Pune : The city got its first Skill Development Centre (SDC) on the premises of the Government Polytechnic for Distance Learning on Saturday.
Courses will begin in January 2017. The initiative taken by the Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education (MSBTE) under the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) of India will initially offer five courses for about three-four months each.
The first such centre was opened in Jalna district two years ago, which now offers about 15 courses, including unique ones like on dialysis unit, security guards etc. “We initially started with five courses. Later the number increased due to the huge response we got. Some courses like the course on paints get the candidates placements. In others like mobile maintenance, students become entrepreneurs and set up their own units. Overall, the result has been very good. Hence, we are now in Pune. The next one will probably be Nagpur,” said Abhay Wagh, director, MSBTE.
Wagh claimed that the courses were designed after a skill-gap analysis in each district by a committee under the district collector. “The report takes into consideration all the industries in the district or the raw materials available for a particular industry within the district and then suggests requisite courses,” he said.
“Each batch will have three students and the admission will be via online registration on a first-come-first-served basis,” said M R Chitlange, deputy secretary, MSBTE. Although MSBTE will be investing Rs 10,000-Rs 15,000 on each student, the courses will be free for all candidates. The students will be certified by NSDC after exams.
“The teachers will be selected as per NSDC norms. National Yuva Co-operative Society (NYCS) has been chosen as the operator in Pune. An MoU has been signed among Government Polytechnic, Government Polytechnic for Distance Learning, and NYCS. The centre has a built up area of 680 sq metres,” added D R Nandanwar, joint director, technical education regional office.
It was inaugurated by Chandrakant Patil, minister of revenue on Saturday.
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