Pub Article 12

Gender study to
identify constraints on
female participation in
skills training and
labor market in India
1 Gender study to identify constraints on female participation in skills training and labor market in India
EY is sincerely thankful to the Ministry of Skill Development and
Acknowledgement Entrepreneurship and the World Bank for selecting the services of our
firm to conduct the Gender study to identify constraints on female
participation in skill training and labor market in India.
We are especially thankful to the Directorate General of Training, for
anchoring this study and guiding us through every stage of the study
with administrative and operational support.
This study was possible through the cooperation of all our
respondents from all over the country. We are grateful to the
Principals and staff of the ITIs and the NSTIs, the male and female
trainees of the ITIs, employees and apprentices of the PSUs and
private organizations and the community members who participated
in our study through the data collection process.
This study helped to throw light on the myriad of challenges that
females face while participating in vocational training programs and
labor market. We hope that the study results help in better policy
making to make the ecosystem more conducive to female
participation by addressing the social, economical and institutional
challenges identified through the study.
Gender study to identify constraints on female participation in skills training and labor market in India 2
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................ 4
List of figures ...................................................................................................................................... 7
List of tables ....................................................................................................................................... 9
Glossary of terms .............................................................................................................................. 11
Executive summary ........................................................................................................................... 15
1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 21
1.1 Female labor force participation ................................................................................................ 22
1.2 Female participation in vocational training and apprenticeship ...................................................... 26
1.2.1 Vocational training through the ITIs ................................................................................. 26
1.2.2 Females in apprenticeship in India ................................................................................... 28
1.3 The study ............................................................................................................................... 29
2. Research methodology ................................................................................................................... 31
2.1 Objectives of the study ............................................................................................................. 31
2.2 Approach to the study .............................................................................................................. 31
2.3 Methodology ........................................................................................................................... 31
2.3.1 Sampling ...................................................................................................................... 31
2.3.2 Data collection .............................................................................................................. 35
2.3.3 Tools used .................................................................................................................... 36
2.3.4 Pilot study .................................................................................................................... 37
2.4 Data analysis ........................................................................................................................... 37
2.5 Limitations of the study ............................................................................................................ 38
3. Meeting the demands of industry .................................................................................................... 40
3.1 Demand of industry and skilling gaps .......................................................................................... 41
3.1.1 Female enrolments in sectors contributing to majority of the demand for incremental manpower
requirements by 2022 .................................................................................................. 41
3.1.2 Female enrolment in in sectors with high female participation ............................................. 43
3.2 Training imperatives as per changing industry dynamics ............................................................... 43
4. Understanding enrolments of females at the ITIs and Apprenticeship Program .................................... 46
4.1 Enrolment of students in ITIs ..................................................................................................... 46
4.1.1 Entry level qualification .................................................................................................. 46
4.1.2 Overall enrolment trends ................................................................................................ 46
4.1.3 Enrolment trends by gender ........................................................................................... 47
4.1.4 Enrolment trends by location .......................................................................................... 48
4.1.5 Trade preference........................................................................................................... 48
4.1.6 Trade preference by location ......................................................................................... 49
4.1.7 Trade preference by gender .......................................................................................... 50
4.2 Participation of females in the apprenticeship program ................................................................ 51
5. Constraints faced by female trainees at the ITIs ............................................................................. 54
5.1 An overview of student enrolment and course completion at the ITIs ........................................... 54
5.1.1 Enrolment .................................................................................................................... 54
5.1.2 Drop out among students ............................................................................................... 56
5.1.3 Pass percentage by gender ............................................................................................. 57
5.2 Understanding the barriers for female participation in skill training from the students’ point of view 57
5.2.1 Demand side barriers ..................................................................................................... 59
5.2.2 Supply side barriers ....................................................................................................... 60
5.2.3 Other factors influencing female participation in skill training ............................................. 62
5.3 Success stories........................................................................................................................ 66
5.4 Gender friendliness of ITIs ....................................................................................................... 67
6. Demand and supply side constraints for female apprentices .............................................................. 72
6.1 Overview of apprenticeship program .......................................................................................... 72
6.2 Barriers for the apprenticeship program: students’ perspective ..................................................... 73
6.3 Barriers to apprenticeship of female trainees: industry perspective................................................ 77
7. Barriers for female workers at workplace........................................................................................ 82
7.1 Facilitation by ITIs for female trainees to enter the labor market.................................................... 82
7.2 Key considerations by the industry in hiring female employees ...................................................... 84
7.3 Constraints faced by females to join labor force........................................................................... 86
7.4 Emerging opportunities for female trainees to join the labor force ................................................. 88
8. National Skill Training Institutes .................................................................................................... 94
8.1 Infrastructure and capacity utilization ...................................................................................... 94
8.2 Attractiveness of courses for students ..................................................................................... 95
8.3 Proactive measures being taken by the principals to strengthen the institutes ............................... 96
8.4 Revisiting the mandate of the NSTIs ........................................................................................ 97
8.4.1 Develop skilled workforce for industry.............................................................................. 97
8.4.2 Instructional staff for the industrial training institutes........................................................ 98
8.4.3 Upgrade the skill of in-service persons from industry ......................................................... 98
8.5 Optimum utilization of infrastructure ......................................................................................... 99
9 Recommendations ...................................................................................................................... 102
9.1 Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship ................................................................. 102
9.2 Directorate General of Training ............................................................................................... 103
9.3 Recommendations for the ITIs ............................................................................................... 105
References used .............................................................................................................................. 107
ANNEXURE I: Tables and graphs ....................................................................................................... 112
A. Stratification of 8155 ITIs as per affiliation, geographical location and student mix ...................... 112
B. Stratification of 2287 ITIs as per affiliation, geographical location and student mix ...................... 113
C. Stratification of 367 ITIs as per affiliation, geographical location and student mix ........................ 113
D. Stratification of 64 ITIs as per affiliation, geographical location and student mix .......................... 114
E. List of ITIs chosen for field visit.............................................................................................. 114
F. List of 10 NSTIs visited ......................................................................................................... 117
G. List of industries visited ....................................................................................................... 118
H. Mapping of respondents ....................................................................................................... 120
I. Drop-out rates among female students according to type of institute and geographic location ....... 121
J. Mapping gender friendliness of the ITIs ................................................................................... 123
K. State wise detailed scorecard ................................................................................................ 125
ANNEXURE II: Research tools ........................................................................................................... 128
1. ITI related tools ........................................................................................................................... 128
A. ITI fact sheet ....................................................................................................................... 128
B. Interview schedule for principal of the ITI ................................................................................ 134
C. Interview schedule: instructor ............................................................................................... 137
D. Interview schedule: TCP officer .............................................................................................. 138
E. Focus group discussion ......................................................................................................... 140
F. Interview schedule: enrolled trainee ....................................................................................... 142
G. Interview schedule: graduated trainee .................................................................................... 145
H. Interview schedule: dropped-out trainee ................................................................................. 148
NSTI related tools ............................................................................................................................. 150
A. NSTI fact sheet .................................................................................................................... 150
B. Interview schedule: NSTI principal .......................................................................................... 158
Employer related tools ...................................................................................................................... 161
A. Employer fact sheet ............................................................................................................. 161
A. Interview schedule: employer for female employees ................................................................. 164
B. Interview schedule: employer for female apprentices ............................................................... 165
C. Interview schedule: apprentices ............................................................................................. 166
Interview schedule: key Informant ...................................................................................................... 170
Notes .............................................................................................................................................. 171
Notes .............................................................................................................................................. 172
List of figures
List of figures
FIGURE 1: LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATES ACROSS COUNTRIES ..........................................................................23
FIGURE 2 TREND: FEMALE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE IN INDIA .......................................................................23
FIGURE 3: PARTICIPATION OF FEMALES IN INDIAN LABOR FORCE ...............................................................................24
FIGURE 4: GENDER DIVERSITY INDUSTRY WISE ....................................................................................................25
FIGURE 5: NUMBER OF APPRENTICES PER 1000 IN THE LABOR FORCES: COMPARISON OF EIGHT NATIONS................................28
FIGURE 6: GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD OF 12 SAMPLE STATES .....................................................................................33
FIGURE 7: EVOLUTION OF INDUSTRIAL TRAINING INSTITUTES IN INDIA.........................................................................40
FIGURE 8: ENROLMENT TRENDS BY ENTRY LEVEL QUALIFICATION ..............................................................................46
FIGURE 9: ENROLMENTS IN ITI DURING 2014-18 ...............................................................................................47
FIGURE 10: GENDER WISE ENROLMENT IN ITIS BETWEEN 2014-18 ..........................................................................47
FIGURE 11: GENDER WISE PROPORTIONS OF ITI ENROLMENTS 2014-18 ....................................................................48
FIGURE 12: ENROLMENT TRENDS BY LOCATION ..................................................................................................48
FIGURE 13: SEAT UTILIZATION BY TRADE – 2017-18 ..........................................................................................49
FIGURE 14: TRADE PREFERENCE BY LOCATION ...................................................................................................50
FIGURE 15: GENDER WISE ENROLMENTS ACROSS ENGINEERING AND NON-ENGINEERING TRADES ...........................................51
FIGURE 16: GENDER WISE PROPORTION OF VERIFIED APPRENTICES ACROSS STATES ........................................................52
FIGURE 17: PROPORTION OF APPRENTICES BY INDUSTRY AND GENDER ........................................................................52
FIGURE 18: GENDER WISE TREND IN ENROLMENT OF STUDENTS (2014-2019) – GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE ITIS.....................54
FIGURE 19: GENDER WISE TREND IN ENROLMENT OF STUDENTS (2014-2019) – RURAL AND URBAN ITIS...............................55
FIGURE 20: GENDER WISE TREND IN ENROLMENT OF STUDENTS (2014-2019) – CO-ED AND WOMEN ONLY ITIS .......................55
FIGURE 21: REASONS FOR DROPOUTS: RESPONSE OF PRINCIPALS .............................................................................56
FIGURE 22: TRAINING OUTCOMES: PASS PERCENTAGE BY GENDER .............................................................................57
FIGURE 23: SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND AWARENESS ABOUT ITI ..........................................................................62
FIGURE 24: CHALLENGES FACED BY ITIS IN IMPROVING ENROLMENT OF FEMALE TRAINEES .................................................63
FIGURE 25: INDUSTRY PARTICIPATION THROUGH JOB FAIRS ....................................................................................65
FIGURE 26: CHALLENGES FACED BY THE ITIS TO PLACE STUDENTS ............................................................................65
FIGURE 27: CHALLENGES FACED BY FEMALE TRAINEES TO ENROLL FOR APPRENTICESHIP ..................................................74
FIGURE 28: KEY SOURCES OF AWARENESS ABOUT APPRENTICE PROGRAM FOR FRESH AND ITI APPRENTICES ............................75
FIGURE 29: PERCENTAGE OF FEMALE TRAINEES FROM ITIS WHO WERE OFFERED JOBS ......................................................83
FIGURE 30: CHALLENGES FACED BY EMPLOYERS WHILE HIRING FEMALES ACROSS MSMES AND LARGE ENTERPRISES ..................85
FIGURE 31: EMPLOYER PERCEPTION ABOUT CRITERIA OF JOB SELECTION BY FEMALE EMPLOYEES.........................................86
FIGURE 32: NSTI BUILDING IN JAIPUR ............................................................................................................94
FIGURE 33: TREND OF ENROLMENT OF FEMALE STUDENTS AGAINST IN NSTIS IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS ...................................95
FIGURE 34: NUMBER OF SEATS VS. ENROLMENT OF STUDENTS IN CTS COURSE..............................................................95
FIGURE 35: NUMBER OF SEATS VS. ENROLMENT OF STUDENTS IN CITS COURSE ............................................................96
FIGURE 36: CAPACITY COMPARISON BETWEEN CITS AND CTS FOR ENGINEERING AND NON-ENGINEERING TRADES .....................98
List of tables
List of tables
TABLE 1: PROPORTION OF FEMALES IN ITIS STATE-WISE.........................................................................................26
TABLE 2: APPROACH OF THE STUDY ...............................................................................................................31
TABLE 3: CRITERIA FOR THE DIVISION OF STATES ................................................................................................32
TABLE 4: DIVISION OF STATES INTO FIVE ZONES ..................................................................................................33
TABLE 5: SAMPLE CALCULATION ...................................................................................................................34
TABLE 6: NUMBER FOR ITIS AND NSTIS COVERED THROUGH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY DATA COLLECTION .............................35
TABLE 7: RESPONDENT TOOL MATRIX .............................................................................................................36
TABLE 8: PRIMARY DATA ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................37
TABLE 9: BREAK UP OF INCREMENTAL REQUIREMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES ACROSS SECTORS ...........................................41
TABLE 10: CHANGING PROFILES OF JOBS IN THE RETAIL AND TEXTILES AND APPARELS SECTORS..........................................44
TABLE 11: REASONS FOR DROPOUTS GIVEN BY THE KEY INFORMANTS ........................................................................56
TABLE 12: SUMMARY OF ISSUES IDENTIFIED DURING FGDS.....................................................................................57
TABLE 13: FACTORS INFLUENCING STUDENTS IN CHOICE OF TRADES AS CITED BY ITI INSTRUCTORS.......................................64
TABLE 14: MARKING OF STATES AS PER THE QUALITY OF THEIR ITIS ..........................................................................67
TABLE 15: CATEGORIZATION AS PER PERFORMANCE ON GENDER FRIENDLY INDEX...........................................................67
TABLE 16: MAPPING OF GENDER FRIENDLY SCORE OF ITIS (STATE-WISE) WITH COMPOUNDED GROWTH IN ENROLMENT (2014-15 TO
2018-19) ...................................................................................................................................68
TABLE 17: APPRENTICESHIP VERIFICATION RATE ACROSS 12 STATES FOR BOTH FEMALE AND MALE......................................72
TABLE 18: RESPONDENT COUNT: FEMALE APPRENTICES ........................................................................................73
TABLE 19: KEY ISSUES IDENTIFIED DURING FGDS WITH THE APPRENTICES ...................................................................75
TABLE 20: NUMBER OF JOBS FAIRS ORGANIZED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS .....................................................................82
TABLE 21: NUMBER OF INDUSTRY PARTNERS PARTICIPATING ACROSS ITI JOB FAIRS EACH YEAR ..........................................83
TABLE 22: REASONS GIVEN BY TCPO REGARDING BARRIERS TO HIRING OF FEMALE WORKERS ............................................83
TABLE 23: TOP FIVE ADVANTAGES OF HIRING FEMALE EMPLOYEES AS CITED BY EMPLOYERS...............................................84
TABLE 24: EMERGING TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT AVENUES THAT FEMALES SHOULD EXPLORE – NEW JOB ROLES /OCCUPATIONS FOR
FEMALES TO EXPLORE .......................................................................................................................88
TABLE 25: MEASURES TAKEN BY PRINCIPALS FOR INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT ..................................................................96

TABLE 26: MAPPING OF COURSES OFFERED UNDER CTS AND CITS AT NSTIS ..............................................................98
TABLE 27: SAMPLE INDICATORS FOR EVALUATING ITI’S GENDER FRIENDLINESS ........................................................... 104
Glossary of terms
Glossary of terms
Acronyms Description
ADB Asian Development Bank
AISHE All India Survey on. Higher Education.
ATI Advanced Training Institute
BEL Bharat Electronics Limited
BHEL Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
BPM Business Process Management
B. Voc Bachelor of Vocational Education
CII Confederation of Indian Industry
CITS Crafts Instructor Training Scheme
CNC Computerized Numerical Control
COPA Computer Operator & Programming Assistant
CTS Craftsmen Training Scheme
DGT Directorate General of Training
DRDO Defence Research and Development Organization
DST Dual System of Training
FGD Focus Group Discussion
GAP Gender Action Plan
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GER Gross Enrolment Rate
FER Female Enrolment Ratio
FGD Focus Group Discussion
FLFP Female Labor Force Participation
FWP Female Workforce Participation
FY Financial Year
HAL Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
HP Himachal Pradesh
HR Human Resources
GSVA Gross State Value Added
IAMSME Integrated Association of Micro Small & Medium Enterprises of India
ICTSM Information Communication Technology System Maintenance
IDDS Identify Design Deliver Sustain Framework
IEC Information, Education and Communication
ILO International Labour Organization
IMC Institute Management Committee
IMF International Monetary Fund
IOT Internet of Things
ITI Industrial Training Institute
ITOT Institutes for Training of Trainers
J&K Jammu & Kashmir
LFPR Labor Force Participation Rate
M&E Monitoring & Evaluation
MES Modular Employability Scheme
MIS Management Information System
MNRE Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
MoLE Ministry of Labour & Employment
MOOC Massive Open Online Courses
MoM Minutes of the Meeting
MoU Memorandum of Understanding
MSDE Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
MSME Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
NAC National Apprentice Certificate
NAPS National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme
NCAER National Council of Applied Economic Research
NCERT National Council of Educational Research and Training
NCVT National Council of Vocational Training
NCVT-MIS National Council of Vocational Training-Management Information System
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
NMDC National Mineral Development Corporation
NSDC National Skill Development Corporation
NSSO National Sample Survey Organization
NSVA Net State Value Added
NSDM National Skill Development Mission
NSQF National Skill Qualification Framework
NSTI National Skill Training Institute
NSTI-W National Skill Training Institute for Women
NVEQF National Vocational Education Qualification Framework
NTC National Trade Certificate
NVTI National Skill Training Institute
OBC Other Backward Caste
PMKVY Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana
PRI Panchayati Raj Institutions
RPL Recognition of Prior Learning
SC Schedule Caste
SDGs Sustainable Development Goals
SIDA Swedish International Development Authority
SME Small and medium-sized enterprises
SNA Social Network Analysis
ST Schedule Tribe
STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
STRIVE Skills Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement
TA/DA Transport allowance/Dearness allowance
TCP Training Counseling Placement
TCPO Training Counseling Placement Officer
TESDA Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Philippines)
TN Tamil Nadu
TVET Technical and Vocational Education Training
U-DISE Unified District Information on School Education
UN United Nations
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UP Uttar Pradesh
UT Union Territory
VET Vocational Education Training
VTIP Vocational Training Improvement Program
WIPS Women in Public Sector
WB West Bengal
WEF World Economic Forum
WPO Worker Population Ratio
WVTP Women’s Vocational Training Programme
Executive summary
Executive summary
Female labor force participation rate (FLFPR) for any country is an indicator of an inclusive developmental
paradigm. In India, despite an increase in the school enrolment and attainment of enrolment parity with male
counterparts, a large part of the female working age population is still absent from the labor market. As per the
International Labour Organization’s Global Employment Trends 2013 Report, India ranks 120th out of 131
countries for female labor force participation. FLFP rates in India remain low and have even fallen in recent
years.
The Government of India, through its policy framework and programmatic initiatives is striving to create a large
industry led workforce for India and make it the Skill Capital of the World. This will be better achieved if both
men and women in the country have access to vocational training programs. The Indian government has been
proactive in rolling out measures to increase female labor force participation rate such as educational
scholarships, reservations/quotas, self-employment/entrepreneurial support, capacity building/skill training
programs. However, challenges in effective implementation and skimmed access to the beneficiaries coupled
with deep rooted social norms causing gender specific constraints, led to the programs producing limited
results and the FLFP rates continue to dwindle low.
The dual challenge faced by the skill training institutes is to improve women’s access to existing institutions as
well as keeping pace with the emerging and changing requirements of skilled workforce for the industry. India
is moving towards adoption of Industry 4.0 — big data, high computing capacity, artificial intelligence, analytics
and robotics — are set to redefine the way businesses run their enterprises. As entire industries adjust, most
occupations are undergoing a fundamental transformation. While some jobs are threatened by redundancy and
others grow rapidly, existing jobs are also going through a change in the skill sets required to do them. This
dynamic scenario makes it even more crucial to ensure that gender dimensions are incorporated in the
planning process and policies made more agile to accommodate their concerns.
The study
This study was commissioned by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship through the
Directorate General of Training, under ambit of the Skills Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement
(STRIVE) program to understand the key policy imperatives to increase female participation in vocational
training programs and to enable their smooth transition to avenues of earning a livelihood and determine the
demand and supply constraints in ITIs, apprenticeship and labor market. The objectives of the study are to:
 Determine the demand and supply constraints in ITIs, apprenticeship and the labor market
 Analyze government intervention in setting up of National Skill Training Institutes (NSTI) for encouraging
women participation in skills, recommend optimum utilization of infrastructure
 Identify specific constraints faced by young women in accessing skilling opportunities
 Provide insights to identify new demand driven entry points into skilling opportunities and labor market
Research design
The research design made use of mixed methods, both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Use of
qualitative tools helped in understanding the perspectives of different stakeholders, especially females – the
challenges they faced and enabling factors. Quantitative analysis provided trends in enrolment, dropouts and
other related parameters and helped to triangulate the findings from qualitative research.
The study spanned 12 states which were selected after going through an elaborate process of filtering states in
each region using parameters for their gender friendliness. These states were: Assam, Chhattisgarh, Haryana,
Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and
West Bengal. At the next level purposive sampling was used to ensure inclusion of ITIs according to type
(government /private); student mix (co-ed/only women); location (rural/urban). Wherever NSTIs for women
were available were included in the study. Thus 10 NSTIs were part of the sample. A sample of 367 ITIs was
selected for the study out of which 64 were shortlisted for physical visits by the team. It was also decided to
visit at least one industry in the district visited by the team after ensuring that MSMEs, large industries and
PSUs were covered in each state visited. A total of 67 industries were visited by the research team.
Responses were collected from 1807 respondents which included students, faculty and principals from the ITIs
and the NSTIs, representatives from the industry, apprentices, female workers and other respondents. The
findings were analyzed to identify barriers related to institution, the individual and policy level.
Key findings
I. Demand of the industry and skilling opportunities for women
Secondary research of the limited gender disaggregated data pertaining to employment shows limited
preparedness among women to take advantage of the emerging job opportunities, not to mention the changing
requirements of the industry in coming years.
Skill gap study conducted by the NSDC over 2010-2014, indicates that there is an additional net incremental
demand of 10.9 core skilled manpower by 2022 in 24 key sectors. Out of these 24 sectors, 77% of demand is
concentrated across sectors such as building, construction and real estate, transportation and logistics, beauty
and wellness, furniture and furnishing, tourism, hospitality and travel, textile and clothing, retail and
handlooms and handicrafts with an incremental demand for manpower of 8.52 crore by 2022. However, when
one analyses the female enrolment trends in the ITIs, it is found that only 37% of female enrolments between
2014-18 were in these high demand sectors. Presence of women in mainstream engineering trades is almost
negligible. Women are mostly present in non-engineering trades like dress making, COPA, surface
ornamentation, etc.
While sectoral changes are apparent with the surge in the demand for automation, even the skill profile across
sectors is seeing an evident change. Responses from industry representatives highlight the following skills that
are becoming more important to encourage women towards higher employability: creativity, complex
information processing and interpretation, entrepreneurship and initiative taking, leadership and managing
others, advanced IT skills and programming and basic digital skills.
II. Trends of enrolment of females in ITIs
 The proportion of females in ITIs in the last 5 years has increased considerably, however, females make up
only 21% of the student cohort in ITIs and have a dominated presence in the non-engineering trades, about
60% of the trainee cohort in 2018. The apprenticeship cohort from the 367 ITIs had only 11%
representation of females and were found to be concentrated across a few trades.
 There are variations in enrolment / participation patterns across ITIs by affiliation, i.e. government or
private, by geography i.e. rural or urban and by student mix i.e. coeducational or women only. The data
yields that, proportion of females is higher in government ITIs as compared to private ones, 33% and 20%
respectively, indicative of an evident preference towards government ITIs. The enrolments trends of
females in rural ITIs are seen to be more promising, with female enrolments almost doubling in the last 5
years.
 The administrative data collected from the ITIs showed that in the last 5 years the dropout rates have
continued to be a cause of concern. The dropout rates for females was recorded at an average of 23% with
variations across the categories of ITIs.
III. Constraints faced by females in accessing skilling opportunities in the ITIs
Institutional challenges
 Physical access to the ITIs because of their remote location and lack of transportation was cited as a
barrier by most female students. The problem is compounded by the harassment they face while on their
way to the ITIs. During focused group discussions more female students from rural tribal areas felt the
need for residential facilities for them, which at present are almost non-existent. By and large, females
vociferously expressed the need for availability of transportation for them.
 Lack of basic amenities especially toilets. The toilets were found to be in poor condition in almost all the
ITIs visited by the team.
 Difficulty in online enrolment, as repeated visits to a cybercafé is both costly and inconvenient. They often
have to depend on their male relatives to get access to the internet.
 Limited options of trades are offered at the ITIs for females especially trades considered non-traditional for
them.
 Gender stereotyping in the choice of trades reinforced by the faculty through actions such as assuming
that females will not be able to pursue courses that require physical labor, making them observe practical
training rather than doing it themselves, etc.
 Lack of counselling, career guidance, post training support for entrepreneurship and soft skill training in
ITIs poses a challenge to them during transition to employment post training. Most ITIs visited by the team
did not have a dedicated placement officer.
 While the number of job fairs organized by the ITIs has increased, participation of the industry in these
fairs was found have decreased in the last five years.
Societal challenges
 A general perception among parents is that the trades offered at the ITIs are more suited for males,
therefore, there is reluctance among parents to seek admission for their daughters in these institutes. This
perception gets reinforced because they do not get proper information about what the ITIs have to offer.
The main source of information about the ITIs remain their friends and relatives. About 77% students
mentioned that they learnt about the ITIs through these two sources.
 Parents are willing to seek admission for their daughters in women only ITIs. Women only ITIs are showing
a steady increase of enrolment of female students. Their enrolment has doubled in the last five years.
However, in these institutes also fewer females opt for trades considered non-traditional for them, which
makes the ITIs open doors for men to make it viable. It is seen that enrolment of boys in women’s only
institutes have increased fourfold since 2015 which indicates that the ITIs struggle to fill up the seats with
female candidates for these trades.
 Females also identified marriage as one of the main reasons as to why they drop out of the course,
especially when they have to relocate after marriage. In addition, the females often find it hard to balance
and cope with the dual burden of training and household responsibilities. There are no creche facilities at
any ITIs.
Financial challenges
 The fees at the private ITIs is quite high and found to be unaffordable by students. This becomes a problem
for the females, especially for ones from economically weaker sections. The families often prefer to
support their male child’s education than investing in their daughter’s education.
 In addition to the training fee, the costs incurred for travel to the ITIs is an added burden. When the ITIs
are located at a distance from the females’ home without much public conveyance options, it puts an
additional burden on them.
The team identified seven parameters based on which gender friendliness of the ITIs was mapped and graded on
a three-point scale. These parameters were location, availability of functional toilets, availability of
transportation, female faculty, safety and security, residential facilities and additional efforts made by the ITI to
increase enrolment of females. Subsequently impact of each of these parameters was seen on enrolment. Out of
these three parameters; location, female faculty and safety measures in the campus, were found to have a
strong positive relationship with the growth in enrolment over the years.
IV. Constraints faced by females in labor market as apprentices and employees
Proportion of verified female apprentices out of total number of apprentices varies across states from as low
as 3% (Rajasthan) to 24% (Kerala). Females continue to face many barriers to enter the labor market and
access decent work, such as, choice of work, working conditions, employment security, low stipend,
discrimination and balancing the burdens of work and family responsibilities. Some of these challenges shared
by female apprentices and employees were as follows:
 Access to information about apprenticeship program is limited. The ITI graduates working as apprentices
had limited support from their institutes in terms of establishing industry ties and securing
apprenticeships. Most of the apprentices spoken to said they mainly were dependent on their family, peers
and relatives for information related to placement and apprenticeship opportunities. Information
asymmetry along with lack of proper counseling at ITI makes it difficult for the females to identify trades
and their prospects for apprenticeship and placements. Respondents also shared that there is shortage of
apprenticeship opportunities for non- engineering trades.
 The flagship scheme for apprenticeship under Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship -
National Apprentices Promotion Scheme (NAPS) is an entirely portal based system for both the apprentice
and the employer. This may have streamlined the process of recruitment of apprenticeship and made it
paperless, but it poses a challenge to the females. As in the case of ITI enrolment, the females may have to
be dependent on male members of their family for access to internet and a computer system. Besides,
there is no channel for help/IT support for NAPS portal that the females can resort to incase of difficulty.
On the market side, MSME too reported the process to be cumbersome. Some other companies hiring
through NAPS felt it makes the process impersonal.
 The apprentices from ITIs also felt that there is a gap between their existing skill sets as compared to the
industry expectation of job, this leading to low productivity at work / poor outcomes. They shared that
they were not given tasks to match their skill sets since most employers believed females prefer to take up
job roles that are less strenuous. Similar concerns were shared by the female employee also.
 Female apprentices from the ITIs reported that they do not get a comparative advantage than the fresh
apprentices because the industry, especially the large ones, do not recognize that the apprentices from
ITIs have better skills. This is very demotivating for them.
 The distance of the enterprise from the residence of the female apprentices creates a barrier. There is a
cost factor and safety factor when the females must travel long distance to attend apprenticeships. This
problem is even more acute for apprentices in the rural areas due to lack of opportunities locally
 The families are skeptical when the females join enterprises as apprentices or employees if they had to
travel long distance for them same. Females also face resistance regarding the nature of job role they
choose, strenuous and machine related job roles are usually not as readily accepted by their families.
 Females respondents from the labor market felt that the workplaces are not sensitive to gendered needs,
in terms of the behavior of their male counterparts, availability of toilets
V. Employers also face challenges while onboarding females
 Employers pointed that very few females apply for manufacturing, factory based or outdoor jobs even
after repeated advertisements. They have preference for desk jobs, customer facing jobs, software related
jobs, for which apprenticeship opportunities are fewer than manufacturing. The reasons cited by the
employers for their inability to hire female employees in larger numbers resonated with what even the ITI
functionaries had mentioned, i.e., the candidates being reluctant to travel and hesitation to take up
laborious job roles
 Employers find a skill mismatch of the female recruits, wherein they have to invest more time and efforts
in training them to have them work on complicated machinery and equipment
 Some employers, especially MSMEs, are reluctant to meet the extra cost incurred on account of putting in
place extra security, pick and drop services during night shifts, restricted working hours for women, etc.
 Employers observe that the output of females gets impacted once she gets married and has a child and
fear the female employees would relocate after marriage and leave the job. Employers feels this wastes
the resources they put into their training and development. Therefore, they may prefer to employ men who
may be more willing to put extra hours at work
VI. National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs)
The NSTIs have a mandate to develop skilled manpower for industry, instructional staff for the Industrial
Training Institutes and upgrade the skill of in-service persons from industry. Amongst the NSTIs visited as part
of the study had very good infrastructure. The institutes provide a good ambience for learning through well-
equipped classrooms, hostel facilities and well-maintained overall infrastructure. The NSTIs were found to have
up-to date and more advanced machinery than available at the ITIs. However, when seen from the lens of the
mandate given to them, it was found that more students were opting for the CTS courses than the CITS
courses, that are required to become an instructor. At the NSTIs also it was found that there is preference for
non-engineering trades. Only 7% seats remain vacant for the non-engineering trades as compared to more than
25% seats in engineering trades. None of the NSTIs were found to do any significant work towards upgradation
of skills of persons from the industry.
Given the fact that the NSTIs have very good infrastructure and there is a need to enhance gender friendliness
at the ITIs, it is suggested that the NSTIs become state resource centers for the ITIs to support them to
improve their pedagogy and help bridge the gap in offering high quality training with specific focus on females.
Some specific suggestions are as follows:
 Development of need-based modules which can be used by the staff at the ITIs. For example, modules for
gender sensitization of staff
 Conduct research on a regular basis to develop intelligence around demands of the industry and need for
introducing relevant skills especially for females
 Facilitate interaction with the industry associations, demand aggregation and supporting the ITIs in
planning relevant trainings
 Develop capacity of the ITIs to enhance gender friendliness
 Serve as incubation centers to support self-employment/entrepreneurship
Recommendations
In view of the above challenges that have been identified by engaging with various stakeholders, what is
desirable now is a policy framework encouraging and enabling female participation that considers the gender-
specific constraints that most females face
Area / Recommendation
Policy  Review of policies and guidelines related to ITIs and

