“Our focus is on empowering youth with the right technical skills that meet industry demands, ensuring they are not only job-ready but also equipped for sustainable careers.” – Mr. Bappaditya Haldar, Director, Industrial Training, Department of Technical Education, Training, and Skill Development, Government of West Bengal.
Mr. Bappaditya Haldar, Director, Industrial Training, Department of Technical Education, Training, and Skill Development, Government of West Bengal, in conversation with Dr. Madhuri Dubey, Founder-Director at National Skills Network – NSN, shared valuable insights into the state’s initiatives for empowering youth with in-demand skills. The discussion focused on the strategies to address challenges faced by ITIs, attract and retain students for CTS courses, and establish sustainable industry connections.
The discussion also highlighted the upgradation of ITIs in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode, special initiatives to encourage girls in technical and industrial courses, and West Bengal’s focus on emerging technologies and meet the skill demands.
Here are some of the highlights from the interview. To watch the full video, please visit our YouTube channel.
Q. Could you share the key initiatives by the Department of Technical Education, Training and Skill Development in West Bengal to equip youth with the right technical competencies for the workforce?
A. The Department of Technical Education, Training, and Skill Development in West Bengal operates through five key verticals aimed at empowering youth with the right technical skills for the workforce.
- Directorate of Technical Education and Training: This vertical focuses on engineering diploma courses (3-year programs) affiliated with AICTE, ensuring quality technical education.
- Directorate of Industrial Training: This department manages ITIs across the state, accredited by the Directorate General of Training (DGT) under MSDE. They ensure that students receive industry-relevant skills through these institutes.
- Directorate of Vocational Education and Training: Aimed at school-level vocational skilling from classes 9 to 12, this vertical began its efforts 20 years ago and has become an integral part of the state’s educational framework.
- West Bengal Skill Council for Technical Education, Training and Skill Development: This council is responsible for developing curricula aligned with the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF), offering industry-oriented courses across its network of training institutes.
- Paschim Banga Society for Skill Development (PBSSD): This vertical offer short-term skill development courses, partnering with private training providers, with funding from the government for both training costs and stipends.
With 316 ITIs in total, including a mix of government and private institutions, the state has made notable strides in modernizing and scaling up technical education. Notably, since 2016, West Bengal has pioneered the concept of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in ITIs, with a significant number (116 out of 160) of government ITIs managed privately. This innovative model has been in place for nearly a decade and has proven to be highly successful, with infrastructure developed by the government and management handled by the private sector.
This comprehensive approach to skill development across various levels is clearly reflective of the state’s commitment to creating a skilled workforce, which aligns with both national and international industry demands.
Q: What are the key challenges faced in skilling ITI students, and how is the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT), West Bengal, addressing them effectively?
A. The primary challenge in skilling ITI students arises from their socio-economic backgrounds. Many of these students have limited access to higher education due to financial constraints or academic struggles. As a result, their merit and foundational knowledge might not match that of students pursuing engineering degrees or diplomas. This makes imparting theoretical education a challenge, and hence, we emphasize practical skill development. Approximately 80% of ITI training is hands-on, ensuring students gain tangible, industry-relevant skills.
To complement this approach, we ensure students undergo On-the-Job Training (OJT) with our network of over 100 industries, including both government and private sector companies. These OJTs, lasting 2–3 months annually, expose students to real-world industrial environments, preparing them for employment.
We have also introduced a unique initiative to address industry needs more closely. Industries are invited to set up training centers within ITI premises, with space provided free of cost. Through their CSR efforts, industries invest in infrastructure and machinery, while the government covers operational expenses and reimburses costs as per national norms. This creates a win-win situation where industries train students on industry-grade equipment and often absorb them before they even graduate.
For example, L&T’s Construction Skill Training Institute (CSTI) near Kolkata has adopted this model. While L&T’s standalone center could train only 2,000 students annually, the demand for construction skills in West Bengal alone is 10,000 trainees per year. To meet this gap, L&T collaborated with 20 ITIs in rural areas, setting up infrastructure and providing trainers, ensuring both training and employment for students.
Similarly, partnerships with companies like Samsung and Siemens have enabled the establishment of advanced labs in ITIs. These labs focus on electronics and technical skills, offering stipends and training programs. Siemens, for instance, provides continuous refresher training to ITI trainers and facilitates placement opportunities for students through their dealer network.
