Student self-help groups essential for skill development: Collector 

Student self-help groups in higher education institutions are essential for skill building for entrepreneurship and workmanship, Haritha V. Kumar, Thrissur District Collector, has said.

She was speaking recently after releasing a poster of the competitions on entrepreneurship programme to be organised by the Mahatma Gandhi National Council of Rural Education (MGNCRE), Ministry of Education, Government of India. The competitions are part of promoting entrepreneurship and workmanship during the National Entrepreneurship Month (October 19-November 20).

“Small steps towards entrepreneurship can steer economic growth and development. Every higher education institution needs to form cells on vocational education and skilling, rural entrepreneurship development and social entrepreneurship,” she added.

MGNCRE resource person and Thrissur District Sustainability Mentor Noorjahan Majeed who is an assistant professor in history at Sri Vyasa N.S.S. College, Wadakkancherry, handed over the poster to the Collector.

The MGNCRE has called for forming Student Self Help Groups (SSHGs) to promote both entrepreneurship and workmanship in higher education institutions to support the efforts of the entrepreneurship development cells through the alumni of the colleges. This helps in internships and apprenticeships with local businesses and local administration. It is the most sustainable way to skill the youth into productive work, says Ms. Majeed.

The MGNCRE is an advisory interface and a curriculum development agency for the Government of India. The council engages with higher education institutions across the country for taking forward experiential learning, community engagement, mentoring and facilitation for institutional social responsibility, vocational education, skilling for employability, sustainable development, rural and social entrepreneurship.