apprenticeship from a gender perspective
Key stakeholder: Ministry of Skill
Development and Entrepreneurship  Incentives to MSMEs to engage female apprentices and
employees
 Creation of a needs-based fund for the ITIs to support gender
friendly programs and activities
 Scholarships for females to help overcome financial barrier and
incentives for those pursuing engineering related trades
 Redefine the role of NSTIs as hubs to promote gender diversity
in the ITIs
 Collaboration with other ministries and resource agencies to
address the barriers at the ITIs and at workplace
Strategy  Support state directorates to create awareness about the ITIs

using different media
Key stakeholder: Directorate General
of Training  Strengthen counselling services for female trainees at all
stages
 Safety and security of females to be prioritized
 Leadership training for the principals of the ITIs and gender
sensitization for the faculty and students
 Include parameters related to gender friendliness in the
grading system
 Introduce a flexi approach to popularize the apprenticeship
program among students and MSMEs
Implementation:  Include communication strategy in the plan to create

awareness about the ITIs
Industrial Training Institutes
 Social mobilization plan for better engagement with the
community
 Effective career guidance
 Strengthen soft skills training for students
 Plan and implement measures to ensure safety of female
trainees within the ITI
Chapter 1: Introduction
1. Introduction
The United National Population Fund (UNFPA) reports that currently India has its largest ever adolescent and
youth population. According to projections, India will continue to have one of the youngest populations in the
world till 2030, which is perceived as the window of opportunity, with a spurt in the working age population.
However, to realize the benefits of this demographic transition completely, the working age population must be
empowered with skills, education and employment opportunities.
While the schooling system improves the literacy levels of the country, it is post school education including skill
and vocational training that equip the youth with marketable skills to enter and sustain in the labor market. Skill
gap studies commissioned by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship report that an incremental
demand for 10.9 crore1 human resources will be created by 24 high growth sectors in India by 2022. ( PIB 2015)
On the supply side, the prevailing skill levels of country are worrisome, with only 4.69% of India’s workforce said
to have received formal skilling training (National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, 2015).
This increases the need to skill the youth of India with scale, speed and quality to fulfil the needs of the
manpower in the economy and counter the situation of skill mismatch in the country.
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) was formed in the year 2014, to converge all the
skill development efforts towards a common objective with clear policy imperatives. The Ministry has since been
acting as the nodal force for unifying the fragmented efforts of skill development in the country. The federated
role of MSDE was guided by the National Policy of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015 and National
Skill Development Mission that provides the ecosystem with the policy prerogative and strategy mechanism.
MSDE also launched the Skill India Mission to amalgamate the efforts made by various states, ministries and
departments to improve the skill development and entrepreneurship ecosystem and ramp up the process of
equipping the youth of the country with marketable skills.
The above initiatives have gained considerable momentum with over 2.5 crore students trained, assessed and
certified under Skill India Mission2, the flagship initiative by Government of India. However, there are some
challenges that remain to be countered to fully realize the impact of the skill programs. The 2015 policy on Skill
Development and Entrepreneurship outlines three main reasons for why skilling has not taken roots as it has in
many other countries. First, perception about skilling programs, where it is considered to have lower value than
other formal education programs. Second, the industry, especially the MSMEs, treat skilled and semi-skilled
individuals at par, thereby undermining the importance of acquiring vocational skills. Third, the vocational
training programs are not aligned with the requirements of the industry.
While the above has a bearing on the entire youth of the nation, its triangulation with other socio-economic
factors, impacts females more adversely, especially so in developing nations like India. Gender bias norms
around work, mobility, information and access to networks hinder full optimization of the benefits of the various
education and skill programs (Moore, Pande and Prillaman 2018). Females make up 48.5% of India’s population3,
making it imperative for the country to be able to harness the skills and competencies of this population
segment.
Equal participation of men and women is critical and desirable for economic and societal transformation and
taking due cognizance of the same, through sustained efforts by the government and other stakeholders, gender
parity at the school level has improved in the last decade. As per Educational Statistics at a Glance (ESAG),
2018, over the years, remarkable progress has been made in respect of female participation up-to secondary
level and Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for females has exceeded that of boys, at primary through senior
secondary levels.4 Various schemes and programs were introduced to ensure not just an increase in school
enrolment but also a reduction in drop outs and encouraging retention. However, the figures see a dip at the
higher education level for females, with a GER of only 23%. Similar discouraging trends are seen with labor force
participation rates for females being as low as 23.6% in 2018 (The World Bank 2019). Many studies are now the
1
1 crore = 10 million
2
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, 2018. Accessed from
https://www.msde.gov.in/assets/images/latest%20news/MSDE%20Achievement%20Release_Final_June6th.pdf
3
Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation, Women and Men in India - A statistical compilation of Gender related
Indicators in India, 2018. Accessed from:
http://www.mospi.gov.in/sites/default/files/publication_reports/Women%20and%20Men%20%20in%20India%202018.pdf
4
Ministry of Human Resource Department, Education Statistics at a Glance, 2018, Page 11. Accessed from:
https://mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/statistics-new/ESAG-2018.pdf
exploring the decline in the Female Labor Force Participation (FLFP) and finding answers to the question - why
are more females dropping out of the labor force despite increase in educational levels, urbanization and rise in
the economy?
One of the reasons diagnosed in previous studies (World Bank/ILO, 20135; ADB, 20156) shows that increasing
levels of stability in family income has a deterring impact on female’s participation in the labor force. Further, the
lowest incidence of FLFP rates were found to be among those who had attained secondary and postsecondary
(10+2) levels of education in both rural and urban areas. The FLFP rate was identified to be the highest among
illiterates and college graduates in both areas. This implied that FLFP was higher for females who were either
highly skilled or had to work out of necessity and low for those females who had a support structure with
relatively higher income stability. Further, this was found to be linked to the perceived roles for females in
traditional Indian society which ascribes them to be the caretakers. The studies found that these ascribed roles
affect females both before and after marriage. Low female labor force participation was influenced by high
opportunity costs associated with females. These opportunity costs were primarily rooted in domestic
responsibilities such as rearing the children and other household chores. This socialization process not only
impacts female participation in the labor market, but also hinders female enrolment and participation within the
Technical and Vocation Education and Training (TVET) ecosystem within India.
This calls for systemic analysis to assess how the state led programs address underlying barriers to female
participation in vocational training and labor markets
1.1 Female labor force participation

Out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), goal
number 5 targets gender equality, to empower girls and
women and aims at providing equal access to women and “India ranks 135th out of 187 nations on
girls towards, education, health care, opportunities to work the gender inequality index and 108th
and participation in political and economic decision-making out of 148 on the global gender gap
will help economies become sustainable. Oxfam in its report index.”
on unemployment (Mind the gap – State of unemployment in (UNDP 2018)
India, March 2019) estimates that the GDP would rise by 43%
(based on estimated GDP for 2017 – 18) if women had the (World Economic Forum 2018)
same work participation rates as men. However, literature on
female representation in TVET is replete with instances of
under representation of females.
As per the International Labor Organization’s Global Employment Trends 2013 Report, India ranks 120 th out of
131 countries in female’s labor force participation7. Female’s workforce participation in the country is lower
than many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. Similar results are seen upon a comparison with
the South Asian and South East Asian countries falling in the lower middle-income category. The figure given
below shows some of these countries and the respective female participation rates.
5
Possible Future for Indian Apprenticeship System Options: Paper for India, WB & ILO, 2013
6
Women in the workforce: an unmet potential in Asia and the Pacific, ADB, 2015
7
International Labour Organisation (2013), India: Why is women’s labour force participation dropping?. Accessed from
https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/comment-analysis/WCMS_204762/lang--en/index.htm
Figure 1: labor force participation rates across countries
Source: World Bank (2019), Labor force participation rate, female (percentage of female population ages 15+), Accessed from
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.FE.ZS , in July 2019
Data from the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO)8, shows that during 2017-18, about 54.9% of rural
males and 18.2% of rural females were in the labor force. The corresponding figure for urban areas was about
57% of males and 15.9% of females were in the labor force. There has been a sharp decline of about 12
percentage points in FLFP between 2004-2018. World bank figures looking at the trend on a wider scale shows
that from 1990 to about 2005 there was marginal increase in FLFP rate after which it has shown a steady
decline.
Figure 2 trend: female labor force participation rate in India
35
30
25
20
Female Labor Force
Participation Rate
15
10
5
0
1998
2008
2018
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Year
Female Labour Force Participation Rate
8
Periodic Labour Force Survey, NSSO, May 2019
Source: World Bank (2019), Labor force participation rate, female (percentage of female population ages 15+), Accessed from
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.FE.ZS , in July 2019
As the trend indicates, the sharp decline in the female labor force participation rate raises questions about the
inclusiveness of the development paradigm. Low female labor force participation has both macro and microlevel
implications, namely significant underutilization of labor resources in the economy, lack of access to economic
opportunities and low familial decision-making powers to the female respectively. India Skills Report 2019 shows
that over the years there has been little to no improvement as far as female representation at workplace is
concerned. While the country progresses, females make up only 25% of India Inc. and a much lesser proportion at
managerial positions.
Figure 3: participation of females in Indian labor force
Source: India Skills Report 2019
Sector wise variation in hiring

The India Hiring Intent Survey 2018 reported the average gender ratio at workplaces is about 77:23. Sectors like
automotive, oil and gas record participation of females lower than 15%. The proportion of females however is
relatively better in the service sector with 50%, 38%, 27%, 25% and 22% in retail, BPO/KPO, software and travel
and hospitality and BFSI respectively.
Figure 4: gender diversity industry wise
88 91 91
87
75 78 78
73
62
50 50
38
27 25 22 22
13 12 9 9
BPO,KPO &ITES
Other manufacturing
Core sector (Oil, Gas &power)

Travel and hospitality
Retail
Software,Hardware&IT
Consumer goods and durables

Banking and Financial Service
Engineering and Automotive

Insurance
Male Proportion in workforce Female Proporton in workforce
Source: India Skills Report 2018, India hiring intent result
“…sectors with the fastest growth and maximum hiring – telecom, banking and the core sectors — are
dominated by men. In telecom, 83.84% of all employees are men; 78.79% in banking, financial services and
insurance and 74.75% in core sectors like oil and gas, power, steel and minerals, according to the India Skills
Report 2017. Women themselves show a clear preference for trades that are traditionally ‘women oriented’:
beauty and healthcare for instance.”
Clement Chauvet, UNDP’s chief of skills and development9
Chauvet, UNDP’s c hie f o f skills an d de velo pm ent 9
Gender disparity in wages

Not only are females underrepresented in the workforce, the gender-based gap in wages remains to be a cause
of concern. World economic forum’s Gender Gap report, 2018 ranks India at 72 out of 149 countries for wage
equality for similar work survey. The wage gap exists for all kind of workers – regular and casual, urban and rural.
The females employed as casual workers in the rural economy earn the lowest in India, which is 22% of what
urban regular male workers earn (ILO 2018).
The report mentions that large part of the wage disparity stems from discrimination against women which varies
in level basis the choice of industry and location of employment. A woman’s marital and maternal status also has
impact on the employers while fixing their wages. The report points out another trend pertaining to wage
differentials and highlight that it is more pronounced in the low skill/low earning group and gradually decreases
as a woman’s career progresses. Females in managerial and other evolved positions are better aware of their
rights and entitlements and are in a better position to raise voice against workplace discrimination.
9
Quoted in “Why Indian Workplaces Are Losing Women”, 2017 by the Wire.in. Accessed from https://thewire.in/labour/indian-
workplaces-losing-women-nationwide
1.2 Female participation in vocational training and apprenticeship
Time and again succeeding governments have devised policy interventions to positively impact the lives of
females through education, entrepreneurial development and vocational skills aimed to encourage more females
to access education and participate in vocational training. But the desired results are far from being achieved.
Despite the government’s measures, India’s female literacy rate is 65.46% (as per Census 2011), 14 percentage
points below the world average of 79.7%. The National Colloquium Report 2017 by NCPCR states that 39.4% of
the adolescent girls in the age group of 15-18 years are not attending any educational institutions and of this
64.8% do so because they are forced to undertake household duties.
1.2.1 Vocational training through the ITIs

The vocational training system is India is anchored throughout the country via the network of more than 14,000
Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) training over 20 lakh youth each year under the administrative overview of
Directorate General of Training (DGT) under Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship10. However, the
proportion of female students in the ITIs is only about 12% (DGT, MIS, 2019).
Several measures have been taken to encourage female participation in the ITIs — such as women only ITIs and
seat reservation for females in government ITIs. Unfortunately, these measures have not had the desired effect
because these have not been utilized optimally. While a 30% seat reservation policy was introduced in some ITIs
it is found to be not fully optimized. Even the seats in women only ITIs remain underutilization of the seats, which
have resulted in these ITIs to open their doors for males to cover for the expenses of running the institutes. A
tracer study commissioned by Mott Macdonald shows that ITIs record an approximate 30% of female enrolment
only (Mott MacDonald 2018).
A look at the data across all states in India shows that about 12 states contribute to about 80% participation of
female trainees in the ITIs. Only eight states have a favorable proportion of female enrolments in ITIs
Table 1: proportion of females in ITIs state-wise
Female participation: rural urban ratio Percentage
Female, rural 18
Female, urban 82
The eight states with more than 50% female participation in ITIs Percentage
1. Puducherry 79.19
2. Uttarakhand 68.20
3. Mizoram 66.19
4. Assam 63.58
5. Gujarat 58.03
6. Delhi 57.06
7. Madhya Pradesh 52.91
8. Arunachal Pradesh 52.34
The eight lowest performing states with less than 20% female participation Percentage
10
In 208-19, 23.08 lakh youth were trained across 14939 ITIs - Year End Review -2019 of Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship, PIB. Accessed from https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=195969
1. Dadra and Nagar Haveli 0.00
2. Bihar 9.90
3. Nagaland 11.01
4. Daman and Diu 12.56
5. Jharkhand 12.93
6. Manipur 16.39
7. Meghalaya 16.58
8. Andhra Pradesh 17.11
The 14 states with female participation percentage in ITIs below national average (less Percentage
than 32%)
1. Dadra and Nagar Haveli 0.00
2. Bihar 9.90
3. Nagaland 11.01
4. Daman and Diu 12.56
5. Jharkhand 12.93
6. Manipur 16.39
7. Meghalaya 16.58
8. Andhra Pradesh 17.11
9. Rajasthan 23.28
10. Tamil Nadu 23.61
11. Kerala 24.31
12. Tripura 24.40
13. Himachal Pradesh 25.45
14. Maharashtra 25.81
12 states alone contribute 80%age of female participation in ITIs
Source: India Stat database 2017 – State wise Number of trainees under ITIs in rural and urban areas by gender in
India (2017)
Furthermore, concentration of females in a select few sectors is a universal challenge, both in training and
employment. For instance, a study commissioned by TVET Asia11 across Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
11
TVET Asia is an open content online journal for scientists and practitioners in the field of Technical and Vocational Education
and Training (TVET) and Vocational Teacher Education (VTE) in the East and Southeast- Asian region
Thailand and Vietnam cited that “women feel destined to choose professions such as nursing, hospitality, arts
and crafts, etc., which are characterized by low market demand and career progression prospects.” This in turn
creates low employability outcomes for women in skill development and discourages more women from
participating in TVET. The same can be said for the Indian context also. Some countries, such as Philippines are
making efforts to address this challenge, where the government is investing in sectors with female
underrepresentation. Its Technical Education and Skills Development Authority’s (TESDA) Women’s Center offers
vocational training to women to equip them for work in industrial sectors traditionally dominated by men.
Courses include electrical installation and maintenance, motorcycle and small engine servicing and plumbing.
However, by and large, this remains a challenge for women in vocational training and skill development.
In the ITIs in India too, trainings see a gendered dichotomy wherein female enrolment is often seen concentrated
in a few trades such as non-engineering trades like dressmaking, computer operations and program assistant,
surface ornamentation and similar non-engineering trades. Adolescent girls are an emerging priority group but
interventions for skills still struggle to mobilize them towards skilling programs that translate into jobs.
Moreover, there is still less focus on non-stereotype skilling that caters to contemporary market demands - for
example skills required to operate cash counters at large grocery stores, for being delivery agents for food apps
or couriers, mobile repair, etc. are required (World Bank 2019).
Information asymmetry continues to be another challenge hindering participation of women in training
programs, education and employment opportunities. Most the information reaches the women through word of
mouth network of immediate family and relatives. Observer Research Foundation and the World Economic Forum
revealed that 70% youth are not aware of government programs and schemes on skill development and 51% lack
guidance on identifying jobs that can match their skill sets or type of skill sets that can be gained (Observer
Research Foundation 2018).
1.2.2 Females in apprenticeship in India

An ILO (2013)12 report estimates that proportion of apprentices in India as compared to its work force is a mere
0.01% and compares unfavorably with countries such as Germany and Australia, which both have around 3.7% of
their workforces participating in apprenticeships. Within this, participation of female apprentices is even lower. A
study13 undertaken in eight countries - India, Egypt, South Africa, Finland, England, Australia, Germany and
Denmark the number of apprentices per 1000 of labor force population in the age group 15-64 years were
compared. India was found to be performing the worse in this case.
Figure 5: number of apprentices per 1000 in the labor forces: comparison of eight nations
47
32 31
22
18
5
1 1
Denmark England Germany Australia Finland South Aftrica Egypt India
Number of apprentices per 1000 in the labour force
Source: People and Policy – A comparative study of apprenticeship across 8 national contexts, University of Oxford,
12
International Labour Organization (2013), Possible Futures for the Indian Apprenticeship in India. Accessed from
https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---sro-new_delhi/documents/publication/wcms_234727.pdf
13
People and Policy – A comparative study of apprenticeship across 8 national contexts, University of Oxford. Accessed from
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Maia_Chankseliani/publication/324064503_People_and_policy_A_comparative_study_o
f_apprenticeship_across_eight_national_contexts/links/5abb9982a6fdcc8aefe231d8/People-and-policy-A-comparative-study-
of-apprenticeship-across-eight-national-contexts.pdf )
While the low proportion of apprentices maybe accounted towards various factors, one of the challenges often
pointed out with respect to apprenticeship program was low stipend. Other existing challenges include lack of
coverage of apprenticeships in rural areas, absence of vertical mobility of apprentices into higher-level
qualifications and limited capacity of government to administer a larger apprenticeship system of the current
level of complexity among.
Apart from the aforementioned challenges, there is also an underrepresentation of female trainees as
apprentices in the country. An ILO report of 2013 while exploring the underrepresentation of women in
apprenticeships, suggests that this anomaly maybe owed to the fact that historically the trades that were
focused in apprenticeship were the one that were normally favored by male participants (ILO 2013). While there
is a need to improve the quality of the trades preferred by females, so they are at par with the male dominated
ones in terms of wage and perceived value, females should be encouraged to consider atypical skills and not
confine themselves to selection of trades as per gender stereotypes (Das 2018). Studies have also pointed the
localization of apprenticeship opportunities around urban areas and bigger organizations leads to under
representation of rural areas, since the stipend paid is often not enough to support migration or relocation.
1.3 The study

Government of India, through its policy framework and programmatic initiatives is striving to create a large
industry led workforce for India and make it the Skill Capital of the World. This will be better achieved if both men
and women in the country have access to vocational programs. National Policy for Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship, emphasizes the need for additional infrastructure for training of females with flexible training
delivery mechanisms such as mobile training units, flexible afternoon batches along with on local need-based
training to accommodate women; and ensuring safe and gender sensitive training environment, employment of
women trainers, equity in remuneration, and complaint redressal mechanism (Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship, GoI 2019).
This study has been commissioned by Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship through Directorate
General of Training, under ambit of Skills Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE) project.
STRIVE is a national program, being implemented by the Ministry of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship
(MSDE). The program is scheduled to run over five years and is supported by the World Bank with the objective of
increasing access to quality and market-driven vocational training provided in ITIs and apprenticeships. The
program amongst its various objectives also aims to make trainings at ITI more gender responsive through
measures such as performance-based funding approach for ITIs to incentivize them for taking steps towards
increasing enrolment of female candidates. It is expected that the outcome of this study will inform the planners
and decision makers to further enhance their efforts to increase diversity within the ITIs, apprenticeship program
and employment.
Chapter 2: Research methodology
2. Research methodology
2.1 Objectives of the study
The Terms of Reference outline the following objectives of the study:
 Diagnose the specific constraints faced by young women in accessing skilling opportunities, particularly
through ITIs, apprenticeships and productive work
 Determine the demand and supply side constraints for women in undertaking ITI and apprenticeship
training, and thereafter transition into the labor market
 Analyze the Government of India intervention of setting up National Skill Training Institutes (NSTI) for
encouraging women participation in skills training and recommend measures to optimally utilize the
infrastructure provided to these institutes in meeting its objectives
 Identify new demand-driven entry points into skilling opportunities and the labor market
While the title of the study mentions study to identify constraints to female participation in skills training and
labor market in India, the focus of skill training would be confined to training at the ITIs and apprenticeship
training. As mentioned, the learning drawn from this study will provide inputs to the STRIVE initiative of DGT
and provide specific recommendations to increase participation of women in ITIs, apprenticeship and workplace.
2.2 Approach to the study

A four-step approach was adopted for the study, encompassing of:
 Problem identification
 Collection of relevant information from different stakeholders
 Undertaking a comprehensive analysis of the situation
 To come up with recommendations suited to the STRIVE initiative
In doing so it was ensured that the aspects were examined through a gender lens at all stages of the study by
including both male and female respondents. The four-step approach described above was put into an
operational form using the identify – design – deliver – sustain (IDDS) approach.
Table 2: approach of the study
Identify Review of literature and analysis of secondary data to understand the issues
Design Information gathering from different stakeholders to get an understanding about barriers
Deliver Deliver analysis of information collected to get a more nuanced understanding of current status
Recommendation based on insights gained; provide inputs for gender friendly policies and
Sustain
strategies for vocational training
2.3 Methodology
For the study, a mixed methodology was used making use of both qualitative and quantitative research methods.
Use of qualitative tools helped understand the perspectives of different stakeholders especially females – the
challenges they faced and enabling factors. Quantitative analysis provided trends in enrolment, dropouts and
other related parameters and helped to triangulate the findings from qualitative research. Details of the
methodology used are given below.
2.3.1 Sampling
The following sampling methodology was used to select the states and respondents that represented all regions
and geographies.
Selection of states
Out of the 36 states and union Territories (UTs) in the country14, 12 sample states were selected for data collection
using purposive sampling through the following method:
 States and UTs with 20 or less ITIs were not considered for sample selection which eliminated 14 states
leaving 22 states as the universe for sample selection
 Ladakh was added as a UT only in August 2019 when data collection had already been initiated, therefore,
was not taken into consideration while sampling. Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir were also not included in
the sampling process for the following reasons:
 It would have been challenging to collect primary data from the ITIs in Jammu and Kashmir in a timely
manner due to the prevailing socio-political situation in the state
 Delhi being the capital city is positioned to avail better administrative facilitation with MSDE, which may
have skewed the findings. Besides Delhi being the only UT under consideration would not have given a
just representation of UTs among the other sample states.
 The remaining 20 states (also identified as major states of the country by National Council of Applied
Economic Research and used for calculation of various indices) were then categorized as per their
performance across seven indicators that broadly indicate gender friendly environment for females. These
following seven indicators were used to collate information:
 Sex ratio (Census 2011)15: Indicates that there is preference for boys in the society
 Female Transition Rate from elementary to secondary (2016)16: Indicates a higher proportion of
females would not be eligible to take admission in the ITIs
 Cognizable Crime Rate against women (2016)17: Relates to safety of women
 Female Labor Force Participation Rate (2011)18: Indicates opportunities for women to participate in
labor force among the other aspects that act as a barrier for absorption of women into the workforce
 Share of Services sector in Gross State Value Added (GSVA) Score19: Measure of the value of services
produced in the economy
 Share of Industry sector in Gross State Value Added (GSVA) Score20
 Physical Infrastructure Score: Represents level of infrastructure in a state.21 A functional infrastructure
is one of the primary requirements for success of the program, be it in terms of access to the skilling
centers via road or availability of electricity, drinking water, sanitary facilities, etc.
 Value for each parameter was taken from listed sources, accorded to respective states and then
standardized as the unit differed for each parameter. A composite score was used to categorize the States
into three parts — good, average and poor
Table 3: criteria for the division of states
14
Number of states and union territories as of March 2019
15
Source: Sex ratio (Census 2011)Census 2011
16
Source: U-DISE 2015-16
17
Source: Crime in India – 2016 Statistics, National Crime Records Bureau
18
Source: NSSO 2011
19
Source: The NCAER State Investment Potential Index, 2018
20
21
Criterion Standardized value
Good 1 and above
Average Between 0 and 1
Poor Below 0
 Once the states were scored, they were categorized into the five geographical zones: North, South, East,
West and Central
Table 4: division of states into five zones
North South East West Centre
Uttarakhand Tamil Nadu Assam Gujarat Chhattisgarh
Haryana Telangana Jharkhand Maharashtra Madhya Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh Kerala West Bengal Rajasthan
Punjab Karnataka Odisha
Himachal Pradesh Andhra Pradesh Bihar
 After categorizing the states as above, DGT, MSDE was consulted for final selection of the states. It was
suggested that for an even representation of states from the good, poor and average categories, four states
would be chosen from each which will also represent all the zones. Consequently, the number of states
covered under the study was decided to be 12.
 The final list of 12 sample states:
i. Assam
Figure 6: geographical spread of 12 sample states
ii. Chhattisgarh
iii. Haryana
iv. Himachal Pradesh
v. Jharkhand
vi. Karnataka
vii. Kerala
viii. Maharashtra
ix. Rajasthan
x. Tamil Nadu
xi. Uttar Pradesh
xii. West Bengal
Zone-wise categorization of States
North Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh
South Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala
East Assam, Jharkhand, West Bengal
West Maharashtra, Rajasthan
Centre Chhattisgarh
Selection of ITIs
 There are 815522 ITIs in the 12 sample states. The 8815 ITIs were further categorized by — ITI location
(rural-urban), ITI type / affiliation (government-private) and ITI student mix (co-ed and women only)23
 Using 8155 ITIs as the universe for the study, the statistical sample was calculated as 367 using 95%
confidence level.
Sample Size = 367
Table 5: sample calculation
Confidence level 95%
P 0.5
Error 0.05
Population size 8155
Alpha divided by 2 0.025
Z-Score 1.96
Mean 679.58
Std. Dev. 701.96
Sample size 366.86
Final sample size 367
 Stratified and purposive sampling technique was used for selection of ITIs for primary survey
 ITIs where there was no female participation (3233 ITIs) were removed from the universe
 The non-graded ITIs were also removed from the universe (2645 ITIs). These institutes had opted not
to participate in the grading process, which was indicative of indifference to the process. However, it
was important to consider ITIs of different grades, therefore, care was taken to include ITIs of different
grades
 After the above steps 2287 remained as the effective universe. A ratio of the statistical sample and
2287 was taken:
367
× 100 = ~16%
2287
 2287 ITIs across the 12 states were stratified across the categories mentioned above. 16% ITIs were
shortlisted in each of the selected states
22
NCVT MIS information provided by DGT
23
Refer Annexure I A
 Subsequently through a process of discussion with the DGT, a sample of 64 ITIs that was a subset of
the 367 ITIs and representative of the sample was selected for primary data collection. A purposive
approach was adopted to ensure that there was adequate representation of ITIs according to
geography, affiliation and type of institute. A joint decision was taken with DGT to include more
government ITIs and from rural areas. A list of ITIs selected for the field visits is placed in Annexure I.C
and I.D
Selection of NSTIs for primary and secondary data collection
There are 33 NSTIs across India. It was decided to visit the women only NSTIs, which are 10 in number. The list
of NSTIs visited is placed in Annexure I.F Therefore, the following number of ITIs and NSTIs were selected for
primary and secondary data collection:
Table 6: number for ITIs and NSTIs covered through primary and secondary data collection
State Secondary data collection Primary data collection NSTI
Assam 5 3 -
Chhattisgarh 20 5 -
Haryana 34 6 1
Himachal Pradesh 16 6 1
Jharkhand 7 4 1
Karnataka 15 6 1
Kerala 27 5 1
Maharashtra 65 6 1
Rajasthan 53 6 1
Tamil Nadu 17 5 1
Uttar Pradesh 82 6 1
West Bengal 27 6 1
Grand total 367 64 10
Selection of industries for the visit

It was decided that at least one industry would be visited that is in the vicinity of every ITI. While the convenience
sampling has been used here but care was taken to include all three types of industries – the MSMEs, PSUs and
large industries in each state. 67 industries were visited by the team the list of which is given in the
Annexure 1.G
2.3.2 Data collection

Review of literature
Extensive review of literature was undertaken by the team to gain a perspective on the existing knowledge
related to participation of female in TVET and the labor market. The information so gathered was used to
prepare the tools for respondents such that additional information could be gathered to build on the existing
knowledge and gaps identified for further enquiry.
Secondary data collection
Secondary data was also used for analysis and triangulation purpose. This entailed the usage of ITI information
hosted on NCVT MIS portal for the 367 ITIs. In addition to this, other data sources were used to access
secondary data especially the one related to labor market trends
Primary data collection
Quantitative data collection was carried out by developing fact sheets for the ITIs, NSTIs and the industry. The
fact sheets were sent out in advance to the ITIs and the NSTIs so that these could be filled up before the team
visited the institutes.
Data collection was carried out over a period of three months, from May 2019 to July 2019 including the time
when the fact sheets were sent out to the ITIs and the NSTIs.
2.3.3 Tools used

Semi structured interviews
The tool was administered with:
 The faculty members: principal, training cum placement officer (TCPO), instructor
 Trainees at the ITI: those enrolled, dropped out, completed the course. The team also tried to meet with
students who had taken admission but could not join
 Apprentices: both fresh graduate apprentices and ITI apprentices
 Females in labor market- employees, self-employed and entrepreneurs. The principals of the ITIs facilitated
meeting with some of their ex-students who had become self-employed, many of them becoming brand
ambassadors for the ITIs
 Representatives from the industry: the respondents included in this category were mostly those who were a
part of human resource and training department and were entrusted with the task of recruitment, training
and allocation of newly inducted employees to various departments
 Key stakeholders/informants: parents, NGO/CBO workers, other key members of the community (teachers,
panchayat members, etc.). The purpose for including this group as respondents was to get the perspective
of the general populace regarding inclusion of females in the ITIs, apprenticeship and industry
Focused group discussions (FGD)
 FGDs were significantly important tools for this study and have contributed immensely in capturing the
students’ perspective. Each FGD was conducted by two team members with about 10-15 participants in the
ITI campus (the group for FGD represented different type of trainees who are either enrolled, graduate,
drop-out/one who applied but did not enroll and a trainee undergoing apprenticeship program)
 For the Co-Ed ITIs, both the male and female respondents were included in the FGDs. In such cases, the FGD
was broadly divided into two sections, one where both the male and female respondents joined together and
second session soon after with only the female respondents
 FGDs were also conducted with female apprentices and employees at their respective employer locations
Table 7: respondent tool matrix
Respondent Number Tools administered
Principal ITI 1 in each ITI Semi structured interview schedule

Principal NSTI 1 in each NSTI Semi structured interview schedule
Instructors At least 1 in each ITI Semi structured interview schedule
1 In each ITI
TCPO Semi structured interview schedule
(as per availability)
At least 1 FGD with 10-15
ITI Trainees- Male & Female
respondents per ITI as per Focused Group Discussion
(enrolled/dropped-out/passed)
availability
Female Students 3-5 in each ITI Semi structured Interview
(enrolled/dropped-out/graduated) (as per availability) Schedule / Telephonic interview
Other stakeholders
(Parents, School teachers, 4 in each State
Semi structured interview schedule
members, NGOs, any other Society (as per availability)
representatives)
Respondent Number Tools administered
At least 5 in each State

Industry (HR/Supervisor) Semi structured interview schedule
Female apprentices and employees As per availability Semi structured interview schedule
ITI 64 Fact Sheets
NSTI 10 Fact Sheets
At least 5 in each State
Employers (Industry) Fact Sheets
2.3.4 Pilot study

The research tools including the factsheets, interviews and FGDs once developed were put through a pilot test.
The visits for the same were organized on 30 April and 1 May 2019 at the government industrial training
institute Gurgaon, Haryana and NSTI (W) Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The tools were revised based on feedback
received from the pilot experience.
2.4 Data analysis

