Badal asks VCs to start job oriented courses

Chandigarh, Feb 15: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal called upon the Vice Chancellors of all the universities in the state to start job oriented courses at the graduation and post graduation levels so as to improve the chances of employability of the youth.

In this context he refered to the state government's vision for employment generation, creating 50,000 job opportunities and providing self employment to about 25,000 persons every year.

Presiding over a meeting to discuss the strategy for improving the employability of Punjabi youth here today, Mr Badal asked the vice chancellors to chalk out an action programme to impart education in vocational training to the students along with the routine graduate and post graduate courses. He said that the students should be awarded certificate or diploma for these add-on courses.

The Chief Minister pointed out that since there was a limited scope for government jobs, such courses could easily fill up the void created by the non availability of sufficient jobs in the government sector. Students could be easily absorbed in the priority private sectors which had a tremendous scope for skilled youth in hospitality and tourism, aviation, security training, retail, media and entertainment, transport and auto industry, construction, textile industry, production and light engineering and soft skills sectors.

The Chief Minister also directed the Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University to start short term courses for the students of 10+2 at the block level to impart training so that they could undertake private practices as veterinary assistants to earn their livelihood.

He asked the Finance department to provide Rs 10 crore from the Additional Central Assistance given by Planning Commission of India for skilled development centers at the block levels. He called for identifying the block from the Majha, Malwa and Doaba regions for such centers.

The Chief Minister also directed the Vice Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences to run special short term courses at the level of 10+2. He also asked the Vice Chancellor to start graduation courses in hospital/healthcare management and nursing besides courses for semi-skilled hospital workers, pharmacy and medical representatives to ensure better chances of employability for our youth.

He also asked the Employment Generation and Training department to chalk out capsules courses in law for property dealers, deed writers, revenue record appreciation, munshies for advocates, court readers and legal transcription.

Likewise, Mr Badal also asked the authorities of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) to start add-on courses for the skilled/ semi skilled extension workers for agricultural inputs, insecticides/ pesticides/ fertilizers, agricultural implements, marketing, processing, packaging, organic and bio-tech faming.

The Chief Minister directed the Secretary Employment Generation and Technical Education N S Kalsi to shortly convene a joint meeting of all the vice chancellors to further finalize the modalities for commencing these add-on courses from the next academic session.

UNI