Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 21: National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), has taken a giant step by signing Memorandum of Understanding with Directorate General of Training (DGT) under Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India.
Signing of this unique MoU, will not only break barriers between school education and skill development, it will also open path ways for ITI students, enhance employability and enable NCVT certified, ITI students to earn 10th/12th qualification.
This Memorandum of Understanding will help all past and pursuing ITI students to have their 10th and 12th qualification and they will get academic equivalence. When the proposal to permit the NIOS to sign a MoU with the Ministry of Skills came to HRD Minister, Prakash Javadekar for approval, he immediately approved the proposal so that the learners pursuing or certified through any of the ITIs can obtain 10th or 12th certificate.
This had been a long standing demand of ITI students as, in spite of the rigorous studies they pursue, they are not considered equivalent for jobs where eligibility is 10th or 12th pass. Now, the ITI students can write two papers from the NIOS and get credit of three papers transferred from their ITI Curriculum which will qualify them for a 10th or 12th Certificate as the case may be.
ITI learners in Gujarat were getting 10th or 12th certificate on completing their ITI Certificate or Diploma as the case may be. Recently Rajasthan Government had also taken a similar decision.
Prof C B Sharma, Chairman, NIOS, said that ” This MoU would bring difference to the lives of ITI Students, both past and present, which they are most eligible to.”
The MoU between NIOS and Directorate General of Training under Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, was exchanged between HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge), Govt. of India, in the presence of President of India, Pranab Mukherjee.
The event was graced by the presence of Smriti Zubin Irani, Minister of Textiles, Venkaiah Naidu, Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Jitendra Singh, Minister, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (Independent Charge), and Minister of State, Ministry of Personnel, Public Griveances and Pensions, Govt of India.