The following framework guided development of tools as well as identify the areas of analysis. The details
mentioned in the table below are only indicative. During interactions, there were other issues identified by the
respondents. These were captured and included in the analysis.
Table 8: primary data analysis framework
Level of analysis Area of analysis Details
 Physical barriers  Proximity to an urban area / Remoteness

 Social barriers  Gender bias
Individual level
 Economic barriers  Affordability
 Barriers to education  Entry level barriers (eligibility criteria)
 Building infrastructure, equipment, basic facilities
 Infrastructure  Information about courses, transport, ease of
admission, counselling, safety of females
 Access to institution
 Faculty, pedagogy, reasonable accommodation,
Institutional level  Quality of training remedial classes, soft skills
 Placements  Success in placements, retention rate
 Incentives offered  Scholarships
 Mode of transport
 Gender friendly policies, use of technology
 Innovations  Impact of the schemes – scholarship,
Enabling apprenticeship, safety arrangements
 Incentives for females
environment  Opportunities for placement of females, tailored
 Industry friendliness
arrangements for females, sexual harassment
policies
Data collected in the qualitative and quantitative strands of the study were analyzed concurrently with
appropriate methods:
 The qualitative inputs received during data collection were codified and thematically categorized. Using
quantitative rigor, the recurrence of these themes across the respondent accounts were assessed to provide
validation to the study results
 In addition, the purely quantitative data when analyzed gave us trends over a period and was used to
triangulate with individual account to strengthen the findings of the study
2.5 Limitations of the study
 The MIS maintained by DGT was used to receive secondary data related to the ITIs. While this helped in our
analysis related to the trainees, gender disaggregated data related to the instructors could not be obtained
that affected our analysis to some effect
 The NCVT maintained data related to apprenticeships does not make a distinction between ITI enrolled and
fresh apprentices. Therefore, a comparative analysis between the two categories could not be made in
secondary data analysis
 There was reluctance on the part of the industry to share data related to female employees. Therefore, our
analysis is based on the primary qualitative research only
Chapter 3: Meeting demands of the industry
3. Meeting the demands of industry
India is the second most populated country with a population of 1.3 billion24. In addition, it is also one of
youngest nations of the world, with a prediction of 64% of its population to be made up of young individuals (15-
26 years) by 2026 (EY and FICCI 2014), which is a great asset to the economy if its maximum potential is
harnessed. To achieve this, it is even more important for the youth of country to be made employable with
requisite education and skills. Skill training and development has gained a place of national importance as a
source of enhancing the employment opportunities for the youth and also for the utilization of the rich
demographic dividend. The network of ITIs, established in 1950, are the major and erstwhile providers of
vocational training in India.
Figure 7: evolution of Industrial Training Institutes in India
The network of ITIs in India, since inception has been increasing steadily as a result of various programmatic
measures. The total number of ITIs have increased from 11,964 in the year 2014 to 14,494 in the year 2019
24
World Bank. 2018. “Population, Total.” Accessed 10 May 2018. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL
and trainee enrolment increased from 16.9 lakh in 2014-15 to 23.08 lakh in 2018-1925. Since its inception, the
ITI training ecosystem has gone through numerous interventions to increase the quality and scale of the trianing
programs to ensure robustness and relevance of the trainings.
While the above is indicative of the positive efforts to enhance both the scale and quality of trainings delivered at
ITIs in India, in order to address the existing skill gap, the training imperatives must be aligned with the industry
requirements.
In the context of the study, the focus is on understanding the trends in female participation in ITIs and
subsequently the labor market. This study focuses on the barriers females face at various steps when they try to
access vocational training and employment opportunities.
3.1 Demand of industry and skilling gaps

3.1.1 Female enrolments in sectors contributing to majority of the demand for
incremental manpower requirements by 2022
Demand side: Skill gap studies conducted by NSDC over 2010-2014, indicates that there is an additional net
incremental requirement of 10.973 crore skilled manpower by 2022 in 24 key sectors.
Table 9: break up of incremental requirement of human resources across sectors
Incremental human resource requirement (2013-22)

S. no. Sector
(crores)26
1. Building, construction and real estate 3.113
2. Transportation and logistics 1.166
3. Beauty and wellness 1.006
4. Furniture and furnishing 0.718
5. Tourism, hospitality and travel 0.648
6. Textile and clothing 0.631
7. Retail 0.629
8. Handlooms and handicrafts 0.614
9. Domestic help 0.488
10. Security 0.483
11. Electronic and IT hardware 0.461
12. Food processing 0.44
13. Education/ skill development 0.429
14. Auto and auto components 0.39
15. Healthcare 0.38
25
PIB, 2019, Target of Skilling Young People. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1576156
26
National Policy for Skill Development Entrepreneurship, 2015. Appendix I
Incremental human resource requirement (2013-22)
S. no. Sector
(crores)26
16. Leather and leather goods 0.372
17. Gems and jewelry 0.359
Construction material and building

18. 0.27
hardware
19. IT and ITES 0.216
20. Telecommunication 0.208
21. Pharma and life sciences 0.172
22. BFSI 0.17
23. Media and entertainment 0.09
24. Agriculture -2.48
Total 10.973 crore
While these 24 sectors together will necessitate the demand of substantial manpower in the economy, around
77% of this demand is concentrated across sectors such as building, construction and real estate, transportation
and logistics, beauty and wellness, furniture and furnishing, tourism, hospitality & travel, textile and clothing,
retail, handlooms and handicrafts with an incremental demand for manpower of 8.52 crore by 2022. Simply put,
youth trained in these sectors in relevant occupations will be able to secure sources of employment at a better
rate due to increased industry impetus. With an exception of retail, beauty and wellness and tourism and
hospitality, all the key sectors are primarily manufacturing and engineering in nature.
Supply side: However, when one analyses the female enrolment trends in the ITIs, it is found that enrolments are
highly disproportionate with regard to participation across the key sectors generating quantum of human
resource demand. Presence of females in mainstream engineering trades is almost negligible. Female trainees
are mostly present in non-engineering trades like dress making, COPA, surface ornamentation, etc.
(Environment and Social Assesssment - STRIVE 2016). Data on female enrolments across the country between
2014-18 indicated that27:
 ~85% of the female trainees are enrolled across maximum of 13 job roles
 Only 37% of the female enrolments between 2014-18 were in found to be in the priority sectors producing
maximum manpower requirement.
While carrying out this study, female students were asked various questions to ascertain the key factors that
affect their choice of subjects at ITIs. During FGDs and interviews, it was noticed that perception around “trades
considered suitable for females by society and family” and conventional notions emanating from this school of
thought thereof resulted in concentration of females in a few typical job roles.
Some other issues highlighted by female students were the lack of proper counselling while subject selection,
lukewarm response of the faculty and peers towards females in manufacturing and engineering trades-also
perceived as male dominated and inability to cope with the physical labor required for strenuous work with
machines and equipment (more reasons discussed in detail in subsequent section), resulted in fewer females in
the priority sectors indicated above.
27
Analysis based on data provided by DGT MIS on female enrolments during 2014-18.
3.1.2 Female enrolment in in sectors with high female participation
Demand side: India Hiring Intent survey, 2019, across 15 industry domains28 indicated the sex ratio of 77:23
prevalent in the workforce. This survey reveals some service sector industry domains such as retail (50%
females), BPO and ITCS (38% females) and BFSI (22% females), tourism and hospitality (23% females) and
software and hardware, IT (27% females) are leading the ratio as compared to manufacturing and core sectors
which are against the tide. The sectors with relatively higher proportion of female workforce are low lying fruits,
thereby indicative of training imperative for females.
As per the NSDC Skill Gap Reports, the sectors indicated above (with a favorable proportion of 20% or more, of
females in the workforce) will be producing an incremental demand of manpower of 260 lakhs (2.60 crores) by
2022 - retail: (110.6 lakhs), software, hardware and IT (46.1 lakh), travel and hospitality (65.8 lakh), BPO, KPO,
ITES( 21.6 lakh) and BFSI (17 lakhs)
Of this 2.60 crores, if calculated on a proportionate basis as per prevailing percentage of female workforce in the
industry, at least 96 lakhs29 females can easily be absorbed in the labor market through these industry domains.
In addition, NSDC’s sector skill gap study on beauty and wellness also reports 50% of the workforce across
market segments like salon, slimming and rejuvenation to be made up of female workforce, corresponding
incremental demand for the same till 2022 being approximately 90 lakh (45 lakh minimum demand for
females)30
Supply side: On analyzing the enrolment numbers of females in ITIs between 2014-18, it was seen that out of
total female enrolments about 27% enrolled in sectors recording higher female participation in the workforce.
Out of 96 lakh incremental demand indicated above, female trainees in ITIs were trained for only 1.72 lakh
positions. And another 34,833 females trained for a potential of 45 lakh females in beauty and wellness.
3.2 Training imperatives as per changing industry dynamics

India is moving towards adoption of Industry 4.0 — big data, high computing capacity (graduating to quantum
computing in the near future), artificial intelligence, analytics and robotics — are set to redefine the way
businesses run their enterprises. As entire industries adjust, most occupations are undergoing a fundamental
transformation. While some jobs are threatened by redundancy and others grow rapidly, existing jobs are also
going through a change in the skill sets required to do them.
In a study done by EY and FICCI31 it is projected that there will be a loss of jobs like office and administration,
manufacturing and production, construction and extraction, art, design, legal, installation and maintenance. ITI
enrolment data highlights that out of the total female enrolments ~15% of females enroll in trades under office
administration & facility management and capital goods & manufacturing - jobs which are set to undergo
changes. On the other hand, there will be an increase in jobs related to areas such as business and financial
operations, management, computer and mathematical, architecture and engineering, sales and education and
training.
This disruption in the industry will have further repercussions for female employees who already have a low
representation in the labor market. Interactions with representatives from the industry revealed that there are
some sectors where there is relatively larger participation of females. These sectors have indicated a continued
outlook in favor of female 32 :
 Healthcare
 Professional services
 Media, entertainment and information
 Financial services and investors
 Information technology
28
Banking, Financial Services and Insurance, Travel & Hospitality, Electronics and Hardware & IT & ITes (including BPO,KPO),
Pharma & Healthcare, Other Manufacturing (Not including FMCG, CD, Automotive & Engineering), Engineering &Automotive
(Auto &Auto Components), Core Sector (Oil & Gas, Power, Steel, Minerals etc.), Consumer Goods& Durables and Retail
29
%age of female workforce in the industry (as per India Hiring Intent survey, 2019) / Total incremental demand of the industry
as per NSDC skill gap report
30
KPMG, Human Resources and Skill Requirements in Beauty and Wellness Sector (2013-17, 2017-22)
31
Future of jobs and its implication in Indian higher education, 2016; EY and FICCI
32
Based on analysis of responses received during industry interactions
However only 4.7% of the females were enrolled in healthcare courses in ITIs and less than 1% for job roles under
media and entertaining and BFSI, as per ITI enrolment data.
While sectoral changes are apparent with the surge in demand for automation, even the skill profile across
sectors is seeing an evident change. Responses with industry representatives highlight the following skills that
are becoming more important and it is important that females are trained in these skills for better employment
opportunities:
 Creativity
 Complex information processing and interpretation
 Entrepreneurship and initiative taking
 Leadership and managing others
 Advanced IT skills and programming
 Basic digital skills
For instance, in a study conducted by NASSCOM, FICCI and EY33, a deep dive into the retail and apparel sector
(retail also happens to be one of the major employers for females), highlights how new jobs will be created that
do not exist today and the existing ones will be radically different than what they are today.
Table 10: changing profiles of jobs in the retail and textiles and apparels sectors
Sector New Jobs to be created (%) New jobs
Customer experience leader, digital marketing,

Retail 5-10% digital imaging, retail data analyst, IT process
modeler
Apparel data analyst, e-textiles specialist, IT

Textiles and
5-10% process engineer, environment specialist, PLC
apparels
maintenance specialist
Jobs that would be radically different

Sector Changed jobs
from what these are today (%)
Sales associate to fashion consultant

Store assistant to product facilitator
Retail 20-25% Warehouse coordinator to inventory management

and logistics specialist
Package sorter to package sorting machine
operator
Merchandizer to digital merchandizer

Pattern master to digital pattern master
Textiles and
35-40% Machine operator to PLC machine operator
apparels
Fabric cutter to laser cutting and assembly
operator
Therefore, one may say that the requirements of the industry are changing rapidly which will make some job
roles redundant but create new ones. Regarding females, the challenge is not only to encourage them to get
skilled but to convince them to join courses that would get them jobs in future.
33
Future of jobs in India – A 2022 perspective, 2016, NASSCOM, FICCI and EY
Chapter 4: Understanding
enrolments of females at the ITIs
and apprenticeship program
4. Understanding enrolments of females at the
ITIs and Apprenticeship Program
As part of the study, data obtained from 367 ITIs was examined for trends in enrolment for the past five years
according to gender, choice of trade, location and type of Institute.
4.1 Enrolment of students in ITIs

4.1.1 Entry level qualification
A candidate who has passed Class 8 or Class 10 or Class 12 pass is eligible to join an ITI.
As per data on enrolments across 367 ITIs in India, it is seen that in the last five years, 10th class graduates have
been enrolling in large numbers in the ITIs with an increase of close to 100% recorded in the year 2017-18.
Similar trends were seen in the tracer study commissioned by MSDE, where 47% of the entire trainee cohorts had
joined ITI after completing 10th standard.
Figure 8: enrolment trends by entry level qualification
80,000
70,000
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
-
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
8th 1,975 3,082 2,697 4,207 4,401
10th 23,136 33,056 38,205 39,820 67,329
12th 2,465 4,387 3,877 6,020 7,636
Source: Analysis of administrative data from 367 ITIs
4.1.2 Overall enrolment trends

There has been a steady increase in the enrolments in ITIs over the last five years recording an overall increase
of 34%. Various measures have been taken by the government to ensure this, such as increase in number of ITIs
(focus of coverage of unserved blocks), increase in number of trades, active advocacy and awareness initiative,
participation in world skills and other competition in the skills space. All these efforts have culminated into an
increased enrolment in the ITIs.
Figure 9: enrolments in ITI during 2014-18
Enrolments
90000 84785
23%
80000 1%
6% 69111
68522
70000 17% 64670
60000 55272
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
4.1.3 Enrolment trends by gender

While male enrolment grew only marginally, four times increase in female enrolment has been seen in the last
five years. However, the proportion of females in the ITIs remains to be well below a desirable 1:1 ratio. In 2014,
the proportion of females in the trainee cohort was a mere 6% which has now increased by 15 percentage points
and stands at 21percent. This however compares poorly to other skill development schemes, such as Pradhan
Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), the flagship scheme for skill development in India, which records a 1:1
male to female ratio for its trainee cohort.
Figure 10: gender wise enrolment in ITIs between 2014-18
67,071
55,324 56,321
51,752 52,794
17,714
11,876 13,198 12,790
3,520
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Female Male
Figure 11: gender wise proportions of ITI enrolments 2014-18
4.1.4 Enrolment trends by location

The urban ITIs recorded a higher increase in enrolment as compared to the rural ITIs. Enrolments in urban ITIs
increased by 67% while enrolments in rural ITIs increased by 47% in the last five years.
Figure 12: enrolment trends by location
50319
42990 43010
38659
34223 34466
26011 25532 26101
21049
Rural Urban Rural Urban Rural Urban Rural Urban Rural Urban
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
4.1.5 Trade preference

Further, it is seen that out of the total number of students who join ITIs, over 78% join engineering trades.
However, it may be important to note that utilization of ITI seats in non- engineering trades is higher than seat
utilization in engineering trades. In the current year (2017-2018), out of 84,785 trainees, 66,098 were enrolled
across 57 engineering trades and 18,687 were enrolled in 29 non-engineering trades across 367 ITIs. Seat
utilization of non-engineering trades was recorded at 86.37% as against 67.5% utilization in engineering trades.
The ITIs initially catered to the industry demand for labor to help with production and manufacturing jobs.
However, over a last few decades the ITIs have diversified minimally in terms of sectors and the expansion of the
service industry has not reflected in the trade offerings at the ITIs. Service sector in the country is the key driver
of the economy with its share in India’s 2018-19 gross value added being 54%. (IBEF 2019), with key industry
segments being healthcare, software, tourism, business services, financial services, etc. However, trades to
support employment in these sectors is very limited in ITIs now.
Figure 13: seat utilization by trade – 2017-18
66098 18687
Engineering Non-Engineering
97877 21635
Number of trainees Seat Count Number of trainees Seat Count
84785
119512
Total
Number of trainees Seat Count
4.1.6 Trade preference by location

The data collected from 367 ITIs across 12 states on trade preference shows that in both rural and urban ITIs
students prefer to join engineering courses. In the rural areas, out of the student cohort who enrolled in ITIs in
the last five years, about 81% chose engineering trades. In urban areas too, the enrolments under engineering
trades were found to be much higher, at an average of 77% over five years. The urban areas however record a
higher proportion of enrolments in non-engineering trades as compared to rural areas.
Figure 14: trade preference by location
82% 83% 82% 82%

80%
78% 77% 77% 77% 75%
23% 23% 25%

22% 23%
20%
18% 17% 18% 18%
Rural Urban Rural Urban Rural Urban Rural Urban Rural Urban
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Engineering Non-engineering
4.1.7 Trade preference by gender

The number of females enrolled in engineering trades increased by 155% between 2014-18 for engineering
trades, however, it continues to be male dominated trade with only 10% females a part of the trainee cohort. The
number of females in non-engineering trades increased exponentially between 2014-18. The gender ratio here
too is now favorable to females, the proportion of females in the trainee cohort has increased from 9% to 60% in
the last five years.
Figure 15: gender wise enrolments across engineering and non-engineering trades
4.2 Participation of females in the apprenticeship program

International experience shows that apprenticeship training facilitates an early link of learners to the labor
market and is the most effective means for youth to transition to the labor market and acquire skills required in a
rapidly changing labor market. However, the apprenticeship potential in the Indian labor has largely remained
untapped. During the study, data of apprentices from the 12-sample states was accessed, where it was seen that
across 12 states only 66,715 apprentices were engaged under the NAPS
 The gender divide was glaring in terms of number of female apprentices across the states. Amongst the 12
states under the study, females formed only 11% of the total apprentices in these states.
Figure 16: gender wise proportion of verified apprentices across states
97% 94% 97% 95%

93% 93% 92% 91%
89% 87%
79% 76%
21% 24%
11% 13%
7% 7% 6% 8% 9%
3% 3% 5%
Assam
Chhattisgarh
Haryana
Tamil Nadu
Maharashtra
Himachal Pradesh
Jharkhand
Rajasthan
Uttar Pradesh
West Bengal
Karnataka
Kerala
% of verified female apprentices % of verified male apprentices
 Further to this, female apprentices in the 12 sample states accounted to a total of only 5% of all the
apprentices in the manufacturing sector and 12% in the service sector
Figure 17: proportion of apprentices by industry and gender
94.57%
87.90%
81.23%
18.77%
12.09%
5.43%
Manufacturing Services Other

% of female apprentices % of male apprentices
Source: Secondary data analysis of 367 ITIs
Chapter 5: Constraints faced by
female trainees at the ITIs
5. Constraints faced by female trainees at
the ITIs
A report by Ministry of Human Resource Development in 2018, shows favorable gender parity index (GPI)34 has
been achieved at all the levels from primary till senior secondary, with a higher proportion of females in the
cohort. As per the report Gender Parity Index at Primary, Upper Primary, Elementary, Secondary and Senior
Secondary is 1.03, 1.10, 1.05, 1.02 and 1.01 respectively (Ministry of Human Resource Development 2018).
Even at the post school education level women comprise of 47.6% of the total 36.6 million who enroll for higher
education (AISHE 2017-18).
As detailed in the previous section, though the proportion of females enrolling in the ITIs in both engineering and
non-engineering trades has been increasing, the proportion of females in the ITIs is still way below the 1:1 mark.
There are some constraints both at the demand and supply levels which pose barriers for females to enroll
themselves at the ITIs. This chapter of the report delves into some of the reasons for the existing barriers. As
part of primary research, the data pertaining to the 64 ITIs was analyzed to understand the pattern of enrolment
and continuation of female students at the ITIs being visited by the team.
5.1 An overview of student enrolment and course completion at

the ITIs
5.1.1 Enrolment
Figure 18: gender wise trend in enrolment of students (2014-2019) – government and private ITIs
Source: Analysis of data received from 64 ITIs factsheets
 Female enrolments in government ITIs have increased by 78% in the last five years and females form a little
over one-third of the trainee cohort
 The private ITIs, however, show a decrease in both female enrolments and proportion of females in trainee
cohort. The enrolment of females in private ITIs has decreased by 12% between 2014 and 2019 and the
proportion of females to has reduced to 19% from 23% during the same period
 The percentage of male trainees was found to be increasing in the last five years in private ITIs whereas the
proportion of females has been increasing in government ITIs
34
Gender Parity Index is the ratio of Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) of female students enrolled at primary, secondary and
tertiary levels of education to the corresponding ratio of male students at that level.
Figure 19: gender wise trend in enrolment of students (2014-2019) – rural and urban ITIs
Source: Analysis of data received from ITIs through 64 ITI factsheets
 ITIs located in rural areas are enrolling more than twice the number of females than they were enrolling five
years back. The percentage of females joining ITIs in urban areas has also increased (by 19%) but not as
much as it has in the ITIs in rural areas
Figure 20: gender wise trend in enrolment of students (2014-2019) – co-ed and women only ITIs
Source: Analysis of data received from ITIs through 64 ITI factsheets
 Women only ITIs are showing a steady increase of enrolment of female students. Their enrolment has
doubled in the last five years. However, the women only institutes open their seats for male trainees if the
ITIs are not able to fill up all the seats through female enrolments. It is seen that male enrolments in women
only institutes have increased fourfold since 2015 which indicates that the ITIs struggle to fill up the seats
with female candidates
 The enrolment of females has also shown about 50% increase in co-educational institutes.
5.1.2 Drop out among students
Some key trends pertaining to female students dropping out are as follows (details are placed in Annexure 1.I):
 More male students drop out of government ITIs than female students. About one fifth of them drop out
before completion of the course
 There is not much difference in the dropout rates in urban and rural areas. Female trainees have shown
improvement in their dropout rates in rural areas in the last five years
 Not much difference is seen in the dropout rates in co-ed and women only institutes
The reasons for female trainees dropping out were explored by asking the opinion of other stakeholders
including the key informants and the ITI principals.
 The most common reason cited by them was “girls drop out if they get married while pursuing their course.
They either get relocated after marriage or act as per the wishes of their in-laws. If they are not in favor of the
trainee completing the course, she is compelled to drop out of the ITI”
 In addition to the above, the key informants discussed that the prevailing perception of the ITIs being male
dominated or are more suitable for boys than girls. This often makes the families dissuade their female
wards from taking admission in ITIs or compel them to drop out mid-course
Table 11: reasons for dropouts given by the key informants
Reasons for female trainees dropping out N = 53
Getting married while pursuing the course 31 (58.5 %)
Difficulty in commuting because lack of transport 15 (28.3 %)
Personal problems 11 (20.7 %)
No hostel facilities 6 (11.3 %)
Perception of families that ITIs are more suited for males 4 (7.5 %)
Safety and security issues 4 (7.5 %)
Source: Analysis of primary data collected – Interview with 53 key informants (Multiple responses given)
Figure 21: reasons for dropouts: response of principals
95%
Responses from Principals
25%
17% 14% 14% 9% 6%
Marriage/Lack of family
Lack of counselling /
costs associated with

Minimum attendance
to ITI /Unavailability of
facility/Lack of funds for
responsibility of trainee
Distance/Unsafe route
Low motivation and
Burden of additional
with females attending
interest of trainees
Unavailability of hostel
rules/Strict course
Reluctance of family
support/Household
transport facility
requirements
the program
co-ed ITIs
hostel
Source: Analysis of primary data collected - interviews with 64 ITI Principals (Multiple responses given)
 Travel/transport related challenges to reach the ITIs, limited information about ITIs and lack of support or
reluctance from family members of the trainees, were the other key reasons cited by principals when asked
why female trainees drop out from the courses
5.1.3 Pass percentage by gender

Data shows that a higher proportion of females pass their examination compared to their male counterparts.
With not much variation the drop-out rates based on gender, this indicates that females perform better than
boys. Once they join the ITI, they are more likely to complete the course than boys.
Figure 22: training outcomes: pass percentage by gender
70.46 72.46
69.37
62.35
58.77
54.76 55.77
43.35
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
Total Passed_Male (%) Total Passed_Female (%)
Source: Analysis of primary data collected - data received from 64 ITIs factsheets
5.2 Understanding the barriers for female participation in skill

training from the students’ point of view
The focused group discussions provided very useful insights about female participation in the ITIs. More than
500 male and female respondents participated in these discussions across the 12 states. The issues discussed
during the FGDs can broadly be categorized into the following themes.
Table 12: summary of issues identified during FGDs
Areas of concern Specific issues discussed by groups
Demand side barriers
Skilling is not considered a priority for females

Gender bias
When it comes to finances, their male siblings get preference
Location of ITI
Connectivity
Not well connected with public transport
Get eve teased on the way

Safety
Ridiculed for wearing uniform (considered unsmart)
Financial issues High fee in private institutes
Reluctance to allow them to study in co-ed ITI
Reluctance to allow them to pursue engineering related course

Lack of family support /
additional domestic Reluctance to send them to far off places
responsibilities
Additional responsibilities
Influence of in-laws
Considered to be male dominated

Image of ITIs
Boys studying in ITIs are perceived to be disobeying rules
Supply side barriers
Unhygienic toilets
Hostel not available for females

Gender unfriendly
infrastructure
Lack of a canteen or any space at the institute where they can relax or have fun
No creche facility for children of married female trainees
Limited choice of trades for females

Limited options for
Low marks limit choice of trade
course selection
Short term courses for similar trades available
Low trainee-instructor ratio
Erratic supply of consumable material
Lack of machinery with latest technology

Quality
Insufficient equipment
Gender bias reflected even at the ITI
Books not in regional language
Lack of guidance
Ineffective soft skills training
Limited connect with the industry
Instructors discourage them from opting engineering related trades

Career guidance
Access to portal not very smooth
Insufficient support for placement
Limited opportunities for apprenticeship
Lack of information about getting loans from banks to start their own enterprise
Safety concerns No action against cases of harassment
Each of these thematic areas have been further categorized as demand and supply side barriers which have been
discussed in this section.
5.2.1 Demand side barriers

Gender bias against females joining ITIs, which are perceived to be male dominated institutes
One of the reasons why females do not come forward in larger numbers to seek admission in the ITIs is the
general perception that ITIs are male dominated. It is generally believed that the ITIs offer training to students
for the manufacturing sector only and it requires a lot of physical labor. It is assumed that females will not be
able to go through the course. Females across geographies shared that they are dissuaded to take up
engineering courses by their parents and sometimes even the instructors citing this as a reason.
Connectivity – location of the ITIs and availability of public transport
Location of the ITIs is guided by factors like availability of land and likelihood of finding more students. The
government ITIs are set up on government land, therefore, it depends on its availability. The guidelines and
norms developed by DGT to set up ITIs do not include choice of location. Its focus is mostly on setting standards
for infrastructure and human resource to run an ITI. Due to lack of regulations around location of ITIs, the
institutes were not always found to be centrally located or well connected with public transport system.
Wherever the public transport services were erratic, females were found to be using bicycles, pooled vehicles
and even trains to reach the ITI. Some female students were found to be traveling distance of as much as 80 km
each way. The concern was expressed more by students residing in remote rural areas where availability of good
ITIs was not there.
The team also found that among the 64 ITIs visited only two ITIs – one in Chhattisgarh and the other in
Maharashtra were found to be offering residential facilities for females. In Maharashtra the ITI has done a tie-up
with a government run hostel. During the FGDs when the female trainees were asked whether they would want
the ITIs to provide hostel facilities, a large majority of them mentioned that it was not necessary. Wherever
means of transportation were available, they prefer to stay in their homes only. When the same question was
asked to the principals, many of them were reluctant to have hostels in their premises because it was big
responsibility involving tedious processes.
Safety and security issues
According to the UN Women Global Results report on safe cities and safe public spaces (2017), violence in public
spaces, especially sexual harassment, is still largely tolerated and perceived as a normal part of social life. This
reflects discriminatory attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate gender stereotypes and inequality. They impede
the recognition, prevention and adequate response to sexual violence against women.
Students studying at the ITIs often face harassment while commuting to the ITIs. Female trainees mentioned that
they get eve teased/harassed by boys traveling along with them or when they walk towards their institute. Some
respondents also pointed out they often get ridiculed because of their uniforms, which are seen as unsmart.
walked in groups to protect themselves. This experience of feeling unsafe was cited more by students residing in
urban areas
“I do not feel safe walking down the road alone. After 5 pm in the evening, many men living on the same road
begin to drink. I do not like it when they call me names and tease me about my uniform. They often call me ‘ITI
girl’. And then laugh loudly which I find very insulting. If I tell my parents about it, they will ask me to leave the
institute”
Swathi (name changed), ITI, Tamil Nadu
Some ITIs have liquor shops/bars near their institute which makes things even worse for them. During the FGDs,
the respondents were asked to provide suggestions to make their ITI campus safer for them and the following
resonated with the majority:
 Transport arrangement to a common point from where they could take public transport. Their institutes
could buy vehicles or have some arrangement with other local organizations
 Arrange to have Police Control Room (PCR) vans posted at the gate at strategic time when they enter or
leave the institute.
Financial barrier
Though ITIs charge a nominal fee for the training course, added cost of transport add to financial burden for the
female students. During the study, it was seen that private ITIs charge a higher fee as compared to the
government ITIs. In addition, due lack of information, the females did not know about the various scholarship
schemes that they can apply for to fund their training.
Instances were cited if the parents had to make a choice whether to educate their son or daughter, they would
prefer to send their son for the training.
Influence of the family
Families play a very big role in guiding the females’ choice of trade and the ITI they should take admission in. The
families of the trainees insisted for them to opt for non-engineering courses in ITIs close to their homes.
The challenge accentuates for the females from rural areas. Female trainees from rural ITIs reported few
available options for non-engineering trades. This further makes it hard for them to convince their families to let
them attend ITIs. The respondents added that apart from their immediate family members, they sometimes have
to seek the permission of their relatives before pursing ITI training and in many cases, it was unfortunate that the
parents give into the resistance from larger relative groups about their female wards attending ITI.
In the context of familial factors affecting ITI participation, marriage was cited as the main reason for females
dropping out of the ITIs. Females dropping out after marriage due to relocation or resistance from in-laws. The
respondents shared that many of their friends were not allowed to pursue their course after marriage. If
marriage of females was fixed before they joined the ITI they were more inclined to take up short term courses
which they were sure they could complete before they got married.
This was validated by the principals and the key informants who also cited marriage as the most common reason
for females dropping out. (Refer Figure 17; Table 10)
Image of the ITIs
In addition to the perception that the ITIs are male dominated, families also have negative perception about the
co-educational ITIs in particular. In an instance cited by a student, reflects this perception and how it impacts
their potential admission in ITIs. The student had gone for admission with her father to a co-ed ITI which was
closer to her place of residence and offered a wider choice of trades. On reaching the institute, they saw boys
hanging around, bunking their classes. They were told by some other parents that these boys get together and
create a ruckus after the classes. This was enough for her father to take a call not to admit her in that ITI despite
the advantages it offered.
Besides this, the respondents, including male trainees who participated in the FGDs opined that ITIs were
intuitions where students from lower economic background or those who do not get good marks in school. Such
views are further strengthened when the trainees compare the ITIs with the nearby colleges offering better
services such as canteen, own college bus, extra-curricular activities and sports.
Some female trainees interviewed in the northern states (Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh) even
mentioned that having a tag of studying in an ITI affects their marriage prospects.
5.2.2 Supply side barriers

