Srinagar, Mar 2: Last year the Directorate of Technical Education under its ‘skill development initiative’ invited applications for digital photography course from aspirants in Kashmir. A year on, the course is yet to kick-start: Reason the officials have failed to identify an institute where the training could be imparted. This has put the aspirants in a fix.
 Not only this, the aspirants missed some good opportunities to apply for government job simply because they are yet to get qualified.
 A delegation of aspirants from Kashmir who were selected for the training said till now the course would have been over had the classes started on time.
 “The course was scheduled to be completed in 90 hours. But till now we have been moving from pillar to post to know its fate,” they complainants said.
 Interestingly, officials in the department admitted that the delay has affected the job prospects of the students. “Many vacancies were advertised for the qualifiers of the course, but the lot from Kashmir could not take any benefit obviously,” said a senior official at an ITI requesting not to be named.
 Curiously, two months ago, the DTE officials said they had identified a Vocational Training Provider (VTP) in Gujarat.
 But they said the course couldn’t be started because travel tickets for the aspirants couldn’t be booked in time.
 But for now the officials have a different excuse. “Actually we are yet to get the list of VTPs for the course. Once we finalize it, the course will commence,” said a senior official in DTE requesting not to be named.
 Meanwhile, the aspirants have appealed the concerned Minister RS Chib to look into the matter.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 2 Mar 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 2 Mar 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 3 Mar 2011 00:00:00 IST