State Government to Partner with Bajaj Auto for ITI Skill Development and Job Linkage

Bengaluru Express
Bengaluru, July 23: The Karnataka government is in the final stages of forging a partnership with Bajaj Auto, one of India’s leading automotive manufacturers, to provide industry-relevant employability skills to students in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the state.

In a meeting convened by Dr. Sharanaprakash R. Patil, minister for medical education, skill development, entrepreneurship and livelihood with representatives from academia and industry, the proposal to implement Bajaj Manufacturing Systems (BMS) for ITI students was actively discussed.

Dr. Patil emphasized the need for such collaborations, noting that despite Karnataka having 272 government, 192 aided, and 853 private ITIs, a large proportion of graduates still struggle to find employment. “We are keen to pilot this initiative in five ITIs—one each in four different regions of the state and one in Sedam taluk, Kalaburagi district,” the minister proposed.

BMS is currently running a successful three-month upskilling program in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, offering two- and three-wheeler automotive training to high school dropouts who have opted out of formal education. “The course is free, and after completion, trainees are recruited by leading automobile companies or start their own ventures as auto dealers or mechanics,” said Ravi Kyran Ramaswamy, HR Head, Bajaj Auto. “There’s high demand for these skilled youth, but supply is still insufficient.”

Bajaj Auto has already demonstrated its commitment to skill development through its Bajaj Engineering Skills Training (BEST) centre established at PES University, Bengaluru, with a Rs.30 crore investment. The centre offers advanced hands-on training in mechatronics, robotics, Industry 4.0, motion control, and smart manufacturing for engineering students.

Prof. D. Jawahar, Chancellor of PES University, noted, “A strong government-academia-industry partnership is essential for meeting the twin objectives of skill development and employment generation.”

The meeting was attended by key officials including Skill Development Secretary Manoj Kumar Meena, National Livelihood Mission Director P.I. Sreevidya, Commissioner for Employment and Training R. Ragapriya, KSDL MD N.M. Nagaraj, GTTC MD Y.K. Dinesh Kumar, and F.R. Singhvi from Sansera Engineering.