Gender unfriendly infrastructure
The sanitary conditions of most ITIs across geographies and types of ITI were found to be very unsatisfactory.
The condition of toilets in most ITIs visited by the team was very poor. Very few institutes had a functional toilet
mostly because of lack of cleaning staff or non-availability of water. Some ITIs would keep their toilets locked,
making them unavailable for use. In some ITIs in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra the toilets did not even have
doors making these as good as not being there.
None of the ITIs had provision to keep the sanitary pads so that females can make use of it when required or
have a common room which they could use when not feeling well. Fulfilment of these basic requirements can go
a long way in making females feel comfortable in attending the institute, not to mention take care of basic health
issues.
Marriage and childbearing while pursuing the course has been cited as one of the main reasons for dropouts.
Since the ITIs, do not have creche facility, in the absence of anyone at home to take care of their children, the
trainees have to drop out of their courses or female with children do not consider attending the ITIs.
Safety and security of females
Safety and security of female trainees is a matter of concern both while commuting to the ITI and within the ITI.
The prime responsibility of the ITI is to ensure that safety and security measures are taken care of at the
institute. The ITIs on their part are taking measures to provide security by posting guards and installing CCTVs at
the premises.
However, the ITIs visited offered no redressal mechanism to address complaints of harassment and misbehavior
at ITI campus. Even if such a system does exist, there was lack of awareness about it, thereby, making it
redundant. The female respondents across all ITIs were not aware of any guidelines which were followed to
ensure security of females. In one instance it was shared that the male instructor had behaved inappropriately
with female students. The students did not know how to deal with this issue. The Affiliation Norms for the ITIs
have elaborate guidelines for safety and security measure, however, there are no guidelines to address this
aspect.
Rajasthan was seen an exception in this case. The ITIs which were visited in Rajasthan ITIs had redressal
policies against harassment. Some ITIs in the state also offered training in martial arts to the female trainees.
Quality of training
Respondents during the FGDs pointed out several issues, pertaining to poor instructor trainee ratio, poor quality
of equipment, erratic supply of material for training, non-availability of teaching learning material in vernacular
and instructor absenteeism, that adversely impacts their experience at ITIs. Though these issues are a matter of
concern for all ITIs and for both male and female trainees, it has a stronger bearing for the females, especially
those, who, had to face resistance against pursuing ITI training:
 Limited choice of trades: Female trainees feel they have fewer trades to choose. The issue is more
pronounced in private ITIs, since they largely offer engineering related courses owing to their popularity. The
female trainees however expressed they would prefer more varied courses to be offered other than just
manufacturing and engineering courses. It was also noted that the trainees from the urban ITIs were more
vocal in identifying limited choice of trades as a challenge in pursuing training at ITIs
 Gender bias demonstrated even by the faculty: The gender bias which is held by parents and the community
at large sometimes continues even at the ITI. Female students are sometime dissuaded by the instructors
from opting for trades like fitter and mechanic because it is their belief that females would not have the
physical strength to do the mandatory practical work. Even when they join these courses, boys are asked by
the instructor to go and help the females with their practical work, or they were simply asked to observe
what boys were doing. This challenge was discussed during interactions across all the 12 states
 Lack of regular career guidance for students at all levels: Respondents across all ITIs expressed their
dissatisfaction over the lack of /low quality of career guidance given to them at all levels including at the
time of admission. It was shared that students who came for admission were recommended a trade as per
availability of seats and not based on any assessment of their individual aptitude. The process has become
more impersonal ever since the admission process has become online where they must give their choice of
trade, often without understanding what they are opting for. The names given to some of these courses are
also not self-explanatory making the choice even more difficult. The respondents did mention that ITIs set
up help desks during the admission process, however, that is more to hand hold or trouble shoot any
technical issues during admission and not a counseling process
 Guidance at the time of completion of the course is even more important for students. Due to limited
exposure to the industry, students need guidance and skills on many fronts to become industry ready.
Female trainees from ITIs in urban areas were more aware of this requirement. They expressed their
dissatisfaction placements, absence of soft skills to prepare them for interviews and the placements, limited
support to join the apprenticeship program.
 There were other female respondents who expressed the desire to start their own entrepreneurial ventures
but were unsure as to how to go about it. They did not receive any guidance or support in a structured
manner related to preparation of business plans, getting loans from the ITI in this area.
“There are loans available under various schemes. But we are not informed about the same,”
A student from ITI in Jharkhand
5.2.3 Other factors influencing female participation in skill training

Limited awareness about the ITIs
The most common sources of information about the ITI, as shared by the trainees in their interviews, are
relatives and friends followed by advertisements circulated by some ITIs in the form of pamphlets, posters and
hoardings. This information is geared towards all students not specifically the females. There was little evidence
that proactive measures were being taken by the ITIs to reach out to females specifically. In some institutions, as
in the case of an ITI in UP, the number of applicants is many times more than what they can accommodate, so
they do not feel the need to create more awareness.
Figure 23: sources of information and awareness about ITI
84%
5% 4% 3% 3% 2%
ITI wesbite
Newspapers/advertisments
Through school
Relatiive/
ITI awareness camps

Internet bases sources
/friends
family
/flyers
Responses from female trainees
Source: Analysis of primary data collected - Interview with 92 female ITI trainees (Multiple responses given)
Some states including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are taking proactive steps to increase their
outreach to potential female candidates.
In Tamil Nadu incentives are being offered to female students in the form of free bus passes, bicycles, laptops,
uniforms, stitching fees for two sets of uniform, shoes, textbook and classroom materials as well as a monthly
stipend. Awareness programs are carried out by the ITIs with students at the government secondary schools,
especially schools only for females. Graduate trainees are included in the team for greater impact.
In WB, three out of the six ITIs visited were also taking proactive steps to reach out to secondary schools in
the vicinity and create awareness about the courses being offered at the institutes.
In Maharashtra it was found that pamphlets are distributed every year before the start of the academic year.
These are written in the local language and placed in newspapers, so that the information reaches a wider
audience. Despite these efforts, by and large it was found that awareness about the ITIs reaches individuals by
word of mouth.
Challenges faced by ITIs to increase enrolment of female trainees

A higher proportion of principals from government run ITIs struggle to create awareness compared to their
counterparts in private ITIs. The response of the principals finds resonance in the issues raised by female
trainees during the FGDs. Like students, the principals also shared that enrolment of female trainees at the ITIs is
affected because of unfamiliarity with the course content and new online procedures which have been introduced
to make the process transparent.
Figure 24: challenges faced by ITIs in improving enrolment of female trainees
34%
31%
26% 26%
24%
21%
14% 14% 14% 14%
6%
3%
Lack of awareness among students
Portal issues
Lack of knowledge about existing courses
Lack of awareness about Industry related

Fewer courses popular with women are
Unfamiliarity with digital admissions
process/Lengthy form filling
among prospective students
offered by the ITI s
job opportunity
Responses by Govt. ITI Prinicipals Responses by Pvt. ITI Prinicipals
Source: Analysis of primary data collected – Interview with 64 ITI Principals (Multiple responses given)
Gender imbalance among faculty and staff
During interactions with the instructors at the ITIs (N=98), they were of the view that having female faculty is
helpful in many ways. Almost half of them opined that having female instructors on the faculty helped in
resolving issues with female trainees. 37% were of the view that it gives comfort to the parents if there are more
female faculty members. Principals from co-educational institutes observed that if females are recruited even at
the support staff level, they observe an increase in enrolment. These views were echoed by principals from
Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
During our interactions with female trainees during FGDs it was found that more than the trainee themselves, the
matter of female faculty was an assuring factor for the families of the trainees. For the female trainees, gender
of the instructor was not an important factor in making a choice to join an ITI.
Insufficient preparation by ITI to prepare female trainees for labor market
The instructors in the ITIs were asked about the factors that influence the choice of trade of the trainees. 37% of
the instructors said that female students choose courses that help them to get a job, 30% of them said students
choose courses that help them to set up their own entrepreneurial ventures. Only 17% of the instructors said
that the trainees choose a course as per their interest and aptitude. According to the instructors, the trainees
need guidance to help them make the right choice and for career and prepare them for employment.
The TCPO appointed in each ITI is required to play that role and help the trainees and potential trainee with
market relevant information about the courses chosen by them and help them make an informed decision in this
regard. In most ITIs visited there was no regular appointment of a TCPO. It was usually the principal or some
instructor who had taken this role as an additional charge.
Table 13: factors influencing students in choice of trades as cited by ITI instructors
Factors influencing choice of trades N = 98
Trade that helps in getting a government job 37 (37.7%)
Trade that helps in getting a job in the industry 36 (36.7%)
Trade that helps them become self employed 30 (30.6%)
A trade that requires less physical labor 23 (23.5%)
Interest in the trade 17 (17.3%)
Family influence 16 (16.3%)
Analysis of primary data collected - Primary interviews with 98 Instructors (Multiple responses given)
Insufficient interface between the industry and the ITI

A fallout of not having a regular TCPO is limited information about industry demand for manpower. The
interaction with industry is largely confined to organizing job fairs, but this activity did not appear to be all
pervasive. Even when the job fairs were organized, participation of the industry is found to be waning in the last
few years. Limited industry interaction also hinders the placement process.
Students from ITIs in Hubli, Bijapur and Matikai mentioned that no industries visited their campuses. Assam was
one of the states where active industry interactions were being organized through guest lectures and industry
visits for the students.
Figure 25: industry participation through job fairs
Employers participating in job fairs in the

Job fairs organized by ITIs in the last last five years
five years
660
101 103
503
80 458
428
62
54
168
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Figure 26: challenges faced by the ITIs to place students
52%
Responses from Principals
42%
34%
31%
28%
23%
6% 6%
3%
added security measures for females
Gender bias of employers against
Unsuitable timings/night shifts

Lack of counselling/mentoring from
Low stipend/Low Salary
Lack of job assurance post OJT
Lack of industries employing girls

Constraints/concern for safety
Distance to the enterprise/Difficulty in
females/Unwillingness to employ
Employer’s unwillingness to ensure

females in labor intensive roles
arranging mode of transport
employers
Source: Analysis of primary data collected - Interview with 64 ITI Principals (Multiple responses given)
Women only ITIs find more favor than co-educational ITIs
There has been an increase in the number of co-educational ITIs. These institutions offer a wider choice of trades
to females. However, female trainees shared that they were more comfortable studying in women only ITIs than
co-ed ITIs because they felt that they got more attention from the instructors in women-only institutes and are
able to express themselves more freely. At co-ed institutes female trainees found that the instructors often gave
preference to male trainees over female trainees.
In one of the ITIs in Karnataka, although it was a women ITI, male students were included after the ITI was not
able to fill up all the seats. While conducting the interactions, female trainees appeared uncomfortable anytime a
male entered the rooms. They showed this by quickly wearing their burqas anytime a male or a stranger entered
the room. A change in their behavior was observed too. Without the presence of males in the room, the trainees
were talkative and playful.
Thus, when the situation of female trainees at the ITIs is examined against the backdrop of their readiness to
adapt to the emerging requirements of the industry in future, it shows that they have a long way to go. They are
still struggling with the basic issues related to access to the ITIs. To bridge the gap between the demand of the
industry and preparedness to join, the ITIs will need to enhance their efforts to strengthen the interventions
towards imparting skills to the trainees make them job ready, engage with the community as well as the industry
to remove the barriers females face in accessing the ITIs and the work place.
Another aspect worth considering is that there is scope for self-employment and entrepreneurship among
students pursuing non-engineering trades because it gives them more flexibility. Students are largely being
guided for placements in the industry and with very limited focus on becoming entrepreneurs or self-employed.
5.3 Success stories
Reema (name changed), 22, an alumnus of ITI Jadgalpur, shared her journey at the institute. Her father is a
tailor and could afford the post school education of only one of his two children. Her brother got preference
over her because he wanted to join a polytechnic and the family believed that had better prospects than ITI.
However, she did not give up and through her uncle’s guidance she filled an application form for fitter trade in
ITI Jagdalpur. Seeing her physical state, since she weighed only 38 kgs, instructors suggested her to opt for
COPA, but she was interested only in the fitter trade.
So, she began her skill training in 2015 and finished her training with the highest marks in her class in 2017.
She got an opportunity to work as an apprentice with the company TVS. This changed Varsha’s life. She
completed the training of three months with an appraisal and a job offer from Hero group. She worked as a
technician for more than a year there. Later she qualified for government job and currently she is working as a
Technical Officer in PHE department with a handsome salary plus government perks. She has set a benchmark
for all her juniors in the institute and she has been selected as the ambassador too, by the institute.
Radhika Devi, aged 46 is an ITI graduate from women government ITI, Guwahati. She got married immediately
after completing class 10. She passed her class 12 and during the second year of her graduation, she got
pregnant. Her family asked her not to continue with her study, but she managed to complete it because her
husband’s support. However, possessing a graduate degree did not help her find a job. Her husband was
working in the government ITI and suggested that she take admission in an ITI. She graduated from Women
ITI, Guwahati in Secretarial Practice trade and got an offer to join IOCL as a Stenographer. Today she is
working as an Accounts Officer Grade 2.
She was nominated by the ITI for the Brand Ambassador of Skill Development Award and she was selected by
DGET to receive the award which she received on the World Youth Skills Day in an event organized in Delhi
5.4 Gender friendliness of ITIs
The research team selected seven parameters to assess the gender friendliness of the ITIs. These parameters
were – location, availability of functional toilets, availability of transportation, female faculty, safety and security,
residential facilities and additional efforts made by the ITI to increase enrolment of females.
All 64 ITIs were given a score for each parameter on a three-point scale based on their performance and a
composite score. The composite score was used to categorize each ITI into good, average and low. If only 33%
ITIs were getting a good score, then the overall performance was low; 34-66% for average and 67% and above
were good performing. Details of scores received for all categories are placed in Annexure J.
Table 14: marking of states as per the quality of their ITIs
Low Average Good
Assam 19.0 42.9 38.1
Chhattisgarh 42.9 37.1 20.0
Haryana 42.9 38.1 19.0
Himachal Pradesh 33.3 26.2 40.5
Jharkhand 42.9 25.0 32.1
Karnataka 47.6 35.7 16.7
Kerala 22.9 28.6 48.6
Maharashtra 28.6 38.1 33.3
Rajasthan 35.7 28.6 35.7
Tamil Nadu 31.4 48.6 20.0
Uttar Pradesh 64.3 28.6 7.1
West Bengal 33.3 26.2 40.5
Table 15: categorization as per performance on gender friendly index
Regions Low Average Good
North Haryana, Uttar Pradesh Himachal Pradesh
East Jharkhand Assam West Bengal
South Karnataka Tamil Nadu Kerala
West Maharashtra, Rajasthan
Central Chhattisgarh
This gives an overall idea about gender friendliness of the ITIs in the respective states. Having categorized the
states according to their gender friendliness, its correlation with enrolment was ascertained. The objective was
to see whether providing a gender friendly environment can lead to a higher enrolment. A compounded figure of
growth in enrolment for the last five years was taken and mapped against the performance of the states on their
gender friendliness for each parameter.
Table 16: mapping of gender friendly score of ITIs (State-wise) with compounded growth in enrolment
(2014-15 to 2018-19)
Residential Transportati Outreach Compounded

Location Female Availability Safety
State facilities on facilities programme Growth
of ITI faculty of toilets measures
for girls for girls for girls Enrolment
Assam Good Average Average Good Average Poor Good -6%
Chhattisgarh Average Average Average Average Poor Poor Poor 13%
Haryana Good Average Average Average Poor Poor Poor 9%
Himachal
Good Good Average Good Poor Poor Good 35%
Pradesh
Jharkhand Good Average Good Average Poor Poor Poor 6%
Karnataka Poor Average Average Good Poor Poor Poor -22%
Kerala Good Good Good Good Poor Poor Average 8%
Maharashtra Good Average Average Average Poor Poor Good 1%
Rajasthan Average Average Good Good Poor Poor Average 19%
Tamil Nadu Average Average Good Average Poor Poor Average 1%
Uttar
Average Average Average Poor Poor Poor Poor -4%
Pradesh
West Bengal Average Average Good Good Poor Poor Average 13%
Location of ITI: Out of 12 states, ITIs in all states except one were located either in average or in good location. 9
of these 11 states (barring Assam and Uttar Pradesh) observed growth in enrolment averaging 12% in the last
five years. In Assam and Uttar Pradesh, however, in spite of most of the ITIs reported to be in good areas, the
enrolment declined by 6% and 4%, respectively. Karnataka displayed relatively poor ITI location and showed 22%
decline in enrolment
Female faculty: All the states displayed either average or good for the presence of female faculty. This reflected
in the positive enrolment of female trainees in ITIs for all states, barring Assam, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.
These three states showed a decline in enrolment despite average response towards the said parameter
Availability of toilets: While all states displayed average or good performance for the availability of toilets in the
campus of ITIs, only nine states showed a growth in enrolment. In the case of Assam, Karnataka and Uttar
Pradesh, a decline in enrolment was observed with an average condition in terms of availability of toilets,
implying that availability of toilet was not a major factor for enrolment in these three states. It is important to
note that availability of toilets here related to the availability of separate toilets for female trainees in the ITI
campus and not whether these were hygienic and functional
Safety measures: Out of 12 states, 11 had either average or good amount of safety measures in their institutes.
9 out of these 11 states also displayed growth in enrolment. This correlation between safety measures and
enrolment was not observed in Assam and Karnataka, which displayed declined enrolment. High correlation was
observed in the case of Uttar Pradesh, where most of the ITIs responded to be having poor safety measures thus
a decline in enrolment over the years
Residential facility for female trainees: It is interesting to note that out of 12 states, 11 states’ scores displayed
poor residential arrangements for female trainees. Yet these 9 states observed growth in enrolment over the
years. On the other hand, Assam, while belonging to average category for residential arrangement, displayed
negative enrolment, only two states – Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh – displayed a linear correlation with poor
residential facilities associated with decline in enrolment of female trainees over the years
Transportation facility: Relation of the poor transportation facility was directly mapped with decline in enrolment
over the years in Assam, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. The same was not true in case of other states, as -
despite responding to have poor transportation facility - there has been a growth in enrolment over the years,
showing lesser importance accorded to transportation facility for female trainees
Outreach program for female trainees: Enrolment over the years has been positive in 9 states out of listed 12
states. The correlation held true only in case of Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, where due to limited outreach
program for female trainees, enrolment had also declined over the years. The case was found to be contradictory
in Assam as enrolment has declined even with good outreach programs
In a nutshell, out of seven parameters three parameters; location, female faculty and safety measures in the
campus, were found to have a strong positive relationship with the growth in enrolment over the years.
While availability of toilets was pointed out as a factor during interactions, as per the above index, it did not have
much of an impact on enrolment of female trainees. The females expressed that they have to compromise on this
factor and have learnt to adjust but are certainly very unhappy about the lack of this basic facility for them.
This goes to define the priority areas for intervention, the three parameters which were found to have an impact
on enrolment - remove location as a disadvantage by helping females with residential or transport facilities,
recruit female faculty members and take measures to improve safety and security of females
In conclusion, one may say that there is a growing interest among females to participate in skill development
programs at the ITI as reflected in an increase in enrolment and higher rate of completion of the course. Once a
female trainee joins, she is more likely to complete the course. With support in areas like access to information,
overcoming the gender stereotypes that determine the choice of trades for females and guidance for future, a
number of challenges can be addressed at the institution level. In addition, behavior change communication and
advocacy with the families and communities can help to improve their poor perception about ITIs and is likely to
encourage more females to join these institutes.
Chapter 6: Demand and supply side
constraints for female apprentices
6. Demand and supply side constraints for
female apprentices
6.1 Overview of apprenticeship program
In India apprenticeship was formalized through the Apprenticeship Act1961. It was made mandatory for the
industry to offer opportunities for apprenticeship in various trades. Since 1961, there have been several
changes made to the Act (1973, 1986 and 2014) to promote apprenticeship. The National Skill Development
Policy 2009 recognizes apprenticeship as an effective way to transition from school to work. (ILO 2013). More
recently in 2016 the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) was initiated to give a further fillip to
apprenticeship by promoting public private partnership as a strategy through its industry friendly and inclusive
program features.
Several changes were made in the Apprenticeship Act

 Increasing the age limit for designated trades related to hazardous Industrial work to 18 years
 Increasing the number of apprentices an industrial establishment could take
 Expanding the number of trades for which apprenticeship could be provided. It extended to non-
engineering trades
 Outsourcing of basic training to an institute of employers’ choice
 Removing penal provision of imprisonment of employer in case of default instead penalty to be
imposition of fine
 Expanding the scope of intake of apprentices from other states too
 Certification can be done by any competent authority
Any individual above the age of 14 years who has completed at least class 8th and ITI pass-outs is eligible to
undergo apprenticeship program in designated trades. In certain trades, B.Sc. pass is a prescribed qualification.
The duration of apprenticeship varies from six months to about three years although in some trades it may go up
to four years. As of now there are 40 sectors offering apprenticeship program in 259 trades. This includes
optional trades which means that the employer can decide any trade. It is just that they need to have a training
program for 500 hours.35 According the NCVT data related to apprentices, only about one fourth students who
register for the apprenticeship program complete it. Others drop out before they complete the program. In the
12 states covered during the study, it was seen that while a number of youths were registering themselves on
the portal, the rate of conversion to actual apprenticeship was very low (less 30% in some states)
Table 17: apprenticeship verification rate across 12 states for both female and male
State Total apprentices Verified apprentices Percent verification
Assam 2869 792 28%
Chhattisgarh 3565 619 17%
Haryana 47092 15646 33%
Himachal Pradesh 1885 286 15%
Jharkhand 17420 2285 13%
Karnataka 28235 5606 20%
Kerala 9458 1996 21%
35
As on 5th September 2019. Source: https://apprenticeshipindia.org/
State Total apprentices Verified apprentices Percent verification
Maharashtra 93164 24718 27%
Rajasthan 7786 1135 15%
Tamil Nadu 19367 7334 38%
Uttar Pradesh 44208 7330 17%
West Bengal 4389 1253 29%
12 states 279438 69000 25%
Source: NCVT MIS Portal
Proportion of verified female apprentices to total number of apprentices varies from as low as 3% to 24%.
Haryana and Kerala are among those states where the apprenticeship program for females has been more
successful than other states (Ref. Figure 17).
This study looks at the reasons for low participation in the apprenticeship program with a gendered lens. There
are several barriers for females which have been discussed in this section. While looking at the barriers from the
students’ perspective, the employers’ perspective was also considered.
There are four categories of apprentices in the current context:
 Those who have graduated from the ITIs
 Trainees who are pursuing the Dual – learning mode from ITI
 Individuals who have participated in the PMKVY/MES programs
 Those individuals who have had no formal training but have minimum qualification to join the industry.
These are also called fresh apprentices. The age limit for this category of students is 21 years
For this study we have considered the ITI graduates and fresh apprentices to understand the challenges female
apprentices face while pursuing apprentices and gaining access to such opportunities
Table 18: respondent count: female apprentices
Number of fresh apprentices covered in interviews 31
Number of ITI apprentices covered in interviews 47
Apprentices covered in FGD 67
The research team visited 67 industries and met with apprentices. In addition to conducting FGDs with them,
interviews were also carried out to deep dive into the issues identified by them. The industries visited were of
different categories – PSUs, large industries and MSMEs.
6.2 Barriers for the apprenticeship program: students’ perspective

The apprentices identified challenges that they face not only during apprenticeship but while accessing
apprenticeship opportunities as well.
Figure 27: challenges faced by female trainees to enroll for apprenticeship
48%
Fresh Apprentice ITI Apprentice
30%
22%
19% 20% 20% 20%
18%
16%
13% 13%
10%
3%
0%
Portal issue
Lack of awareness about apprenticeship
Lack of guidance for application
Limited job opportunity for girls

No counselling provided to trainees
Lack of family support
Less seats and more applicants

regarding apprenticeship
Source: Analysis of primary data collected – Interviews and focus group discussions with female apprentices
Lack of awareness about apprenticeship opportunities

Apprentices from the ITIs: While apprenticeship/ on the job training is an integral part of the ITI training, only
40% of the ITI apprentices had received information about apprenticeship opportunity from the institutes, either
by a teacher or through their curriculum. Interaction with the respondents revealed that they would like to get
more support from the ITIs with respect to identifying apprenticeship opportunities. Respondents felt there was
no formal arrangement to get information about the apprenticeship scheme: trades, companies, stipend,
application processes, etc. At the ITIs, the females could only rely on the instructors for such guidance. The
TCPO was not identified by the respondents as someone who they looked up for guidance, once again raising a
question mark on the role being played by the counsellors at the ITIs.
36% of the ITI apprentices depended on their family and relatives for apprenticeship and employment related
information.
Only 8% of the respondents claimed to have been appointed through campus drives for apprenticeships. Some
companies like the HUL were found to be undertaking female enrolment drives both for apprenticeship and for
regular jobs. As a company policy they gave preference to recruit female apprentices after assessing their
performance. Further it can be seen that very few respondents claimed to have learned about apprenticeship
through internet/social media/print advertisements. This is partly accorded to poor internet percolation to
remote/rural areas and low media footprint of the ITIs in general.
ITI apprentices and ITI female trainees, both highlighted that there was insufficient interface between the ITIs
and the industry, which adversely impacts their scope of industry exposure, knowledge about market relevant
skills and access to placement and apprenticeship opportunities. Because of this disconnect, most employers
were not even aware about the presence of ITIs in the vicinity and about the trades offered there. Amongst the
fresher apprentices, 55% reported to have received information about apprenticeship opportunities through
family and relatives with limited information available at the level of their collages/institutions.
Figure 28: key sources of awareness about apprentice program for fresh and ITI apprentices
Print Media 4% ITI Apprentice Fresh Apprentice

10%
Internet search 6%
13%
Initiative by the employer 8%

0%
Part of ITI Curriculum 12%

0%
Accessibility of apprenticeship 16%

6%
Recommendation by relatives 36%

55%
Information from Teachers 40%

10%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Source: Analysis of primary data collected – Interviews and focus group discussions with female apprentices
Lack of counseling and mentoring for apprenticeship and its application process
After access to information, lack of proper counseling at the ITI/graduation level was seen as an impediment by
females accessing apprenticeship. About 33% of the respondents reported that there is lack of counseling and
handholding support during the application process. The current system of applying for the apprenticeship
program is through an elaborate online portal. The portal was designed to make the system run more efficiently
and bring in transparency. While it has eased the paperwork that was required before the process became online,
some HR professionals mentioned that they would prefer to meet with the candidates face to face to make an
assessment about their aptitude and capacity for the role. Several students mentioned that they found applying
through the portal difficult. This was especially pertinent for females residing in rural areas where they often
must depend on others to apply for the program
Interactions with students through focused group discussions helped to get a better understanding of the issues
they faced about the program.
Table 19: key issues identified during FGDs with the apprentices
Key issues identified
Parental resistance against travelling to far off places for apprenticeship

Society/family related
Safety and security concerns at apprenticeship/while travelling
Gap between ITI training and industry expectations
Machinery and equipment at the industry are superior to the ones that were
ITI related used for training at ITIs
Limited support given at the ITI for online application of the apprenticeship
program
Industry related Offered low stipend
Key issues identified
Accommodation not available
Do not consider any difference between a fresh apprentice and ITI trained
apprentice
Jobs assigned are not related to the training they received at the ITI
Long hours at the factory, difficult to follow
No apprenticeship opportunities for some trades offered at the ITI

Others
Job not guaranteed on completion of apprenticeship program
Society/family related
 Reluctance to travel to far off places for apprenticeship: There is reluctance among females to relocate
themselves or travel long distances to do their apprenticeship program. Female apprentices especially from
UP and Maharashtra during their interactions shared that their parents were more open for them to relocate
if they get a salaried job, but they were not keen that they did the same for apprenticeship. Firstly, they were
not convinced that even after completion of the training their daughters would get a job because they found
conversion from apprenticeship to a job to be very low. Wherever there was assurance of apprenticeship
leading to a job, the parents were more encouraging
 Safety and security issues: Parents were concerned about the safety and security of their daughters because
the shop floors mostly employed men. Having erratic hours and long hours of travel did not find go down
well with the parents. They would rather have their daughters explore opportunities close to their homes.
This impacted females who were keen to pursue trades that weren’t offered by the industries locally
Factors related to ITIs
 The online application process being very cumbersome, the trainees have expectations from the ITI that
they would get some guidance on how to apply online. They usually do not get this support from the ITI and
must fend for it themselves or seek help of their friends or family members
 On joining the industry as an apprentice, the trainees find a big gap between what they learnt at the ITI and
what they see in the industry. The equipment on which they train at the ITI is quite outdated whereas the
one on which they are expected to work is very superior. Often, they are not allowed to operate the machine.
This defeats the purpose for which they joined the program
Factors related to the Industry
 Low stipend amount: It was found that the apprentices get a stipend amount in the range of INR5000-
10,000 per month. With this amount they found it difficult to make ends meet especially in urban areas
where the cost of living was much higher. This aspect was shared during the focused group discussions in
almost all the states – Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and
Assam. Parents were not too keen to incur more expenditure for something that did not ensure employment
for the daughters. Most of them said that it would be helpful if some transport arrangements could be made
for their travel and residential arrangements offered. At the state level Tamil Nadu government has taken
measures to supplement the stipend amount. This is done to encourage females to join the apprenticeship
program
 Tasks assigned do not match with their skill sets: When female apprentices joined the industry, they faced a
few challenges while pursuing on the job training. Respondents across Assam, West Bengal, Maharashtra,
Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand shared that the management had a gender bias against them. It was assumed
that they will not be able to take up strenuous and hazardous jobs like the male counterparts. As a result of
this many a times they were given tasks that were not aligned to the trades they were trained in
 Female apprentices reported that they are not encouraged to work on the machines while they get trained
on the job. This challenge was faced by female trainees even at the ITI level. This limited exposure to
equipment and machinery leads to sub optimal results when they join the industry
“… not involved in tasks related to rigging, welding and drilling. Also not allowed to undertake repair work of
transformers. Given supervisory work or desk jobs in spite of being trained in trades like Fitters and Welders.
The apprenticeship experience owing to such instance got reduced to just performing duties to obtain a
certificate to apply for jobs”
…Apprentice from Assam
“After doing COPA they were not given any computer related work and were asked to do odd jobs.
Apprenticeship has not added much value to our existing knowledge. I am only looking forward to giving
competitive exams to get a permanent government job
... (Translated) Apprentice - Nagpur
Other factors
 Majority of the female trainees at the ITIs opt for non-engineering courses. Students keen to take up
apprenticeship program are unable to do so because there are little/no opportunities for certain trades like
cosmetology, fashion technology especially in the rural areas. Although the trades have been broad based
under the apprenticeship program to include many additional trades, this has still not trickled down
especially to the rural areas
 There is expectation on the part of the apprentices that they would get a job after completion of the
training. They feel disappointed when this does not happen. The guidelines for the program clearly outline
that it is not binding on the employer to offer job to the apprentices who train with them.
To sum up, while the challenges females faced while pursuing apprenticeship are many, there are few that
resonated with all the apprentice respondents (both ITI and freshers). The biggest impediment in females
accessing apprenticeship is information asymmetry. They have limited awareness about apprenticeship
opportunities. Further they expressed that better handholding and mentoring would help them in understanding
the trade offerings in the market. Inadequate counseling impacts their knowledge about relevant trades, and they
continue to pursue conventional trades that are perceived suitable for females.
There is a general feeling that opportunities available for females are very limited. This problem is even more
acute for apprentices in the rural areas due to lack of industries and formal employment establishments.
In addition to the systematic challenges, respondents also face opposition by families on account of long travels,
perception of male dominance in apprenticeship, safety issues, low level of awareness regarding apprenticeship
and its benefits.
6.3 Barriers to apprenticeship of female trainees: industry perspective

