Significance of ITIs in India

Source: The post significance of ITIs in India has been created, based on the article “ITIs: Back to the centre stage” published in “Business Standard” on 1st August 2024

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2- Governance-Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education, Human Resources.

Context: The article discusses the focus on enhancing Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in India, highlighted in Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s recent Union Budget. She put “employment and skilling” second on her list of nine Budget priorities, just after agriculture. The article addresses issues like outdated courses and poor placement rates, while noting improvements and initiatives in some states to boost ITI effectiveness and job placements for graduates.

For detailed information on Vocational Training in India read this article here

What are the significances of ITIs for India?

1. Skill Development and Capacity: ITIs provide critical skills to a large number of students, with around 14,993 government ITIs and 2.5 million available seats as of 2021-22.
2. Improving Enrollment: Enrollment has been increasing, from 946,000 in 2014 to 1.24 million in 2022, showing growing demand and relevance.
3. Curriculum Relevance: New courses on emerging technologies like electric vehicles align ITIs with modern industry needs, ensuring graduates are industry ready.
4. Strategic Importance: Established to meet post-independence industrial needs, ITIs are pivotal as India approaches 100 years of independence, aiming to create a skilled workforce for a developed economy by 2047.

What Challenges Do ITIs Face?

Despite their pivotal role, ITIs struggle with several issues:

1. Skilled Trainers: There is a shortage of skilled trainers across states.
2. Resource Crunch: Many institutes lack the necessary resources.
3. Outdated Curriculum: The courses often do not meet current industry requirements.
4. Poorly Equipped Labs: Many labs are not adequately equipped.
5. Ineffective Placement Methods: There is a need for better placement strategies, as suggested by a Parliamentary Committee which called for mandatory reporting on graduate employment status.

What are the success stories from ITIs?

1. Delhi’s Placement Rates: Delhi’s ITIs achieved a 72.3% placement rate in the latest academic year, with some institutes reaching as high as 94 to 97%.
2. Tamil Nadu’s Improvement: Tamil Nadu saw an increase in placement rates to 80% in 2023, up from 77.4% the previous year.
3. International Opportunities: In Maharashtra, ITI students secured jobs overseas in countries like Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Israel. Germany recruited 4,000 professionals from Kerala institutions, including ITIs.
4. Corporate Collaborations: Hyundai announced new job opportunities for ITI students across nine states. The Telangana government partnered with Tata Technologies to upgrade 65 ITIs into centers of excellence.
5. Innovative Courses: ITI Shikohabad in Uttar Pradesh introduced new courses on electric vehicles, adapting to industry needs.

What should be done?

1. Enhance Placement Methods: Set up effective placement cells and make employment data reporting mandatory, as suggested by the Parliamentary Committee.
2. Adopt NITI Aayog’s Recommendations: Implement a seven-pronged strategy, including setting up a central board for vocational education recognition, to overhaul the ITI ecosystem.
3. Learn from Success Stories: Emulate successful models like Delhi’s 72.3% placement rate and Tamil Nadu’s 80% rate.
4. Update Curriculum: Align courses with industry requirements, focusing on areas like data analytics and AI.
5. Promote Collaborations: Encourage partnerships like Hyundai’s job opportunities and Tata Technologies’ upgrade of ITIs.

Question for practice:

Discuss the current challenges faced by Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in India and suggest potential solutions based on recent improvements and successful models.