Centre introduces scheme for rating ITIs

To promote excellence

New Delhi: In a bid to promote excellence in vocational education, government on Friday introduced a scheme for rating ITIs under which four and five star rated such private institutes are allowed to charge 20 per cent extra fee. "The Ministry of Labour and Employment has introduced a scheme for rating of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in order to promote excellence in vocational training," a press release said.

In the normative fee structure for private ITIs, 20 per cent extra fee has been permitted for ITIs who are rated five star or star, it said. At present, there are about 12,000 ITIs in the country. The numbers of ITIs have doubled over the last about five-six years. A large number of ITIs are proposed to be opened within the next five years.

According to statement rating is expected to help students and employers by serving as a formal recognition from the government about a specified level of quality of training and facilities. Rating system will serve as a management tool to identify problem areas and design appropriate policy intervention. The rating scheme is voluntary for the NCVT affiliated ITIs. The rating of institute will be valid for a period of two years. The fee for the rating process will not be regulated. However, the rating agencies will disclose the fees charged to a specific institute.

The agencies empanelled on pilot basis for the purpose are ICRA Limited, Credit Rating Information Services of India Limited (CRISIL), National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET), Quality Council of India (QCI). Under the scheme the ITIs will be rated at the trade and institute level. The combined rating of all trades in the institute will be calculated on weighted average method.

While the parameters to assess trade will have 70 per cent weightage, the institute would have 30 per cent weight. The weighted average rates as described above for Trade and Institute will be converted into a 0 to 10 points scale. The ITIs scoring 8-10 points will be rated five star.

Similarly the ITIs scoring 6-7 points will be four star institutes. Those with over five points will be rated three star. There will be no rating for institutes with less than five points. For ensuring quality of training in ITIs, decision of compulsory re-affiliation of ITIs after five years has also been taken by National Council on Vocational Training (NCVT). NCVT may not award certificates to students of ITIs admitted from August, 2015 session onwards which were affiliated before 2009 and do not seek re-affiliation with NCVT by July, 2015.