Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in India

Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in India

News: The Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) have been a crucial element of vocational education in India since 1950, contributing to the skill development of the workforce.

ITI’s in India:
• As of the latest data, there are approximately 14,789 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in India.
• Since 2014, there has been a significant growth of 47% in the number of ITI’s.
• The enrolment numbers have surged from 9.46 lakh in 2014 to 12.4 lakh in 2022, reflecting an increasing interest in vocational education.

Challenges faced by ITI’s in India:
• Underutilization: Despite the significant role ITIs play in skilling India’s youth, many ITIs remain underutilized.
• Quality of Training, Faculty, and Infrastructure: The quality of training provided, the faculty, and the infrastructure are often not up to global standards. This affects the employability of the trainees and their ability to start their own enterprise.
• Lack of Physical and Human Infrastructure: Many ITIs lack the necessary physical and human infrastructure required for effective vocational training.
• Skill Mismatch: There is often a mismatch between the skills taught in ITIs and the skills demanded by the industry.
• Ignorance of Non-Technical Skills: While ITIs focus on imparting technical skills, non-technical skills, which are equally important in the modern workplace, are often ignored.

What is the Global perspective on Vocational education?
• Globally, vocational enrolment at the upper-secondary level is much higher, with figures ranging from 18% to 49% in countries like South Korea, Australia, and Germany.
• In contrast, India\'s vocational enrolment is estimated at less than 6%, reflecting the need for a shift in societal perceptions and systemic improvements.

Relevance of ITI’s in India:
• Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) have played a crucial role in skilling and training in India. They provide industrial and technical training post completion of a secondary level of education in science.
• With an ITI diploma or degree, students can work as machinists, welders, fitters, wiremen, and technicians, and with decent work experience, they can also get hired as technical floor managers.
• Owing to the industrial partnership model and well-equipped industrial labs, the technical skilling rigour among students has been phenomenal.
• A 2020 ministry assessment revealed that ITI pass-outs possess technical knowledge and a superior ability to understand job technicalities.
• With India positioning itself as a manufacturing powerhouse, ITI-based vocational training gains significance, aligning with initiatives like production-linked incentives and semiconductor manufacturing.
• The National Education Policy envisions the integration of vocational and general education, aiming for 50% of students exposed to vocational education by 2025.