Karnataka, Bajaj Auto Partner for ITI Skill Boost

Bengaluru, Jul 23 (PTI) The Karnataka government is in the final stages of forging a partnership with Bajaj Auto, one of India's leading automotive manufacturers, to provide industry-relevant employability skills to students in ITIs across the state, officials said on Wednesday.

At a meeting convened by Sharanprakash Patil, Minister for Medical Education, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, with representatives from academia and industry, the proposal to implement the Bajaj Manufacturing Systems (BMS) for Industrial Training Institutes students was actively discussed, they said.

A statement from the minister's office said Patil emphasised the need for such collaborations, noting that despite Karnataka having 272 government, 192 aided, and 853 private ITIs, a large proportion of graduates still struggle to find employment.

"We are keen to pilot this initiative in five ITIs—one each in four different regions of the state, and one in Sedam taluk, Kalaburagi district," the minister proposed.

According to the statement, BMS is currently running a successful three-month upskilling programme in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, offering two and three-wheeler automotive training to high school dropouts who have opted out of formal education.

"The course is free, and after completion, trainees are recruited by leading automobile companies or start their own ventures as auto dealers or mechanics," said Ravi Kyran Ramaswamy, HR Head, Bajaj Auto.

"There's high demand for these skilled youth, but supply is still insufficient," he added.

Bajaj Auto has already demonstrated its commitment to skill development through its Bajaj Engineering Skills Training (BEST) centre, established at PES University, Bengaluru, with an investment of Rs 30 crore.

The centre offers advanced, hands-on training in mechatronics, robotics, Industry 4.O, motion control, and smart manufacturing for engineering students.

Prof D Jawahar, Chancellor of PES University, said, "A strong government-academia-industry partnership is essential for meeting the twin objectives of skill development and employment generation.