Coming up, 100 more skill development centres

Kolkata, May 25 (IANS) The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) will open 100 more training centres in the country, a top official said Friday.

"Our target has been revised to 400,000 persons from 250,000 persons for the year 2012-13. In this context, we will establish at least 100 more training centres to expand presence in the country," Dilip Chenoy, NSDC managing director, said here on the sidelines of a programme.

"Currently, we have 526 centres and 2,951 mobile centres spread across 365 districts. We hope to increase our district-wise presence by at least 20 percent," he said.

Modelled on the public-private partnership mode, the NSDC was set up as part of the National Skill Development Mission to fulfill the growing need in the country for skilled manpower across sectors and narrow the gap between the demand and supply of skills.

"Our objective is to contribute significantly (about 30 per cent) to the overall target of skilling/upskilling of 500 million people in India by 2022, mainly by fostering private sector initiatives in skill development programmes and providing funding," said Chenoy.

The NSDC will set up a pilot project in West Bengal and Haryana on vocational education programme in schools.

"Currently, we have undertaken a skill gap survey in 14 states including Haryana and West Bengal. We are to start a vocational education programme for school children above class 9 in West Bengal and Haryana on a pilot basis which will later be extended to other states subject to the success of the programme," he said.