Minister demands special degree course for skill trainers

New Delhi, Sep 5 (IANS) Calling skill trainers as important as the teachers, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Raj Kumar Singh, on Thursday demanded a special degree programme for trainers on the lines of that for teachers.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) also gave a new name to the skill trainers on Teachers' Day.

Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said the word "Kaushalacharya" will become popular soon.

Speaking at an event here to felicitate trainers from different sectors for exceptional contribution towards creating a future-ready and skilled workforce, Singh said the society has made a distinction between teachers and trainers.

"We place teachers on a higher pedestrian. This has been our drawbacks.Teachers and trainers perform similar function. A teachers gives you knowledge. A trainer not only gives you knowledge but also ability," Singh said.

He said skills are important for earning, while education gives us a perspective.

He added "we focused on giving education and neglected to train our people for skills".

The government, he added, is trying to overcome this perception.

"A person who imparts skills is as important as the 'guru' who imparts knowledge. We organised this event to facilitate our skill trainers, who are preparing our young minds for the life ahead and to earn their livelihood. So, I will say you have a very special place.

"I feel we should have a special degree for trainers, like we have for teachers. The ministry will explore the possibility for the same. We will plan for a special institution," Singh said while addressing the trainers.

He also highlighted that industrialisation in India had for long been hamstrung by a dearth of skilled manpower.

"The Skill India Mission has addressed the need for an equipped and skilled workforce. Today's event marks a special day where we celebrate all those trainers who have helped thousands of youth, and inspire many more technically equipped and experienced people to join the Skill India Mission."

The 'Kaushalacharya Samadar 2019' was organized to motivate and incentivize more trainers to join the Skill India Mission, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

A total of 53 trainers from diverse backgrounds including experts of WorldSkills Competition winners, trainers from National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs), Industrial Training Centres (ITIs), Jan Sikshan Sansthan (JSS) and trainers from reputed Corporate houses were honoured at the gathering of government and industrial experts held on the occasion of Teachers' Day by Skill India.

Pandey said the 'Guru-Shishya parampara' has been a unique feature of ancient Indian civilization where our teachers imparted life's lessons and skills to disciples.

"In order to motivate and recognize their contribution to the skilling ecosystem, I am happy to announce the Kaushalacharya Awards, an annual ceremony to celebrate the teachers who are pillars of the Skill India edifice," Pandey said.

He also said that the as his team will complete 100 days in office, a special programme will be organised to celebrate it.

On the occasion, the Ministry also felicitated the experts/trainers of the 19 participants who won laurels for India at the WorldSkills Competition 2019 in Kazan, Russia between August 22 and 27.

"India won a Gold, a Silver, two bronze and 15 Medallions of Excellence at WorldSkills Competition and ranked 13th among 63 countries. Kaushalacharya Awards were also conferred on trainers from the Directorate of General Training (DGT), the nodal body for vocational training in India," Pandey said.