Parl panel mulls separate branch for veg students in Hotel Cuisine Course

In a relief to vegetarian students willing to pursue career in culinary and hotel management sector, the Central government is mulling a proposal to do away with compulsory non-vegetarian papers from the syllabus. The Standing Committee of Parliament has strongly recommended separating branches of vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisines from the courses of culinary and hotel management institutes in the country.

"The committee observes that many students are not able to take up the courses under the Culinary Institute and other Hotel Management Institutions because of the insistence that it is a composite course and that one has to pass even the non-vegetarian cuisine," said the Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture chaired by TMC MP Mukul Roy.

"There should be a separate branch for vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisine wherever such institutes are there in the country," recommended the 31 member committee of which incumbent Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was also a member. The report was presented in both the Houses of Parliament on March 17. In the report, the committee has categorically mentioned that the issue was raised before MPs at several platforms and directed the tourism ministry to take necessary action to ensure participation of vegetarian students in such courses.

The committee has also recommended expediting the procedure and starting ambitious training cum placement scheme – Hunar Se Rozgar Tak (HSRT) of Ministry of Tourism. "The guidelines for HSRT are still under revision to bring it in conformity with the common norms of the skill development. The guidelines may be reframed at the earliest so that the HSRT programme may train job aspirants," said the committee.

In 2017-18, the Ministry for Tourism has earmarked Rs 65 crore to train 86,000 youths under HSRT scheme. In this scheme, certificate courses for food production, food and beverage services, housekeeping, bakery and patisserie, tour assistants, security guards, skin care and spa therapy will be provided.