Use schools for skill transfer: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked chief ministers to allow public and private agencies to use high schools and colleges, after class hours, for skill development of millions of Indians, reports Aloke Tikku.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked chief ministers to allow public and private agencies to use high schools and colleges, after class hours, for skill development of millions of Indians.

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The PM’s advice comes in the backdrop of concerns that India might fall short of trained hands to power its industrial economy if the country does not ramp up the numbers.

“It is estimated that there are over two lakh such educational institutions,” Singh said in his letter to the chief minister on Friday. “It would immediately make available a huge stock of public investment to combine with private sector capacity to generate skills,” he said. “This may help us create skill-building opportunities across the country in a short time,” he added.

At a function to give away national awards to micro, small and medium entrepreneurs on Saturday, Singh said education and skill development could be India’s global opportunity with a demographic advantage.

“With one of the youngest populations in the world, India is estimated to have the capacity to create 500 million skilled and trained technicians by 2020 and claim a fourth of the global workforce,” Singh said.