Bhubaneswar, Jan. 7: The state government started its vocational education scheme in secondary schools today by launching job-oriented training at 30 institutes in all the districts on a pilot basis.

School and mass education minister Debi Prasad Mishra and secretary Usha Padhee inaugurated the scheme.

Mishra said there would be sectors such as information technology and IT-enabled services, apart from the automobile services, so that these can give the students an idea about higher technical education. Besides, this will also enhance the employability of the students on completion of their formal education.

The programme will be run in partnership with the National Skill Development Council, National Council for Educational Research and Training and the state Board of Secondary Education.

The school and mass education, employment training and technical education, higher education, and the SC and ST development departments are jointly running the scheme.

Padhee said it would be implemented within the principles of the National Vocational Education Qualification Framework and the state-level vocational education monitoring committee.

Each subject will be taught for 200 hours per year to the students of Class IX and X. This will be an additional qualification for the students taking the matriculation exam.

The programme will have nothing to do with Plus Two exams.

It will provide with multiple options among vocational education, general education and employment opportunities. The project will be implemented through the Odisha Madhyamik Sikshya Mission.