New employment-oriented trades will soon be introduced in the curriculum of Government Vocational Junior Colleges (GVJCs) in the State.
The authorities of Department of Higher Education (DHE) are mulling to introduce trades in important sectors having employment potential like textiles, manufacturing, mining, IT, ITES, telecom, banking, driving and security.
While vocational education is provided in over 200 trades in other parts of the country, the GVJCs in the State offer 20 trades. Each college is allotted a minimum of two trades.
Worse, while other States are adding more advanced trades to their curriculum, Odisha has till date seen no new addition since the programme began.
At present, the State has 231 GVJCs under DHE's Directorate of Vocational Education in three circles of Bhubaneswar, Berhampur and Sambalpur.
There are 141 GVJCs under Bhubaneswar circle, 37 and 53 under Berhampur and Sambalpur respectively.
DHE Secretary Gagan Dhal said a State-level coordination committee has been working to streamline the execution of National Vocational Education Qualification Framework (NVEQF) and other vocational training activities.
"The trades in which students are not interested will be dropped and some of 96 new trades introduced by Pandit Sunderlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education, Bhopal, will be included in the curriculum.
Besides, efforts will be made to implement CBSE syllabus for vocational colleges," Dhal added.
He informed that DHE has formed a committee to look into introduction of new trades and it will submit its report this month following which, necessary measures will be taken by the State Government.