1. Title of the Practice
ASPIRE
Advanced Skill Promotion for Impactful Rural Engineering
2. Objectives of the Practice
GRI, one of the fourteen rural institutes to be established by the GoIin 1956 to take higher education to rural India aims at empowering the rural masses through instruction, training and employment. It aims at nurturing and promoting skill development initiatives among its students that would help them be gainfully employed and thus serve the rural community and the nation. In tune with Gandhi’s Nai Talim system of education, it has established DDU-Kaushal Kendra to “empower Youth through Skill Development.” Its vision is to empower graduates with employability potential which is in tune with Skill India initiative and the Atmanirbhar Bharatprogramme of GoI.
3. The Context
The colonial educational model failed to produce skilful personnel who could be gainfully employed for the development of the nation. Realising this lacuna, the Govt. of India established fourteen rural institutes across the country in 1956 to provide rural India with skilled manpower. GRI is one of the two surviving institutes. It has incorporated skill development in all its academic programmes. As per the Skill-Gap Study conducted by the National Skill Development Corporation, the nation required 109.73 million additional skilled manpower by 2022 in 24 key sectors. The same study revealed that only 4.69% of the total workforce in India has undergone formal skill training as compared to 80% in Japan and 96% in South Korea. To meet this national need and in tune with the directives of the Govt. of India, the Institute has started B.Voc. and D.Voc. programmes under the DDU-Kaushal Kendra Scheme following the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF).
4. The Practice
The Gandhigram Rural Institute, true to its name, founding principles, vision and mission, has been at the forefront of upskilling the youth of the nation, especially those from the marginalised, disadvantaged and rural communities. Even before the launch of NEP 2020, Skill Enhancement Courses and Ability Enhancement Courses were incorporated in all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in addition to multi-disciplinary courses that promote skill development. The Institute promotes rural industries through training programmes in bakery and confectionary, value addition of edible products through preservation, production of vegetable oils, mushroom cultivation, vermicomposting, etc. The Language departments train students in communication and soft skills, while Science and Technology departments train the students in laboratory skills, software development, and coding. Besides all these programmes, responding to the nation’s call of skilling India, the Institute has started eight B.Voc. programmes and two D.Voc. programmes under the Deen Dayal Upadhyay-Kaushal Kendra (DDU-KK) scheme. During the assessment period, 1576 students, including 416 women, enrolled in these programmes.These programmes meet the specific need for skilled labour in farm and electronic equipment, footwear, renewable energy, multimedia, food production, two-wheeler mechanism and maintenance, textile technology and agriculture. All these programmes comply with the NSQF framework. Premier industries such as Yamaha Motors, L&T, Amul, Aavin, Naga Foods, PuthiyaThalaimurai, Jaya TV, TAFE, Adani Energy, Milky Mist and CUMI Murugappa Group of Companies partner with GRI in this national mission. Institutions like National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Central Footwear Training Institute (CFTI), Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Tamil Nadu University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (TANUVAS), National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST), National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE), National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) and Footwear Design and Developing Institute (FDDI) provide hands-on training for the students of GRI. The Institute visualizes this model to be developed into a School of Vocational Studies with support from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Textiles, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise and Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship for providing the necessary infrastructure and permanent faculty.
5. Evidence of Success
During the assessment period, 947 students graduated from DDU-KK. The programmes cited above have good placement and entrepreneurship records. During 2019-2024, 40.18% students from these programmes were appointed in various companies/establishments and 31.3% are pursuing higher studies. Successful candidates from B.Voc. programmes have been placed in popular brands and companies such as Nike, TAFE, ITC, Reliance Footwear, Phoenix Kothari, Lotus Footwear, Walkaroo, Hatsun Dairy, Happy Walk, VKC, TAFE, Adani Energy, Thanthi TV, Dairy Day, Farida Groups and Milky Mist. Students preferring to proceed for higher education have secured admission to institutions of national and international repute including California Orange Coast College, USA and University of East London, UK. Students of B.Voc. Food Processing have been recognised as Tamil Nadu Student Innovators 2020 with a cash prize of Rs. One lakh. A B.Voc. Dairy Production Technology student has been placed as Dairy Technologist at Almarai Dairy, Saudi Arabia.
6. Problems Encountered and Resources Required
Situated in a backward district, with not many industries in its vicinity the institute faces genuine difficulties in getting experts for giving hands-on training to the students. Agriculture related programmes face difficulties due to frequent monsoon failure and inadequate cultivable fields. The DDU-KK was started with a non-recurring, one-time grant from the Govt. of India. Due to lack of sanctioned permanent positions and recurring grant, the DDU-KK programmes are run as self- supported programmes with guest faculty only. Due to lack of financial support, the necessary basic infrastructure could not be added and hence the programmes are being managed in temporary buildings with only basic facilities. The Institute also faces the challenge of arranging campus placements for its successful candidates. Internships, Industry Visits, Hands-on Training and field placements for almost all the students of the Institute bridge this gap sufficiently. The alumni of GRI also help in creating placement opportunities.
7. Notes
Skill Development is a powerful tool for empowering the youth, especially those in rural pockets. Despite the challenges faced, the Institute has been successful in promoting skill development programmes and generating employment and fostering entrepreneurism among the students. This model of developing and sustaining skill promotion programmes with the option of multiple entries and multiple exits and with the support of industrial partners from different sectors could be replicated throughout the country.
