Technical Education dept starts online classes for ITIs, polytechnics
Kolkata: The state Technical Education, Training and Skill Development department has started online classes for students of ITIs and polytechnic colleges across the state. All educational institutions in the state are closed till June 10 as a preventive measure to combat the spread of COVID-19 virus.
"We had our training modules ready. We have made them available through online mode so that students who have smartphones/laptops or computer with internet connection can access the same from their home. Most of the ITIs and polytechnic colleges have been able to connect with the students through virtual classes," said Purnendu Basu, minister of Technical Education, Training and Skill Development.
The study materials for the students have been made available through the website of the department and the Central government portal related with technical education.
The training providers of Utkarsh Bangla scheme are also taking online classes for students. The flagship scheme, 'Utkarsh Bangla', has been initiated in 2015 for the entire non-institutional short term skill development interventions to provide wage/self-employment linked skill training to the residents of the state.
Presently there are 252 ITIs – both government and private while the number of polytechnic colleges is 148, which includes government as well as private ones.
The department has given some of its ITIs to the state Health department for quarantine facilities, while the hostels have all been vacated.
Officials in the regional level have also made arrangements to their best possible extent so that students in remote areas who have no internet connectivity can take part in classes through some makeshift arrangement.
"We have prepared a schedule for the classes. The topic to be taught is being sent a day in advance to the students so that they can put up their queries to the teachers the next day when the virtual class is held. The industry people are also coming to take classes in online mode," said Saibal Sengupta, Deputy Director, Tollygunge Government ITI.
