On 11th September, Tuesday, Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, Union Minister of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), attended a function at Mumbai, where he laid the foundation of proposed Indian Institute of Skills (IIS). The event is followed by setting up of the foundation of IIS, Kanpur which took place in December 2016. The construction for the same is still under process.
This followed after the Union Cabinet approved of setting up of Indian Institute of Skills in India’s 3 major cities viz; Kanpur, Mumbai & Ahmadabad. The idea of setting up an institute which focused on vocational education and training of students came to the mind of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after his visit to Vocational Education and Training Center in Singapore.
As proposed, these institutes will work on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. It will be a not-for-profit entity. As per the agenda of the union, the institutes will work to develop a race of skilled individuals who can cater to the international market demands and modern requirements of industries and businesses at a global scale.
The institutes are expected to be set-up and work along the similar lines as that of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) & Indian Institute of Management (IIM). The aspirants will be catered with top learning facilities adopted from internationally renowned existing skill institutions.
During the foundation laying ceremony, Dr Pandey said: “Just like how we are now being known for ‘Make in India’, soon we will be known for ‘Skilled in India’ as well.”
He told that the main agenda of the ministry and the union government with setting up of this institute is to help students learn and equip with marketable skills which will yield them employment. The current industry is escalating in terms of automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cyber technology, energy conservation, natural resource management, etc. The youth need to be made ready for the upcoming industry to meet its demand and compete with the modern skilled human resource of the world.
“The skill scenario is changing the world over, and these institutes will keep us competitive. The setting up of the institute in Mumbai will also cater to aspirations of the youth of Maharashtra eager to become a part of the new-age industrial economy,” he further added.
Indian Institutes of Skills will be another national-level institutional chain which will provide skill & vocational training to the students in multiple areas and in a specialized manner. There are many students across the country, who wish to pursue technical, vocational, and other skill training after completing their 10th or 12th classes or even after pursuing their graduations and masters. The institute will address the learning resource and facility requirements of such an audience of students.
Government is currently working on the Public-Prive Partnership model. Hence, the renowned private sector entity, Tata Education Development Trust (TEDT) has extended their support and became the private entity in the Mumbai venture. The project is based on the National Skills Training Institute (NSTI) campus in Dadar (W), Mumbai.
The government has provided a land area to the private partner TEDT on a lease of 25 years period. TEDT will set up a campus spread across 4.5 acres of land, investing Rs. 300 crores for the project. The project will be reviewed comprehensively every 5 years, analyzing and monitoring the performance outcome. TEDT is looking forward to building the best in class infrastructure and facilities for the students.
The institute aims to an army of highly skilled and trained students, enduring them with international employment opportunities and global entrepreneurial approach. Every year around 5000plus students will be passing and the authorities expect a 70% placement rate.
While commenting upon the economy of national and youth’s role in the same, Chairman of the Tata Sons, Mr Natarajan Chandrasekaran said “Jobs are critical for the economic growth of the country and with the current demographic dividend; skill development seems to be the appropriate solution for the youth to get productive employment.
Apart from this, another campus of IIS at Kanpur is already under construction development. The foundation of the same was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 2016. The institutes will envisage world-class skills pieces of training, encompassing best practices, adopted from internationally renowned skill and vocational training institutes.
The instates will focus on providing learning and training to the students as per the industry requirements through collaboration with Industry experts from private as well as public sectors. Modern training and learning methodologies like digital education augmented learning platforms, internet-based skill programs will give the institute a global recognition and class.
Apart from this, this will also lead to an important improvement by promoting courses embedded with apprenticeship training, while offering higher order qualifications, which will be concluded with the certification of students in terms of diplomas, degrees and graduations etc.
The Mumbai based IIS is expected to be effectively operating and imparting training programs by the year 2025. However, the IIS-Kanpur‘s construction will be completed by the year 2020 and it will soon after start its educational sessions.
The institutes will highlight India and its role in global industrial development by providing students skilled with world-class vocation and training.
