Recently the Economic Development Corporation Limited and GSIDC signed a MoU to allow fresh Civil Engineers to bid and take up contracts up to Rs 25 lakh. The jobs are such as renovation of school/college buildings for facelift. A very bright idea laced with political gains and ideas of corruption at young age as how to get a government contract by the good governance Govt. in power.
India’s Vice President said the engineering curriculum needs to be changed with incorporate skills so that the engineers will be readily absorbed into the companies or government jobs for employment. Firstly, how can colleges provide skilful engineers? They can produce diplomas and degrees/certificates with a strong theory backup. To develop skills the colleges/Government will have to add another two years of internship with stipends before awarding the student a certificate. This will be just shifting of the goal post. I think skill comes with experience and the type of machinery or equipment with the process learned will give experience and render the engineer to be skilful.
With modernisation happening at a fast pace the employer can only recruit intelligent engineers based on the exam results and after successful completion of the training period in that organisation with exposure to trouble shooting these engineers become skilful. Now the Government and private companies are increasing the retirement ages while little do they realise that yearly thousands of graduates completing their studies cannot find jobs in the government departments or private industries and to add to the woes of the employee the working hours are 48 hrs per week. It is high time the government and private employers think of making 40 hrs per week and maintain 58 yrs as retirement age for the Indians.
With automation, less people are getting jobs. By this MoU please do not the risk the lives of the school going students since at present with the registered contractors the public has seen how effectively the Government officials monitor the works of the contractor while executing government jobs. Who will be held accountable in such mishap? Only losers will be the family members and the loss to exchequers? Or an opening to allow the registered contractors to allow their siblings to enter into the frail.
