Two-years diploma equivalent to Plus Two to boost the significance of ITIs
Ferozepur, May 30, 2017: The Industrial Training Institutes – ITIs –are likely to regain its importance when most of the students graduating from these institutions will be considered Class XII pass, as per the initiative of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship – being a long pending equivalence in the formal and vocational streams of education in the country
The proposal mooted by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to make two-year diploma courses at the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) equivalent to Class 12 to ensure greater participation in skill training programme has got applause from all quarters.
If this proposal is put through, it will definitely produce big numbers of post-school, technically trained professionals. The students can also join a degree course directly.
The significance of ITI’s is rising in view of plummeting demand of engineering courses in the country, with around 8,00,000 seats in engineering colleges – in government and private institutes – going vacant in the last three years.
At present, more than 13,000 ITIs – including 11,000 private run – cater to about 1.9 million students in the country. So far as Punjab is concerned, it has 112 Govt. ITIs and 234 private owned institutions having around 51,000 seats.
Principal, ITI, Ferozepur, Capt Tejinder Singh, the decision to equate the two years’ ITI courses with Plus Two should be taken without any delay. ITI qualified candidates can apply for jobs in either private or public sector depending on the trades they are equipped with. Many industries and companies accept ITI graduates only as apprentices and they train the candidates for a period of 6 months to 1-2 years.
The pronouncement will also improve the student’s strength in the ITIs. At the same time, the institutions need to be strengthened for industrial value enhancement, by providing the faculty of dropped courses for number of years, he added.
Stating the reason he said, the students who cannot afford for higher studies will come forward to join the courses in ITIs which has the demand not only the in the country but also in the global market. Such candidates can also be self-employed by setting up their own winding shops garage fabrication shops etc.
He said, presently 325 students are on roll for courses of Electrical, Motor Mech, Fitter, Tunner, Machinist, Tractor Mech., D.M.(Mech), Welder under welfare scheme and Diesel Mechanic.
The courses like Computer, Carpenter and Punjabi Steno have been withdrawn since long due to shortage of faculty while the infrastructure is available with the institution, he said.
He however, informed that the issue has been taken up with the Director, Technical Education to allow starting these courses by keeping the required staff from the funds available with the ITI under Industrial Management Committee to the extent of more than Rs.20 lakh generated from the shopping complex constructed on the abandoned land of the institution across the road with the association of Red Cross Society.