Today, we have over 40 industry collaborations across various sectors, including construction, hospitality, and electronics. By embedding industries into the skilling ecosystem, we ensure students are industry-ready and meet specific workforce demands.
Q. What are the emerging technology courses are offered in ITIs of West Bengal that cater to the audience?
A. We provide courses on drones across 10 government ITIs, which were introduced three years ago and have been in high demand among students. Additionally, we offer solar technology courses which is also open for girls, encouraging their participation.
We have also signed an MoU with Siemens to procure advanced machinery for 3D printing and CNC technology, enhancing the machinist and turning trades. Most ITIs equipped with CNC machines also provide hands-on skill training through on-the-job training (OJT) in collaboration with industry experts.
Looking ahead, we are preparing to launch Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) courses soon, as DGT has recently initiated these programs. This aligns with our efforts to introduce cutting-edge technologies and transform the image of ITIs.
Q. How do you ensure faculty are adequately trained for modernized ITI programs; through CITS, NSTIs, or other initiatives?
A. The majority of government ITI faculties are already Crafts Instructor Training Scheme (CITS) -trained, as it is embedded in our recruitment rules for hiring new faculty members. Beyond this, we organize regular refresher training for faculties through short-term courses at NSTIs and Government of India field institutes.
Through various initiatives like STRIVE and World Bank-funded schemes, we facilitate refresher training directly with industries. For example, we have trained over 500 faculty members, including those from both government and private ITIs, in collaboration with organizations like CTTC (Central Tool Room Training Center), L&T, and Tata Motors. We arrange for faculty to attend workshops conducted by these industry leaders, cover their training fees, and ensure they receive hands-on, updated knowledge and skills.
Q. What is your focus on providing apprenticeship opportunities for ITI students?
A. We have a strong focus on apprenticeship opportunities. To address the challenge of low stipends for ITI students, the West Bengal government has introduced the West Bengal Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme. Under this scheme, we provide additional stipends on top of the amount received from industries and the Government of India. Specifically, apprentices working within West Bengal receive an extra ₹1,500 per month, while those working outside the state receive ₹2,500 per month to help them sustain themselves. Even students with academic degrees are enrolling in ITIs to pursue technical roles in government jobs, indicating a growing aspirational value associated with ITIs.
Also read: CTS courses from ITIs: Pathways to skill education and careers
Empowering MSMEs through EDP training and skill development
DIT, West Bengal has a strong connection with MSMEs, offering Entrepreneur Development Programs (EDP) not only for ITI and diploma engineering graduates but also for individuals from general disciplines. These 80-hour programs are designed to equip participants with skills relevant to the industry. The initiative connects graduates with MSMEs and financial institutions, including offering access to the Bhabishyat Credit Card Scheme. This program, backed by government guarantees, supports aspiring entrepreneurs in securing loans to launch or grow their businesses.
Moreover, through its Skill Development Mission, DIT focuses on training workers in various sectors. For instance, they offer Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) training for school midday meal cooks and daily-wage nursing workers, certifying them in areas like food safety. This extends beyond technical skills, also covering hospitality services such as homestay owners and service providers. These efforts aim to uplift workers across industries by upgrading their skills and certifying their expertise to improve employment opportunities and wages.
Q. How have you implemented initiatives to create learning paths for ITI students to pursue higher education, and what has been the response?
A. We have collaborated with various schools under the government of India’s framework to offer NIOS programs for students who have not completed their 12th grade. While most ITI courses require only a 10th-grade qualification, we have found that around 90-95% of students already possess a 12th-grade certificate or even a graduation degree. Many of these students turn to ITI courses due to limited opportunities in general academic fields. Introducing schemes like Bachelor’s in Vocational Education (B.VoC) could significantly boost their interest and career prospects in this sector.
Q. Is there anything else you wish to share with our audience?
A. We have launched a centralized portal, the Rojgar Seva Portal, to help our students secure job placements across all our verticals, from short-term skilling programs to diploma engineering courses. This platform connects industries with students, allowing them to register and apply for job opportunities. We also organize job fairs every quarter in our 23 districts, providing placement opportunities not only for ITI graduates but also for general graduates.
Additionally, we are working on implementing an industry-institute partnership model, where students can gain hands-on experience and earn while they learn, which benefits both students and industries.
