The State government may consider admitting students who had failed to clear the class X examinations to Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) so as to produce skilled workers, said Labour Minister S.T. Chellapandian on Thursday.
Chairing the first review meeting of Department of Employment and Training, he asked officials whether such a move would help private it is, which offered training to over 60,000 students against 23,000 accommodated by government-run ITIs.
The officials said that the government ITIs were preferred by poor students as they had good reputation, charged less fees, offered free training, stipend and scholarship and imparted quality training. About 80 to 90 per cent of the students were assured of jobs.
However, those who passed Plus-Two exams preferred polytechnic colleges or joined engineering coleges.
The intake could improve by allowing students who had failed in class X to enrol in government ITIs. Besides, the State government should take steps to have the latest training apparatus, fill vacancies and increase the salary of the faculty, they said.
Mentioning that Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh had more number of ITIs than Tamil Nadu, they said that Andhra Pradesh had about 29,000 seats. “Even then, we have been declared the Best State 22 times in All India Skill Competition test.”
The Minister said that in the last few years, massive job recruitment drives had taken place in different parts of the State. “But, we do not know, how many of them were provided jobs. We have been asked by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to ensure that benefits of the ongoing schemes reach the public.
“In this connection, I seek your co-operation and ideas to implement new schemes, to develop these institutions further and improve the administrative mechanism. I will discuss these matters with the Chief Minister.”
The meeting was attended by five joint directors, seven deputy directors and other officers.
