ITI Shopian’s horticulture course not recognised as qualification even after 14 years

ITI Shopian’s horticulture course not recognised as qualification even after 14 years

Shopian: It has been 14 years since a new trade, horticulture, was introduced at Industrial Training Institute (ITI) Shopian, but those who studied it are still waiting for amendment in recruitment rules that will recognise this trade, just as ‘Diploma in basic horticulture training’ is recognised, as a qualification for government jobs.
Kashmir despite being primarily dependent on horticulture in which more than 40 lakh families are employed, only one ITI, in Shopian, teaches horticulture as a vocational trade. Students who have qualified the course from this institution told Kashmir Reader that whenever they have applied for jobs such as technical officer, they have been told that they are not eligible as neither the technical education department nor the directorate of horticulture recognises it.
More than a hundred students have passed this course at ITI Shopian since 2008.
“I fail to understand why the government added this trade at the ITI when they are not considering this for government jobs, even though they accept an interior course such as Basic Horticulture Training. Careers of educated youth are being destroyed by the government. It has been more than a decade since this course was included in ITI Shopian but no suitable amendment has been made in the recruitment process,” said Showkat Ahmad, who successfully finished the horticulture course at ITI Shopian.
Another student said that time and again the students of this course have proved their superiority in written exams, by scoring better than those who underwent the basic horticulture training, but they have always been shown the door as this course is not recognised in recruitment rules.
ITI Shopian superintendent Sahil Ahmad Bhat said that he has taken up this matter with the directorate and is expecting a positive response soon.
A senior official at the technical education department, wishing not to be named, told Kashmir Reader that the blame is on the technical education department which has not taken up this matter with the horticulture department.
“There is much demand for this course at different institutions but the reason for not starting it is that it has been added in the recruitment rules. Technical education department must take up this matter with the horticulture department and a committee should be framed at the earliest,” the official said.
This course, according to officials, was included in ITIs throughout India in the year 2007, but Kashmir is the only place where it has not been recognised in recruitment rules.
Director of technical education, Sajad Hussain Ganai, told Kashmir Reader that he will take up this matter with the department of horticulture and other authorities concerned.
“Department of horticulture is teaching other courses in SKUAST but ours is superior in all terms, and yet is not being considered,” he said, assuring that the matter will be taken up with the authorities.
Director of horticulture, Kashmir, Ajaz Ahmad Bhat told Kashmir Reader that the department of technical education must first make a representation on the issue with them.

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