Guwahati, 30 August (HS): An Industry Conclave on the National Scheme for ITI Upgradation through a Hub-and-Spoke Model was organized on Saturday at Hotel Vivanta, Guwahati by the Skill, Employment & Entrepreneurship Department (SEED), Government of Assam, in collaboration with the Directorate of Employment & Craftsmen Training (DECT) and Assam Skill University (ASU).

The inaugural session was addressed by senior officials and experts. Gyanendra Dev Tripathi, Principal Secretary, SEED, presented the department’s vision and highlighted the cluster-based approach under the scheme, along with the role of anchor industry partners. Narendra Shah, Director, DECT, elaborated on the scheme’s implementation in Assam.

Ravi Kota, Chief Secretary, Government of Assam, underlined the evolving needs of the service sector and the importance of preparing for the gig economy. He stressed the government’s proactive role in addressing emerging skill requirements, citing global practices.

The conclave discussed the Centrally Sponsored Scheme that aims to upgrade 1,000 Government ITIs across the country—including 45 in Assam—into modern Centres of Excellence. The scheme adopts a Hub-and-Spoke model with 200 Hub ITIs and 800 Spoke ITIs, designed to deliver industry-aligned curricula, advanced training infrastructure and demand-driven trades. Implementation will be driven through Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) with Anchor Industry Partners (AIPs), responsible for faculty development, industry-led training, and employment-linked outcomes.

The event served as a platform for industry-academia deliberations on collaboration, redesign of trades, introduction of new demand-based courses and enhancing employability and entrepreneurship opportunities for youth. It also set the stage for positioning Assam’s ITIs as aspirational and industry-ready institutions of excellence..

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Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash