Girls from Khunti district get their first exposure to the advanced machinist course at Indo Danish Tool Room in Adityapur on Monday. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Kanshu (30), the eldest son of a poor bamboo craftsman Raghunath Nayak of Bamhni village in Khunti district, dropped out of his BA (psychology honours) course long ago. Seeing hunger and joblessness ahead, Kanshu had mulled joining a rebel group for some easy money. His younger brother proved wiser, convincing him to instead apply at the Khunti district collectorate for the two-year advanced machinist course at Indo Danish Tool Room, Adityapur

Arvind Ganjhu (19) of Ganodia village, also in Khunti district’s Murhu block, cleared his ICom with 54 per cent last year. But then came the fright of his life. Naxalites wanted to recruit him. Joining the two-year tech course at Indo Danish Tool Room, Arvind can’t believe this “freedom from fear”

For rural youths from rebel stronghold Khunti, their admission at Indo Danish Tool Room, Adityapur, at Seraikela-Kharsawan, is much more than just about learning a vocational skill. It’s about discovering gumption to reject the life of a rebel recruit and opting for the mainstream.

The first batch of 180 students, including 36 girls, for the two-year advanced machinist course at the technical cradle, sponsored by the central government-funded Integrated Action Plan (IAP) for left-wing extremism affected areas jointly with the state government, started on April 15.

The Khunti class has students from all six revenue blocks — Arki, Karra, Khunti, Murhu, Rania and Torpa.

Khunti deputy commissioner Rakesh Kumar called it a significant move to wean youths from rebels. “You can call it a historical experiment on the part of the district administration to give livelihood for youths and dissuade them from joining hands with rebels,” he said. He added that poverty and joblessness led boys and even girls to succumb to rebel pressure.

Interestingly, of the five districts that sent their youths for the two-year advanced machinists’ course under IAP, this is the largest batch. Lohardaga and Chatra sent 150 candidates each, while East Singhbhum and Gumla sent 100 students each. Under the IAP scheme, matriculates or above are chosen by the respective district administration for the cradle. Picking right is vital, as the district spends more than Rs 2.4 lakh on each student in this course.

According to the technical cradle’s senior manager (administration) Ashutosh Kumar, students can bag jobs as machine operators and quality inspectors with a likely salary of Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 per month.

It is big money for this fresh lot of Khunti students. But their wonder is bigger. “Everything is so different here,” marvels Pratima Kumari (22), an economics graduate from Rodakila village, Murhu block. “When my father died of tuberculosis 10 months ago, villagers wanted me to join dreaded Naxalite Kundan Pahan’s gang. I said no. And I’m here today,” she said.