Govt to Upgrade 1,000 ITIs, 5 NSTIs: Minister

Mumbai, Aug 23 (PTI) The government is in talks with state governments and industry bodies over the modernisation of 1,000 Industrial Training Institutes and five National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs), Union Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Jayant Chaudhary said on Friday.

"We are in talks with state governments and are having continuous dialogues with various industry associations and on this we will take their suggestions to upgrade 1,000 ITIs and 5 NSTIs. It is required because there are around 15,000 ITIs, of which 12,000 are private sector. Therefore, we want to incorporate their valuable suggestions before upgrading," the minister said on the sidelines of a function.

He said Maharashtra will play an important role in the upgradation of ITIs and NSTIs as the state has 4,100 ITIs, which is 10 per cent of the total ITIs in the country.

"There is a need for making skilling aspirational so that children who choose skilling for employment can be provided with such facilities," he said.

The minister further said that skilling is not only the responsibility of the government, but if the industries want to compete globally they have to focus on workforce development. to provide world-class training.

"Skilling is not only the responsibility of the government, but a partnership between both the government and the private sector. If the industries want to compete globally they need to focus on skilling the workforce ... it is our responsibility to reform these ITIs with relevant curriculum so that we can train our trainers who can provide world class skill training that aligns with the industry needs," Chaudhary added.

The minister was speaking at NSTI Mumbai, where multiple Memoranda of Understanding were signed.

NSTI signed MoUs with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL), Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Regional Directorate of Vocational Education and Training, Pune, among others.