It goes without saying that the skill development programs of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India (MMA-GoI) meant to upgrade skills of unemployed youth of minority community is getting very lukewarm response in the absence of proper propagation in the Hyderabad city.
Skill Development courses like Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) and Nursing with stipend facility has been introduced in varied durations to dress the unemployed Muslim youth with required skills in the field of medical service which has a good demand domestically and in abroad. However, the Skill Development Centers in the old city are witnessing low footfall of students as much as half from the number of alloted seats.
Explaining about the prevailing situation, Saber Yamani, the Coordinator Spice Skill India LLP, Skill Development Center, at Yerra Kunta, Pahadi Shareef, said, “Though we have a capacity to enroll 400 students in our centre, barely 150-200 students took the admission in Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) course stretched into six months of duration. Now after the time for admission in MLT has lapsed, only nursing course is currently being offered in the centre with nine month of duration,”
“Students need not to pay huge fees to equip themselves with the professional nature of courses that promise them more secure and highly placed jobs locally and abroad. Also, these courses under ‘Seekho Aur Kamao’ program offer a facility of stipend of Rs.2,000/- atleast twice during the training period. During the training, the students will have to go through On Job Training (OJT) wherein they would be hands-on using syringes and carrying out blood transfusions besides administering medicines,” he claimed.
“Besides introducing skill development courses, the government should give it a wide range of publicity so the call reaches the targeted community and attracts a mass reaction. With these courses a large number of unemployed youth could be benefitted and the society will be blessed with more number of professionals both at local level and abroad,” suggested Syed Should Ali, a community activist.
