Ranchi, Dec. 21: The hotel management department of Institute of Science and Management (ISM), Pundag, has signed an MoU with the state human resource development (HRD) department to start three-year diploma courses in hotel management, tourism management and retail management.

The MoU with the government was signed a month ago after 45 tribal students belonging to minorities, scheduled caste and backward classes successfully completed a year’s craft course like food production, housekeeping, front office, food and beverage.

The present batch of passouts has been placed in different hotels of the Taj Group, Oberoi across the country.

The government would also give a scholarship of Rs 350 to tribal students.

Similarly, the government is also planning to spend Rs 1 lakh on fooding, lodging and uniform expenses of each student.

Likewise, the construc- tion of a 50-bed hostel for tribal boys has begun on the campus.

“The hostel is constructed to accommodate maximum number of students taking admission in three different courses in the next academic session,” said the chairman of ISM, R.A.K. Verma.

Verma added that the course would start from the next academic session after initial formalities are completed by February or March.

Meanwhile, HRD offic- ials said the scholarship amount would be increased as the students used to get Rs 350 as students of the craft course.

“We are going to finalise the amount in the next meeting so that these tribal students can avail of maximum benefits while studying the courses,” the official added.

Likewise, he also said that his department has received the list of students who have completed the craft course. “We would maintain that for our records,” said the official.