– Ronita Torcato
Maharashtra’s Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) will soon provide apprenticeships to their students following an advisory from the Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ministry to revive training to artisans by utilising the infrastructure available in industrial establishments.
In the past, 200 students from government industrial institutes were appointed as apprentices. However, these appointments were halted some years ago.
The new mandate is to provide apprenticeships between 2.5 percent and 25 percent of the total manpower in establishments with 30 and more employees (including contractual manpower)
The target is set at one lakh candidates each year under the Maharashtra Apprenticeship Incentive Scheme.
The apprenticeship period will range from six to 36 months according to the professions categorised by the Maharashtra State Skill Development Examination Board. Institutions providing training will be reimbursed in accordance with the rules of the state and central governments. The revised courses of industrial training institutes will be reviewed from time to time.
Skills minister Lodha is also making efforts to introduce apprenticeships in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and has addressed a communication to the municipal commissioner in this regard.
