TN govt ITIs upgraded through PPP mode to improve employment opportunity

CHENNAI: The Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) under the Tamil Nadu government have been further upgraded through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode to improve the employment outcomes of graduates from the vocational training system.

At present, long-term skill training is imparted through 91 government ITIs across the State and this year, students are undergoing training in 54 engineering and 24 non-engineering trades through ITIs. The training period ranges from six months to two years.

In order to make the design and delivery of training more demand responsive to graduates from the vocational training system, the Union Government launched the PPP scheme a few years back.

A senior official from theLabour Department said that in each ITI, an Institute Management Committee (IMC) had been constituted under the chairmanship of a credible Industry Partner and registered as a Society. "An interest-free loan amount of Rs.2.50 crore was sanctioned by the Centre to each IMC society", he added.

He said that the key management committee is to develop a benchmark for industry-oriented ITI which would serve as a model for other ITIs and would also raise the dignity of ITI education.

Stating that accordingly, the management committee prepared a development plan for upgrading the Institute, he said "based on the plan report, the Union Government will release interest-free loan amount directly to the IMC bank account.

The official said that the interest-free loan amount of Rs 2.50 crore, a sum of Rs50 lakh has been deposited as seed money in the nationalized bank by the management committee.

"For the repayment of loan there is a moratorium of 10 years from the year in which the loan was released to the Institute Management committee", he said.

He said the upgradation includes procuring the latest machinery according to the current industrial requirement, construction of additional class and practical rooms, improving toilet facilities, providing welfare measures for the students studying in ITIs, and appointing faculty members.