The Tamil Nadu government is exploring a new “School-ITI” model that would introduce Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) into government high and higher secondary schools to improve student employability by blending vocational skills with regular schooling, officials said.

Under the proposal, being jointly reviewed by the School Education Department and the Department of Employment and Training, industrial and vocational training facilities would operate on school campuses, ET Education reports.

The aim is to provide students with technical training in various trades alongside their academics, so that they are better prepared for industry or job opportunities after graduating from school.

Senior officials of the Department met on December 4 to discuss eligibility criteria and feasibility, with plans to select around 10 schools as pilot sites initially.

According to the plan, schools must have sufficient land and usable buildings or laboratories to host the training facilities. If successful, this model could be expanded to more institutions across the state.

The Tamil Nadu government has decided to set up 100 ITIs on government school campuses as a pilot initiative to broaden access to vocational education. District officials have been asked to identify suitable schools with unused land or under-utilised infrastructure for the project.

The integration is expected to help identify potential dropouts early and steer them toward skill-based courses that improve employment prospects.