Apprenticeship to youth in Himachal govt depts

Subhash Rajta

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Shimla, July 30

The state government will offer apprenticeship to youth in all government departments to equip them with practical training to help them land the job of their choice.

“All government departments can hire apprentices up to 10 per cent of their total strength,” said Rajesh Dharmani, Minister for Technical Education, here today. “When they will start looking for a job after the apprenticeship period, they will already have some practical experience of the work they want to pursue,” he added.

Rs 6,000 per month stipend to be given

• All government departments can hire apprentices up to 10 per cent of their total strength, says Rajesh Dharmani, Minister for Technical Education
• The apprentice period will be from six months to three years, and the apprentices will be offered a stipend of at least Rs 6,000 per month
• The Department of Technical Education aims to provide apprenticeship to 10,000 youth this year, says the Director, Technical Education

The minister said the Centre’s Apprenticeship Act, 1961, provides for the engagement of apprentices in government departments to equip them with practical experience. “The apprentice period will be from six months to three years, and the apprentices will be offered a stipend of at least Rs 6,000 per month,” he added.

Dharmani said that the youth would be picked for the apprenticeship on the first-come-first-served basis. “They will be inducted in the departments as per their qualification and interests. The apprenticeship is available for students of all streams,” he added.

Akshay Sood, Director, Technical Education, said that the Department of Technical Education was aiming to provide apprenticeship to around 10,000 youth this year. “It’s legally binding on all organisations having more than 30 employees, whether government or private, to engage apprentice for practical training,” he added.

Sood said that while the private organisations in the state were already offering apprenticeship to students, the government departments were lagging on this front. “A majority of the government departments were not even aware that offering apprenticeship is mandatory. There’s a provision for penalty in the Act against the organisations not offering apprenticeship,” he said.

The department has designated 78 ITI principals as assistant apprenticeship advisors, who have been entrusted the task to identify organisations which are legally bound to offer apprenticeship. “The advisers will sensitise the organisations about the Act and its provisions. And in case the organisations still refuse to engage apprentices, they can issue notice to such organisations,” said Sood.