the-job methods.
On-the-job methods train a worker at the actual place of work while performing the real job. In coaching, a superior guides and instructs the trainee directly on the job, correcting mistakes as the work is done.
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- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markQ."One is Job - oriented whereas the other is Career - oriented". Identify the two elements of staffing process involved in the above statement.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Training is a short-term, job-specific activity to improve present performance, while Development is a long-term, career-wide process aimed at the employee's overall growth for future roles.
The Staffing function includes two closely related activities, Training and Development, which are distinguished in exactly the way the question describes:
- Training is job-oriented: it is designed to improve an employee's knowledge and skills for performing a specific, current job more effectively and efficiently. It is usually short-term, specific and the responsibility of the organisation to arrange. …
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Which method of training helps workers learn while working with supervisors?(a) Apprenticeship training(b) Induction training(c) Job rotation(d) Coaching
›Reveal solutionSolution
Apprenticeship training lets a worker learn a skilled job while actually working under a supervisor's guidance.
Among on-the-job training methods, apprenticeship training places the trainee under the close, continuous supervision of an experienced/skilled worker (or supervisor) for an extended period, during which the trainee learns the trade by actually performing the work with guidance — common for skilled crafts and technical jobs.
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- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The joint programme of training between the educational institution and business firms, where students are sent to business firms to gain practical work experience is ....................(a) Apprenticeship training(b) Internship training(c) Vestibule training(d) Induction training
›Reveal solutionSolution
A training programme jointly run by an educational institution and a business firm, where students work in the firm to gain practical experience, is called Internship training.
Among the on-the-job training methods:
- Apprenticeship training is meant for jobs that require a fairly long period to gain proficiency, usually in crafts and trades (e.g., mechanic, electrician); it is organised by an employer, not necessarily tied to a specific educational course.
- Internship training is specifically a joint programme between educational institutions (colleges/universities offering professional courses such as engineering, management, medicine) and business firms. Selected students continue their regular studies while also working in the firm for a defined period, which lets them apply classroom learning to real business situations and gain practical skill. …
- CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Methods of development are (A) Job rotation method (B) Short-term syllabus (C) Development on the job (D) All of these
›Reveal solutionSolution
Job rotation, short-term courses and development on the job are all methods of development, so the answer is all of these.
Development aims at the overall growth of an employee, especially managers, preparing them for higher responsibilities. Its methods include on-the-job techniques such as job rotation (moving a person across jobs to broaden experience) and development on the job (learning while working), as well as off-the-job techniques such as short-t …
- CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Training gives emphasis on (A) Theoretical knowledge (B) All-round knowledge (C) General knowledge (D) Practical knowledge
›Reveal solutionSolution
Training builds job-specific skills, so it emphasises practical knowledge.
Training is the process of increasing the knowledge and skills of an employee for doing a particular job. It is narrow and job-oriented, aiming to improve the way a specific task is performed. Hence it stresses practical, hands-on ability — learning by doing the actual work. All-round and general knowledge are associated more with development (which prepares a person for overall growth a …
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