IRCTC working with schools for customised student tours: Official

Widening its services, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC) is working with schools and colleges in the eastern metropolis and in east India to design customised tour packages for students.

Going by the positive response to its tailor-made tour for 700 Delhi University students to northeast India in 2014 and its bespoke Delhi-Agra packages for Assam students in 2013, IRCTC (East Zone) has decided to go full-throttle on harnessing the potential in the education sector, officials said.

"We have written to 30 to 40 schools in Kolkata and about 15 have responded regarding tours for summer camps and field trips. The potential is huge and we will arrange for travel, accommodation, security and food for the students during the length of the trip," IRCTC group general manager, East Zone, Debashis Chandra told the media here at an event on Wednesday.

IRCTC will also ink a deal with Chhattisgarh to launch the 'Yuva' programme for the youth.

"Youth from the state will travel to happening places (education-wise) such as Hyderabad and Bengaluru to explore education opportunities in those places," Chandra said.

In addition, self-help groups from east India will be given a chance to market their products (handicrafts etc) through the IRCTC website, said Kaushik Banerjee, deputy general manager (tourism), at IRCTC's Kolkata office.