Eight Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) in Mysuru and 5 in Chamarajanagar district are among nearly 150 such institutes across Karnataka which have undergone technology upgradation and set for inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.
The upgradation of each ITI has cost between ₹30 crore to ₹33 crore and students are being offered hands-on training in various trades to meet the requirement of the emerging industries.
The upgradation of ITIs was consequent to a pact signed by the Government of Karnataka and Tata Technologies Ltd. and 20 other industry partners last year and the cost of upgradation including installation of machinery at 150 ITIs across the State was pegged at nearly ₹4,636 crore.
The courses have been devised based on the projected demand for trained manpower in new fields and one ITI in every taluk of a district has been selected for such upgradation, according to officals. While some of the courses are already on and the first batch of students are receiving training in many of the trades, the formal inauguration is slated for Monday.
In Mysuru, the upgraded laboratories that are reckoned to be technology hubs are the Government ITIs at N.R.Mohalla, Beerihundi, Varuna, Nanjangud, H.D. Kote, Hunsur, Periyapatna and Bettadapura. Similarly, in Chamarajanagar the Government ITIs at Chamarajanagar town, Gundlupet, Kollegal, Hanur and Begur have been upgraded.
Lubna Nikath, Principal, Government ITI, Begur, said in addition to the conventional courses like plumbing, electrical wiring etc, new courses offer immersive hands-on training as 60 per cent of the syllabus is devoted to practicals and to meet the requirement of the industries.
The new courses that are being offered in these 150 ITIs – developed as technology hubs – include Artisan Using Advanced Tool, Basic Designer and Virtual Verifier (Mechanical), Industrial Robotics & Digital Manufacturing Technician, Manufacturing Process Control and Automation, Advanced CNC Machining and Mechanic Electric Vehicle.
The training offered in conventional courses made the students semi-skilled and had to be retrained by the employer for specific trades. But with the state-of-the-art machinery and training module the students completing these courses are industry-ready, said Ms. Lubna Nikath.
Akbar, Employment Officer, Chamarajanagar, said the new courses and training being offered are the need of the hour and will not only meet the industrial requirement but is a step in achieving the objectives of Atmanirbhar Bharat. ‘’We have popularised the new courses through publicity campaign and the response is encouraging’’, he added. Apart from regular courses of two years there will be short-term skill-specific courses of shorter duration as well, said Mr.Akbar.
Sources in the industrial sector said the upgradation of courses at ITIs was long overdue and has enhanced the employability factor of the students. Suresh Kumar Jain of Mysuru Industries Association said it will not only help bridge the skill-gap between what is offered in institutes and the industrial requirement, but will help save time and capital invested on training the new employees.
