Kollam: Sidelining hundreds of eligible candidates for the post of junior lectureships, vacancies in Industrial Training Institutes across the state are held by temporary instructors.
Sources say the recruitment process in some trades has been stopped nearly a decade and a half ago, pointing to procedural delays in the Public Service Commission which has forced candidates to wait indefinitely for their posting orders.
Almost 400 vacancies have been reported to the PSC by the Industrial Training Department, yet no recruitment has been done in some of the trades. In the notification lists published in 2009, vacancies for trades including machinists, fit metal workers, and plumbers have not been published. Instead, the Industrial Training Department has been arranging temporary instructors to manage the trade.
This delay has led to candidates crossing the age limit, making them ineligible. “The department on a timely basis informs the PSC about vacancies. In the meantime, in order to continue smooth functioning of the classes, we appoint temporary faculties from employment exchanges and as guest lecturers. We have some new trades like employability skills, in which finding instructors is difficult,” says B. Sreekumar, Additional Director, Technical Training Department.
Meanwhile, for trades which are in high demand in the ITIs including that of plumbers, fit metal workers, welders, etc., the faculties are recruited for a contract period of one year.
The job hopping of such candidates also accounts for the dipping results of students.
