A New Chapter in Odisha’s Skill Development: Shri Dharmendra Pradhan Lays Foundation for NSTI Plus

In a significant move to enhance the quality and accessibility of skill training and vocational education at the regional level, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, marked a pivotal moment by laying the foundation stone for National Skill Training Institutes (NSTI) Plus today. This initiative, under the Directorate General of Training (DGT), a key organization of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), aims to elevate the skills of Odisha’s youth.

Under the Craftsmen Instructor Training Scheme (CITS), NSTI Plus, in its Phase-1, will train 500 instructors, followed by the incorporation of another 500 instructors for upskilling and reskilling. The event was graced by distinguished personalities, including Shri Pritiranjan Gharai, Hon’ble Minister of State, Department of Rural Development, Skill Development & Technical Education, and Smt. Aparajita Sarangi, Hon’ble MP, Bhubaneswar, among others.

Aligned with the vision of making India the Skilling destination of the World, as envisioned by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, MSDE is introducing innovative initiatives, and NSTI Plus stands as a robust step in this direction. Constructed on a 7.8-acre campus in Jatni, Bhubaneswar, NSTI Plus will not only house institutions like National Institute of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), and Skill India International Centre (SIIC) but also emerge as a hub for diverse skill development activities.

The envisioned NSTI Plus will serve as a nucleus for start-ups, an incubation center, and a versatile hub for cultivating various skills. It has the potential to be a prototype training facility for other states. Additionally, it can play a pivotal role in instilling soft skills, providing hands-on training on new technologies, and fostering an effective learning environment.

Features of NSTI Plus

• Training of Assessors (ToA)
• NSTIs will allocate dedicated spaces for NIESBUD, IGNOU, and NIOS to offer advanced courses specifically tailored for ITI students.
• Elective programs from the Skill Development Institute will be seamlessly integrated into these NSTIs as supplementary courses
• International Skill India Centres will find their place within these NSTIs
• Collaboration with industry for the development of infrastructure, course selection and training of instructors
• NSTIs will also take on the role of capacity-building centers for educators in schools.
• The selection of courses and training programs will be meticulously aligned with the needs of the local economy.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, in his remarks, expressed delight at laying the foundation stone, emphasizing that every effort, including the NSTI Plus Initiative, is a step towards empowering India’s youth and realizing the vision of a developed India by 2047. The integrated campus of NSTI is poised to empower the youth of New India by providing cutting-edge skills, encouraging entrepreneurship, and aligning expertise with current and future industry demands.

With 524 ITIs in the region, institutions like NSTI Plus will advance the vocational training framework to be more accessible, inclusive, and innovative. NSTIs will also serve as capacity-building centers for educators in schools, offering meticulously designed courses in collaboration with industries to meet local community needs.

Strategically located amidst premier institutions like National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), NSTI Plus aims to improve student engagement with vocational training. The mega-hub institute, through specialized training programs, unlocks the potential of youth across diverse domains, catering to national and international markets.

Also read: Weekly Newsbytes from NSN on skill development and education – 21st November 2023