ITI Policy Vision Note

From ATI Chennai IT and ITES Wiki

Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 Key Dictums 2 Categories of ITIs 3 True Costs and Fee Justification 3.1 What happens when fees are realistic 3.2 Mitigation of down sides to realistic pricing 3.3 Salary Equality 3.4 What is in it for private entities to run an ITI 4 Open Loop Management, Monitoring and Control 4.1 Local ITI Compliance Officer

Introduction

• This is a policy document envisaging the future of running ITIs and their cost / operations management.
• It is the duty of society to educate the next generation.
• Govt ensure effective quality transmission of knowledge and skills in the shortest possible time.
• This must be done at no cost to the students.
• All of this will ensure little or no dependance on Govt / Govt jobs by the citizens.
• Prevent patronising attitude of managements vis-a-vis employees / students
• Operating Trust to own the land and immovable properties - not pledgeable

Key Dictums

• "Give a Man a Fish, and You Feed Him for a Day. Teach a Man To Fish, and You Feed Him for a Lifetime".
• "Anticipate Charity by Preventing Poverty by teaching him a trade"

Categories of ITIs

• Govt (Central and State) 
• Private - Govt Aided
• Private Unaided categories

True Costs and Fee Justification

• Administering low fees is expensive
• It does not generate net revenue
• Cost Factors to be considered:
  • Maintaining accounts and associated salaries
  • Statutory Reporting and Compliance
  • Monitoring at various hierarchial levels
  • Action (rarely) Taken and associated bribery / corruption
• Market Perception based concentrations in Urban areas

What happens when fees are realistic

• The poor get left out
• The well-to-do get subsidised
• Gender concentration of females in urban clusters - parents tend to keep girls closer home at any cost (bribes / corruption / loans)
• Teachers can get better paid
• Teachers stock in society goes up - they get better respect, motivation
• The student perception of learning value increases

Mitigation of down sides to realistic pricing

• Students can take interest and collateral free loans from banks that the Govt can underwrite at no cost to the student
• Repayments can be done only after student gets a job
• Installments to be paid by the employer in easy installments over say 2 years (implementation and compliance issues)
• CSR can be used to sponsor students
• Govt grants can pay for poor / deserving students
• Geographically agnostic distribution of CSR availability by online applications for donor and donee

Salary Equality

• Teachers in all ITIs must be paid the same salary and allowances
• All students fees (non grant student fees) to be paid into a consolidated Bank Account
• The consolidated Bank Account (e-Payments) to pay all salaries, maintenance, consumables and watch and ward for all ITIs.
• All ITIs should not recruit teaching staff
• All Teaching staff should be selected and posted by the Govt
• Replacements for leave should also be from a central pool of Teachers
• Teachers to be paid based on student availability fraction of sanctioned strength
• This will incentivise the Teachers into teaching well and attracting students to their institution.
• Flattening hierarchy amongst teachers
• Abolition of all standalone Principal positions
• Additional charge as Principal to be provided to senior capable and willing teachers in each ITI on rotation every say 3 years.
• No perquisites for any ITI staff irrespective of experience and position.
• Local hospitality and expense account upto say 10K per month to be at the discretion of current and previous head
• Minimise the role of private managements in managing ITIs:
  • no compliance issues
  • no bribery / corruption
  • no wateful expenditure
  • no capitation fees

What is in it for private entities to run an ITI

• No Property Tax
• No Income Tax
• No GST
• Influence / Traction in Society as ITI Owner
• Manage attendance and teaching quality compliance of employees and report to HQ
• Chairman and Member of Administrative Committee for disciplinary actions and staff change requests
• Operational costs and control - funded by the Govt
• Travel and Hospitality - a fair value grant by Govt
• Watch and Ward - funded by the Govt
• Relationship with local civil society
• Alumnus and PTA goodwill
• Hostel Management
• Quarters
• Transport
• Canteen and Stores
• Dress Code / Uniforms
• Placement activities
• Industry linkages

Open Loop Management, Monitoring and Control

• Being a large country with diverse languages, centralised control must necessarily be flexible yet effective.
• Rigid dictates will only break the hierarchy and tend to slide into chaos / subversion
• No offices anywhere except at the HQ - no rent, no electricity, no useless employment, no facility upkeep
• Every district must have a compliance officer working from home - laptop, transport and expenses, communication and connectivity to be provided
• Video conference only when necessary

Local ITI Compliance Officer

• Officer must be capable on conversing in the local languages.
• All should be e-Office enabled with login as attendance.
• All financials to be without any supporting documents / vouchers - trust in the citizen is essential - keep soft caps with excess to be hierarchially authorised.
• Early detection of incompetence / delinquency in personnel to be detected and white elephants to be replaced quickly.
• Only local residents to be employed for such local positions - it will save on rentals
• Must be capable of riding 2/4 wheeler - fuel re-imbursements
• Must be familiar with Office software and possess typing skills
• In active age group of say 26 to 35.