Bhubaneswar, June 23: Here’s some good news for students interested in pursuing skill-based courses after Class XII. Seven community colleges promoted by the University Grants Commission (UGC) will become operational in the state from this academic session.

These community colleges will operate from Government Autonomous College, Bhawanipatna, in Kalahandi, Khallikote Autonomous College in Ganjam, Maharaja Purna Chandra College, Baripada, in Mayurbhanj, Dharanidhar Autonomous College in Keonjhar, Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, Balasore, Government Autonomous College, Rourkela, and Vikram Dev College, Jeypore, in Koraput district.

To begin with, the colleges will offer two courses — diploma in tourism and hospitality management and diploma in retail management — with 50 seats for each college.

The UGC has planned around 200 such colleges across India modelled on the lines of those in the US. These will offer skill-based courses with durations ranging from six months to two years.

Officials in the higher education department said autonomous colleges in Keonjhar, Balasore and Baripada had already received Rs 17.5 lakh each from the Centre to start the courses while funds for the remaining colleges will be released soon.

The colleges will operate in public-private partnership (PPP) mode. The private partners will provide technical support in conducting theory and practical classes, besides providing lab facilities, arranging teaching faculties and administrative staff.

“We have decided to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the partners to ensure 100 per cent placement for the students,” said a senior official of higher education department.

“The objective is to ensure increased job opportunities for the students. The partners can develop their own training module and classes to suitably train the students for the jobs,” he said.

“We are developing modern study material for the two courses that will be introduced. Since the colleges are being operated on a pilot basis now, new courses will be added based on the popularity of the two courses. The intake will also be increased gradually,” said higher education secretary Gagan Kumar Dhal.

Although the classes in the community colleges had to begin from last academic session, the work was delayed following cyclone and flood. “However it is being ensured that the classes start during this academic session,” said Dhal. The technical education department has sent proposals for three more community colleges in the three existing government polytechnics. These institutes are Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at Choudwar, Uma Charan Patnaik Engineering School at Berhampur and the Jharsuguda Engineering School.