Odisha govt reviews ITIs, polytechnics; stresses industry-ready skills and higher enrolment

Bhubaneswar: With Odisha witnessing rapid industrial expansion, the state government on Tuesday asked government-run Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and Polytechnics to upgrade the quality of technical education, improve industry partnerships and produce a skilled workforce capable of meeting evolving industrial demands.

The direction came during a comprehensive review meeting chaired by Skill Development & Technical Education and Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain at the State Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (SCTE&VT), Bhubaneswar. Principals of all 72 Government ITIs and 35 Government Polytechnics participated in the meeting.

Reviewing the performance of the institutions, Swain said technical education plays a crucial role in Odisha’s economic transformation and industrial growth. He noted that although the state’s ITIs and Polytechnics have earned recognition, they must continuously modernise their curriculum, adopt new technologies and align training with changing industry requirements.

He said the state government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, is committed to upgrading technical institutions and urged principals to take a leadership role in improving institutional performance and equipping students with industry-relevant skills.

The Minister also directed institutions to ensure optimum seat occupancy by increasing enrolment, particularly among girls and students belonging to SC, ST and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). He emphasised the need to reduce dropout rates, strengthen placement support and create a conducive learning environment for students from diverse backgrounds.

Swain observed that the availability of skilled manpower would determine Odisha’s future industrial growth and said ITIs and Polytechnics should evolve into centres of excellence capable of producing competent and employment-ready professionals.

The meeting also deliberated on improving the quality of training, strengthening industry collaborations, enhancing placement opportunities, better utilisation of institutional infrastructure and adopting best practices to improve overall outcomes.

Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Skill Development & Technical Education Department Bhupendra Singh Poonia, Director of Technical Education & Training Chakravarti Singh Rathore and other senior departmental officials attended the review meeting.