The department of Higher and Technical Education has planned to initiate an innovative skill development programme to fill the existing national average gap in skilled human resource in the State in comparison to the national average.
At present, only 11.7 per cent people across the country falling in the age group 15-59 years are trained in any professional trait or have received industry integrated training, while the figure in Jharkhand is merely 2.1 per cent.
Targeting five universities, 100 colleges and approximately 51,000 students in four years, Jharkhand Skill Development Mission Society (JSDMS) on Wednesday shared a detailed report of Employability Excellence with College Education and learning (EXCEl) programme set to be launched from August second week with the stakeholders that includes representatives of different colleges.
The programme has been conceived and designed to provide skill development training to Intermediate passed candidates enrolled in different degree programmes at college level. The project will be launched formally on August 14, 17, 18 and 19 in four colleges for providing both soft skills and trade skills training to the students along with their regular course of study.
later on covering 11 premier institutions and extending the course at one college each at all the 24 districts including few private colleges, the programme will be further expanded and upgraded accordingly.
The technical skills that will be imparted among the candidates through training programme will be as per the framework of National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) considering the Intermediate standards.
Also, 50 per cent students of colleges will be admitted in the EXCEl skill development programme giving an added benefit to the colleges to improve their placement record. The department has signed MoU with Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai and Il&FS, New Delhi for providing training to the students in different traits. The training service providers (TSP) have designed the course seeking the non-college goers’ requirement as well.
However, the responsibility has been given to the college principals to design the course schedule as per the convenience of the students while considering the infrastructure along with other basic amenities.
Secretary, Department of Higher and Technical Education, Ajoy Kumar Singh considering the project as the premium programme, said that EXCEl programme will be started only at few colleges in the first phase.
“An institutional mechanism must be developed for implementing the programme. If all goes well, the department has decided to distribute 20,000 appointment letters among the aspirants who successfully completes their training on national youth day,” added Singh.
The State that boosts around 447 colleges affiliated to different universities at present has the total strength of around six lakh students admitted in different courses. Besides providing training in selected trades to the students, Mission Director (JSDMS), Ravi Ranjan said that enrolled students in EXCEl programme will be made industry ready through adding few more components.
“Enhancing students’ communication skills, personality development and boosting up their language proficiency are prime focus of the programme in which quite a number of students lag behind,” Ranjan said.