Bill mooted to set up ‘Telangana Skills University’

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has asked the officials to make arrangements to introduce a bill for the establishment of Telangana Skills University in the ensuing budget session of the state assembly. The state government is ambitiously setting up the skills university with an objective of providing job opportunities to the students by imparting skills development training in accordance with the requirements of the industries. The government is ready to provide adequate funds to the establishment and the maintenance of the Skills University, the CM said.

CM Revanth Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka held a review meeting on the proposed Skills University at the Secretariat on Friday. After studying the functioning of skill universities in Delhi and Haryana, the State Industries department prepared a model draft to set up skill universities in the state. Special Chief Secretary to Industry Jayesh Ranjan presented a powerpoint presentation on the courses which are being offered in the university, each course duration, requirement of infrastructure and funds for the management of the university and collaboration with various companies. The CM decided to name the new university as 'Telangana Skills University'.

The Skills University will be established in partnership with private companies (in PPP mode). It is decided to set up the institution as a self-sustaining non-profit organisation. Along with degree courses with three to four years duration, the university will also offer one-year diploma courses and certificate courses for three to four months . New courses have been selected according to the future needs of various sectors and industries which are developing fast in Telangana.

A total of 17 priority sectors have been identified. Initially, the university will offer training in Pharma, construction, banking finance services, e-commerce and logistics, retail, animation, visual effects, gaming and comics. Each course is linked to the participation of a well-known company in the respective field and the government will enter into an MoU with the companies. The university will provide training to 2,000 people in the first year. A facility to provide training for 20,000 people every year will be developed in a phased manner.

The CM and officials discussed the proposal to set up regional campuses (satellite campuses) in district centres along with main campus at Engineering Staff College campus in Hyderabad. The Chief Minister pointed out that the students will prefer and compete to join Hyderabad campus instead of choosing the district centres. The CM asked the officials to make arrangements to provide training for all in Hyderabad only and provide required infrastructure facilities at the NAC campus and other premises also. Officials have been asked to visit and inspect the facilities at Swami Ramananda Tirtha Rural Institute in Bhoodan Pochampally.

Revanth Reddy stressed on the need to focus more on the sectors where the demand for jobs is high and provide more seats in pharma since the demand for job opportunities in pharma companies is more in the State. The CM directed the officials to envisage plans to provide job opportunities to the students soon after the completion of the courses.