Fund crunch ails a pioneer institute of skill development

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An organisation that was born to hone the inborn skills of youngsters and serve as a guiding force is facing a slow death, thanks to paucity of funds. The State Resource Centre (SRC), an autonomous organisation funded by the National Literacy Mission under the Ministry of Human Resources Development and administered by the state General Education Department, which provides various professional courses for the skill development has been struggling to survive for the past three years due to insufficient funds. 

Reason? The Centre stopped granting funds to SRC from 2018. Neither the Centre nor the state government had set aside any allocation in the budget for the organisation. However, the SRC is functioning with the annual meagre fund of `15 lakh from the state government and the fee collection from the students. 

The SRC was launched in 1978 to provide guidance and motivation among youths who have in-born skills. Over the years, the SRC introduced various unique courses including Yoga, sound  engineering, music, lighting design, classical and commercial arts and so on. The SRC has 42 courses. Due to the fund shortage, SRC is outsourcing teaching by bringing skilled trainers from other institutes as guest trainers. They are also getting paid based on the working hours. 

“We are striving hard to make this organisation a hub for those who have in-born skills but  could not get proper guidance in that direction to achieve. Unlike other organisations, we introduced courses which are much related to the common man. For instance, we introduced a six-month Yoga course. We are charging a fee of `6,700 for the course which will be taught by experienced faculties.

In other Yoga institutes, one needs to pay a minimum of `10,000. Similarly, there are various courses which a person can choose so as to shape up their career based on their skills,” said N B Suresh Kumar, director, SRC- Kerala. 

He said the SRC could have been a pioneer institute in the state if it gets some proper funds from the central government and if the state increases the annual fund. At present, there are 12 permanent staff in SRC. It has institutes in all 14 districts which have part-time and daily wage staff. The SRC also offers placement assistance for  students so that they could get placed in their own favourite career.