Odisha-based Centurion University, which is offering unique courses in skill development through its regional training centres, is keen on establishing its campuses in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Prof. DN Rao, managing trustee and
vice-president of the university, says a proposal for setting up a new campus in AP has already been submitted to the state government. Once the Telangana government has its private university bill passed, the university will expand its services here too, he says in an interview with Express.
Many private universities are planning to set up their campuses in the Telugu states. Do you have any such plan?
Yes, we do have plans to establish a campus each in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. We have submitted our proposal for a campus in AP to the state government. We also intend to have a campus in Telangana. Once the private university bill is passed here, we will approach the government for necessary action. We are in touch with the state government.
Do you have a regional centre in any Telugu state?
We don’t have a regional centre in Telangana for mainstream courses which we offer at our headquarters in Odisha. But we have skill development centres called ‘Gram Tarang Employability Training Services’. Here we train school dropouts, working employees in manufacturing industry and unemployed youth. We offer diploma courses in various streams, for which anyone with education qualifications of above eighth standard can apply.
What is the aim of the Gram Tarang programme?
Our intention is to give skill development training in the field they are working. Anyone who is working in the manufacturing sector can register with us. We will train them in advanced methods for three to four months. Industries too can sponsor their employees for the courses. We offer them a certificate given by the National Skill Development Agency (NSDC) of Indian government.
How different is Gram Tarang from ITIs?
Unlike in the case of Industrial Training Institutes, our curriculum is designed by industry itself. We have partnership with around 15 major industries including the Tatas. As per industry’s requirement the curriculum will be updated. This enhances the chances of employability. Industry is directly involved in this programme. If an industry wants some employees to be trained for a sector, they will design the curriculum, they provide infrastructure and they also train our staff. The same industry also gives placements to those who get trained here.
What are the future programmes?
We have trained nearly 55,000 youths so far and want to open more centres in the country. We are aiming at training a lakh more in the next three years through apprenticeship. We have also plans to expand the university to various states.