Open university to start training for private guards

Starting in January, aspiring security personnel can attend Indira Gandhi National Open University for accredited job training.

Starting in January, aspiring security personnel can attend Indira Gandhi National Open University for accredited job training. The curriculum will be taught by experienced police, paramilitary force members and servicemen and will cover physical training, communication, etiquette, technology and strategy, according to VN Rajasekharan Pillai, the college's vice chancellor.

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In 2005, Parliament passed the Private Security Agencies Rgulatory Act following an increased use of private security guards. The Act mandated training for people keen on a career in security. Since then, private security firms have conducted training, but it was not standardized and students could not earn a diploma or certificate, according to Pillai.

"So far we have not had systems;" Pillai said. "Therefore it is the responsibility of training and educational institutions to create it."

A panel of education professors and members of the Security and Skills Council of India, an association of private security firms, is creating the curriculum, according to Dr. CG Naidu, the director of planning and development at IGNOU.

The program starting in January will be a three to six month certification, but Pillai said a degree program would come later.

While Pillai is unsure how many students will start this coming winter, he plans on training five lakh guards within five years.

"With over 2000 learning centres we have the capability of such a large network and that network can be much more optimally used for this training," said Pillai.