Govt To Upgrade ITIs And Launch New Initiatives For Advanced Training

New Delhi, Jun 6 (KNN) The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship is set to prioritise the establishment of new Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and upgrade existing ones as part of its 100-day agenda under the new government administration, according to a senior ministry official.

The core objective is to enhance the perception of ITIs, rendering them aspirational for students, as reported by FE.

Substantial investments will be channelled towards improving facilities at current institutes.

A proposal outlining plans for new ITI establishments will soon be submitted for cabinet approval. India currently hosts 15,034 ITIs with a combined seating capacity of 3.6 million.

Moreover, the ministry intends to launch a novel skilling voucher scheme to aid individuals pursuing advanced skill development courses.

Under this initiative, the government will subsidise a portion of the course fees through vouchers for programs costing around Rs 50,000.

As extending full sponsorship is not feasible within current budgetary constraints, the ministry will directly fund training institutes to cover part of the fees.

Complementing this effort, the ministry is considering introducing a skills loan system to assist students in financing the remaining course costs.

Other immediate priorities include establishing three Indian Institutes of Skills (IIS) in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Kanpur through public-private partnerships (PPP).

These institutes will boast robust industry collaborations, modern training methodologies, virtual learning platforms, and augmented learning capabilities.

The Mumbai and Ahmedabad centres are being developed in partnership with the Tata Education and Development Trust, while IIT Kanpur will serve as a mentor and knowledge partner for the Kanpur institute.

Furthermore, the ministry aims to increase the number of Skill India International Centres (SIICs) to approximately seven initially.

These centres, situated in strategic cities with significant Indian worker migration, will facilitate overseas employment opportunities through government-to-government (G2G) or business-to-business (B2B) collaborations with global recruiters.

The 2024 budget announced plans to launch 30 SIICs across different states to mobilise India's skilled workforce internationally based on demand.

Concurrently, the ministry will intensify efforts on short-term skilling programs like Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) and PM Vishwakarma.

A focus will be placed on imparting emerging and Industry 4.0 skills, such as coding, cloud computing, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML), drones, and solar technology. Particular emphasis will be given to upskilling women for future-oriented professions through short-term training initiatives.

(KNN Bureau)