Skip to content Skip to navigation

Hills College starts first Vocational degree program

By CM Paul |

Salesian College Sonada and its Siliguri campus has launched for the first time Skill Oriented diploma and degree courses starting with this academic session in mid-July.

Admissions are going on for Bachelor of Vocation Courses in Retail Management, at Sonada, and Travel and Tourism Management at Siliguri campus.

“This skill based program which provides both Diploma and Degree possibilities is the need of the hour to fight growing unemployment in the country,” says Principal Dr George Thadathil who claims Salesian to be the first college to implement the program in the Hills.

“Both students and parents are enthusiastic when informed about the new program with three possible exit points, namely diploma, advanced diploma and degree,” says Program Coordinator at Sonada and HoD of BBA program Assistant Professor Dhiren Newar.

Newar adds, “The parents are happy, because the admission fee is only Rs. 1,600 (almost ten times lower than regular courses at Sonada), and the tuition fee is affordable at Rs.600 (six hundred) per month.”

“The students are happy, as the course has only 40 per cent theory content and 60 per cent practicals with industry tie-up for internship and employability absorption,” explains B.Voc first batch student Farman Khan coming from Himali Boarding School.

Khan gets eloquent when he speaks about B.Voc opportunities saying, “Students are tired of continuous studies. What we need is skills imporatnt for the job market.”

“If a student is in urgent need to start earning, he or she can leave the program after one year with diploma,” Khan adds.

Under the purview of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, various skill oriented courses are implemented by University Grants Commission (UGC) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) through Community Colleges, Bachelor of Vocation courses (B.VoC), and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (DDU) Kausal Kendras to boost the employability of youth.

Currently, there are 1109 courses being run by 556 institutions (300 B.VoC. colleges, 188 Community Colleges and 68 DDU Kaushal Kendras), in which 38,414 students are receiving skill training with certification.

“The assessment and certification of skill development courses being implemented by the institutions under MHRD is done by Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), which come under Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship,” said Union Minister for Human Resource, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on 4th July 2019.

Author info

CM Paul's picture

Former HoD, Dept of Mass Communications at Assam Don Bosco University, Guwahati, C.M. Paul was editor of The Herald weekly in Kolkata and director of Don Bosco International News Agency (ANS) based in Rome. He did MA in Journalism & Mass Communication from FORDHAM University, New York.

Add new comment

Random Stories

Silent death of a tall figure

4 Apr 2014 - 4:47pm | Rangman Das
Dr. Takiuddin Saikia is no more. He died a silent death on April1 last. Born in 1935 in Sivasagar, Dr Saikia did his graduation from Assam Veterinary College. Apart from it, he   did his...

NHPC trailer in Nagaon

18 Feb 2014 - 10:55pm | AT News
The huge trailer carrying equipment for big dams in Gerukamukh has halted for the day in Nagaon on Tuesday.Amid tight security, the trailer entered into the NHPC godwoon in the afternoon in the face...

Noted educationist died

7 Jul 2016 - 10:16pm | AT Kokrajhar Bureau
Noted educationist, vice principal of Dotma HS School Manik Kumar Brahma suddenly expired on Thursday at a private nursing home in Siliguri in West Bengal due to cardiac arrest.  Brahma, was...

Appeal to stop violence in Manipur

16 Jun 2023 - 2:58pm | AT News
We are deeply concerned about the continuing ethnic violence in Manipur between the Meitei community and the tribal Kuki and Zo communities. We demand an immediate halt to this violence that...

Other Contents by Author

Assamese Entrepreneur heads trillion dollar company

In a rare case of rags to riches story, an Assamese entrepreneur today heads a trillion dollar company in the U.S. employing over 4,000 people. The man in the case is Siddhartha Chowdhary, the founder of Credence, a consulting organization based in Washington DC. An alumnus of IIT Kharagpur (1988-92 Batch) he was two terms president of PAN IIT activities for over 5,000 members in the U.S. Siddhartha affectionately called as Sid was introduced as an unmatched achiever from northeast India at a felicitation held at Press Club Dispur in his home city Guwahati, on 22nd December 2023. Introducing him was his former principal at Don Bosco School Guwahati Fr V. M. Thomas who said, “Sid...

School Marks 50 Years with Laudato Si’ Musical

Siliguri: A premier Catholic school in North Bengal staged an ambitious musical performance marking its golden jubilee with two-day open air mega event by 1,200 children teaching and learning from animal kingdom. Some 12,000 people including school children and their guardians, as well as students and faculty members from Siliguri participated in both shows staged by Don Bosco School Siliguri. The musical ‘The Lion King’ stage production with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, and a book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, with additional music and lyrics by Lebo M and others is based on the 1994 Walt Disney Animation Studios' film of the same name. In the golden jubilee...

