Thousands of unemployed youth who have dropped out of school or college will now get a chance to return to campus and learn new skills that will help them gain employment.
They will be given free training in different technical skill sets, such as mobile phone repair and AC repair.
The Department of Technical Education has identified 158 government, aided and private polytechnic and engineering colleges that will coordinate with the department for this project, which is part of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana.
The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has funded this programme. It will conduct a workshop for representatives of the 158 colleges on Tuesdsay and present a broad framework of how the programme can be carried out.
Each course will run from three to six months, after which students will get a certificate.
H.U. Talwar, Director of Technical Education said that the aim of the programme is to tie up with industry experts and train youth in skills that can guarantee employment.
“The course will be largely practical oriented and will have very little theory. After the course, we will evaluate their skills and give them a certificate,” he said.
Mr Talwar added that the target of the number of youths to be trained would be fixed shortly. Each college is allowed to pick the skill its wants to offer. Trainees need to be 18 years or older, and should give an undertaking that they are unemployed. Mr Talwar said that after candidates complete the course, the department will find them jobs offering a pay of between Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 15,000 per month.
Some courses demand a minimum qualification, such as completion of class eight, class 10 or a second pre-university course equivalent.
Colleges have been asked to conduct awareness programmes to ensure that locals register for these programmes.
S.T. Bhairappanavar, Principal of government polytechnic college, Gajendragarh, Gadag said that they would offer courses in automobile engineering.
“We want to make sure that we offer courses that will help candidates get jobs immediately,” he said.
The only catch in the programme, experts believe, is that the candidates may be asked to deposit 30 per cent of the cost incurred on the programme, which would be refundable.
Highlights
Course duration:
3 to 6 months
Employment guaranteed
Starting pay between
Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 15,000
Candidates should
be unemployed, and
18 years or older
Department of Technical Education is likely to launch programme in November 2016
Trainees need to be 18 years or older, and should give an undertaking that they are unemployed
