GUWAHATI, April 3 - The Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) is planning to introduce agriculture as a vocational subject in the HS level to open up self-employment opportunities for students.
For this, the Council is in talks with the Assam Agriculture University (AAU).
Confirming the development, a source in the AAU said it would take some time to prepare the modalities.
�We intend to focus on the rural areas. We are aiming at conducting at least 80-100 classes for the students during an academic year,� AHSEC Chairman Dr Dayananda Borgohain told The Assam Tribune.
�There is a great potential of self-employment in the field of agriculture. We need to ward off the indignity that the youth tend to associate with the sector. We feel if we can give some basic hands-on training at this level, students would be attracted to it,� he said.
Initially, the existing teachers would be trained, but, at a later stage, trainers may be hired on contractual basis.
The AHSEC also plans to ask colleges to set up kitchen gardens on their campuses.
�The students can be involved actively in the garden. They can also see how one can generate income from the sector by selling the produce in the garden,� the Chairman further said.
As part of the project, the Council is also planning to set up handlooms in colleges in rural areas to attract girls to the trade.
In urban colleges, it plans to introduce training on professions like plumbing, carpentry, welding, etc. �We are trying to rope in trainers and planning out other nitty-gritty like salaries. The intention is to help the youth stand on their own feet and become self-reliant,� the Chairman added.
The AHSEC had earlier signed an MoU with The Art of Living, which will undertake a Faculty Development Programme in the HS institutes in the state. The Art of Living will also provide access to employability training to over 5,000 students, apart from setting up five model skill-training centres in five districts of Assam.