Difficulty in sourcing female apprentices
 As mentioned earlier in this section, intake for the apprentices has been made online which was envisaged
to give more visibility to the industry keen on offering apprenticeship and help widen the area from where
they could source the students. However, interactions with the respondents from the industry showed that
the number of apprentices joining them has dropped after the admission was made online and the potential
apprentice cohorts is still in the process of getting acquainted with the new processes
 Some companies find it difficult to include female apprentices in the program because they do not find
female trainees in engineering related trades. To cite some examples, the employer from Numaligarh
Refinery Limited, Assam, mentioned that they find it very difficult to find females in trades like fitter, turner,
welder. Similar opinion was expressed by a representative from Tata Cummins, the company has taken 125
apprentices out of which there were only 5 females, firstly, because the trade offerings are not
conventionally popular amongst females and, secondly, due to lack of awareness about the program
amongst females.
 Some industries are mandated to include fresher apprentices as a part of their company policies; however,
posts open for apprentices after other mandatory recruitment has been done for specific categories. For
instance, in three states – Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Maharashtra – respondents from the industry
mentioned that they do induct fresher apprentices, but these overlap with some other categories for which
they are also mandated to recruit such as youth of those relocated/rehabilitated families due to industry set
up and wards/relatives of deceased employees. Often such recruitments take place in lieu of apprentices
Perception about female apprentices
 While the female apprentices complained that they were not given tasks to match their skill sets, most
employers believed females prefer to take up job roles that are less strenuous. According to them female
apprentices preferred desk work and find working on the shop floor for seven to eight hours difficult. This is
contrary to what the females shared where they complained that they do not get to work in jobs for which
they have received training specially engineering related because their supervisors think that they will not
be able to take up heavy work
 The fact that females were traveling long distances for their apprenticeship training was not given special
consideration to by the employers. This is because the companies have to offer relaxation of timing work
duration to the females. The companies felt that such relaxations adversely affect the factory/machine
schedule and production cycles
 In addition, during interactions with industry representatives, they expressed that having females on the
team necessitates extra precautionary measures for their safety to be put in place. These measures can only
be obtained at an added cost. In addition, for outdoor tasks and assignment it may not be always feasible to
have security personnel to be deployed at all places
Responses from interviewed companies -

“Girls are not serious about their apprenticeship. They come late and leave early. A machine cannot be kept
vacant”- Karnataka
“Women were more concerned about their looks than work on the shop floor”- Haryana
“They do not like to do `dirty work’ such as work with lubricants”- Rajasthan
Dissatisfaction about the quality of apprentices hired from ITIs

 There is a general perception within the industry that the candidates, irrespective of gender, coming for
apprenticeship were not ready to work in the industry. Respondents from UP and Maharashtra mentioned
that they have to spend considerable time and money to re-train them on how to work on the machines. The
ITIs do not have the latest machinery so the exposure level of trainees to the latest technology was limited
When the team spoke to female apprentices, it was seen that some of the females overcame their challenges and
emerged successful. However, this was only possible when the females had a support system and an enabling
environment for the same.
First female machinist apprentice at JSW Steel
Sheetal (name changed), is a resident of the Botibori, an industrial suburb of Nagpur. She chose to tread a
path no woman in her community had taken before, by pursuing a course as a machinist at a local ITI. Her
parents, who are also working salaried jobs, encouraged her to follow her interest in mechanical courses.
Bharati has always aimed to get educated and work towards financial independence. She got accepted to an
ITI that was over a 50 km commute from her home.
Her class at the ITI was male dominated, as she was the only other girl pursuing the machinist trade. While
there were some hiccups with her experience, she had support from her instructors and teachers, who were
not biased and gave her the confidence to do well in class. By her own admission, she started slower than
her male counterparts but through perseverance and determination she did well in her trade.
She was accepted as the first female into the apprenticeship program by JSW on completing her course.
Since the plant was close to her residence, she accepted the offer and has had a great experience since
then. Her line managers have guided her to use many types of machines across production lines at JSW, and
she is able to gain valuable experience. Sheetal greatly appreciated the level of dedication her mentors in
the facility showed towards improving her learning curve during her apprenticeship. She says, “When there
is no work in the department I am working for, they encourage me to go and observe other lines which can
help me improve my skills and increase my exposure to the industry.” In addition, JSW production facility
constructed washrooms for females on the shop floor soon after she joined and have since employed 10
female engineers.
In conclusion, it may be said that the apprenticeship program is faced with some challenges. The program is yet
to penetrate the service sector as much it has been associated with the manufacturing sector, as females are
more willing to take up apprenticeship in these trades. Besides, in bigger industries with highly sophisticated
machinery, apprentices (especially female) are seldom allowed to work on machines.
Employers do not make much distinction between fresh apprentices and those who join the program after ITI.
Those who are interested in acquiring new skills, do not always get an opportunity to take part in the program
because they find sustenance a big problem because of low stipend if they must relocate or travel long distances.
Chapter 7: Barriers for female
workers at workplace
7. Barriers for female workers at workplace
The research team visited 67 industries across the 12 states under the study. These were a combination of
Public/State Sector Undertakings, government, private industries both large ones and MSMEs. During the visit
the team met with the employers – mostly from the HR and training department or owners in the case of MSMEs
and female workers who had been employed. While the barriers to females joining the workforce have been
explored, some good practices by the industries to encourage female participation have also been documented in
this section.
The example of Sheela, a respondent from Maharashtra, during the study encapsulates the challenges faced by
female trainees to enter the labor market. It reflects the mismatch between the industry requirements and
training provided at the ITIs, it demonstrates their struggles to get themselves industry ready and despite the
willingness to be self-employed, the constraints in getting started.
Sheela’s (name changed), said, “I went to the ITI hoping to learn how to operate a computer and eventually
get an office job. But the training provided to us included mainly computer hardware repair and other
electronics repair related tasks. I did not get any job as most jobs in the IT sector require typing & data entry
as basic skills – none of which were taught in the ICTSM trade”
She had to complete a three-month Tally course at a private institute to make herself employable. Further,
she struggled with job interviews as there was no one to guide her and even the ITI where she completed her
training from, had not offered any soft skills/communication training. She had wanted to open her own
computer shop but had been held back by the absence of familial support as her parents believed that it is
not appropriate or safe for females to run their own shops. This hesitation was further exacerbated by her
family’s economic situation and lack of funds, as they had little information on how to obtain loans for
entrepreneurial ventures.
Three key stakeholders who influence the decision of female trainees to join the labor market are the institute
from where the individual receives training, the family members and the industry. In this section we examine the
barriers faced by female trainees to take up a job or become self-employed from the perspective of all three.
7.1 Facilitation by ITIs for female trainees to enter the labor market
The position of a TCPO was created at the ITIs, to effectively undertake industry connect for placements,
apprenticeships and other activities. The role of a TCPO also entails support and handholding to ITI students
aspiring to become entrepreneurs/self-employed. They do it by organizing job fairs, exposure visits for the
students and organizing soft skill training for all trainees.
However, contrary to the above, out of the 64 ITIs visited during the study only 28% - 31% of the ITIs each year
were organizing job fairs, with a maximum of 26 ITIs (40%) organizing job fairs in 2017-18. Further the efforts of
the ITIs are rather disparate across the locations. The maximum number of jobs fairs each year were conducted
in the urban areas by the Government ITIs garnering the maximum industry participation (Table 20 & 21). This
puts the students in the rural ITIs at a disadvantage due to limited exposure to the industry.
Table 20: number of jobs fairs organized in the last five years
Rural Urban
Year Total job fairs
Government ITI Private ITI Government ITI Private ITI
2014-15 14 8 27 5 54
2015-16 14 22 21 5 62
2016-17 15 22 37 6 80
2017-18 21 30 43 7 101
2018-19 22 12 62 7 103
Table 21: number of industry partners participating across ITI job fairs each year
Rural Urban Total Industry

Year
Government ITI Private ITI Government ITI Private ITI partners
2014-15 43 108 504 5 660
2015-16 24 39 406 34 503
2016-17 152 106 145 25 428
2017-18 177 133 129 19 458
2018-19 63 15 69 21 168
Further the data also shows that less than 1/3 rd of females get job offers. During interactions with female
trainees it was pointed out that often the opportunity is not in the field of their training as well.
Figure 29: percentage of female trainees from ITIs who were offered jobs
Percentage of female trainees from ITIs to whom jobs were offered

35
30.99
29.51
30
25.63
24.29
25
20.36
20
15
10
0
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
% jobs offered to Females out of Passed Females
According to the TCPOs, there are several reasons for lesser number of female trainees getting hired.
Table 22: reasons given by TCPO regarding barriers to hiring of female workers
Barriers to hiring of female workers – perception of TCPOs N=39
Reluctance on the part of females to travel long distance 20 (51.3%)
Females not able to take up tasks requiring physical labor 18 (46.15%)
Reluctance by industries to address safety and security issues 15 (38.5%)
Females are irregular in their attendance 3 (7.7%)
Source: Analysis of primary data collected – Interviews with 39 ITI TCPOs (Multiple responses given)
Both ITIs and the industry need to actively engage with each other to be abreast of the needs of the industry, so
that the ITIs can update their curriculum and infrastructure to ensure training relevance. There seems to be very
limited interaction between the two on an ongoing basis. It is important for the industry to industry to
understand the ITI offerings. And the ITIs also need to be aware of the latest developments brought about by
rapid advancements in technology in the industry and providing training on similar standards. In the words of an
employer from a large private sector organization that hires apprentices and full-time employees from the ITIs –
“ITIs should upgrade their syllabus and make their trainings market relevant”.
Besides, there could be emerging opportunities for females that need to be tapped. In the words of a respondent
from Kerala, “Automation in the industry is creating more opportunities for females because there they do not
have to lift loads”. At the moment, very few industry partners are even aware about ITIs let alone their offerings.
This was voiced by many trainees, apprentices and members from the industry.
Examples of successful collaborations between ITI and industries

ITI Janjgir Champa (Chhattisgarh), had proactively engaged with the industry because of which they had a
very high percentage of placement
UP Natraj Mobile Pvt Ltd, proactively hired women from ITI Jhansi, due to their active engagement with
the ITI.
In Haryana the ITIs arrange interactions between the students and the bank officials to create awareness
about different loans they can apply for and the process to do so. This support is valued by the students.
7.2 Key considerations by the industry in hiring female employees

On a positive note, employers do see a lot of value add to the overall performance of the company when they
have diversity within the staff. They cited several reasons for this. They do find females more sincere, better at
communication than males and are good team players. While seemingly they appear to be in favor of hiring
female trainees, business considerations take precedence, or they are unable to find females with relevant skills
for their industry which makes it difficult them to have a gender balanced team.
Table 23: top five advantages of hiring female employees as cited by employers
Advantages of hiring female employees N = 70
Can create a balance in the team 25 (35.7%)
Sincere with their job 24 (34.3%)
Good at teamwork 12 (17.1%)
Good at customer engagement 9 (12.8%)
Would like to follow good industry practice (POSH) 6 (8.6%)
Good at communication 6 (8.6%)
Source: Analysis of primary data collected - Interviews with 70 employers (Multiple responses given)
The companies often hired female employees through recruitment agencies because females do not actively
respond to job vacancies. These agencies can be important stakeholders to engage with to enhance a company’s
outreach. The reasons cited by the employers for their inability to hire female employees in larger numbers
resonated with what the TCPOs had also mentioned, i.e., the candidates being reluctant to travel and hesitation
to take up job role that required hard physical labor. This concern of the employers is not totally unfounded.
There were some employees who mentioned during the FGDs that they find it difficult to work near boilers and
that they find the job in a manufacturing sector too heavy.
Figure 30: challenges faced by employers while hiring females across MSMEs and large enterprises
50%
32%
28%
25%
20% 20% 20%
14% 15%
12%
10%
5% 6%
2% 2% 2%
Reluctance Risk of Risk to Lesser Causal Lack of Lower Lack of

of females to involving ensure application attitude ownership productivity commitment
work at far females in women from trained towards post towards job
off places heavy security females work marriage post
physical marriage
work
Large MSME
Some variations were observed between the responses of the large companies and the MSMEs. About 20%
respondents from the MSME sector (N=20) felt that engaging females would impact the pace of production, if
they gave relaxations to women travelling from long distances to reach the workplace.
Marriage and childbearing are big barriers that come in way of employment of females. While several
respondents across Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu showed reluctance by their companies
to hire married women an employer from Rajasthan very clearly states his reasons for hiring few or no females.
He mentioned that only unmarried women should seek employment. He was open about his unwillingness to
invest much time in their training because most of them quit their jobs after marriage. So why put in the effort.
Indian women are seen to drop out of labor market owing to marriage and relocation and even when they join
back it happens at the expense of loss in pay, position and work profile (Fletcher, Pande and Moore 2017). Thus,
marriage remains one of the most significant barriers for access to the ITIs and the workplace by women.
Job allocation for female employees
Once the companies recruit female employees, they take several factors into consideration while doing job
allocation. Generally, they refrain from allocating those jobs to females which require more physical labor. More
respondents from the MSME sector gave this response. In sectors like hospitality, retail, which have more
customer facing roles, find that females do a better job.
Figure 31: employer perception about criteria of job selection by female employees
55%
Large MSME
40%
32%
30%
25%
18%
16% 15%
10%
6% 6%
4% 4%
2%
0% 0%
Demand based on customer

No late/night shifts required
Requires better presentation

Women can take up multiple job
Perceived to be safer for female
Good communication skills

Less physical fatigue oriented
Less travel-oriented
preference
employees
roles
7.3 Constraints faced by females to join labor force

Dissuasion by family and industry to join engineering related trades
The biases expressed by the parents and their relatives continue to affect females even when they seek
employment. They continue to persuade their daughters to take up jobs what do not require too much travel and
physical labor. Strong industry biases exist against females taking up employment in engineering related trades.
This was noted in the responses given by representatives from the industry in Rajasthan, UP, Jharkhand and
Assam during the study. According to them, they are more suited for jobs like customer relations, sales and desk
jobs.
However, some positive examples were also identified during the study. One could also see some proactive steps
being taken by the industry especially in the Southern states. For instance, Keynes in Karnataka is taking special
measures to enable learning pathways for females. The team met with a staff member who had transitioned from
being an apprentice to a training manager in the same company. She gave credit to the company for facilitating
this change.
Relocation or traveling long distances not convenient and cost effective
There was reluctance among females to travel long distance or to relocate themselves for employment
opportunities. The same reasons about safety and security which impacted their decision to join an ITI, were
highlighted by them in the case of apprenticeship or employment also. From the industry perspective (Fig 29)
also, 50% of the MSME employers and 32% of the large reported “reluctance of females to work at far off places”
as a major hurdle in employing females. Going for night shifts was a clear no for females by their parents, which
posed an additional barrier for them and 40% of the MSME employers and 18% of the large employers (Fig 30)
reported that females preferred jobs where no night shift will be required.
In Assam, it was found that Hindustan Unilever Limited allowed females to come for night shift if they wanted to.
But it was also seen that they make proper arrangement for pick up and drop and safety measures for them at
the factory.
Female entrepreneurs – creating opportunities for females
Kirti is a female entrepreneur running a garment manufacturing MSME unit in Jalgaon, Maharashtra. Having
worked in clothing units in Mumbai and other districts of Maharashtra in the past, Kirti was motivated to start
a unit of her own in her hometown Jalgaon. She hired six female apprentices from the Jalgaon women ITI,
apart from 40 other local women. Both the trainees and the instructors were upbeat about this opportunity
that offers them a chance to work on industry-standard equipment, without having to relocate to different
cities.
For Kirti, hiring trainees from the ITI gives her several advantages. First, she gets access to a regular source of
skilled staff for her expanding factory operations. Second, females feel more comfortable in working at the
unit, as they have each other for company, both in the factory and on the way to the factory from their
respective homes, which goes a long way to ensure retention. Third and most significantly, the ITI trainees are
better equipped to handle faster and more modern machinery, so they act as an inspiration for other local
women working in the factory. In Kirti’s words, "In ladkio ko dekh ke ye auratein bhi behtar karne ki koshish
karti hain." (The women watch the output of the ITI trained females and try to do better themselves)
- Kirti Varke, owner garment manufacturing unit at Jalgaon, Maharashtra.
Gender unfriendly environment

The female employees during FGDs expressed that they face hostility from their male counterparts, who do not
think females should be working in a factory on a shop floor. This gets reflected in the way they deal with the
female employees. A comment by a supervisor from industry in UP is indicative of this mindset. “Have you ever
seen men wearing salwar kameez? Then why are females trying to wear pant shirt and try to do what men should
be doing and are more suited to do?” This shows that females are not welcome in areas which are considered
male dominated.
While the above instance points at employers discouraging female participation, some companies were found to
welcome female employees but are yet to take measures such as construction of separate toilets, rest rooms and
flexibility in timings. Some female workers had also adjusted to this fact. In West Bengal while interacting with
the owner of an MSME regarding absence of a separate toilet for females, the female workers responded that we
all are like a family. At home also, we have one toilet for the family, so there is no problem if there is no separate
toilet.
During the study, some companies were also seen to be willing to walk an extra mile to ensure diversity in their
staff. There were several good examples from the industry that were sensitive to the requirements of female
employees and were seen capitalizing on their skills and strengths while making their stint conducive to both
professional and personal growth.
Some industry best practices observed by the team during the study are as follows:
The Public Sector Units have the Women in Public Sector (WIPS) to promote growth of women in the public
sector. The group organizes several programs including gender sensitization program for all the employees.
HUL in West Bengal was also reported to be conducting gender sensitization workshops for their staff on a
regular basis
ITC unit in Assam, had many gender friendly practices such as placing female security guards, a separate
entry gate for females. The buses they plied for females were GPS enabled to give them a sense of security
Atul Rajasthan Date Palms Ltd (ARDP), Rajasthan is engaged in the production and marketing of tissue culture
raised date palms with an aim to improve the ecology and economy of the arid regions of India. ARDP is
recruiting mostly female apprentices for their organization. They mentioned that lab work producing tissue
culture is exclusively done by female staff only since the nature of work is such that requires patience, hygiene
and discipline and females outperform males in these qualities. About regular employment, they have 70%
female technicians and 40% females in managerial positions. The organization provides technical training to
the female employees along with hygiene and life skills lessons. The female employees/apprentices who work
here have benefitted a lot, gained skills and managed to build on savings.
At Tata Cummins, the following facilities are provided for both its female employees and apprentices: female
wardens are appointed in shifts, dedicated toll-free numbers available for both female employees and
apprentices to report any issues, ethics committee – employees and apprentices can approach them for any
issues and the committee gets it resolved while maintaining anonymity and confidentiality, pick-up and drop
facilities are available for the late shift (2-10 pm), separate seating arrangement for our female staff and on-
campus creche for working female employees.
Gender bias against working females starts right from the stage of recruitment. Most of the Indian men are not
ready to accept that women are capable enough to work side by side with men in all the sectors. The study has
identified the barriers and challenges that stand in the way of females participating in the labor force. The
findings show that barriers are seldom unidirectional, but induced by a female’s social network, institutional
network and public network. Gender stereotyping, under estimation of her capacity, social responsibilities limits
their employment and career growth opportunities. On the supply side, Indian households often require that
women prioritize housework. On the demand side, females face legal, normative, and economic constraints to
work. Indian women are still subject to laws governing when (i.e., which shifts) and in which industries they can
work. (Fletcher, Pande and Moore 2017).
7.4 Emerging opportunities for female trainees to join the labor force
One of the objectives of the study was to identify some emerging opportunities for females. Some key areas
which were identified by the respondents from the industry, wherein they mention the key job roles or trades
that have seen successful female participation or has potential for the same. These have been mapped against
the existing trades being offered in the ITIs and the pre-requisites for admission such that it is ascertained at
what level of education would these opportunities open for females
Table 24: emerging training and employment avenues that females should explore – new job roles
/occupations for females to explore
Training availability with ITI Pre-requisite for admission (ITI/other

Suggested areas
(Yes/No) vocational courses)
Mobile repair Yes  10th pass under 10+2 system
Rationale
 Tele density in India has generally followed an upward trajectory, apart from a brief slack during the 2011
– 12, with the trend being positive for both rural and urban areas36 . In recent years, the advent of
cheaper phones (feature phones) with web browsing facilities, connectivity expansions and affordable
connectivity plans have helped boost the usage further. Projections now estimate that India will have 920
million mobile subscribers by 202537
 The growth in mobile usage undoubtedly makes a case for a post sales service ecosystem in the country.
Apart from the repair chains managed by the conventional mobile phone brands, numerous start-ups
have already started leveraging the demand for repairs and the existing informal repair facilities
 Start-ups and e-commerce giants38 have already set their footprints in the mobile repair sector, hence it is
essential for training institutions to collaborate with them for a better observation

Suggested areas
 10th pass under 10+2 system with

Motor vehicle driving Yes
science and math or its equivalent
36
https://www.ceicdata.com/en/indicator/india/teledensity-mobile
37
https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/india-may-have-88-million-5g-connections-by-2025-gsma-
119060500842_1.html
38
“Flipkart acquired mobile repair chain F1 Info Solutions, marking the entry of deep pockets into a market that’s often been all
about jugaad – low-cost workarounds. The five-year-old company has a network of 158 centres in 135 Indian cities, and 1,000
workers, potentially providing the e-commerce giant with an opportunity to standardise the repairs ecosystem”.
(https://scroll.in/article/855093/from-roadside-jugaad-to-chains-run-by-big-startups-mobile-repair-is-now-serious-business-in-
india)
Rationale
 The existence of cab aggregators in major cities and the continued expansion of the same creates a
requirement for drivers. Female drivers once trained can be inducted for the same. Though the
percentage of female cab drivers to the male counterparts is miniscule, certain non-profit entities have
begun training females for the role already
 Also, the government has recently decided to do away with the minimum education criteria required for
obtaining driving licenses for transport vehicle category. This has been done considering shortage of
drivers in the sector and at the same time to enhance employment opportunities. Though the members
enrolled in the ITIs are above the minimum required qualification (class 8 pass), this is a welcome move
and clearly points at the demand for drivers in the sector
Considerations
 The widely prevalent misconception of females being bad drivers among the masses might affect the
acceptance of female drivers

Suggested areas
Yes
 Stone Mining Machine  10th pass under 10+2 system with
JCB Operator Operator science & math or its equivalent
 Stone Processing Machine
Operator
Rationale
 Apart from temporary periods of economic slowdown and major policy changes having a monetary
implication, construction of roads and buildings are activities that go on year after year. Such activities
demand usage of heavy machinery and hence the requirement of operators naturally comes into picture
Considerations
 The contractors/ builders must take up the responsibility of providing a gender inclusive environment,
which shall include both the physical infrastructure (restrooms, sanitary facilities) and
acceptability/behavior of other members of the group towards the female employee
 The plantation component will not be under the ambit of ITI and repair of
Organic farming
farming equipment is already included in the list of courses offered

Suggested areas
Yes
Jewelry designing A component of fashion design and  10th pass under 10+2 system
technology
Rationale
 With the increase in disposable income, India in 2017, was the largest consumer of gold in the world
 The Gems and Jewelry sector plays a significant role in the Indian economy, contributing around 7% of the
country’s GDP and 15% to India’s total merchandise exports. It also employs over 4.64 million workers and
is expected to employ 8.23 million by 2022. One of the fastest growing sectors, it is extremely export
oriented and labor intensive39
 With people getting increasingly conscious about their lifestyle the demand of lifestyle/luxury products
like jewelry is only set to rise with a corresponding demand in manpower
39
https://www.ibef.org/industry/gems-jewellery-india.aspx
Suggested areas
 Students who are pursuing or

completed their B.Sc. in any discipline
Tissue culture No
of Biological Sciences or BE / B.Tech.
Biotechnology is eligible40
Rationale
 Tissue culture, especially the for plants, has emerged as an important tool to multiply varieties of high
quality, disease and climate resilient high yielding plants artificially, throughout the year.
 It has also proven to be a cost-effective tool to boost farm produce. In India the tissue culture Industry is
growing at a rate of 15% per annum41
 Considering the growth, a course on tissue culture lab assistant may be initiated at the ITI’s

Suggested areas
Solar energy Yes  10th pass under 10+2 system
Rationale
 The solar industry has got a major boost in recent years. Solar capacity has increased by eight times
between 2014 to 2018 in the country, among the other renewables42. The government through its
dedicated ministry (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy – MNRE) brings in adequate recommendation
and regulations to help this sector grow. As the outlook for this sector generally looks positive, training
the youth (females in this case) would be a beneficial.

Suggested areas
Civil land surveying Yes  10th pass under 10+2 system
Rationale
 India's construction industry is expected to grow at a compounded annual average of 6.44% to US$690.9
billion in 202343. Topographic surveys are instrumental in achieving successful civil engineering,
architectural and structural design elements for proposed improvements
Consideration
 Since this will include travel to remote geographies, the contractors/ builders must take up the
responsibility of providing a gender inclusive environment, proper security measures need to be put in
place before deploying female to survey locations, conveyance cost considerations for travel to survey
locations and accommodation, if required, to avoid travel at odd times

Suggested areas
 Paramedics: no  Paramedic: 10th pass under 10+2

Paramedics/ X-Ray and  X-Ray and ultrasound system44
ultrasound technicians technicians: Yes (Radiology  radiology technician : 10th pass under
Technician) 10+2 system
40
https://www.dypatil.edu/schools/biotech-and-bioinformatics/certificate-course-in-plant-tissue-culture-technology/
41
https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-cm/national-certification-system-for-tissue-culture-raised-plants-
117111500277_1.html
42
https://www.ibef.org/industry/renewable-energy.aspx
43
https://www.constructionweekonline.in/business/9399-indias-construction-industry-regains-growth-momentum
44
https://www.aicvps.org/paramedical-course.php
Rationale
 In a developing country like India there is acute shortage of skilled and trained health-care professionals.
At present, India requires 64 lakh paramedics to cater to the increasing need in the health sector.
Currently, there is a dearth of such trained professionals, which can only be compensated with increased
world – class training and education in paramedical sciences45

Suggested areas
 12th pass in any stream as per B. Voc

course eligibility in software
No, basic computers development course
Software modeling course/software testing course is
there  software testing course (ITI) - 12th
Passed under 10+2 System with
science and math
Rationale
 India's IT industry contributed around 7.9% to the country's GDP. The industry added around 1,05,000
jobs in FY18 and is expected to add over 100,000 jobs in FY19. IT industry is fueling the growth of start-
ups in India, with the presence of more than 5,200 start-ups
 The Indian software sector's value proposition is unmatched in the world. Entry level wages remain 8x-
10x lower than in developed nations. India is the leading sourcing destination across the world,
accounting for approximately 55% market share of the US$185-190 billion global services sourcing
business in 2017-18. India acquired a share of around 38percent in the overall Business Process
Management (BPM) sourcing market46
 It offers avenues for starting one’s own start up, offer work from home services, etc. hence it will be
helpful if females are trained in this job role
Most of the opportunities identified by the respondents are related to engineering trades. The study shows that
there is a huge barrier that limits the involvement of females in engineering trades many of which, in the current
form, require physical labor. While there is a need to work towards bringing about a mindset change to
encourage females opt for engineering related trades, the scope of trades offered under this category also need
to expand. There were many voices from the industry that were convinced of more opportunities are getting
created within the industry with increased automation.
In doing so, a basic challenge would need to be overcome — how to encourage females to opt for STEM at the
school level to become eligible for these trades. To achieve a higher level of skill sets, a background in science
subjects would be essential. Female students are hesitant to opt for STEM subjects at school level. In 2016-17,
out of the total enrolments into higher secondary level into science streams, less than half the students were
females (42.23%) (U-DISE Flash Statistics 2016-17). Gender divide at this level also needs to be addressed.
Finally, even for non-engineering trades, female trainees will need to equip themselves with basic IT skills.
45
https://www.smart-academy.in/blog/advantages-of-being-a-paramedic-in-india/
46
https://www.equitymaster.com/research-it/sector-info/software/Software-Sector-Analysis-Report.asp
Chapter 8: National Skill
Training Institute (NSTI)
8. National Skill Training Institutes
National Skill Training Institutes (erstwhile Advanced Training Institutes or ATIs) are technical institutes under
the aegis of the Directorate General of Training. These institutes were set up in the 1960s to contribute to
addressing the increasing demand for skilled people in the industry. They imparted training and skills through
short duration courses conducted in modules and tailor-made courses as per the specific needs of their
industries, government establishments, Public Sector Undertakings and technical institutions. To encourage
females into this domain separate institutes were set up for females. This was part of Women’s Vocational
Training Program (WVTP) that was designed and launched in 1977 to mainstream women into economic
activities. Under this project, vocational trades were identified that were particularly suitable for women and
their implementation planned and courses run for them.
Specific mandate of the NSTIs is to develop - skilled manpower for industry, instructional staff for the Industrial
Training Institutes, and upgrade the skill of in-service persons from industry. To fulfil this objective, the NSTIs
offer the CTS, CITS courses in both engineering and non-engineering trades, short term courses and need based
courses for the industry. The Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) is similar to the training offered at ITIs except
that these offer a wider range of engineering related trades including some new age courses.
The Crafts Instructor Training Scheme (CITS) is to train instructors in the techniques of transferring hands-on
skills, in order to train semi-skilled / skilled manpower for industry. Structure of training program is such that
comprehensive training both in skill development and training methodology is imparted to the trainees. The team
visited the NSTIs for women only.
8.1 Infrastructure and capacity utilization

Figure 32: NSTI building in Jaipur
The institutes provide a good ambience for learning through well-equipped classrooms, hostel facilities and well-
maintained buildings. The NSTIs mostly have an up-to date and advanced machinery and the management
constantly invests in keeping it up to date to increase the relevance of the trades.
Karnataka NSTI was one of the NSTIs visited during the study had good quality modern infrastructure
 The Karnataka NSTI has an impressive infrastructure, hygienic, with separate labs and theory rooms for
each of the courses offered
 All the facilities such as computer and sewing machines required for various courses were in the ratio of 1:1
student to machine
 The NSTI also had a 100 bedded hostel with power backup, water supply and WIFI facility. The hostel had
rooms with attached bathrooms
 24-hour security system for female candidates
 The NSTI has been designed in such a way that it has access pathways for persons with disability. Toilets are
being designed on the ground floor for the disabled students
An overall superior infrastructure at the NSTIs, indicates that these institutes would be very much sought after
by the students. However, a look at trends in utilization of the seats shows that there is underutilization of seats
at the NSTIs. Seat utilization for the years 2014-15 to 2018-19 has been 63%, 58%, 61%,64% and 57%
respectively for each year. This includes both the CITS and CTS courses together.
Figure 33: trend of enrolment of female students against in NSTIs in the last five years
1991 1967 2051

1872 1955
1186 1223 1266

1125 1170
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Total Seats Total Enrolment_Female
Source: Analysis of data received from 10 NSTI factsheets
Some reasons cited by the students for the seats remaining vacant was the fact that the admission process has
become centralized which leads to allocation of the NSTI according to merit. This means that students do not
necessarily get admission in the NSTI of the state to which they belong, and many students are reluctant to go to
other states to pursue the courses offered.
8.2 Attractiveness of courses for students

Data related to enrolment of students for different courses at NSTI shows that students prefer to join the CTS
course as compared to the CITS course. This is reflected in variation in the number of seats offered under the
two courses. As per the available data the number of seats in CITS is about 60% of the total number of seats
offered under the CTS. Further, there is clear preference for non-engineering trades for both the courses. The
enrolment percentage is higher in non-engineering trades in comparison to engineering trades under CTS
courses. Only 7 percent seats remain vacant for the non-engineering trades as compared to more than 25
percent seats in engineering trades.
Figure 34: number of seats vs. enrolment of students in CTS course
1200 93.5%
1000
800
600
72.3%
400
200
0
Engineering Non Engineering
Total Capacity Enrolled
A similar trend is observed with respect to CITS course although a higher proportion of females opted for
engineering related trades. While about 7% seats under the non-engineering related trades remain vacant, a
corresponding figure for engineering trades was 14%. One of the objectives of the NSTI was to develop
instructors for the ITIs. While that mandate is getting fulfilled to a large extent, more female students are joining
the NSTIs to get basic skills and not become instructors.
Figure 35: number of seats vs. Enrolment of students in CITS course
92.6%
800
700
600
500
400
85.9%
300
200
100
0
Engineering Non-Engineering
Total Capacity Enrolled
Interactions with the principals of the NSTIs provided further insights. Some engineering trades that are offered
are draughtsman (civil) and electronic mechanic are not perceived as courses that will get them a job. For other
new age trades, there is lack of awareness among potential students. As an example, in NSTI, Mumbai, where
new courses like IoT have potential, enrolment of students is only 54% of the total capacity in the trade.
As compared to the general NSTIs, those for females do not focus much on conducting short term courses and
most of the training programs are in engineering trades, which, as already seen in the preceding sections, fails to
attract female trainees in large numbers
8.3 Proactive measures being taken by the principals to strengthen

the institutes
The principals of the NSTIs were found to be taking measures more proactively to forge linkages with the
industry and guidance to trainees. The following responses were given by the principals when asked what
measures are taken by them to engage with the industry. The institutes conduct sessions for students in areas
like soft skill training, guiding them to make informed choices and career counselling.
Table 25: Measures taken by principals for industry engagement
Frequency: N-10
Measures taken by institute for industry engagement
(Multiple responses given)
Soft-skill training to the trainees for better preparedness for the industry 6 (60%)
Guidance to apply in various industries 4 (40%)
Industry exposure (field visits, internships, etc.) 4 (40%)
Tie-up with local industries for hiring of skilled workers 2 (20%)
Frequency: N-10
Measures taken by institute for industry engagement
(Multiple responses given)
Job related counselling 2 (20%)
Tie-ups with NGO/Organizations to provide career counselling/ mentorship

