CSIR to open labs for students

In its 75th year, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has decided to open the doors of its hallowed laboratories to students who have cleared Class 8 and 10 to train them on industrial skills.

Over the next three months, 37 laboratories of CSIR would roll-out 30 new courses to train jobless youths on crucial industrial skills. The scheme would dovetail with the government’s Make in India programme, in which emphasis was being given for the expansion of the manufacturing sector that required skilled manpower, said CSIR Director General Girish Sahni.

The first step has been taken by Chennai-based Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), which signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Caste Co-Operative Finance Corporation Ltd for skill training of 10,000 underprivileged candidates in two years.

“With the Andhra Pradesh government planning to set up Asia’s largest leather complex, trained manpower is required for a variety of jobs ranging from raw hide collection to product development,” CLRI director B Chandrasekaran told DH.

In 2015, the leather industry had a turnover of $ 13 billion. Five years down the line, the industry aims at a turnover of $ 27 billion. To achieve the target, leather sector required 30 lakh trained people, some of who may come through the schemes that CLRI runs with other states, including Karnataka.

At least two CSIR laboratories have devised programmes for students who have passed Class 8 so that they can eke out a living from welding, fitting, plumbing, weaving, glass blowing and blue pottery.