[2] Many aspects of the scheme have been called coercive, with religious re-education and correction of "backward thinking" including "thought education" also being planned for Tibetans excessively influenced by religion.
[4] This characterization has been questioned by other scholars who point out that vocational programs and a career in the military have long served as means of upward mobility for non-elite Tibetans.
[7] The study concluded:[2] While some Tibetans may voluntarily participate in some or all aspects of the scheme, and while their incomes may indeed increase as a result, the systemic presence of clear indicators of coercion and indoctrination, coupled with profound and potentially permanent change in modes of livelihood, is highly problematic.
In the context of Beijing’s increasingly assimilatory ethnic minority policy, it is likely that these policies will promote a long-term loss of linguistic, cultural and spiritual heritage.Other scholars have criticized some of Zenz's conclusions and pointed out that vocational programs in Tibet are actually undersupplied compared to other regions of China and welcomed by poorer, less-educated Tibetans as a means of upward mobility, often in combination with expanded state-mandated hiring quotas for minorities and a career in the military.
[9] Officials in Chinese administered Tibet have defended the "vocational training program", saying that it allows the locals to acquire new work skills and improve living standards.