Manipur Elders take moral responsibility, declare indefinite fast and prayer for deeds of immature youth

Imphal, July 29: In a gesture of peace and reconciliation, elders of Vaishnavite Community in Imphal have taken on moral responsibility for the misdeeds of the immature youth of their community, by declaring an indefinite fast and prayer.  In the wake of Archbishop Emeritus Thomas Menamparampil’s third visit to Manipur (25th to 27th July 2023) coincides with the initiative of the Convener of Interfaith Forum for Peace and Harmony of Manipur, Mr. Deben Sharma, announcing Indefinite Fast and Prayer in the name of his Vaishnavite Sanamahi community.  Mr. Sharma, one of the initiators of the Interfaith Forum for Peace along with a number of highly placed leaders...

Radio Salesian journalists make first post-Covid outreach progra

In a post-covid outreach effort to connect with the local community, Radio Salesian journalists made their first attempt and reached one of the far-flung tea garden in Mirik Sub-Division, some two hours' drive from Sonada. On Saturday 5 March, the Radio Salesian RJ team including 4 new radio journalists RJs Wang, Garima, Bandana and Pratap went for their first community outreach programme guided by senior RJs Moses, Rejina and Programme Co-ordinator RJ Samir.  Upon reaching Murmah Tea Estate, the Radio Salesian team members were received with traditional khadas (scarf) and welcome greetings from the residents of Murmah. Radio Salesian regular listener and caller Laxmi Pradhan...

Students honour 1971 war veterans

Siliguri: Marking the 50th anniversary of the birth of Bangladesh and the 13-day Indo-Pak war of 1971, a group of college students organised a felicitation program for war veterans on 18th December 2021. Leading a group of six veterans, as well as a war widow was 86-year old Hon Cap S.B. Chhetri, who belonged to 5/11 Gorkha Rifles who were part of the decisive battle of Bogra to capture Dhaka, then the capital of East Pakistan. Other eminent veterans present were Hawaldar Duryodhan Tamang (Army Corps of Engineers); Hon Capt Hemant Subba; Subedar Bijai Kumar Subba Sena Medal; Hav M Gautam Tamang; Subedar Tilak Ram Chhetri, and war widow Mrs Ishadevi Thapa, representing late Sub SB...

College youth celebrate diversity in fashion show

A college in North Bengal concluded two day college events with celebration of diversity of India with a much awaited popular item - fashion show, 17th December 2021. Salesian College Siliguri organised the event christened Exsurge 2021 (Arise and Take Flight), which has had its tradition since 2009 when Salesian College Sonada established in 1938 started its Siliguri campus. Unlike other years, this year, despite the pandemic, students were able to participate in 20 events including: bands, dancing, painting, collage, sketching, doodling, poetry, stand up comedy, photography and short film making among others. “It is our way of affirming the diverse culture of India represented by...

Archbishop, Academicians, Activists join forces to promote peace

Guwahati, 22 October 2021: A group of academicians and social activists came together under the leadership of the archbishop emeritus of Guwahati to promote peace at a time when the whole of Brahmaputra Valley is “in search of peace”.  The occasion was the release of an Assamese language book entitled Hanti Bisari (In Search of Peace) written by Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil. The original work in the English language was translated into Assamese by a civil society leader, Mr. Paresh Malakar. The book-release turned out to be a social-discussion session in which the need for mutual understanding between communities was emphasised. A reputed intellectual of Assam, Mr. Hiren...

10 days training for paramilitary force

The combined 10-day Annual National Cadet Corps (NCC) Training Camp was held under the aegis of the 16th Bengal Battalion at Salesian College Siliguri from 16th to 25th September 2021.  As many as 400 NCC cadets from 10 colleges from in and around Siliguri participated. Camp activities included drills, weapons training, map reading and various team-building exercises along with social activities.  28 Cadets from Salesian College participated in the camp along with Salesian College NCC Coordinator Lt Risha Chettri. The Cadets followed their daily schedule which included doing morning meditation, morning and evening drills, studying subjects from the armed forces as...

College Radio launches ‘Aazadi - Freedom Song Competition’ to celebrate diversity

Darjeeling: The first college Community Radio in North Bengal launched a creative initiative to mark 75th year of India’s Independence with what it calls ‘Azaadi Freedom Songs’ - a celebration of diversity and harmony. India snatched its freedom from British colonial rule on 15th August 1947. Radio Salesian 90.8 FM - The Voice of the Hills based at Salesian College Sonada is the first and only FM radio channel of Darjeeling since 2016. This Independence Day initiative by Radio Salesian is in collaboration with two youth groups : Darjeeling NGO Mukh Bandh Kaam Suru (Shut Up Start Work) and Salesian Youth Movement Kolkata. “It is our humble effort to promote fraternity, liberty,...

Hill NGOs fight Covid with joint well being campaign

A group of Non Government Organizations (NGO) in the hills have come together to fight Covid 19 with joint well being campaign with slogans: ‘Bring Back the Smiles’, and ‘We Build Each Other.   “Using the hashtags #Bringbackthesmiles #Webuildeachother, the Well Being Campaign is all set to change the information game in these trying times,” says Adarsh Rai Founder of Encompass and team member of Hayden Hall Darjeeling.    “We plan to do it from top-down directives to modelling everyday safety standards, from negativity to positive action language, from fear and doom to healing, well being, hope and growth,” says Psychologist Susan Subba of Heart works....