CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government will establish 100 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) on the campuses of government high and higher secondary schools across the state as part of a pilot initiative to expand vocational education.
District administrations have been instructed to shortlist four to five schools each with at least 50 cents of unused land for the project.
Officials said integrating ITIs with schools would help identify potential dropouts early and direct them towards skill-based courses that can improve employability.
A circular from the School Education Department stated that the proposal was finalised after a meeting between the Director of School Education and the Director of Employment and Training under the Labour Department.
District officials have been asked to identify not only vacant land but also underutilised laboratories and buildings that can be repurposed for the institutes.
Schools located near industrial hubs or corridors are to be prioritised to ensure students have direct access to local employment opportunities. Localities already served by an ITI will be excluded, with preference given to areas lacking vocational training facilities.
Govt ITIs offer training in 23 non-eng trades
Once the list of schools is finalised, the Directorate of Employment and Training will set up and operate the institutes, school education department officials said.
“Under centre’s norms, a standard ITI must offer at least four trades. However, school-based ITIs will be allowed to function with two trades, selected based on local industry requirements to ensure better job opportunities,” an official from the Directorate of Employment and Training said. Service-oriented trades for girls who may be unable to travel long distances for higher studies are also planned.
TN currently has more than 500 ITIs, including 132 run by the government. Government ITIs offer training in 56 engineering and 23 non-engineering trades, from conventional programmes such as Fitter, Welder and Motor Vehicle Mechanic to newer courses.
Officials said the school-linked model would strengthen the state’s vocational training network and widen access for rural students, noting that over 90% of ITI graduates secure jobs in local industries.
The story is reported by Subashini Vijayakumar of The New Indian Express