Discourses at all major academic forums, huge concern have been raised regarding lack of readiness for social and professional life in school and college pass outs. Education systems around the world realized need to reorient education towards learning skills for work and life, invariably referred as core or generic or 21st century skills. Thinking skills predominantly occupy the suggestive list of skills required for success in 21st Century. Growing emphases on thinking skills necessitated to design innovative school curricula, integrated teaching-learning processes and a technically robust assessment system. This paper draws on global policy debates, discussion papers and conceptual frameworks proposed by different groups. It analyses relevant conceptual frameworks in order to evaluate significance of component sub-skills. It highlights the issues associated with evidence-based teaching-learning and