Safety of girl students: Skill Development dept mandates self-defence classes at ITIs

The Skill Development Department, which oversees ITIs, has now implemented specific guidelines aimed at improving the security and well-being of female students pursuing technical courses.

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To enhance the safety of students, particularly girls, in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), the state Skill Development Department has issued guidelines mandating self-defence classes for them. The guidelines also call for increased awareness about gender inclusivity on campuses.

To curb rising crimes against women, various state govt departments have introduced new safety measures. The Skill Development Department, which oversees ITIs, has now implemented specific guidelines aimed at improving the security and well-being of female students pursuing technical courses.

According to the Government Resolution (GR) issued in this regard, the new guidelines apply to both government and private ITIs in Maharashtra. Uniforms are now mandatory across all ITIs. Additionally, for every 20 female students, one female teacher must be appointed as a local guardian. This guardian will take proactive measures to ensure student safety, including monitoring attendance and notifying parents if a student is absent for an extended period.

All ITIs are required to distribute handbooks during admissions. These handbooks will outline the institute’s rules and regulations, emphasising appropriate behavior, especially towards female students, and detailing safety protocols. The guidelines also recommend self-defence classes for girls and stress the importance of gender inclusivity. The guidelines also call for organising programmes such as talks, seminars and film screenings on gender inequality and violence, as well as discussions on gender stereotypes.

Other directives include the requirement for female staff in hostels housing female students and mandatory police verification for all contractual staff, both in the institute and the hostel. Infrastructure recommendations for improved safety include heightened fencing, well-lit campuses and surrounding areas, installation of CCTV cameras, placement of complaint boxes, and prominently displayed helpline numbers for women.

Pallavi Smart

Pallavi Smart is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, Mumbai Bureau. Her reporting is singularly focused on the education sector, demonstrating exceptional Expertise and Authority across the entire spectrum of learning, from foundational schooling to advanced higher education. She is a highly Trustworthy source for policy, institutional developments, and systemic issues affecting students, teachers, and parents in Maharashtra. Expertise Senior Role: As a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, her designation reflects her seniority, specialized knowledge, and the editorial rigor applied to her reporting. Core Authority & Specialization: Pallavi Smart is the definitive voice for Education news in the region. Her coverage scope is comprehensive: Policy and Regulatory Changes: Reports on major shifts in educational policy, including the restructuring of entrance exams (e.g., MHT-CET adopting the JEE Main model), the draft regulatory framework for coaching classes, and revised teacher recruitment processes. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): Provides in-depth reporting on prestigious institutes like IIT Bombay and TISS (Tata Institute of Social Sciences), covering institutional initiatives, administrative debates (e.g., renaming IIT Bombay), and student welfare programs (e.g., mandatory mental health courses). Teachers and Eligibility: Covers crucial issues affecting the teaching fraternity, such as the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for in-service teachers and related controversies and application numbers. Student Welfare & Rights: Focuses on issues concerning students, including the rollout of government scholarships, the financial strain on schools due to midday meal reimbursement delays, and instances of child rights violations (e.g., the Powai studio hostage crisis). Admissions and Vacancy: Tracks the outcome of centralized admission processes (e.g., MBBS, BPharm) and analyzes vacancy concerns, providing essential data-driven insights for parents and students. Credentials & Trustworthiness Dedicated Beat: Her consistent focus on the "KG to PG" education beat allows her to develop unparalleled subject matter knowledge, ensuring her reports are accurate, detailed, and contextualized. Proactive Reporting: Her articles frequently break news on policy and institutional planning, providing the public with timely, essential information about a sector that directly impacts millions of families. She tweets @Pallavi_Smart ... Read More

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