National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with major universities across North East for introducing skill-based training in undergraduate as well as postgraduate programmes of colleges/institutes/departments in these universities, in a phased manner.
The universities that will offer these programmes include Assam's Krishna Kanta Handique State Open University; University of Guwahati; Dibrugarh University; Tezpur University; Sikkim's Sikkim Manipal University; Tripura University; and Arunachal Pradesh's Indra Gandhi Technological and Medical Sciences University.
The courses will be introduced in the second year of undergraduate programmes. Skill-based courses will cover four semesters in the second and third year of undergraduate programmes. The students will be given a choice to select any one skill-based course from the identified sectors in addition to the regular academic subjects. However, it shall not be mandatory for a student to join such skill development courses. The choice is left to the student.
“To link skill training to meaningful and fulfilling careers, we are also helping them in placements through Sector Skill Councils and Training Partners who will be participating in the implementation of the programme,” said Dilip Chenoy, Managing Director & CEO, NSDC.
With mutual understanding between these universities and NSDC, up to eight sectors will be made available initially for the participating colleges/institutions to choose from.
Before the commencement of every academic year, these universities will review the existing skill development programmes in the colleges/ institutions with NSDC and consider introducing new sectors and courses as per the demand of the industry and the willingness of the participating institutions.
The fee of the courses will be mutually decided by each university and NSDC in consultation with NSDC Approved Training partners and NSDC Approved Sector Skill Councils.