Punjab signs MoUs with IIT Ropar for skill development

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh paved the way for closer cooperation between government and IIT Ropar and IIM Amritsar, particularly in the area of skill development.The Chief Minister held separate video conferences with the heads of the two institutions.

Key Highlights:

• With IIT Ropar, the state government signed three MoUs in the areas of skill development. The MoUs provide for IIT’s Technical Education Department to become academic mentor for the state’s engineering colleges at Gurdaspur and Ferozepur, as well as for Sri Guru Gobind Singh Skill Institute at Shri Chamkaur Sahib, five government polytechnics and 10 government ITIs.

• Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said IIT will also help the state in developing one model ITI and one model polytechnic.

• The CM urged IIT to help the state in the manufacture of small devices for controlling water wastage in irrigation, in response to which Prof Das extended the institution’s full support.

• Amarinder directed Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan to resolve the IIT’s land acquisition related issues. He also directed the Chief Secretary to constitute a committee to look into the IIT Director’s submission that private universities/ colleges in the state are increasing seats for engineering courses without any checks and balances.

• IIM Amritsar also extended support to the state government in promoting skill development. Its director, Prof Ramamoorthy Nagarajan said the institution would be organising various short-term courses for officers, including in excise, business management, and taxation. The IIM has adopted five villages in Amritsar area as part of its CSR outreach, the CM was informed.