Telangana to set up Skills University; bill to be introduced in coming budget session

Hyderabad: Revanth Reddy government is all set to introduce a bill for setting up Telangana Skills University in the state.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy ordered the officials to make the required arrangements to introduce a bill for setting up Telangana Skills University in the ensuing budget session of the assembly.

The state government is setting up the university with the objective of providing job opportunities to the students by imparting skills development training to the requirements of the industries.

The government is ready to provide adequate funds for the establishment and maintenance of the Skills University, the CM said.

CM Revanth Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka held a review meeting on the proposed Skills University at the Secretariat on Friday. After studying the functioning of skill universities in Delhi and Haryana, the state Industries department prepared a model draft to set up varsity in the state.

Special Chief Secretary to Industry Jayesh Ranjan gave a PowerPoint presentation on the courses, duration, infrastructure, and funds for the management of the university, and collaboration with various companies. The CM decided to name the new varsity 'Telangana Skills University'.

Skills University will be established on the PPP model. It was decided to set up the institution as a self-sustaining non-profit organization. Along with degree courses with three to four years duration, the university will also offer one-year diploma courses and certificate courses for three to four months. New courses have been selected according to the future needs of various sectors and industries which are developing fast in Telangana.

A total of 17 priority sectors have been identified. Initially, the university will offer training in Pharma, construction, banking finance services, e-commerce and logistics, retail, animation, visual effects, gaming, and comics. Each course is linked to the participation of a well-known company in the respective field and the government will enter into an MoU with the companies. The university will provide training to 2,000 people in the first year. A facility to provide training for 20,000 people every year will be developed in a phased manner.

The CM and officials discussed the proposal to set up regional campuses (satellite campuses) in district centers along with the main campus at the Engineering Staff College campus in Hyderabad. The Chief Minister pointed out that the students will prefer and compete to join the Hyderabad campus instead of choosing the district centers.

The CM asked the officials to make arrangements to provide training in Hyderabad. He also called for developing the required infrastructure at the NAC campus and other premises also. Officials have been asked to visit and inspect the facilities at Swami Ramananda Tirtha Rural Institute in Bhoodan Pochampally.

CM Revanth Reddy stressed the need to focus more on the sectors where the demand for jobs is high. He emphasizes on pharma sector since the demand for job opportunities in these companies is more in the state.

The CM directed the officials to devise plans to provide job opportunities to the students soon after the completion of the courses. For this, the officials were asked to hold discussions with various companies in advance.

The CM also instructed the officials to examine the procedures followed by other universities and finalize the organizational structure of the new skills university. The CM ordered the officials to prepare the draft in tune with the decisions taken in the meeting.