In a post-COVID world, Industrial Training Institutes in the country will be training its students, strictly maintaining social and physical distancing, says Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey. Pandey was addressing the country on the World Youth Skills Day, which is also the fifth anniversary of the commencement of the Skill India Mission.
"Education is moving online increasingly. Even though our youth can be skilled online, there is a limit to this. Physical training is required," says Pandey. "For this, we will ensure that classes are held in batches in our ITIs and that strict physical distancing will be maintained among the students," he adds. Pandey added that while India has 10,750 ITIs until 2015, the number increased to 15,000 in 2020. He added that the Ministry's current mission is to counsel and train the migrant labourers who have come back to their homes.
He also praised the students in the ITIs for playing an important role during the COVID crisis, especially in mask distribution. Emphasising on the success of the Skill India Mission, Pandey lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for coming up with an initiative this innovative. "The Skill India Mission or the Kaushal Bharat Abhiyan was kickstarted by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July 2015. He envisioned this using his successful experience as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Modiji's guidance helped us pave the way forward," he says. "He realised the need to skill the young people and bridge the gap, at the right time," he adds. Pandey also said that India has a "world-class skilling situation".
Minister of State in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, R K Singh and the skill ministers of various states including Karnataka, Gujarat, Punjab, Assam and Manipur.
