BIS sets new standard, to open 250 clubs in schools, colleges in Kerala
KOCHI: To spread awareness among youngsters on the importance of quality standards and good manufacturing practices in consumer items, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) under the aegis of the Union ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution has designed an activity platform called Standards Clubs for educational institutions. In Kerala, BIS has launched these clubs in 40 educational institutions, including arts and science colleges and schools.
According to A Mohammed Ismail, head, BIS Kochi, the aim is to form 250 Standards Clubs. “BIS wants to inculcate quality culture among the future generations. As of now, the BIS team has given exposure visits to Standard Club members from many engineering colleges and schools,” he said. The major industries the students got to visit were milk powder, steel, toughened glass and packaged water manufacturing plants. “The aim behind the visits was to make them understand the importance of good manufacturing practices,” Ismail said.
Currently, only aided and unaided schools and colleges have these clubs, he pointed out. “We want to include government schools and colleges too. Towards that, the BIS director general has written to the director of general education in Kerala. We hope that something positive will materialise.”
Ismail said the educational institutions that have Standards Club can carry out a variety of programmes involving students, providing them opportunities for creativity on the themes of quality and standardisation. The activities can be undertaken within the educational institution and outside as stand-alone programmes or as part of other programmes like annual day, school or college fair and exhibition, and teachers’ day.
“Each Standards Club has a mentor, who is a teacher from the science or engineering streams, a student leader and a minimum of 15 regular students from science or any engineering stream as members,” the BIS Kochi head said. BIS will provide operational support to the club in the form of training for mentors, coordinating the activities and offering financial support up to Rs 30,000 per year. “BIS will also organise exposure visits to major industries for the club members to get a better understanding of good manufacturing practices in industries. Special training programmes are also organised by scientists of BIS,” said Ismail. On Thursday, a two-day mentor training programme -- with more than 100 teachers participating -- began in Kochi.
LABS IN EDU INSTITUTIONS
BIS is also planning to set up quality testing labs, free of cost, in educational institutions in Kerala. The criteria for selection of the beneficiary educational institutions will be a competition organised by BIS.
In Kerala, BIS has launched these clubs in 40 educational institutions including arts and science colleges and schools.