2 (20%)
to trainees
Conduct mock interview to make them job ready 1 (10%)
NSTIs also have the advantage of an allocated budget to take up awareness activities. The amount varies for
each NSTI from 1-4 lakhs, but the principals were able to make use of these funds by using print media
advertisements, make use of local radios, put up stalls in exhibitions, visit local schools and participate in female
centric events, wherever these were held. Advertisements in newspapers also help to supplement the networking
efforts.
Some NSTIs such as the facility in HP reaches out to schools and even panchayats to create awareness about
the institute. They have taken measures to improve the image of the institute to make it appear professional.
For instance, the uniform for the females have been redesigned with professional design elements and has
received positive feedback from the female trainees.
8.4 Revisiting the mandate of the NSTIs

Overall, the NSTIs are offering a good learning experience to the students and it is valued by them. The research
team reviewed the performance of the NSTIs against its stated objectives and the outcome. As mentioned earlier
the three mandates for the NSTIs were to develop skilled workforce for the industry, train instructional staff for
the ITIs and upgrade the skill of in-service workforce of the industry. Each of these areas were examined.
8.4.1 Develop skilled workforce for industry

The NSTIs are fulfilling this mandate by offering a wider range of courses offered through well-equipped
classrooms and proactively reaching out to the industry for forward linkages. However, it is seen that the
capacity of the NSTI remains underutilized since majority of students opt for non-engineering trades. Therefore,
it can be inferred that while the NSTIs are fulfilling this mandate, it is yet to break the gender stereotyping when
it comes to female candidates who continue to demonstrate preference for trades that are considered non-
traditional for them. Analysis on trades offered at NSTIs show that in engineering trades, the total capacity is
more in CTS by 121.2%. It has a bearing on female enrolment in NSTIs since enrolment has been seen to be
higher for CTS courses, but females tend to be more inclined towards non engineering trades to be trained in.
Figure 36: capacity comparison between CITS and CTS for engineering and non-engineering trades
Total capacity comparison
49.5%
725
Non engineering
1084
121.2%
170
Engineering
376
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
CITS CTS
8.4.2 Instructional staff for the industrial training institutes

The CITS courses are the advanced versions of the CTS courses and prepare the trainees to become instructors
in agencies providing skill training, especially the ITIs. There has been a gap related to existing policy. Although
DGT has taken appropriate steps to address this gap, it will take some time before its impact is realized at the
ground level. To become an instructor, till now the eligibility criteria includes a degree or diploma in related area.
The trainees from the CITS course do not necessarily have these qualifications. This aspect has been examined
by the DGT and the norms eased out. As per the MoM47 (Recommendation Committee of DGT) CITS certification
is going to become a mandatory requisite to become instructor at ITI. Additionally, the committee also
recommended that a 4-week CITS orientation to be done for current ITI batch/ex-ITI students to make them
aware of the career option as ITI instructor. An ITI pass out with NTC/NAC in relevant trades with three years of
experience can apply to become and ITI instructor.
8.4.3 Upgrade the skill of in-service persons from industry

Only 6 of the 10 institutes visited by the team offer short term courses. Some NSTI were seen to be offering
innovative short- term courses. For example, NSTI West Bengal offers courses in computer aided drafting, 2D
presentation drawing, basic 3D modelling and landscaping. Similarly, Karnataka offers 48 courses categorized
under 5 sectors.
Table 26: mapping of courses offered under CTS and CITS at NSTIs
CITS CTS
Engineering Non-engineering Engineering Non-engineering
Architectural assistant Cosmetology Electronic mechanic Secretarial practice
Computer software
Dressmaking COPA Secretarial assistant
application
Architectural Fruit and Vegetable

Machinist Sewing technology
draughtsman processing
47
Minutes of the Meeting of Recommendation Committee of DGT on Norms and Courses. January 30, 2019
CITS CTS
Engineering Non-engineering Engineering Non-engineering
Surface ornamentation
Electrician Internet of Things (IOT) Basic cosmetology
technique
Electronic mechanic Office management 3-D printing Dress making
Fashion designing and Computer aided

Draughtsman civil Machinist
technology embroidery
Fashion design and

Fitter (in a co-ed NSTI) Catering and hospitality Solar technician
technology
Interior design and

Desktop publishing Mechatronics
technology
Computer software
Turner Stenographer
application
Welder Draughtsman Civil Food production
Computer technology IOT (Smart City) Catering and hospitality
Computer hardware
networking maintenance
Smart phone
Geo info assistant
Desktop Publishing
Source: NSTI and DGT Websites
8.5 Optimum utilization of infrastructure

Given the quality of infrastructure available to them, there are several other initiatives which can be taken up by
the institutes. Some potential areas of intervention are discussed as under:
Develop itself as a resource agency for the ITIs in the state
Some areas of challenges where the NSTIs can support the ITIs and further improve their service offerings are:
 Limited public awareness about the ITIs
 Limited counselling and guidance services being offered
 Not enough female faculty members
 Weak linkages with the industry leading to inadequate understanding of market expectations
 Insufficient focus on guiding and preparing the ITI graduates for self-employment and entrepreneurship
 No structured opportunity for in-service training
 Insufficient ongoing research to guide the planning process.
 Limited formal gender friendly safety and security guidelines for the ITIs and gender sensitizing programs
NSTIs are well positioned to support the ITIs by taking up the role of a resource agency. While the state
directorates take up the administrative role, the NSTIs could become state resource centers along the lines of
State Councils of Education Research and Training which play a similar role for the education sector. The
resource agency may take up the following functions:
 Refresher training of the instructors at the ITIs
 Development of need-based modules. For example, modules for gender sensitization of staff
 Conduct research on a regular basis to develop intelligence around demands of the industry and need for
introducing relevant skills
 Facilitate interaction with the industry associations
 Develop capacity of the ITIs to enhance gender friendliness
 Serve as incubation centers to support self-employment/entrepreneurship
It is seen that across the ITIs and even the NSTIs there is a strong inclination among females to pursue non-
engineering trades. While they need to be encouraged to pursue engineering related trades too, those pursuing
non-engineering related trades also need to be supported since these trades have potential for making the
trainees self-employed or become entrepreneurs. To achieve this, trainees would need a lot of guidance to get
started. Setting up of incubation centers within NSTIs for females to start their business and can serve as a one
stop window of information for these new ventures, can give them the support required at the initial stages.
Providing guidance, relevant information, linkages with other schemes and creating networks are some functions
that can be taken up by these incubation centers.
Offer only select courses under CTS
Several non-engineering trades offered at the NSTIs are similar to those offered at the ITIs such as cosmetology,
dress making and secretarial practice. While students would get better facilities and learning environment at the
NSTIs, this is duplication of efforts. As a strategy the NSTIs could focus on setting trends and developing training
programs for niche courses and trades. NSTIs can focus on the new age trades and develop strategies to
popularize these trades.
Develop a replicable model for non-traditional courses for females at the ITIs
DGT has introduced some very good engineering related courses for females which have market demand, but
due to lack of awareness and trainee orientation and counselling, the seats largely remain underutilized. The
challenge is especially acute when it comes to popularizing these courses among females
For instance, NSTI, Panipat has introduced two new trades this year namely smart phone technician cum
application tester and geoinformatics assistant. However, very few students took up the course which is due to
lack awareness about the opportunities it offers, as shared by the Principal NSTI in Panipat, Haryana.
This would require multi stakeholder engagement to identify and address the barriers at each stage; to create
awareness using different platforms; mentoring of the students to make them employment ready and linkages
with the industry to create employment opportunities for them. There is a need to break gender stereotyping in
the choice of trades by females across the ITIs. NSTIs can demonstrate it and develop the capacities of the ITIs to
replicate in their institutes to have a ripple effect.
Chapter 9: Recommendations
9 Recommendations
The study has revealed several barriers for females to access vocational training in the country. It has also
helped in understanding some existing gaps in the eco system of imparting vocational training through the ITIs.
This section of the report makes some actionable recommendations which may be considered for implementation
by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) Directorate General of Training (DGT) and the
ITIs to address the challenges :
9.1 Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

Review of policies and guidelines related to ITIs and apprenticeship from a gender perspective
While the National Policy on Skill Development mentions about inclusion of females in skill development, its
operationalization can be done more effectively if this principle flows through the existing guidelines and
manuals. These documents maybe reviewed from the gender perspective. For instance, there are elaborate
guidelines in the Affiliation Norms for ITIs (2018), related to dimensions, equipment of the labs and the staff to
ensure quality of training at the ITIs. These guidelines may also include gender perspective even before the ITI is
set up. For example, selection of an accessible location, availability of transportation, provision of space for
females at the institute, having female instructors and safety guidelines are important parameters which could
be included in the guidelines as a first step towards making the ITIs gender friendly.
Incentives to MSMEs to engage female apprentices and employees
Apprenticeship training has been recognized as a very important step in bringing the trainees up to the speed to
the requirements of the industry and making them job ready. It has been observed that there is a general
reluctance within the industry, especially the MSMEs, to take up female apprentices. In addition to the mindset
that females cannot do certain types of jobs, they sometimes face genuine problems in terms of non-availability
of funds for additional provisions to ensure safety and security of females. It is also seen that they find the online
registration process cumbersome and lack time and resources for arranging examinations for the apprentices.
MSDE can engage with Ministry of SME and work together to having a policy to offer incentives to the MSMEs and
make the processes simpler to enable them to offer apprenticeship to females in larger numbers. MSMEs are
important for the success of this scheme since these are more accessible to females because of their numbers
and spread across geographies. Females who are reluctant to travel long distances or relocate themselves to
become an apprentice will benefit if the local MSMEs offer the apprenticeship opportunities.
Creation of a needs-based fund for the ITIs to support gender friendly programs and activities
India being a vast country with variations not just across regions but also within a state, makes it challenging to
have a common framework for more than 14,000 ITIs. Therefore, MSDE may consider setting up of a fund which
can be accessed by the ITI for specific activities. For instance, the ITI may feel the need to provide hostel
facilities to females, especially in tribal areas, or buy a vehicle to facilitate their travel. Having an option to get
funds to fulfil their specific requirements can help in addressing such ITI specific issues.
Scholarships for females to overcome financial barrier and incentives for those pursuing
engineering related trades
The fee for pursuing a course at the ITI is minimal and affordable for the students. However, there are additional
expenses that need to be incurred towards travel, boarding and lodging and purchase of learning material.
Incentives in the form of scholarship to females can help in removing the economic burden that acts as a barrier.
In addition, instituting rewards for meritorious students especially those excelling in engineering trades would
encourage females to pursue trades considered non-traditional for them.
Redefine the role of NSTIs (W) as hubs to promote gender diversity in the ITIs
NSTIs for women can be in the vanguard to address the issue of gender disparities across ITIs. Their existing
mandate maybe redefined by MSDE to enable them take up relevant functions that would support the ITIs to
become more gender friendly. In addition to implementing direct programs for females, which they are currently
doing, these institutes may be supported to become hubs for advocacy, forging collaborations with different
stakeholders, especially the industry and capacity development of the staff. The existing infrastructure at the
NSTIs can be optimally utilized to conduct research, collect evidence, support, monitor and become resource
agencies to promote gender diversity in the respective states.
Collaboration with other ministries and resource agencies to leverage support
Addressing the barriers for females at the ITIs as well as at workplace is a mammoth task where a number of
areas warrant attention. It may not be possible for the ministry to address all these barriers. Liaison with other
ministries and resource organizations may help to increase the pace of bridging the gender divide that exists.
Some examples towards this are:
 Collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Development to set up or make use of existing hostels
for females to provide safe space for the students as well as female workers
 Collaboration with resource agencies such as UN Women to plan and execute gender sensitization programs
for the staff
 Introducing information about the ITIs in the existing guidance and counseling programs of Ministry of HRD
9.2 Directorate General of Training

Support state directorates to create awareness about the ITIs using different media
There is an urgent need to give more visibility to the ITIs and create awareness about − what they have to offer,
how to take admission and more importantly what are the available opportunities after completion of the course.
Currently most of the awareness is created through word of mouth or by disparate initiatives taken by the staff
at an individual level. It will be useful if these efforts could be institutionalized by developing or making use of
existing IEC material, social media to create awareness, having budgetary allocation to organize related activities
and developing linkages with the secondary schools and local industry to let them know about the trades offered
at the ITI. DGT may consider supporting the states to plan for such activities with greater vigor.
Strengthen counseling services for females at all stages
Strengthening of counseling services in the ITIs was identified as an important area of improvement in this study.
This is a very important step to help females make informed decisions about the trade they choose to pursue at
the ITI and the career path they wish to chart for themselves after completion of the course. This may be done by
firstly ensuring that there is a TCPO at every ITI. Even after the TCPO is appointed, specialized training should be
given that focuses not just on placement after completion of the course but also on conducting aptitude tests,
guidance to potential students. This needs to be supported by making relevant material available to them and
developing their capacity to use Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC). The job description for the TCPOs may
include forming linkages with the education department and the local industries and associations such that there
is flow of information and joint efforts to increase the access of females in the institutes as well as the workplace.
Safety and security of females to be prioritized
Safety and security have emerged as important concerns for females attending the ITIs. The existing safety and
security guidelines provided by DGT pertain largely to the use of equipment, hazardous situations like incidents
of fire in the building. However, there needs to be clear guidelines for safety and security of females within the
premises, having a grievance redressal system in case of sexual harassment and creating awareness about it
among students.
It is known that females face harassment while traveling to the ITI. While the ITI leadership would have a limited
role in mitigating that challenge since it is beyond their control, yet, it may be addressed in some ways by making
reasonable accommodation for female trainees. This may be done by giving them flexibility about timings,
setting up creches, if required and collaboration with other agencies working to address this issue. DGT may also
consider enhancing the location guidelines of the ITIs, to ensure that ITIs are set up at well-connected locations
with attention being paid to the establishments that exist in its vicinity.
Leadership training for the principals of the ITIs and gender sensitization for the faculty and
students
Given the numbers of the ITIs across the country, despite having the best policies and planning process, its
success can only be ensured if there is vibrant leadership at the institutional level to ensure the translation of
these policies into actions. Principals are the key to bringing about a change into the system. The principals of
the ITIs could also be supported in this area by offering them leadership training. They need to recognize their
role as change agents to be able to keep pace with the developments around them and in meeting the local
challenges. In addition, it will be useful if a gender sensitization program is included in the curriculum of the
students and in-service training of the staff.
Include parameters related to gender friendliness in the grading system
Grading of the ITIs is a good tool to monitor progress and identify areas of improvement. It may be useful to
introduce parameters related to gender friendliness as part of all grading and ITI evaluation exercises. This also
incentivizes the ITIs to improve their performance on the gender parameters along with other indicators that are
necessary for an ITI to get a good grade. A few performance indicators from the gender perspective are given
below:
Table 27: sample indicators for evaluating ITI’s gender friendliness
Performance range
S.no. Performance indicators
Good Average Needs improvement
Gender disaggregated data

for all activities organized at
the ITI All records Some records
1 No data collected
maintained maintained
(applicable for co-ed
institutes only)
Recruitment of female staff

including instructors, 50% of total staff Less than 50% female No female staff at
2
administration and support strength are female staff the ITI
staff
A separate common
No separate room
Availability of safe space for room and medical No separate space
3 but some space
females room available for available
available to rest
females
Hygienic and well- Separate toilets for

Availability of functional No separate toilets
4 maintained toilets females available but
toilets for females for females
available for females not hygienic
5 Availability of sanitary pads Always available Irregular supply Not available
Active sexual harassment Available, but does

Available, actively
6 committee and grievance not work / meet Not available
working
redressal system regularly
Awareness among students Policy available but

Students aware of No policy or
about policy against sexual students are not
7 the policy and redressal system at
harassment and redressal aware of it or of the
redressal mechanism the ITI
system redressal system
Module administered
Module administered but not annually for
Gender sensitization
to both students and students or only
8 sessions organized for Never conducted
faculty – annually for administered to
faculty and students
students students not the
faculty
Outreach programs
for schools,
Outreach program to Outreach program
community and
9 encourage females to join conducted but not on Never conducted
industry carried out
ITIs a regular basis
on a regular basis
each year
Performance range
S.no. Performance indicators
Good Average Needs improvement
All seats reserved for Less than 50% seats

Proportion of females
females in reserved for females No female student in
10 joining engineering related
engineering trades in engineering trades engineering trade
trades
filled up filled up
Less than 50% seats

All seats reserved for
reserved for SC/ST No SC/ST female
SC/ST women in
11 Of which, SC/ ST females women in student in
engineering trades
engineering trades engineering trade
filled up
filled up
Meetings of
Regular meetings of committees formed
Interactions with female
committees formed at ITIs to identify
12 trainees to address Never carried out
at ITIs to identify issues females face
challenges they face
issues females face organized but not
regularly
Improved MIS for the ITIs, NSTIs and apprenticeship program

The importance of having a robust MIS cannot be undermined. Having robust data and making use of this data
for planning can be a very effective monitoring tool. There is an existing MIS which can be made more effective
by using it as a planning tool. U-DISE is a very good example to emulate where collation of data related to
infrastructure, teachers and students from 1.5 million schools is being collected and collated at district and state
levels. A school report card is also available for each school. This information is available in public domain for
anyone to access bringing in greater transparency and accountability at all levels. Going a step further there is
an index around few parameters which are used to rank each state, thereby, propelling them to improve their
ranking. A similar arrangement maybe considered by DGT for the ITIs as well as the apprentices.
Introduce a flexi approach to popularize the apprenticeship program among students and MSMEs
Many students and apprentices shared that they find the online registration requirement for registration very
cumbersome and difficult to access. The online system was introduced to streamline the registration process and
making it more transparent, which it has succeeded to do. However, offering it as the only way to register maybe
relooked. The reason for this is the unfamiliarity with the use of online system and limited access to internet in
the rural areas. While this is seen as a barrier by the students, the MSME were also found to be not comfortable
with this arrangement. MSMEs have an additional concern. As per the directions from DGT, the industries are
required to assess the apprentices on completion of their training. The MSMEs find it difficult to follow this for
lack of time and resources. This may not be a concern for the bigger industries but the MSMEs are struggling to
deal with this. DGT may consider assigning this task to the pre-approved basic training providers, so that the
MSMEs do not consider it as a hurdle to offering apprenticeship to trainees including females.
9.3 Recommendations for the ITIs

Dedicated ITI level communication plan to create awareness about the ITIs
The study shows that awareness about the CTS needs to be done in a more focused manner to encourage
females to join the institutes. The ITIs are generally considered to offer courses that are suited to males. There
is a need to dispel this perception so that more females consider skill development through ITIs as an option for
them. Many principals and faculty members make efforts to reach out to potential students in an informal way.
The process needs to be formalized to get the desired results. Making an ITI level communication strategy and a
plan around it is likely to be more effective since there will be greater ownership. Each ITI can propose a specific
communication plan based on its experience. This may be done by mapping the stakeholders relevant for the ITI,
identify what specific messaging needs to be communicated, source or develop the communication material,
identify different platforms through which information can be disseminated and identify means of
communication – print, visual, social media or personal interactions.
Social mobilization plan for better engagement with the community
It is seen that more female trainees can take admission and complete the course if they get support from their
families as well as the communities where they reside. Students reported that the most common form of
communication about the ITIs and the apprenticeship program are family members, friends and relatives. They
form important stakeholders who can support efforts to overcome the barriers for females to access the ITIs and
participate in apprenticeship program thereafter. A social mobilization plan can guide the ITIs to work towards
bringing about behavioral change against the existing public perception people have about the institutes and
gender stereotyping in the choice of trades. This may be done by organizing parent teacher meetings and open
days when parents can come and visit classrooms to experience the environment where their wards receive
training. Some local community stakeholders can also be made part of the mobilization plan.
Effective career guidance
Counselling at different stages of student life at the ITI is one of the most critical factors and warrants attention.
It is essential to have full-time personnel responsible to take up all the functions related to career guidance such
as
 Liaison with local secondary schools especially for females only and co-educational schools, to provide
information about different trades offered at the ITIs and related career options
 Conduct aptitude test for aspirants to help them make a choice of trade
 Mapping the local industries and organizing job fairs where relevant industries are invited to offer
placements to students
 Regular interaction with the industry to gauge their expectations from the students
 Guide the trainees to join the apprenticeship program
 Organize alumni meet to ascertain what career path they are following post completion of the course
 Orient the students to make use of job search engines and networking platforms such as LinkedIn
 Create a vibrant resource center within the ITI that has a repository of material related to different career
options and self-development
 Organize talks for the students by representatives from the industry, resource persons, professionals and
entrepreneurs
 Conduct workshops for students to guide them how to write their resume, how to appear for an interview
and making them job ready
 Strengthen soft skill training for students
 Soft skills training is a much-needed input for students to make them industry ready. Most skill gap studies
indicate that communication skills are found wanting in majority of employees they recruit. While this is
applicable for all job seekers not just from ITIs, greater focus on these skills is likely to give them an edge
over others. Therefore, the ITIs can strengthen the soft skill training aspect in their respective institutes.
Some common areas where soft skills can be imparted are:
 Communication in English both written and spoken
 Basic IT skills to help them overcome their hesitation to make use of IT
 Confidence building
Several courses are already available which can be used to conduct the career guidance sessions. There are
several app based English speaking courses which give flexibility to students to pursue these self- learning
courses at their own pace. Professional support maybe sought to carry out modules related to personality
development. A program should be made part of the curriculum with close monitoring to ascertain its efficacy.
Safety of female trainees within the ITI
Female trainees have safety concerns both within the ITI and outside which act as a barrier for them. ITIs should
have a specific plan to address these, especially within the institute. While creating awareness among them,
females should be encouraged to speak up if they face any injustice rather than suffer in silence. There are some
aspects which should be non-negotiable such as having a policy against sexual harassment and a well-defined
redressal system. Students need be made aware of the policy and the redressal mechanism. The faculty
members dealing with such issues should receive an orientation on how to handle it with sensitivity and
maintaining confidentiality.
 Students should also be made aware of cybercrimes which are on the rise. Lack of information about these
issues can make the trainees vulnerable, especially females
 Addressing safety issues outside the premises of the ITI would require collaboration with other stakeholders
to find local solutions such as sharing of transport, creating awareness about police helplines, organizing
classes on self-defense
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ANNEXURE I: Tables and graphs
ANNEXURE I: Tables and graphs
A. Stratification of 8155 ITIs as per affiliation, geographical location
and student mix
B. Stratification of 2287 ITIs as per affiliation, geographical location
and student mix
Table shows the distribution of ITIs in every state in appropriate proportion and a 65% coverage of government
ITIs and 35percent coverage of private ITIs.
C. Stratification of 367 ITIs as per affiliation, geographical location

and student mix
Government Private
States Others Women only Others Women only State total
Rural Urban Rural Urban Rural Urban Rural Urban
Assam 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 5
Chhattisgarh 11 1 1 1 4 3 0 0 20
Haryana 7 5 1 4 10 6 1 1 34
Himachal Pradesh 9 1 1 1 2 1 1 0 16
Jharkhand 1 0 1 0 4 1 0 0 7
Karnataka 4 2 1 1 3 3 1 0 15
Kerala 13 1 1 1 10 2 0 0 27
Maharashtra 45 4 1 2 10 1 1 0 65
Rajasthan 28 3 1 1 12 6 1 0 53
Tamil Nadu 6 1 1 1 7 1 0 0 17
Uttar Pradesh 48 4 1 1 15 11 1 1 82
West Bengal 13 3 1 0 4 4 0 1 27
Grand Total 186 27 12 14 80 38 6 3 367
D. Stratification of 64 ITIs as per affiliation, geographical location
and student mix
Government Private
States Others Women only Others Women only State total
Rural Urban Rural/Urban Rural Urban Rural/Urban
Assam 1 1 1 0 0 0 3
Chhattisgarh 1 1 1 1 1 0 5
Haryana 1 1 1 1 1 1 6
Himachal Pradesh 1 1 1 1 1 1 6
Jharkhand 1 0 1 1 1 0 4
Karnataka 1 1 1 1 1 1 6
Kerala 1 1 1 1 1 0 5
Maharashtra 1 1 1 1 1 1 6
Rajasthan 1 1 1 1 1 1 6
Tamil Nadu 1 1 1 1 1 0 5
Uttar Pradesh 1 1 1 1 1 1 6
West Bengal 1 1 1 1 1 1 6
Grand Total 12 11 12 11 11 7 64
E. List of ITIs chosen for field visit

State ITI Code ITI name Date of visit
GR18000011 Govt Industrial Training Institute, Tinsukia 24-Jun-19
Assam GU18000003 Govt Industrial Training Institute Jorhat 28-Jun-19
GU18000022 Govt Industrial Training Institute for Women, Guwahati 27-Jun-19
GR22000163 Govt Industrial Training Institute, Jagdalpur, Dist-Bastar 24-Jun-19
Govt Industrial Training Institute for Women, Bhilai, Dist-

GU22000002 20-Jun-19
Durg
Chhattisgarh Goverment Industrial Training Institute, Raipur, Dist-

GU22000021 21-Jun-19
Raipur
PR22000060 Leprosy Mission Chhattisgarh V. Trg. ITC, Janjgir-Champa 26-Jun-19
PU22000149 Samrat Ashoka ITC Kawardha 27-Jun-19
GR06000030 Govt. Industrial Training Institute (Women) Charkhi Dadri 18-Jul-19

Haryana
GR06000064 Govt. Industrial Training Institute Kund Manethi 14-Jun-19
GU06000025 Govt. Industrial Training Institute Faridabad 18-Jun-19
D.S. Memorial Pvt. Industrial Training Institute, Vill.

PR06000139 19-Jul-19
Paniwal Mota, Teh.& Dist. Sirsa
Women League Girls Pvt. Industrial Centre Nehru Park,

PU06000042 27-Jun-19
Model Town, Yamuna Nagar
Saraswati Pvt. Industrial Training Institute, KDV, (VIP)

PU06000124 28-Jun-19
Road Near Petrol Pump, Kurukshetra
GR02000033 Govt Industrial Training Institute for Women Nalagarh 19-Jun-19
Govt Industrial Training Institute for Persons with

GR02000133 10-Jun-19
Disabilities Sunder Nagar
Himachal GU02000080 Govt Industrial Training Institute Shimla 13-Jun-19

Pradesh
PR02000054 P.C.S Memorial Industrial Training Centre Sansarpur 21-Jun-19
PR02000140 Mata Parvati Pvt. Industrial Training Institute, Nurpur 24-Jun-19
PU02000078 Bhuvneshwari (Pvt.) Industrial Training Institute Bahot 11-Jun-19
GR20000011 Industrial Training Institute (Welfare), Ranchi 10-Jun-19
GR20000040 Govt Industrial Training Centre for Women Jameshedpur 12-Jun-19

Jharkhand
PR20000213 Sanskar Pvt. ITI, Mihijam, Jamtara 14-Jun-19
PU20000219 CMCE Private ITI 14-Jun-19
GR29000055 Govt Industrial Training Institute, Madikeri 13-Jun-19
Government Industrial Training Institute , N R Mohalla

GU29000053 12-Jun-19
Mysore
GU29000255 Govt Industrial Training Institute for Women, Mangalore 10-Jun-19

Karnataka
PR29000587 Adarsha ITI Shivanagi, Bijapur 11-Jul-19
PU29000120 Anjuman ITI Sindagi, Bijapur 10-Jul-19
PU29000256 Dr.Ambedkar Shikshan Sam ITI, Nekar Nagar Hubli 09-Jul-19
GR32000238 Government Industrial Training Institute Kozhikode 04-Jul-19
Government Industrial Training Institute Kalamassery,

GU32000242 25-Jun-19
Kochi
Government Industrial Training Institute for Women

Kerala GU32000310 26-Jun-19
Kollam
PR32000597 Ideal Private Industrial Training Institute Cherppilaseri 24-Jun-19
Mannam Institute Of Computer Technology Private

PU32000411 25-Jun-19
Industrial Training Institute, Kottayam
Government Industrial Training Institute (Adivasi), Deola,

GR27000701
Dist: Nashik
Government Industrial Training Institute, Satara, Dist:

GU27000018
Satara
Government Industrial Training Institute (Woman),

GU27000221
Jalgaon, Dist: Jalgaon
Maharashtra
Shri Chhatrapati Shahu Private Industrial Training
PR27000144 23-Jul-19
Institute, Beed.
Bharti Vidyapithachi Girl'S Industrial Training Center,

PR27000179
Kadegaon, (W) Dist-Sangli
PU27000846 Kutemates Pvt.ITI, Chandrapur 22-Jul-19
Government Women Industrial Training Institute Udyog

GR08000971 13-Jun-19
Marg DCM Road, Kota
GR08000985 Government Industrial Training Institute Balotra 17-Jun-19
GU08000941 Government Industrial Training Institute, Udaipur 19-Jun-19

Rajasthan
Mewar Girls Private Industrial Training Institute Sec-5
PR08000009 20-Jun-19
Gandhi Nagar, Chitorgarh
Keshav Private Industrial Training Institute,

PR08001191 15-Jun-19
Hanumangarh
PU08001733 Mewar Private ITI, Bhilwara 06-Jun-19
GR33000047 Goverment Industrial Training Institute,Vellore 20-Jun-19
GU33000058 Government Industrial Training Institute, Coimbatore 24-Jun-19
GU33000207 Government Industrial Training Institute(Women), Salem 25-Jun-19

Tamil Nadu
Freudenberg Private Industrial Training Institute,
PR33000591 18-Jun-19
Nagapattinam
TNPL Private Industrial Training Institute, Kagidhapuram,

PU33000619 25-Jun-19
Karur
GR09001468 Government ITI, Bijnor 13-Jun-19
GU09001561 Government ITI, Jhansi 15-Jun-19
24-06-2019
GU09001581 Government ITI, World Bank Mahila, Varanasi
25-06-2019
Uttar Pradesh
26-06-2019
PR09000446 Smt. Fulehra Smarak Private ITC - Ballia
27-06-2019
PR09001121 Government ITI, Kasba Anupshahr, Bulandshahr 14-Jun-19
PU09001607 Lok Sewa Private ITC - Balrampur
GR19000008 Govt Industrial Training Institute for Women, Siliguri 12-Jun-19
GR19000027 Govt Industrial Training Institute Durgapur Muchipara 10-Jun-19
Halisahar Government ITI College, North Twenty-Four

GU19000168 17-Jun-19
Parganas
West Bengal
PR19000232 Kharagpur Private ITI 07-Jun-19
PU19000059 Bishop Morrow Private ITI, Nadia 13-Jun-19
PU19000061 Institute of Instrumentation and Metrology- ITC, Belgharia 14-Jun-19
F. List of 10 NSTIs visited

State NSTI name Date of visit
Haryana NSTI(W) Panipat 17-Jul-19
Himachal Pradesh NSTI(W) Shimla 17-Jun-19
Jharkhand NSTI Jamshedpur 01-Aug-19
Karnataka NSTI(W) Bengaluru 17-Jul-19
Kerala NSTI(W) Trivandrum 26-Jun-19
Maharashtra NSTI(W) Mumbai 03-Aug-19
Rajasthan NSTI(W) Jaipur 07-Jun-19
Tamil Nadu NSTI(W) Trichy 17-Jun-19
Uttar Pradesh NSTI(W) Allahabad 24-Jun-19
West Bengal NSTI(W) Kolkata 19-Jun-19
G. List of industries visited
State Name of organization/institute Type Size Date of visit
Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Digboi PSU Large 25-Jun-19
Assam Gas Duliajan PSU Large 25-Jun-19
Oil India Limited, Duliajan PSU Large 26-Jun-19

Assam
NRL, Numaligarh PSU Large 01-Jul-19
ITC Guwahati Private Large 06-Jul-19
Kadamba Tea Garden, Private MSME 18-Jul-19
Brand Factory, Future Group, Raipur Private Large 18-Jun-19
Life Care Diagnostics, Durg Private MSME 19-Jun-19
Chhattisgarh PVR Cinemas, Bhilai Private Large 19-Jun-19
Iraa, Raipur Private MSME 22-Jun-19
Jhitku Mitki, Kondagaon SHG MSME 24-Jun-19
Pee Empro Exports Pvt Ltd Private MSME 19-Jun-19
Kanodia Global Pvt Ltd Private MSME 17-Jul-19
Hero Motor Comp Private MSME 14-Jun-19

Haryana
Kapoor Industries Ltd. Private Large 17-Jul-19
Haryana State Industrial Infrastructure

PSU Large 07-Aug-19
Corporation
Electricity Board of Himachal Pradesh,

SPSU Large 11-Jun-19
Division Mandi
Central Research Institute, Kasauli, Solan PSU Large 12-Jun-19
Himtech, Shimla Private Small 13-Jun-19

Himachal
HPTDC (Marketing Office) SPSU Large 14-Jun-19
Pradesh
HRTC, Divisional Workshop, Tara Devi,
SPSU Large 18-Jun-19
Shimla
Gini & Jony, Solan Private Large 20-Jun-19
P&G, Solan Private Large 20-Jun-19
Bihar Milk Cooperative Society - Ranchi

Govt MSME 11-Jun-19
Unit (Sudha Dairy)
Jharkhand
Tata Cummins Private Limited,
Private Large 12-Jun-19
Jamshedpur
Jindal Steel and Power Limited, Patratu Private Large 13-Jun-19
Metallurgical and Engineering Consultant

PSU Large 20-Jul-19
Limited, Ranchi
Heavy Engineering Corporation Limited,

PSU Large 07-Aug-19
Ranchi
Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited

Govt Large 11-Jun-19
(KIOCL), Mangalore
Kaynes Technology India Private Limited,

Private MSME 12-Jun-19
Mysore
Karnataka
Charnock Equipment Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore Private MSME 20-Jul-19
Big Basket Private Large 13-Aug-19
Saara International Pvt. Private MSME 17-Aug-19
YOUMEARE Enterprises Private MSME 29-Jun-19
Sizcom Private MSME 04-Jul-19
Kerala I Tell Private MSME 04-Jul-19
Synthite Industries (P) Ltd Private MSME 16-Aug-19
VKC Footwear Private MSME 16-Aug-19
South East Central Railways, Nagpur PSU Large 23-Jul-19
JSW Steel, Nagpur Private Large 23-Jul-19
Shree Mayuresh Garments, Jalgaon Private MSME 25-Jul-19
Divya Marathi Newspaper, Jalagon Private Small 25-Jul-19

Maharashtra
Dhoot Transmission, Aurangabad Private Large 26-Jul-19
Vijeta Switchgear, Sangli Private MSME 26-Jul-19
Sula Vineyards Private Limited Private Large 30-Jul-19
Government of India Press, Nashik PSU Large 30-Jul-19
Kota Thermal Power Plant PSU Large 14-Jun-19
Shri Ganganagar Co - op Dairy,

Hanumangarh
Rajasthan
Atul Palm Dates, Jodhpur Private MSME 18-Jun-19
RSRTC Depot Govt Large 20-Jun-19
North-Western Railway Carriage,

PSU Large 22-Jun-19
Jodhpur
Carborental Universal LTD, Muragappa

Group, Vellore
Sree Saradhambal Automobiles Pvt Ltd.

