 "Govt reconstitutes CAC to drive reforms, boost apprenticeship training")
With an eye on boosting apprenticeship in the country, the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship (MSDE) has reconstituted the central apprenticeship council (CAC) to mull over reforms in the existing rules and suggest measures to increase the uptake of on the job training by the industry.
The reconstituted CAC will have a tenure of three years and will comprise 54 members consisting of representatives from various industry associations, public sector undertakings, state governments and independent experts. The erstwhile council constituted in March 2019 had 46 members.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-sections (1) and (2) of section 24 of the Apprentices Act, 1961 (52 of 1961) read with rules 3 and 4 of the Central Apprenticeship Council Rules, 1962, the Central Government hereby reconstitutes the Central Apprenticeship Council for a period of three years from the date of publication,” read a MSDE notification dated October 17.
MSDE Minister Jayant Chaudhary will be chairing the new council, while Rajya Sabha member Vikramjit Singh Sahney will be the vice-chairman of the council. Earlier, union minister of state, MSDE was the vice-chairman.
The new council has increased representation from public sector undertakings (PSUs) as it now has representation from 6 PSUs, namely - Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOC), South Eastern Coalfields Limited, Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Among private sector employer representatives, the council will have members from TATA Group, Maruti Suzuki, Reliance Industries, Toyota, Indian Banks Association among others.
The CAC is a statutory body under the Apprenticeship Act, 1961. The functions of the CAC include assisting and advising the central government for the implementation of the Apprentice Act, 1961 in the country.