Govt to boost vocational education with 1000 new Polytechnics

In a bid to strengthen skilled manpower to meet the needs of unserved, underserved areas and disadvantaged sections of the society, the government on Friday announced to open 1000 new polytechnics across the country under a nation wide scheme of ‘Sub-Mission on Polytechnics’.

With a total budget expenditure of Rs. 6828 crores, to be spent during 11th and 12th Five-Year plan, these polytechnics would be opened under Co-ordinated Action for Skill Development.

As per the statement of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, 300 polytechnics out of 1000 would be established with a one time central grant of Rs.12.3 crore per polytechnic and another 300 polytechnics would be set up under Private Public Partnership (PPP) mode for which Centre would only grant Rs. 3.00 crore per polytechnic.

The remaining 400 polytechnics would be set up through complete private funding, added HRD Ministry.

Furthermore to strengthen existing polytechnics, the government has decided to fund up to Rs. 2 crores per polytechnic to 500 institutes. As a part of programme, there are also proposals to augment the skill development among women by giving grants to the same numbers polytechnic colleges with an allocation of Rs.1 crore each.

Under the revised scheme of Community Polytechnics that aims to benefit grass root enterprises and also to facilitate technology transfer, a total outlay of Rs.737.82 crores to over 1000 polytechnics have been outlined to be implemented during the 11th and 12th Five-Year Plan.