Centre to revisit ITIs’ adoption by industries
The Centre has decided to revisit its policy of adoption of industrial training institutes (ITIs) by the private sector industrial units.
Following the footsteps of Maharashtra government that has withdrawn the policy of handing over of ITIs to industrial units, the Union skill development ministry is now studying the loopholes in the policy.
Most of India’s major manufacturing giants have adopted and are running as many as 1,200 ITIs in the country since 2007.
In 2007, the Centre had rolled out a scheme allowing industrial units of repute to adopt ITIs to get trainees exposed to the latest technological know-how and better their employment prospects.
These companies not only add infrastructure and equipment to the ITI they adopt but also tweak the curriculum according to the industry needs. Even instructors who are deputed by the government are exposed to the latest technological advancements prevalent in the industry. It works in the larger interest of the industry also as its gets the talent pool of its choice which otherwise ITIs cannot generate on its own.
As many as 1,396 ITIs were earmarked for the scheme under which the industrial unit would get ₹2.5 crore interest-free loan for sprucing up the ITI infrastructure. India has a total of about 13,000 ITIs.
Industry too had welcomed the scheme as it could produce the workforce as per their needs by tweaking the curriculum to meet their requirements. The ITI’s infrastructure including equipment is not up to the mark to keep pace with technological advancements in the industry.
KP Krishnan, secretary, ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship , told HT, “We are revisiting the policy of handing over of ITIs to private players. My team is studying the loopholes in the policy.”
Krishnan said the private sector connect with ITIs was an absolute necessity as it helps meet industry needs and produces workforce, without which the whole purpose of training youths is a waste. “But tax payers may raise the issue and ask why the government sets up ITIs with huge capital investment but hand them over to private players. We definitely want industry connect but do not want to abdicate too. If they (industry) want to produce their own people, they can have their own set up,” said Krishnan.
He said the methods were being explored on how to maintain industry connect with ITIs without handing over the infrastructure to it. He said, “We would soon reach out to industry to get their feedback in terms of what it wants.” However, apex industry body Confederation of Indian industries (CII), the member companies of which have adopted 398 ITIs, is not amused with the proposed move.
CII has expressed concern over the potential effect on the job prospects of the trainees if adoption policy is withdrawn .
“The industrial units that adopt ITIs help trainees not only with training on advanced technological advancements but also add to the infrastructure of these institutes. The trainees of such ITIs stand better change of being absorbed in these companies and at better remunerations,” said a senior CII functionary on condition of anonymity.