(Maruti Retailer)- K.B Simbon, Private MSME 24-Jun-19
Coimbatore
Tamil Nadu
Aquasaub Engineering - T. Narendran
(Finance & Admin), Coimbatore
Mohib Shoes Private Ltd, B Unit Private MSME 17-Aug-19
Contemporary Leather Pvt Ltd. Private MSME 17-Aug-19
Ultra Tech Cement Private Large 18-Jun-19
Natraj Mobiles Private Limited Private MSME 17-Jun-19
Haidelberg Cement India Limited Private Large 17-Jun-19

Uttar Pradesh
Tirupati Vehicles Private Limited
Private MSME 13-Jun-19
(Mahindra Dealers)
Mohit Paper Mills Limited Private MSME 13-Jun-19
ME Manufacturers Private MSME 12-Aug-19
South Eastern Railway Workshop,

PSU Large 08-Jun-19
Kharagpur
DSP-SAIL, Durgapur PSU Large 10-Jun-19

West Bengal
EMC, Kolkata Private MSME 18-Jun-19
HUL, Garden Reach Private Large 19-Jun-19
Garuda Power Ltd., Siliguri Private Large 21-Jun-19
H. Mapping of respondents
Stakeholders Respondent type Female Male Total
NSTI
NSTI Principal 5 5 10
administration
ITI Principal 9 55 64
ITI
ITI Instructor 53 45 98
administration
ITI TCPO 3 36 39
ITI Trainees (in FGD excluding Interviewee) 803 308 1111
Stakeholders Respondent type Female Male Total
ITI Enrolled Trainee (Interviewee) 87 5 92

Trainees
(Enrolled/Dropo ITI Dropout Trainee (Interviewee) 13 4 17
ut/ Graduated)
ITI Graduated Trainee (Interviewee) 54 5 59
Employers (Head/ HR /Personnel) 12 58 70
Industry Female Employees (Interviewee) 14 0 14
Employees (in FGD excluding Interviewee) 32 0 32
ITI Apprentices (Interviewee) 47 3 50
Apprenticeship Fresher & Diploma Apprentices (Interviewee) 31 0 31
Apprentices (in FGD excluding Interviewee) 67 0 67
Other
Key Informants 26 27 53
stakeholders
Grand total 1256 551 1807
I. Drop-out rates among female students according to type of

institute and geographic location
Gender wise percentage of dropout among students: Government ITIs
38.86
31.80
27.55
24.86
20.18
25.84
24.23
20.02
18.47 17.34
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Male drop out rate Female drop out rate
Gender wise percentage of dropout among students: Private ITIs
13.46
12.44
10.27 10.69 10.17

12.08 12.09
9.36
8.79
7.25
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Gender wise percentage of dropout among students: ITIs in rural areas
31.65 32.60
23.66
25.17 31.41
16.09
24.50
23.04
25.95
16.73
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Gender wise percentage of dropout among students: ITIs in urban areas
25.54
19.73
19.56
18.45
20.44 20.20
18.74
16.26
13.08 8.37
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Gender wise percentage of dropout among students: Women only ITIs
57.66
53.37
9.85
23.92
32.65
18.16
25.12
6.15
14.19 15.81
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Gender wise percentage of dropout among students: Co-ed ITIs
29.86
34.68
25.30
22.40 17.61
15.54
23.95 24.59
13.75
14.60
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
J. Mapping gender friendliness of the ITIs

Scoring criteria
Parameters Poor (-1) Average (0) Good (1)
Located at a well-
Remotely located with no Not centrally located but
connected location with
or very poor public transportation
ITI location both private and public
transportation system available at fairly good
transportation
available intervals)
available
Availability of female No female faculty or Less than 50% female More than 50% faculty
faculty guest lecturers available faculty members members
Separate females’ toilet

available but not Separate females’ toilet
Availability of separate Common toilet available functional due to lack of available which were
toilet for females only cleaning staff, water functional and in clean
shortage issues, no door condition
or broken Doors found
Parameters Poor (-1) Average (0) Good (1)
At least two of these-

At least one of these-
CCTV in working
None of these- CCTV, CCTV in working
condition, adequate
Safety and security guards, grievance condition, adequate
guards, grievance
measures redressal system in case guards, grievance
redressal system in
of harassment available redressal system in case
case of harassment
of harassment available
available
No hostel facilities but

Availability of either some residential
No residential facility for Hostel for females
residential facilities for arrangements available
females available operational
females or girls’ hostel under
construction
No own facilities but

ITI runs own bus or
informal arrangement
have formal
Transportation facilities No transport facilities for with public/private
arrangement with
for females females arranged by ITIs transport like bus/train
private/public bus
student concession pass
facility
made available
Well defined outreach

program undertaken by
No outreach program ITIs to enroll females
undertaken by ITI but like awareness
No special program or faculty members have campaigns or visit in
Outreach program for campaigns, /drives taken up initiatives on around girls’ school,
females undertaken to enroll their own like to counsel distribute pamphlets,
females aspirants, spread put up hoardings for
awareness regarding advertisement, or
opportunity for women spreading awareness,
participation in fairs,
etc.
K. State wise detailed scorecard
The values were based on availability of each indicator in each ITI. State wise scorecard have been prepared
using composite count categorized across good, average and poor based on the 64 ITIs we visited.
Detailed scorecard
Residential Transportat Outreach

Female Availability Safety
Location facilities for ion facilities program
faculty of toilets measures
females for females for females
State
Average
Average
Average
Average
Average
Average
Average
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Poor
Poor
Poor
Poor
Poor
Poor
Poor
Assam 0 1 2 0 3 0 0 2 1 0 1 2 1 1 1 3 0 0 0 1 2
Chhattisgarh 2 2 1 0 4 1 0 3 2 0 4 1 4 0 1 4 0 1 4 1 0
Haryana 1 2 3 1 4 1 0 4 2 1 5 0 4 0 2 6 0 0 4 2 0
Himachal
1 2 3 1 0 5 0 4 2 1 1 4 6 0 0 4 2 0 1 2 3
Pradesh
Jharkhand 0 0 4 1 3 0 0 1 3 1 2 1 3 1 0 4 0 0 3 0 1
Karnataka 3 2 1 0 5 1 1 3 2 3 0 3 3 3 0 6 0 0 4 2 0
Kerala 0 1 4 0 2 3 0 1 4 1 1 3 3 2 0 3 0 2 2 1 2
Maharashtra 2 0 4 1 4 1 0 4 2 1 3 2 3 1 2 4 2 0 1 2 3
Rajasthan 2 2 2 0 5 1 1 1 4 2 1 3 5 0 1 4 0 2 1 3 2
Tamil Nadu 2 2 1 0 4 1 0 2 3 1 3 1 4 1 0 3 1 1 1 4 0
Uttar Pradesh 2 4 0 1 4 1 1 3 2 6 0 0 6 0 0 6 0 0 5 1 0
West Bengal 2 2 2 0 4 2 0 1 5 1 1 4 5 0 1 6 0 0 0 3 3
ANNEXURE II: Research tools
ANNEXURE II: Research tools
1. ITI related tools
A. ITI fact sheet
1. General details
Name of ITI
ITI Code
Grading of the ITI
Website
Address
Type of ITI (Urban/Rural)
Type of ITI (Women/Private/Government)
Year of Establishment
Total capacity (seats including supernumerary)
2. Teaching and administrative resources
A) Principal details
Name of Principal
Email of Principal
Contact Number of Principal
B) Staff and faculty details
ITI Staffing Details Required Available Regular Contractual Total (F) Total (M)
Vice Principal
Group Instructors
Trade Instructors
Certified GI
Certified TI
Admin Staff
3. ITI Trade Offering
Particulars 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
No. of engineering
trades NCVT
No. non - engineering.

trades under NCVT
No. engineering trades

under SCVT
No. non - engineering.

trades under SCVT
Total number of trades
Number of units for

NCVT trades
Number of units for

SCVT trades
4. Admission process
A) Awareness of ITI and its offerings
What is your total budget allocation for conducting

awareness activities about ITI?
How many such activities are planned in an academic

year?
What is your total expenditure on student

mobilization activities?
Has the ITI taken any specific awareness initiatives

aimed at increasing female participation in ITIs?
If yes, what percent of awareness budget is spent on

such activities- else write NA
B) Application process
Applications received across various trades (M/F)
Has the ITI defined cut-off scores in the qualifying

exams for admissions?
Are these criteria relaxed for female candidates?
C) Admission fees
Fee structure INR
Admission Fees INR
Semester Fees- Engineering. Trades INR
Semester Fees- Non-Engineering. Trades INR
D) Do you have any special scholarship schemes for

female trainees?
5. Status of student performance at the ITI
A) Number of trainees enrolled in trades (M/F)
Particulars Male Female
General
OBC
ST
SC
People with disability
Transgender
Single (Marital status)
Married
Mothers
B) Data for drop-outs training completed during the academic year
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19

Dropout
F M F M F M F M F M
Drop out within one month of

Enrollment
Drop out within 3 Months
Drop out within 6 months
Drop out before final exams
C) Final assessment details (M/F) (2014-2019)
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Appeared
Appeared
Appeared
Appeared
Appeared
Enrolled
Enrolled
Enrolled
Enrolled
Enrolled
Passed
Passed
Passed
Passed
Passed
Trade
Name
F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M
D) List out details for students who passed the final exam and opted for placement date (2014-2019)
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19

Accepted Employment
Accepted Employment
Accepted Employment
Accepted Employment
Accepted Employment
Opted for Placement
Opted for Placement
Opted for Placement
Opted for Placement
Opted for Placement

Got Placement Offer
Got Placement Offer
Got Placement Offer
Got Placement Offer
Got Placement Offer

Trade
Name
Passed
Passed
Passed
Passed
Passed
F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M
E) List details for students who passed the final exam and opted for apprenticeship (2014-2019) --- (M/F)
2016-17 2017-18 2018-19

Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Employment
Employment
Employment
Opted for
Opted for
Opted for
Accepted
Accepted
Accepted
Got Offer
Got Offer
Got Offer
Trade Name
Passed
Passed
Passed
F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M
6. How many job fairs has your ITI organized in the last 5 years? (2014-2019)
Particulars 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
No. of Job Fairs
No. of employers attended
No. of Total trainees(participants)
No. of female trainee(participant)
No. of jobs offered
No. of jobs offered to female candidates
No. of apprenticeship offered
No. of female apprenticeship offered
7. Is the ITI maintaining an alumni tracking register? (2014-2019)
Status of alumni tracking report (ATR) 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Number of students passed out
Number of students tracked in ATR
Number of female students tracked in ATR
Number of students found employed
Number of female students found employed
8. Gender friendliness of the ITI
A) Is there any scholarship scheme specifically for

female students?
B) What is the proportion of female trainees in the

engineering courses offered at the ITI?
C) Residential arrangements
Availability
D) Hostel facility for students Yes/No
E) Hostel availability for female students Yes/No
F) Transport facilities for students Yes/No
G) Specific transport facilities for female students? Yes/No
H) Are there separate toilets available for female
Yes/No
students at the ITI?
I) Does the ITI have any guidelines to ensure safety

Yes/No
of female trainees at the Institute?
J) Is there a grievance cell in ITI to deal with sexual

Yes/No
harassment cases coming from female?
K) If yes, how many staff are there? Yes/No
L) How many such cases are reported every month? Yes/No
M) Does the ITI organize any special program to

Yes/No
encourage females to join the institute?
N) Pre-admission career counselling for females and

Yes/No
their families at the ITI
O) Interaction with alumni who have taken

Yes/No
employment
P) Interaction with the local industry Yes/No
Any other
B. Interview schedule for principal of the ITI
Name of Respondent: Contact Information:
Name of ITI: ITI Code:
Location of ITI (Rural/Urban): Women-only ITI (Yes/No):
Gender (M/F): Educational Qualifications:
Total years of experience: Years of experience at the ITI:
Trends in Enrollments at the ITIs

1. What have you observed regarding the trend of female enrolment in ITIs over the last 5 years? (Probe:
higher or lower enrolment in ITIs overall; reasons that impact this trend; awareness regarding ITI
ecosystem; types of courses females are enrolling in- engineering/non-engineering)
2. What motivates trainees to join the ITIs in comparison to a college or a university?
 More industry-oriented courses offered at ITIs
 Courses at ITIs are more affordable than college/University
 Higher chances of recruitment for government jobs
 Government certification after completing course
 More job opportunities in the Industry after completing the course
 Any other
3. What encourages parents in sending their female wards to ITI for training?
 Job placements  Financial Independence  Government certification
 Increased marriage prospects  Better career prospects  Any Other
4. In the last 5 years, have you observed an increase of female trainee enrolment in trades perceived to be
non-traditional in your ITI? (Probe: engineering courses considered non-traditional for women)
5. If so, what do you think are the factors that impact this trend? (Select the predominant factor)
 Scholarships
 Greater awareness among females and their parents regarding the ITI ecosystem
 Changing mindset
 Initiatives taken by the ITIs
 Female faculty
 Greater job opportunities
 Any other
6. If no, what do you think are the barriers and which do you think are the predominant factors?
 Social norms that define choice of careers for females
 Distance to the ITI
 Safety issues
 Discomfort because the class comprises predominantly of boys
 Any other
7. What is your opinion of women-only ITIs and the kind of trades they offer? (Probe: introduction of non-
traditional trades and its impact on female enrolment and participation)
Admission
8. Does your ITI undertake any pre-admission counselling for students especially for female trainees?
9. Many courses have entry level eligibility criteria of class 10 and 12. Those females who drop out before
reaching these levels would not be eligible to join. Besides, those females who do not opt for science
subjects in schools would also not be eligible to join many courses.
In your opinion, do you think it is important to work closely with the Education Department to create
greater awareness about ITIs among females?
If yes, please suggest ways in which ITIs can collaborate with the Education Department. (Probe: flexibility
to include such awareness programs- flexibility in terms of resource capacity; are awareness programs
pre-defined)
10. In your experience, can the admission process be made simpler to encourage more females to join the ITI?
If yes, could you give examples of how this could be done?
Addressing specific requirements of female trainees

11. According to you, is availability of transportation one of the factors that determines whether female
trainees get enrolled in the Institute? If yes, then what can be done to offer these facilities to them? Can
you give some examples of different commuting arrangements made by students?
12. Do you think the provision of residential facilities such as hostels for females will encourage more female
trainees to enroll?
13. Do female trainees cite safety as an issue for completion of their course? What measures can be taken to
ensure safety for them while coming to the ITI and during their stay? (Probe: what kind of safety
concerns- during travel, within the ITI,)
Training
14. In your experience, what are some key issues which female trainees face while pursuing their course at
the ITI?
15. In your view, is it important to have more female faculty to encourage more females to join the ITI? If yes,
then what are the challenges you face in recruiting female faculty members to the Institute?
16. Not all females who take admission in the ITI complete their training. What could be the main reasons for
their dropping out?
 Find it difficult to cope with the course  They get married in the middle of the course
 They are discouraged by family members  Commuting every day to the ITI is difficult
 Any other
17. Are there any married females enrolled in the Institute? Does the marital status pose any additional
barriers for them to complete their course? If yes, what can be done to remove this barrier? Can some
flexibility be given to these candidates to overcome the gap they encounter on account of missing their
classes?
18. Has any young mother taken admission in your Institute in the past? If yes, do they have any additional
requirements which the Institute provides/provided to ensure that they complete their course?
19. Employers frequently list teamwork, collaboration, and oral and written communication skills as highly
valuable yet hard-to-find qualities in potential new hires. What kind of soft skill trainings are provided to
trainees at ITIs? What improvements are required in that area?
20. Is on the job training compulsory for all trainees in all the trades at ITI? If yes, do female trainees face any
specific challenges in taking up such training positions? (Probe: safety; low stipend; unavailability of direct
transportation routes; ease of transport; unavailability of proper infrastructure at workplace)
Industry Engagement
21. In your experience, to what extent are the prospective employers in the industry sensitive to the specific
concerns of female candidates? (Probe: safety issues; social norms that impact females; infrastructure-
separate toilets for women, crèche, common rooms for female employees, etc.)
22. At job fairs organized at ITIs, have you observed a bias against or preference towards employing females?
Could you give some examples?
23. What are your views regarding apprenticeship opportunities for female candidates? Are there any specific
reasons for low participation of women in an apprenticeship program? (Probe reasons: limited choice of
trades for women to choose from; engineering related trades, timing, stipend, location of industry)
Post placement support

24. Does the Institute provide any post-placement counselling to trainees to help them overcome challenges
they face such as relocation to another place for jobs, negotiating with the employer for job conditions?
25. Does the alumni network play a role at this stage? Could you give some examples where they have played
a constructive role? If not, what could be the reasons for the same?
26. Do most female trainees go on to take up jobs after completion of the course? If not, what could be the
reasons for their decision?
27. In your experience, what is the proportion of female trainees who show an inclination towards becoming
self-employed or becoming entrepreneurs? In your view to what extent has the ITI been able to support
them in this endeavor?
Suggestions
28. From your experience, could you give at least 3 suggestions, which if applied, will encourage more
females to join the ITI?
29. Policy level (State, Industry)  ITI level  Any other
a. Please suggest ways in which the counselling provided to trainees could be improved. (Probe: career
counselling, pre- admissions counselling, post-placement counselling)
C. Interview schedule: instructor
Name of Respondent: Trade Taught:
Contact Information: Gender (M/F):
Name of ITI: Educational Qualifications:
1. What course(s) do you teach at the ITI?

2. For how long have you been working at the Institute? During this period, have you noticed any change in
trend of females joining the ITIs? If yes, what are these changes?
3. In your opinion, are females better suited to train in any specific trades or they can be trained in any
trade?
4. Are there any specific courses which females prefer to pursue? What are these courses? And what do you
think are the reasons for this?
5. Do you observe fewer females pursuing engineering-related courses? What could the reasons for this
decision?
6. In the classroom, do you observe a difference between the academic performance of boys and females? If
yes, what are these differences and what could be the reasons for these differences?
7. Do you get instructors from the industry to take classes as guest trainers? Does it help in students,
especially females, get a better understanding of working conditions in the industry?
8. What maybe the reasons for females dropping out before completion of a course they take admission in?
9. In your opinion, to what extent are the counselling services helpful in encouraging more females to join a
course and take up jobs thereafter? What can be done to make these services more effective?
10. What is your opinion about on the job trainings which females have to undergo? Does the institute take
care to ensure that the working conditions are friendly for females to complete the trainings?
11. To what extent are you involved in organizing apprenticeship for females? What are your observations
about the efficacy of apprenticeship programs? Are there any specific concerns related to females which
need to be addressed?
12. Do some students come back to the Institute and share their concerns after they are placed in jobs? What
are these concerns? Is it possible for the Institute to address some of these concerns?
13. In your opinion, do you think more females would be encouraged to join the Institute if there were more
female instructors? Does the institute face any difficulties in engaging female instructors?
14. Out of a batch of trainees, what is the percentage of trainees, that opt for entrepreneurship? Among
these students do you find and difference in the aspiration levels between male and female trainees? If
yes, what could be the reasons?
15. If females choose to become self-employed or entrepreneurs, what support would they require? (Probe –
Bank, access to government scheme through ITI etc.)
16. Do you think it is important for the ITI to keep in close touch with parents of the students to create
awareness and understand their concerns so that these can be addressed? If yes, to what extent do you
think the ITI is able to achieve this?
17. What suggestions would you like to give to make vocational education and training more attractive to
females?
D. Interview schedule: TCP officer
Name of Respondent: Trade Taught:
Contact Information: Gender (M/F):
Name of ITI: Educational Qualifications:
1. As a TCP Officer, what is your role in counselling students at the following stages:
 Before joining the ITI
 Post admission
 Post completion of the course
2. What are the activities organized at each of these stages?
Activities organized
Pre-admission
During the course
Post completion of the course
Pre-admission
3. In the last 5 years, have you noticed any changes in admission trends (increase or decrease) with females
choosing to pursue training at ITIs post their school education? What could the reasons for your saying
so?
4. What are the key challenges female aspirants face in joining the course at the ITI? (Probe – eligibility,
family constraints, social norms, lack of awareness, unfamiliarity about the industry). Can you give
examples?
5. From your experience, which stakeholders do you find most effective as influencers to encourage women
to join the ITI?
6. Since there is a strong link between school education and vocational education, do you engage with the
Education Department to organize join programs of career guidance?
7. What additional steps can be taken by the ITI to encourage females to join the courses at the ITI?
During the course

8. Some female students may find it difficult to cope with course at the ITI. Do you think it is crucial to
support them at this stage? If yes, in what way do you do that?
9. From your experience, do you think the activities at the ITIs are organized in a manner to encourage
women to pursue vocational education and training at the Institute? What can be done to improve it
further?

10. What is the response of the industry in hiring female ITI graduates? Are they open to offering
apprenticeship to women? Do you find it easier/more difficult to find apprenticeship opportunities for
female candidates?
11. What are the trades which female trainees prefer to join after completion of the course? What could their
reasons for these preferences? (Probe – job hours, salary, proximity to their homes, availability of facilities
like transportation, accommodation)
Sector Trade Reason
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
12. While organizing interactions between the industry and the students, do you see a gender bias towards
hiring of boys by the industry? Do you find it harder to find jobs for women? If yes, what could be the
reasons for the same?
13. Are there any industries which show preference in hiring female trainees? Could you list some of these?
What are their reasons for preferring to hire female candidates?
14. A register is maintained to track the alumni for a period of 3 years. What have been your observations in
this regard? What are the factors that encourage female trainees to continue with their jobs and vice
versa?
15. Do you maintain an alumni register? What is the level of involvement of the alumni to act as ambassadors
to encourage women to take up vocational training?
16. What are the main reasons for women to leave their jobs? (Probe – family compulsions, reluctance to
relocate, salaries offered, difference in expectations and actual work, working conditions)
17. What percentage of female trainees show their inclination to become:
 Self employed
 Entrepreneurs
18. What support would they require if they wish to become self-employed/entrepreneurs? (Probe:
mentoring; access to finance through banks, schemes)
Suggestions
19. From your experience how can the TCP program be strengthened to encourage females trainees to take
up vocational training and enter the labor force? Please give at least 3 suggestions.
E. Focus group discussion
[Participants: Student trainees from both the years; wherever the institute is a co-educational one there will be
participants both boys and females; those who took admission but did not join; those who joined but dropped
out; those who completed the course and are working.]
Before joining
1. What was most predominant reason why you wanted to join the ITI?
[Probe – what are the most significant factors - self-awareness; career guidance in school; relatives;
information through website; guidance by NGO]
2. What are the factors that you considered while deciding which course to pursue?
[Probe – job opportunities; relatives; interest; interaction with alumni of the institute; did not have much
choice; counselling at ITI, counselling, awareness of sectors/industries related to trade]
3. Was it easy to take admission in the Institute?
[Probe – convincing family members; easy/difficult admission procedures- waiting for long hours in lines,
online admission etc.]
4. In your view why are some students, especially females, keen to pursue the course not able to join?
[Probe – the course fee is high; difficult to commute every day; not supported/discouraged by the family]
While pursuing the course

5. Do you think pursuing a course at an ITI is better than doing a graduate course in a college/University)?
Give your reasons for the same.
[Probe – these courses are more job oriented; we are taught skills which can be lifelong; note the
difference in responses between boys and females]
6. In your view, why is it that very few females pursue engineering related courses?
[Probe – are not eligible since they do not take up science subjects in school; did not complete secondary
schooling; family does not want them to work in factories; they themselves would not feel comfortable
working in a factory]
7. Do you face any problem while pursuing the course?
[Probe – finding the course difficult; discomfort in travelling everyday – tiring, unsafe; nobody they can go
to clear their doubts; not happy with the quality of teaching; feel uneasy studying with boys; long hours;
no/insufficient female faculty]
8. Some students are not able to complete the course they joined. What are the reasons that compel them to
drop out before completion of the course? Are there any specific reasons for females dropping out?
[Probe – family related factors; did not find the course interesting/useful; find the course difficult]

9. What is your opinion about the counselling services offered at the ITI?
[Probe – do they find these useful; how can these be improved to suit the requirements of students; see if
there are any differences in responses between boys and females; their access to information from
different sources]
10. Would you like to become self-employed or entrepreneurs on completion of the course? What kind of
support would you require?
[Probe – business ideas; financing; mentoring; support from stakeholders- ITI, government, Banks, etc.;
problems faced by females in setting up their own businesses; observe difference in responses between
boys and females]
Suggestions
11. What suggestions would they like to give to encourage more females to join vocational education and
training?
[Probe – information; incentives; guidance; mentoring; facilities; scholarships]
Questions only for females in Co-ed ITIs

12. This ITI has both boys and females studying together. Have you observed any instances where females in
this institute are harassed by boys in the institute or while coming to the institute?
[Probe: lewd remarks, making fun, physical touch] If such instances have taken place, does the institute
have any mechanism to address the issue? [Probe – policy against sexual harassment; what is the process
in place; is it robust]
13. Have you or your friends faced any pressure from the family to get married while you are pursuing this
course? Some of your friends may already be married. Is that a barrier in completion of the course?
[Probe: whether parents and relatives give value to them completing the course or look at it as a step to
find a good match; support given to married students at home to pursue the course]
14. What would you like to advise other females who may like to join an engineering course in an ITI which is
co-educational? [Probe – do they think it is alright to study in a co ed ITI and pursue a course perceived to
be non-traditional for females (engineering related)]
15. Do females face any additional challenges while working in an industry?
[Probe – working conditions; differential salaries between male and female workers; safety issues;
convincing the family]
[While conducting the FGD, identify respondents who are more vocal and have something unique to offer.
These could be your respondents for conducting Trainee interviews]
F. Interview schedule: enrolled trainee
Name of Respondent: Trade Enrolled In:
Age: Contact Information:
Name of ITI: Code of the ITI:
Background information
1. What is your marital status?
 Single  Married
2. What are your educational qualifications?
 8th Pass  10th Pass  12th Pass
3. If it is class 12, what subject stream were you following – Science, Commerce or Humanities?
4. How did you get to know about the courses offered at the ITI?
 In school career guidance program Relatives/ Family Members Friends
 On my own  Newspaper  Digital Media  Any Other
5. How far do you stay from the institute?
6. How do you commute to the institute?
 By public transport  on foot  Drive on scooty/car  Shared Auto
 Ride on bicycle  N/A- Live in hostel on campus
7. Tell us something about your family. What is the occupation of your family?
 Self-employed  Salaried Job  Daily wage worker  Farming
 Any Other
8. What would your annual family income approximately?
 Less than 1 Lakh  1-5 Lakhs  5-10 Lakhs  More than 10 Lakhs
9. What was the reaction of the family when they got to know that you have got admission in this institute?
 They were very happy and supportive
 They were not happy and tried to dissuade me from joining
 They were worried as to how I would manage
 They were indifferent
ITI related information

10. Which course are you pursuing at the ITI?
 Engineering  Non-engineering
11. How did you get to know about this course? (multiple responses)
 Through School  Relative/Family Member  Friend  Found out myself
 Newspaper Advertisement/Pamphlet  ITI Website  Online Advertisement
 Gram Sabha  Other
12. Why did you choose to enroll in an ITI over a college or university?
13. What is the total amount you spend to pursue the course?
 Course fee  Purchase of books and stationery  Travel Expenses
 Hostel Charges, if applicable
14. Do you find these expenses affordable?  Yes  No
15. Did you or your family have to take any loan to meet the expenses?  Yes  No
16. How many trainees are there in your class?
Total Number of Trainees __________
Total Number of Female Trainees __________
Perception about the course

17. How do you find the course you are pursuing?
 Excellent  Very Good  Good  Average  Poor
18. If your response is Average/Poor what are the reasons for it
 The course is difficult. I do not get guidance from anywhere
 Am uncertain of getting a job after I complete the course
 I do not find the course interesting
 Instructors are not very helpful
19. Are you satisfied with the infrastructure of the ITI? Give your response on the basis of your observation
about the toilets, availability of common room for females, etc.
 Very Satisfied  Satisfied  Not Satisfied
Aspirations post completion of the course

20. What would you like to do after you complete the course?
 Take up a job  Get a government job  become self-employed
 Become an entrepreneur  higher Education  Not Sure
21. Do you have clarity on the nature of job you may get after you graduate from here?
 Yes  No
22. Which is the most important source of information in this regard?
 TCPO  Alumni  Instructor(s)  Friends  R elatives/Family Members
Other challenges
23. In order of priority, please mention which one of these are a matter of concern for you while pursuing the
course.
 Safety issues
 Conditions at the ITI (availability of clean toilet, a common room)
 Uncertainty about getting a job
 May not be allowed to take up a job after completing the course
 Ability to afford the course
 May not perform well academically
 May have to relocate
24. In your opinion why do females not join ITIs to pursue courses offered or drop out without completion of
the course? (Multiple responses)
 They are not very aware about the courses offered
 The courses offered at ITI are considered more suitable for boys
 The faculty members are mostly male
 They do not feel very safe joining the courses
 Parents object to studying in co-educational institutes because there are very few females
 There is uncertainty about getting jobs
 Any other
25. Which of the following, if offered to females, will encourage them to join the ITI? (Multiple responses)
 Scholarship  Hostel Facilities  Transport Arrangements  Any Other
Suggestions
26. Many females get married while pursuing the course. In your opinion what can be done to encourage them
to complete their course?
27. What measures can be taken to support students to perform better? (Multiple responses)
 Remedial Classes  Peer group teaching  Soft Skills  Any Other
28. What suggestions you would like to give to improve the following: (Multiple responses)
 NCVT/SCVT Course  Apprenticeship Program
 OJT Training  Placement of Trainees
G. Interview schedule: graduated trainee
Name of Respondent: Trade Graduated in:
Name of ITI Attended: Code of the ITI:
2. Tell us something about your family. What is the occupation of your family?
 Self-employed  Salaried Job  Daily wage worker  Farming  Any Other
3. What is your annual family income approximately?
4. What was the reaction of the family when they got to know that you have got admission in this institute?
 They were not happy and tried to dissuade me from joining
 They were worried as to how I would manage

5. Which course did you pursuing at the ITI?  Engineering  Non-engineering
6. How did you get to know about this course?
7. Why did you choose to enroll in an ITI over a university or a college?
 Take up a job in a big company  Get a government job
 Become self-employed  Become an entrepreneur  Any other

8. How would you rate the trade you pursued at your ITI?
9. If your response is Average/Poor, what are the reasons for it
 The course was difficult. I do not get guidance from anywhere
 I did not find the course interesting
 Instructors were not very helpful
10. Were you satisfied with the infrastructure of the ITI? Give your response on the basis of your observation
about the toilets, availability of common room for females, etc.
 Very Satisfied  Satisfied  Not Satisfied
Preparation for labor market
11. What activities did your ITI undertake prepare you for working in the labor market? (multiple responses)
 Soft-skills training  Information of sector/industry of employment  Job fairs
 Information about company culture  Apprenticeship  OJT Training  Any other
12. Were you satisfied with these activities- did you find them helpful?  Yes  No
13. Did you have clarity on the nature of job you may get after you graduate from the ITI?
 Yes  No
14. Which was the most important source of information in this regard?
 TCPO  Alumni  Instructor(s)  Friends
 Relatives/Family Members
Employment post completion of the course

15. What is your current status of employment?
 Salaried job  Wage Worker  Entrepreneur  Self-Employed
 Unemployed  Did not want to work professionally
16. Which sector do you currently work in?
 Primary/Fishing/Farming, etc.  Secondary/Manufacturing  Tertiary/ Service
17. In case you are not working, what was the reason for it? (multiple responses)
 Job role activities were not related to ITI course
 Salary was below expectation
 Job placement required migration to a different city/state/district
 Unavailability of direct and safe transportation routes from employee’s house to office location
 Poor career advancement prospects
 Poor local job prospects
 Office environment was not inclusive of female employees
 Studying, not looking for a job
 Preparing to start my own business
 Poor support from family for my choice of working professionally
 Currently undergoing apprenticeship
 Any other
18. You mentioned that you are working. How difficult was it for you to get a job?
 Easy  Average  Hard
19. If the third option is selected could you explain why it was hard to get a job?
20. What have you observed about employers- are they ready to hire female ITI graduates?
21. If yes, what kind of job roles do women usually get hired for?
 Office work/secretarial roles  Desk/Back-end Jobs  Field work
 Factory/Manufacturing/Shop-floor work  Any other
22. Do you think that increased use of technology in the labor market has created more jobs that women
could work in? Give some examples.
Challenges women face working in the labor market
23. What could be some of the challenges women are likely to face when they get employed?
 Work environment is not inclusive/supportive towards female employees
 Unavailability of direct and safe transportation routes to office location
 Poor support from family members for women’s choice to work professionally
 Unequal division of labor in domestic work at home
 Poor career advancement opportunities at organization
 Unavailability/ poor condition of infrastructure at workplace (toilets, crèche facilities, etc.)
 Working office hours are not compatible to female employee’s schedule
 Wage disparity between male and female employees
 Any Other
24. For those of you who are entrepreneurs or self-employed, what are some of the challenges you have
faced?
 Banks are hesitant to lend to female business owners
 Poor support from relatives/family members
 Weak support network for females to approach while setting up their own businesses
 Any Other
Suggestions
25. How can more female ITI graduates be encouraged to set up their own businesses?
H. Interview schedule: dropped-out trainee
Name of Respondent: Trade Enrolled In:
Name of ITI Attended:
2. Tell us something about your family.
a. What is the occupation of your family?
 Self-employed  Salaried Job  Daily wage worker  Farming  Any Other
b. What is your annual family income approximately?
c. What was the reaction of the family when they got to know that you have got admission in this
institute?
 they were not happy and tried to dissuade me from joining
 they were worried as to how I would manage
 they were indifferent
3. For those of you whose family was apprehensive, what do you think made them feel that way?

