State government emphasizing on AI, IoT and other future-oriented courses

• 19 units of modern relevant professions started in 17 government ITIs
• 2069 trainees got employment in various industrial units

With the fast-changing world, there has been a change in the field of education as well. With the growing information technology, it is the need of the hour to start new courses related to this field. The present state government, under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, is emphasizing on commencing state-of-the-art courses in the education sector. The Chief Minister believes that modern and future-oriented courses will provide the youth with employment and self-employment opportunities and their energy can also be harnessed in a better way.

There are immense opportunities for youth in the fastest growing areas like Internet of Things (IoT), Mechatronics, Solar Technician and Electric Vehicle Mechanic etc. The state government is laying special focus to educate and train the youth in these sectors. Under it, 19 units of modern relevant professions have been started in 17 Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) of the state government during the year 2023-24. Among these, Internet of Things Technician (Smart City) has been started in ITI Rail, Una, Palampur, Shahpur and Nagrota Bagwan. Similarly, Mechanic Electrical Vehicle in ITI Rail, Pandoga, Nahan, Garnota and Pragati Nagar, Fiber to Home Technician in ITI Ghumarwin and Arki, Technician Mechatronics in ITI Sunni and Shahpur, Solar Technician (Electrical) in ITI Jubbal, Sundernagar (PWDs), Shamshi and Balakrupi and unit of Maintenance Mechanic (Chemical Plant) have been started in ITI Nalagarh.

The state government is moving ahead with the aim of making Himachal a Green Energy State. For this, youth are being encouraged for utmost use of electric vehicles and setting up solar power plants by providing them subsidy and other incentives. With the launch of such new courses, professional and trained human resources in these fields will be available in the state itself.

Even at the college level, youth are being equipped for future challenges through new courses. Computer Science and Engineering (Artificial Intelligence and Data Science) at Government Hydro Engineering College, Bandla, Computer Engineering and IoT Diploma course at Government Polytechnic Institute, Rohru and Mechatronics Diploma course at Government Polytechnic Institute, Chamba have been started from the academic session 2023-24. Almost cent percent admission has been recorded in these courses. A Diploma course in Electronics and Communication Engineering has been started in Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Engineering College, Pragatinagar in Shimla district from this academic session as well.

Considering the all-round development of the youth, various incentive schemes are also being successfully implemented. They are also being provided opportunities for academic exchange in collaboration with Indian Institutes of Technology. 38 students from government polytechnic and 20 faculty from engineering colleges and polytechnic institutes were provided one week robotic training at IIT Mandi. Similarly, 20 faculty from government engineering colleges have been sent to IIT Ropar and Delhi for semiconductor ecosystem. 10 faculty and 10 students of Government Polytechnic and Engineering were sent to Indian Institute of Information Technology Una for a five-day course on Recent Development in Machine Learning and its application. Apart from this, 44 trainees have been selected under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme.

Concrete steps are also being taken to provide employment to the youth after completion of the course. During the tenure of the present state government, about 2069 trainees from all the government engineering colleges, pharmacy colleges, polytechnic and industrial training institutes have been provided employment in various industrial units through job fairs, campus interviews and joint campus interviews.

“The youth of the state are full of energy and enthusiasm. There is a need to make them proficient by providing them future-oriented courses. With this, they will not only be able to get employment and self-employment, but will also be able to make a significant contribution to the rapid development of the state,” remarked the Chief Minister.