BHOPAL: Many entrepreneurs of the industrial estates of Govindpura and Mandideep, who attended a workshop on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the state capital recently have expressed unhappiness about the quality and capability of the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) pass outs from Madhya Pradesh.

They pointed out that there was shortage of competent and skilled manpower, particularly craftsmen and artisans.

Participating in the technical session of the workshop organized jointly by FICCI and the State Government, the former head of the Technical Teachers Training Institute and Consultant with several international institutions, including World Bank, Gopal Mani shared the same concern and said that the need for skilled manpower is increasing with the impending expansion of small and medium enterprises. He said that no attempt was being made to research on Labour Market requirements and on enhancing training capacities.

He said that there is no skill certification and institutional accreditation built in the system of vocational education. It is even anticipated that in the next 3 to 4 years, the momentum of growth of SMEs will come to a stand still due to lack of skilled manpower, he pointed out. Dr. Mani said that the unorganized sector, which is far bigger and extensive in terms of size and variety than the organized sector, remains unrecognised, and neglected.

He said that all efforts were presently geared towards directing manpower development towards the organised industry, with total disregard for the unorganised sector.

The vocational Education System has been hastily shaped and remains uncoordinated and fragmented. It also fails to broadly encompass the rural youth in its fold.

The problem gets magnified as major initiative on the vocational education front comes from the government, while there are very few private-public partnerships and private investments remain inadequate.

Dr. Mani said: "the paradox is that education is largely treated as a tool for gaining knowledge and there is poor emphasis on enhancing skills and competencies".

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