Chandigarh: "The Punjab Government would start career counseling programme in all the Government high and senior secondary schools." The Technical Education Minister, Punjab, Mr. Charanjit singh Channi disclosing this said that the parents and the students are not aware regarding field of study suitable for their children after completion of matric and higher secondary studies.

Earlier in the meeting with senior officials of the Union Ministry for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Mr. Channi stressed on the need of career counseling programme in the state. He said that the National Skill Development Corporation has agreed to set up counselors training centre in the state. This centre would train the trainers from across the state and these trained counselors would provide career counseling in all the schools and other institutes of the state.

The minister also informed that the Punjab Government would run self-employment training courses for Agriculture & Allied Services under skill development mission. He said that Punjab Skill Development mission would provide skill training to the farmers and others to bring in focus issues such as diversification, doubling the income of farmers, arrest of depleting water tables and distress in farmers.

Disclosing about the decisions taken during the meeting, the Technical Education Minister said that the Punjab Agricultural University and the Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University would run the skill development courses for Agriculture and Allied services.    

The Minister said that the Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) in principle also gave approval to set up Indian Institute of Skills in the Punjab Skill University, which is to be set up at Sri Chamkaur Sahib. He said that this centre would be part of the university and work as the certifying authority for the Skill Centres running in the state. The Technical Education minister also informed that the courses in the Skill Universities would be based on the Embedded Apprenticeship Programme.

The Secretary, MSDE informed that the proposal regarding this has been sent for the approval of union cabinet. He said that the as per the proposal the courses would focus on 70% practical training and 30% academics. He further said the practical training would be provided not only in the labs but also in the Industry.

The Technical Education Minister said that the Union ministry has also approved grant for the Skills Competition to be held in the state before the India Skills competition. After this, the world skills competition would be held at Kazan Russia in 2019. The minister also said that the union ministry has also approved the joint branding and reshuffling of courses as per the need of the Industry.

Prominent amongst others present in the meeting included Dr. KP Krishanan Secretary MSDE, Mr. Karan Avtar Singh Chief Secretary Punjab, Mr Tejvir Singh Principal Secretary to CM Punjab, Mr. Sukhwinder Singh GM PSDM, Mr. DPS Kharbanda Director Industries and Mr. Ajoy Sharma Secretary Local Government.