Chandigarh : Under the two-year-old rationalization of courses in 34 government-run Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), department officials closed different trades that were recognized by the National Council for Vocational Education (NCVT). Instead, new trades covered under the State Council for Vocational Training (SCVT) were started. The SCVT trades are not recognized by the NCVT. Under the exercise, 99 units of different trades in the 34 ITIs were closed.
Taking a serious note, Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said he would demand a detailed report on the matter.
Parveen Thind, Director, Technical Education, has constituted a three-member departmental committee, comprising HP Singh (Additional Director), Paramjit Kaur (Deputy Director) and Sudesh Kumar (Additional Controller), to probe the anomaly. Thind could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
HP Singh, who heads the probe committee, refused to reveal much about the case, saying the matter was under investigation and all concerned were being called for their statements.
Official documents reveal that despite the then Technical Education Minister, Madan Mohan Mittal, and the then Principal Secretary, Technical Education, MP Singh, approving an official note that a meeting of the departmental officials be called to categorize the priority and availability of funds before the road-map for carrying out the exercise was finalized.
Also, the alleged anomaly in the regularization of services of over 100 contractual employees by converting courses under the “Centre of Excellence” scheme to “craftsman training” scheme during the previous SAD-BJP regime is set to haunt officials of the Technical Education and Industrial Training Department.
However, instead of holding a meeting, an official order regarding approval to the conversion of courses under the “Centre of Excellence” scheme to courses under “craftsman training” scheme was issued citing verbal instructions of senior officials. Sources said the contractual employees were regularized as crafts inspectors against the rules. The employees did not fulfil the qualification and experience criteria for their appointment as crafts inspectors.
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