Skilled youth: All dressed up, but nowhere to go?

Realising the need for getting nation’s millions of unemployed youth, who are unable to complete formal education beyond high school, a National Apprenticeship Scheme was started in 1959 on a voluntary basis. After getting the initial feedback a historical Apprentices Act was passed in 1961.

Initially, the Act envisaged training of trade apprentices for Class 8,10 and 12 pass youth in over 250 various designated trades. But in 1973, it was amended to include training of graduates and diploma engineers as “Graduate” and “Technician” Apprentices, and in 1986 further amended to bring within its purview the training of the 10+2 vocational stream as “Technician (Vocational)” Apprentices.

In 1997, various sections of the Act were amended as regards definition of “establishment” and “worker”, termination of apprenticeship contract, number of apprentices for a designated trade obligation of employers, penalty for contravening the provisions of the Act, practical and basic training of apprentices and cognisance of offences etc.

Amendment of 2008 incorporated various sections regarding reservation for candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes, expenditure on Related Instruction (RI) to be imparted at the cost of employer, and requiring it to provide flexibility in respect of ratios prescribed for apprenticeship seats.

The last amendment in 2014 replaced trade-wise regulation by a band of 2.5-10 per cent of the total strength of the workers, extended the scope to non-engineering occupations, introduced optional trades, did away with certain obnoxious clauses for imprisonment for non compliance and limited the penalties to fine only.

In all 259 designated trades for Class 8, 10 and 12 pass and 163 trades for diploma in engineering and under graduates have been made available with training periods varying from six months to three or even four years.

About 2,284 government-run and 9,680 privately-owned industrial training institutes have been set up under the Apprentice Act which generate skilled manpower. Training is imparted in 126 trades (73 engineering, 48 non-engineering, and five exclusively for visually impaired) for duration varying from one to two years. The privately owned ITIs are reimbursed for the training imparted at the rate of Rs 15,000 for engineering and `12,000 for non-engineering trades if it is located in rural areas and 10 per cent higher for the those set up in Urban areas.

In order to advise the government on training policies, norms and standards, trade testing and certification etc. the ministry of labour & employment has set up a tripartite body at the national level namely National Council for Vocational Training in 1956. Entrusted with the responsibilities of prescribing standards and curricula for craftsmen training, it also advises on the overall policy and programmes and conducts All-India Trade Tests and awards national trade certificates.

In 2008-09, 1,95,703 training seats for the trade apprentices in 188 trades were utilised against 2,78,123 seats identified in 24,815 establishments. As usual the emphasis being on utilisation for various reserved categories, the record has been quite impressive.

Similarly, under National Council of Vocational Training (NCVT) conducting tests for graduate and technician apprentices, there were 122 subjects fields designated for the category of technician (vocational) apprentices. In 2008-09 a total of 57,991 seats for the apprenticeship training have been utilised against 96,759 seats available. Once again for reserved categories out of the 57,991 seats utilised, 5,313 were SC, 643 ST, 3,521 minorities, 172 physically handicapped and 13,775 were women trainees.

Impressive record indeed, but unfortunately this is only half the story. The sad part is that there is no record anywhere whether these trained persons were able to land a job or start their own enterprise putting the training imparted to some good use.

Perhaps the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship could go a step further and build up a data bank with the trainees Aadhaar card UID number to keep track of their progress after they have left the portals of the training institute, which is the ultimate aim. After all, the proof of the pudding is in eating.

The writer is a former member of the Railway Board