Govt begins star rating of industrial training institutes

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has begun grading the industrial training institutes across the country by giving them star ratings based on their facilities, performance and placement record.
More than 3,500 ITIs out of over 13,000 have already been graded, with the best performers qualifying for the five-star rating, a senior government official told PTI.
The government's vocational training programmes are administered by industrial training institutes (ITIs), which cater to about 36 per cent of the 7 million people presently enrolled in various training programmes in India.
The grading of ITIs will help the students to opt from the best institutes, and employers by providing them the formal governmental recognition for the level of quality of training and facilities provided at the institutes.

The evaluation is done in two phases, a self appraisal followed by an in-depth assessment by the Directorate General of Training, the umbrella body overseeing the functioning of ITIs and other training institutes.
Significantly, the National Council on Vocational Training (NCVT) recognition will be withdrawn from ITIs opting out of the grading procedure and their certificates would bear "ungraded ITI", thereby lowering the employment prospects of students studying in these institutes.

On the other hand, ITIs who opt for grading and secure a rating of 3-star and above can avail a host of benefits. Such ITIs will be eligible to receive financial support under the government's schemes, including those funded through the World Bank assistance, and their principals and instructors will be trained in central institutes in India and abroad.

The star performers will qualify for the best ITI award, to be conferred upon them by the government. They will have flexibility in charging higher course fee from students and no re-affiliation will be required if an ITI continuously scores three-star and above rating. The star rating will be displayed on the NCVT certificates of trainees, brightening their employment prospects.
"The grading outcome will act as a crucial input to determine the relative strengths and weaknesses across institutes and the trades offered therein. It will help the Directorate General of Training to identify specific problem areas and design effective policy interventions," another government official said.

The grading process is based on 43 parameters, including infrastructure around a particular institute, level of engagement with the industry, availability and specification of machines, tools and equipment, qualified instructors, availability of a full-time principal, drop-out rate, record of placement, pass-out ratio, among others.