4. Which course did you get enrolled in at the ITI?  Engineering  Non-engineering
5. How did you get to know about this course?
6. Why did you choose to enroll in an ITI over a university or a college?
 Take up a job in a big company  Get a government job
 Become self-employed  Become an entrepreneur  any other
7. How would you rate the course you pursued at your ITI?
8. If your response is Average/Poor, what are the reasons for it
 The course was difficult. I do not get guidance from anywhere
 I did not find the course interesting
 Instructors were not very helpful
 Any Other
9. Why did you choose to enroll in an ITI over a college or university? (Probe if she was happy about joining
the ITI or regretted after joining)
Withdrawal from the course
10. When did you withdraw from your ITI course?
 1-3 Months  3-6 Months  6-9 Months  before Exam
11. What factors made you withdraw from your ITI course? (Probe – family pressure, unfriendly environment
at ITI, found the course difficult)
12. What were your expenses while you pursued your ITI course?
 Course fee  Purchase of books and stationery  Travel Expenses
 Hostel Charges, if applicable
13. Do you find these expenses affordable?  Yes  No
14. How many female trainees were there in your class? (Probe whether the reason for dropping out was that
there were no females in the class)
15. When you took a decision to leave the institute, do you think if you had been given some support at that
time, you would have changed your decision to leave the Institute? If yes, what kind of support would
have helped?
Suggestions
16. What measures do you think should be taken to reduce the number of female dropouts from ITIs?
NSTI related tools
A. NSTI fact sheet
1. General details
Name of NSTI
Website Address
Address
Type of NSTI(Urban/Rural)
Year of Establishment
CTS: Total capacity (seats including supernumerary

for both years)
CITS: Total capacity (seats including supernumerary

for both years)
2. Teaching and administrative resources
A) Principal Details
Name of Respondent
Gender(M/F)
Email Address
Landline
Contact
Number
Mobile
Current Status (Permanent/Additional Charge)
Total years of Industrial Experience
Highest Educational Qualification
Tenure in current NSTI
B) Staff and faculty details
For Academic Year 2018-19 please indicate the required vs. available numbers as per NCVT affiliation
details.
Posts Required Available Regular Regular Contractual Total(F) Total(M)
Vice - Principal
Group Instructors
Trade Instructors
Certified GI
Certified TI
Admin Staff
3. NSTI trade offering
A) Long Term course details of academic year 2018-19 - Please indicate total seats as per affiliation
(inclusive of supernumerary seats).
Enrolled
Eng./Non-Eng. Duration
Course Name Total Capacity
Trades (In Years)
Total(F) Total(M) Total(F) Total(M)
B) Short term course details for the Academic Year 2018-19 - Please indicate total seats as per affiliation
(inclusive of supernumerary seats).
Batch Capacity Batch Total Applicant Total Enrolled

Eng./Non-
Course Name Duration
Eng. Trade
Total (M) Total (M) (weeks) Total (M) Total (M) Total (M) Total (M)
C) Summary of trades offered by NSTI.
Particulars 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
No. of engineering trades NCVT
No. non - Eng. trades under NCVT
No. engineering trades under SCVT
No. non - egg. trades under SCVT
Total number of trades
Particulars 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
No. of Long-term Course Batches
No. of Short-term Course Batches
D) Number of trainees enrolled in trades (M/F) in current year.
Particulars Male Female
General
OBC
ST
SC
People with disability
Transgender
Single (Marital status)
Married
Mothers
E) Please indicate in the table below the new trades that have been added in the NSTI in the last five
academic years.
Academic Year Trade Name Total Seats
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
F) Has the NSTI added any specific trade to attract female candidates? Please indicate in the table below.
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
G) Please indicate in the table below the dropout data for candidates for current academic year.
Particulars Female Male
Drop out within one month of admission
Drop out within 3 months of admission
Drop out within 1 year
Drop out before final exam
H) Please provide data on enrolled trainees and trainee instructor in the table below for the current
academic year 2018-19.
Total Capacity Under CTS Under CITS

Trade Name Units
Female Male Female Male Female Male
4. Infrastructure related detail
A) Civic infrastructure
Ownership Status Owned Leased Rented Any Other Specific
Total Land Area
Covered Land
B) Availability of other facilities offered at NSTI Campus
Land & Building Total No. of Facility

Availability Sitting Capacity
Infrastructure available
Reception Area Yes/No
Principal Office Yes/No
Staff Room Yes/No
Common Assembly Hall Yes/No
Multipurpose Hall Yes/No
Lab Facility (trade based) Yes/No
IT Lab Facility Yes/No
Library Yes/No
Hostel Yes/No
Canteen Yes/No
Conference Hall Yes/No
TCPC Room Yes/No
Counselling Room Yes/No
Meeting Room Yes/No
Playground Yes/No
Recreation Hall Yes/No
Any Other (Specify) Yes/No
Civic Amenities Availability Total Number
Transportation facility
Yes/No
(Buses)
Security Surveillance
Yes/No
System
Separate Toilets Yes/No
Drinking Water facility Yes/No
Crèches for Childcare Yes/No
Internet/Wi-Fi Facility Yes/No
Other Amenities Availability Total Number
TLMs Yes/No
Photocopier Yes/No
Notice Boards Yes/No
Printer Yes/No
C) Data on Classroom Facility
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19

Classroom Capacity
Classroom Capacity
Classroom Capacity
Classroom Capacity
Classroom Capacity
Total Enrolled
Total Enrolled
Total Enrolled
Total Enrolled
Total Enrolled
Trade
Name
F M F M F M F M F M
5. Hostel facility
A) Does the NSTI provide separate hostel facility for men and women?
(Yes/No)
Male
B) What are the hostel fees? (in INR)
Female
C) If the NSTI offers hostel facility for Candidates please provide related data in table below based on type.
Particulars Women Hostel Men Hostel Family Hostel
Year of Operation started in
Warden available Yes/No Yes/No Yes/No
Warden Yes/No Yes/No Yes/No
Security Guards Availability Yes/No Yes/No Yes/No
D) Data on hostel accommodation.
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Capacity Utilized
Capacity Utilized
Capacity Utilized
Capacity Utilized
Capacity Utilized
Total Capacity
Total Capacity
Total Capacity
Total Capacity
Total Capacity
F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M
Women’s Hostel
Total no. of rooms
Total Number of Beds

per room
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19

Capacity Utilized
Capacity Utilized
Capacity Utilized
Capacity Utilized
Capacity Utilized
Total Capacity
Total Capacity
Total Capacity
Total Capacity
Total Capacity
Men’s Hostel
Total no. of rooms

per room
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19

Capacity Utilized
Capacity Utilized
Capacity Utilized
Capacity Utilized
Capacity Utilized
Total Capacity
Total Capacity
Total Capacity
Total Capacity
Total Capacity
Family Hostel
Total no. of rooms

per room
E) Does the NSTI offer subsidized canteen facility for its students? (Yes/No)
6. Transportation facility
A) Does the NSTI provide transportation facility for students? (Yes/No)
B) Does the NSTI provide separate transportation facility to only female students? (Yes/No)
C) Does the NSTI provide any subsidy for public transport? (Yes/No)
D) List out Data on Transportation facility during the academic year 2014-19 in the table below.
Average No. of Seats

Total Bus available
occupied
Total Seat
Academic Year
Capacity
Only Women Female Male
Others
Buses Occupant Occupant
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
7. Student engagement activity
Indicate student engagement activities organized at the institute over the last 5 academic years,
including literary competitions, sports day, annual function, and inter /intra institute skill competitions.
Activity Type Total number

Activity
S. No. Activity Name Date (Inter-NSTI / of students
Description
Intra NSTI) participated
B. Interview schedule: NSTI principal
Name of Respondent: Gender:
Contact Information:
Name of Institution: NSTI Woman (Y/N):
Awareness
1. Do you think there is an awareness among people regarding the ITI ecosystem and their prospects after
completing their CTS (craftsmen training scheme) courses?
2. Do you engage in awareness-raising activities to encourage more aspirants to undertake courses at your
institute? (Probe: information disclosed during such activities- financial assistance, state/central
governmental schemes, facilities, benefits trainees can avail, etc.) If so, what medium do you use?
 Print Media (newspaper advertisements, pamphlets, etc.)
 Digital Media (websites, online adverts, etc.)
 Awareness drives
 School Workshops
 Gram Sabha
 Any other
3. Do you have any specific awareness drives for female candidates?
4. Do you have a provision in your overall administrative budget for these awareness-raising activities?
5. In your opinion, what motivates an aspirant to join an NSTI/NVTI over a college or a university?
 More industry-oriented courses
 Courses are more affordable than college/university
 More job opportunities in the industry after completing an NSTI course
 Government certification
 Recruitment for Government jobs
 Any other
6. Do you think that measures such as women-only institutions (NSTI/NVTI) has helped encourage more
female aspirants to enroll in CITS courses?  Yes  No
Course-related
7. At your institution, what are the proportion of female candidates enrolling for engineering trades?
(Probe: higher course fees for engineering trades acts as a deterrent against female Enrollment,
Enrollment criteria, national and regional social and cultural factors that influence female Enrollment and
participation, etc.)
8. Do you think that the kind of courses and/or their structure offered in this institute needs to be changed?
(Probe: introduction of new courses; change in curriculum content; industry engagement/involvement in
the designing of courses; exposure to industry through OJT, apprenticeship, etc.; specific suggestions)
Drop-outs
9. What have you observed about the trend of absenteeism at your institute?
(Probe: gender disparity, time period, reasons for absenteeism)
10. In your opinion, are those instructor-trainees who miss more classes at higher risk of dropping-out of
the course?
(Probe: courses that see the highest drop-out rates, gender disparity of dropouts)
Infrastructure
11. In your opinion, how is the infrastructure present in NSTIs better than that provided at ITIs?
12. What kind of support in terms of infrastructure is provided to the instructor-trainees at your institution?
(Probe: hostel; transport- bus services, bus passes, etc.; sanitation- clean & hygienic bathrooms; well-
equipped labs, machinery that is up to date with industry standards, crèche/day care, etc.)
13. What are the instructor: trainee and equipment: trainee ratios at your institute? What measures do you
take to ensure these ratios?
Industry engagement
14. Does your institution provide any entrepreneurship or self-employment support to your instructor-
trainees? If so, what kind of support do you provide them with?
Suggestions
15. Now that the trades under CTS will no longer be run at NSTIs, can you suggest ways in which the existing
infrastructure can be utilized?
Gender friendliness of the NSTI

16. What is the proportion of women faculty to the total number of staff employed at NSTI?
a. Permanent
b. Part-time
17. Is there any scholarship scheme specifically for female students?
18. What is the proportion of female trainees in the engineering courses offered at the NSTI?
19. Facilities and arrangements:
a. Residential Available  Yes  No
b. Hostel availability for female students  Yes  No
c. Transport facilities for students  Yes  No
a. If yes, is there any specific transport facility for female students?
d. Are there separate toilets available for female students at NSTI?
 Yes  No
20. Does NSTI have any guidelines to ensure safety of female trainees at the institute?
 Yes  No
21. In the last one year, has any gender sensitization program been carried out for the staff at NSTI?
 Yes  No
22. Does NSTI organize any special program to encourage females to join the institute?
 Pre-admission career counselling for females and their families at NSTI
 Interaction with alumni who have taken employment
 Interaction with the local industry
 Any other
23. What is the joining ratio of students in ITI as an instructor after they graduate from NSTI?
24. How many female students join as an instructor/staff in ITIs after they graduate from NSTI?
25. How many Engineering and Non-engineering short-term courses are there in the institute?
26. What is the duration of Engineering and Non-engineering short-term courses?
27. What is the Enrollment in Engineering and Non-engineering short-term courses?
28. What is the drop-out in Engineering and Non-engineering short-term courses?
Employer related tools
A. Employer fact sheet
1. Company Profile
► Name of the Organization:
► Website Address:
► Organization Address:
► District:
► State:
► Year of Establishment:
► Type of Industry:  Government  Private
► Industry type by size:  Large  Medium  Small  Micro
 Any Other (Please Specify)
2. Respondent Information
► Name of the Respondent:
► Gender (M/F/Other):
► Email address:
► Contact Number: Landline _______ ___________________________
Mobile ___________________________________
► Designation:
► Current Status (Permanent/Temporary):
► Years of total experience:
► Highest Educational Qualification:
3. Employee Data
A. Total number of employees in the organization
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19

Contractual
Contractual
Contractual
Contractual
Contractual
Permanent
Permanent
Permanent
Permanent
Permanent
Job Role
Job Role
Job Role
Job Role
Job Role
Dept.
Dept.
Dept.
Dept.
Dept.
B. Total number of attrition of employees in the organization
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Contractual
Contractual
Contractual
Contractual
Contractual
Permanent
Permanent
Permanent
Permanent
Permanent
Job Role
Job Role
Job Role
Job Role
Job Role
Dept.
Dept.
Dept.
Dept.
Dept.
C. Total number of apprenticeships in the organization
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19

Contractual
Contractual
Contractual
Contractual
Contractual
Permanent
Permanent
Permanent
Permanent
Permanent
Job Role
Job Role
Job Role
Job Role
Job Role
Dept.
Dept.
Dept.
Dept.
Dept.
D. Total number of employees in the organization
Shift 1 Shift 2 Shift 3

Department Job Role
Male Female Male Female Male Female
4. Sourcing of ITI graduates

a. Number of ITI graduates hired in a year
b. Number of female graduates hired in a year
c. List of ITIs from where graduates are sourced
d. Distance of sourcing from
 0-50 km €50-100 km € 100-200 km € 200-350 km € 350 km and above
5. Knowledge partnership
a. Number of staff members who visit an ITI as a guest faculty in an academic year, if any?
b. Number of company visits arranged for ITI trainees, in a year for practical learning, if any?
6. Infrastructure details
► Civil infrastructure
a. How many toilets are there in the company working premises? (in nos.)
b. How many toilets are equipped with western commode? (in nos.)
c. Do you have separate toilets for men and women? (Yes/No)
d. Do you provide accommodation to your employees? (Yes/No)
e. Does the company provide any transport facility to its distant employees? (Yes/No)
f. If yes, how many buses run that provide transport services?
► Support infrastructure
a. Is there a dispensary facility with a regular doctor visit? (Yes/No)

b. Is there a crèche facility for the employees? (Yes/No)
A. Interview schedule: employer for female employees
Name of Respondent: Professional Designation:
Name of Organization:
Size of the organization (No. of employees)
Recruitment of female employees

1. Do you think it is important to have women employees in an industry? Could you elaborate on the reasons
for your response? (Probe: Does the respondent think there is any benefit of having female employees or
it creates more problems and additional work)
2. Does your company have a policy to encourage diversity among employees? If yes, could you please
elaborate on the same? (Probe: any company policy to engage women, persons with disability as
employees)
3. Does your company engage with the local ITIs? If so, could you please elaborate on the nature of
engagement? (Probe: public private partnerships, IMCs, machine donations, guest faculty/lecturers, field
visits, apprenticeships, OJT, etc.)
4. Does your company go to ITIs for campus recruitment or take some other measures to recruit ITI
graduates?
5. Does your company take proactive measures to reach out to female ITI graduates to encourage them to
join your organization or would you rather recruit male ITI graduates? Please give reason for your
response. (Probe: quality of skill, geographical distance of sourcing, social and cultural factors such as
marriage and childcare, job roles recruited for, etc.)
Workplace related
6. In your experience do women face any challenges to work in an industry which is male dominated? If you
think they do, could you please elaborate on this.
7. More specifically, do you need to make any additional provisions for women at workplace? (Probe:
sanitation in terms of separate toilets for men and women, clean toilers, sanitary product dispensers;
crèche facilities; safety infrastructure, transportation, flexi working hours etc.)
8. Does the company face any challenges to have female employees- for example, ensure safety of women,
ensure no sexual harassment takes place? (Probe: more absenteeism, lack of female supervisors etc.)
9. Does the company have a policy of giving equal wages to men and women for the same amount of work
done or is there a difference? If no, what is the reason for it?
Opportunities for women in the industry

10. Do you observe a change in trend with regard to women seeking employment in the industry? Please
elaborate on the reason for your response. (Probe: is the number increasing or decreasing or no change)
11. With advances being made in the technical/digital space there are some new potential areas for which
women can be imparted training? Could you mention some of these areas? (Probe this aspect)
12. Are there some job roles for which you think women are more suited, but you find it hard to find skilled
women? Could you please specify?
Suggestions:
13. What specific measures can employers take in creating an environment which encourages diversity?
B. Interview schedule: employer for female apprentices
Name of Respondent: Professional Designation:
Name of Organization:
Size of the organization (No. of employees)
Recruitment of female apprentices

1. Do you think it is important to have women apprentices in the industry? Could you elaborate on the
reasons for your response? (Probe: Does the respondent think there is any benefit of having female
apprentices or it creates more problems and additional work)
2. Does your company have an obligation to provide opportunities for apprenticeship? What is the process
followed to take apprentices?
3. Does your company take proactive measures to reach out to potential female apprentices? If so, could
you elaborate on this?
4. In your experience do women apprentices face any challenges to work in an industry which is male
dominated? If you think they do, could you please elaborate on this.
5. More specifically, do you need to make any additional provisions for women apprentices at the workplace?
(Probe: sanitation in terms of separate toilets for men and women, clean toilers, sanitary product
dispensers; crèche facilities; safety infrastructure, transportation, flexi working hours etc.)
6. Does the company face any challenges to have female apprentices - e.g. ensure safety of women, ensure
no sexual harassment takes place? (Probe – more absenteeism since they have additional responsibilities
at home, reluctance to do physically strenuous work etc.)
7. Does the company have a policy of giving equal stipend to men and women apprentices for the same
amount of work done or is there a difference? If no, what is the reason for it?
Suggestions:
8. What specific measures can employers take in creating an environment which is inclusive of female
apprentices?
C. Interview schedule: apprentices
Name of Respondent: Fresher/Non-fresher apprentice:
Name of Industry: Size of the Industry (no. of workers):
Kindly share the following information with us:

1. Marital status
2. Social group
 General  ST  SC  OBC
3. What is your highest educational qualification?
 8th Pass  10th Pass  12th Pass  ITI  Polytechnic  PMKVY/MES
 Other __________________________________________________________________
4. If not attended ITI/PMKVY/MES, are you a fresher?
 Yes  No
5. If it is class 12, what subject stream were you following:
 Science  Commerce  Humanities
6. Tell us something about your family. What is the occupation of your family? (Multiple Responses)
 Self-employed  Salaried Job  Daily wage worker  Farming
 Other _________________________________________________________________
7. What is your family’s annual income approximately?
Accessing apprenticeship
8. How did you get to know about apprenticeship training? (Multiple responses)
 Through School
 ITI/Polytechnic
 Relative/Family Member/Friend
 Teacher/Instructor
 Newspaper Advertisement/Pamphlet
 NGO/ Social Enterprise
 Awareness campaign by the industry
 Online Advertisement
 Gram Sabha
 Other____________________
9. Why did you choose to take up apprenticeship training? (Multiple responses)
 Government Certificate (National Apprenticeship Certificate)
 Soft Skills Acquisition
 Industry Exposure
 Higher Education
 Part of existing course curriculum
 Other ____________________
10. What was the reaction of the family when they got to know that you will be taking up apprenticeship
training?
 They were not happy and tried to dissuade me from taking up apprenticeship training
 They were worried as to how I would manage working in an industry
 Other _____________________
11. How many women apprentices are there in the institution where you are pursuing your apprenticeship?
 Total apprentices
 Female apprentices
12. How many hours do you spend a week in the apprenticeship training?
13. Did you get any incentive/scholarship during your apprenticeship training? If yes, what was the amount?
14. Are you satisfied with the amount you receive as stipend?
15. Have you faced any problems in accessing apprenticeship training? (Multiple Responses)
 Limited availability of apprenticeship training in sector/trade of choice
 Unavailability of opportunities for ATS in local area
 Apprenticeship training opportunities are more in engineering related occupations
 Difficult to get complete information about ATS
 Lack of guidance
 Other_____________________
16. What kind of initiatives does your institution undertake to encourage female trainees to take up
apprenticeship? (applicable for ITI graduate apprentices only)
17. In your opinion, how relevant is your current apprenticeship training to your previous training at
ITI/Polytechnic/PMKVY? (Probe: trade curriculum, skills learned in institute/program and how they match
with apprenticeship training, new skills learned during apprenticeship training, skill gaps, quality of
previous training in context of apprenticeship training, problems faced with respect to skills and training
during apprenticeship training)
18. As fresher apprenticeship48, what were the factors that influenced you while selecting your sector and
trade for apprenticeship training? (multiple responses)
 Personal aspiration/ interest
 Employability- many jobs available in the specific sector in local area
 Recommendations from family/friends
 Reservation for SC/ST/OBC candidates for trades
 Wanted to start earning money
 Other ________________________
19. Do you find the apprenticeship training experience useful? (Probe: clarity about the competencies he/she
will acquire after the training, will it help in getting a well-paying job or will they need to pursue an
additional course)
Workplace related issues

20. Which one of these are a matter of concern for you while pursuing your apprenticeship training (Multiple
responses).
 Low Stipend
 Lack of female supervisors
 Length of the apprenticeship training
 Conditions of infrastructure at the apprenticeship location (e.g. availability of clean toilet, a separate
staff room for women)
 Safety issues at workplace
 Distance of Apprenticeship location from home
 Unavailability of direct and safe transportation routes
 Uncertainty about getting a job after training ends
 Having to move to a different location to undertake apprenticeship training
 Other __________________________
21. In your view, what specific (sic gender-related) problems females encounter during their apprenticeship
training? (Multiple responses)
 Employer was hesitant to hire female apprentices for certain sectors/trades
 Apprentice’s participation is impacted by personal problems (family support, marriage, childcare, etc.)
 Limited family support for apprentice’s decision to undertake training due to local social and cultural
norms
 Infrastructure at apprenticeship location is not gender inclusive (toilets, rest rooms)
 Commute to apprenticeship location is not safe (threat of harassment, etc.)
 Other ____________________________
48
Fresher are those apprentices who do not have the basic training or qualification in the trade they have applied to undergo
apprenticeship training directly to the industry
22. Based on your apprenticeship training experience, what support is required from employers to increase
female participation in apprenticeship? (Multiple responses)
 Increase the stipend amount
 Provide transportation to commute
 Provide residential facilities
 Take measures to ensure safety of women
 Offer flexi hours to women apprentices
 Ensure that the infrastructure at the apprenticeship location are gender friendly
 Provide a supportive environment for learning through female supervisors
 Other___________________________
Aspirations post apprenticeship training

23. What would you like to do after you complete your apprenticeship training? (Multiple responses)
 Get a job in a large, private company
 Get a government job
 Become self-employed
 Become an entrepreneur
 Higher Education
 Other _____________________________
24. What support would you require in order to do so?
 Guidance about pursuing a job or higher education
 Information about availability of job and working terms and conditions
 Linkage with an institution from where I can get loan to become self-employed/ entrepreneur
25. Would you be open to taking up a job that is far off from where you reside?
 Yes
 No
26. Please give reason for the same (probe reasons – family related, security, sufficiency of wage, fear of the
unknown)
Suggestions
27. What measures can be taken to encourage more females to undertake apprenticeship training in India?
 Diversification of sectors/trades in which apprenticeship training is offered to give more choice
 Increase availability of apprenticeship training in rural areas
 Increase the amount of stipend
 Encourage more apprenticeship training opportunities in MSMEs
 Increase awareness of ATS in educational institutions (schools, ITIs, etc.)
 Make the transition to the labor market easier for apprentices after they complete their training
 Any other _______________________
Interview schedule: key Informant
Name of Respondent: Gender (Male/Female):
Contact information:
Name of Organization (if applicable): Location (Rural/ Urban):
Societal Perception and Awareness of ITIs

1. There are several opportunities for men and women to enhance their levels of education and skill – through
colleges, polytechnics and ITI s. What is your opinion about the ITI s as educational institutes? (Probe:
societal perceptions of ITI – whether they have a positive image of the ITI s)
2. In your opinion, how suitable are the ITI s for women? Should women be encouraged to join ITIs? Please
give reasons for your response. (Probe – reasons for not joining ITI s;)
Enrollment and Participation in ITIs

3. Do you think there is a difference in the kind of courses men and women enroll in ITIs for? If so, why do you
think this difference exists?
4. What kind of subjects and courses do you think women might be interested in?
(Probe: courses that are non-traditional, trades that are considered to be male-dominated, trades that are
not offered by the ITI ecosystem but for which there is demand)
5. Data shows that many women take admission in ITI s and but drop out before completion of the course.
What could be the reasons for this?
(Probe: job placement, higher education, preparing for entrance exams, trainee’s aspirations vs course
structure/content, marriage, domestic/household responsibilities, ease of transport, family support, etc.)
Support required
6. Have you come across any women who enrolled themselves in ITI courses before? If so, in your view what
kind of support they require in order to pursue their course? (multiple responses)
 Relaxation from household work  providing transport to ITI Campus
 Financial Support  Encouragement  Other
7. Generally, what are the expectations from a girl once she completes her training? (multiple responses)
 Getting a job in a big company  getting a government job
 Owning her own business  Higher education
 Not working- marriage/ supporting her family  other
Employability of Female ITI Graduates

8. What problems do you think women are likely to face when they work in the labor market (Factories)? (Probe
– safety issues, harassment, difficulty to adjust when they get a job far away from their home; managing
both home and work)
9. Do you think self-employment or entrepreneurship is more suitable for women after they complete their
course at ITI? If yes, then what support should be given to them to get self-employed or become
entrepreneur? (Probe – support by family, access to finance, mentoring)
Suggestions
10. Do you have any suggestions to increase female enrollment and participation in ITIs?
Notes
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TABLE 25: MEASURES TAKEN BY PRINCIPALS FOR INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT ..................................................................96

ADB Asian Development Bank

AISHE All India Survey on. Higher Education.

ATI Advanced Training Institute

BEL Bharat Electronics Limited

BHEL Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited

BPM Business Process Management

B. Voc Bachelor of Vocational Education

CII Confederation of Indian Industry

CITS Crafts Instructor Training Scheme

CNC Computerized Numerical Control

COPA Computer Operator & Programming Assistant

CTS Craftsmen Training Scheme

DGT Directorate General of Training

DRDO Defence Research and Development Organization

DST Dual System of Training

FGD Focus Group Discussion

GAP Gender Action Plan

GDP Gross Domestic Product

GER Gross Enrolment Rate

FER Female Enrolment Ratio

FGD Focus Group Discussion

FLFP Female Labor Force Participation

FWP Female Workforce Participation

HAL Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

GSVA Gross State Value Added

IAMSME Integrated Association of Micro Small & Medium Enterprises of India

ICTSM Information Communication Technology System Maintenance

IDDS Identify Design Deliver Sustain Framework

IEC Information, Education and Communication

ILO International Labour Organization

IMC Institute Management Committee

IMF International Monetary Fund

IOT Internet of Things

ITI Industrial Training Institute

ITOT Institutes for Training of Trainers

J&K Jammu & Kashmir

LFPR Labor Force Participation Rate

M&E Monitoring & Evaluation

MES Modular Employability Scheme

MIS Management Information System

MNRE Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

MoLE Ministry of Labour & Employment

MOOC Massive Open Online Courses

MoM Minutes of the Meeting

MoU Memorandum of Understanding

MSDE Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

MSME Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

NAC National Apprentice Certificate

NAPS National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme

NCAER National Council of Applied Economic Research

NCERT National Council of Educational Research and Training

NCVT National Council of Vocational Training

NCVT-MIS National Council of Vocational Training-Management Information System

NGO Non-Governmental Organization

NMDC National Mineral Development Corporation

NSDC National Skill Development Corporation

NSSO National Sample Survey Organization