EMPLOYMENT PATTERN OF EX-TRAINEES
Technical and vocational education, unlike liberal education, has a special place in an economy which is on the path of industrialization. The expansion of technical education is supposed to meet manpower requirements of the industries. In this sense, the expenditure on it, whether by the government or by private individuals, is an investment expenditure.
The effectiveness of the investment in training can be judged on the basis of several indicators which are given below :
- Percentage of trainees who are able to get jobs soon after their training.
- Extent to which employment is related to the skills acquired in the training.
- Proportion of trainees who are able to get self-employment.
- Differentials between the job performance of the pre-service ITI trainees and those trained on the job.
- Extent to which emoluments are commensurate with the training.
- Extent of job satisfaction of the trainees.
- Employers' assessment of the performance of ITI trainees.
In this study efforts were made to obtain information on the employment status, waiting time for the job, sector and tenure of employment, emoluments, and the extent of job satisfaction from the extrainees belonging to the three social groups scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and others. A special proforma addressed to the extrainees was prepared to collect information on these items.
Considering the availability of time and resources, only a small number of extrainees could be covered. From each of the selected institutions, 25 extrainees were to be selected from the ones enrolled between 1977 and 1981. It was decided to select 5 extrainees from scheduled castes 5 from non-scheduled category. These were to be contacted at their residential address as given in the office records. After the completion of the training some extrainees migrated to other places for jobs; some others who came to a particular place for
Employment Pattern of Ex-trainees 73
training went back to their own district after acquiring the training. As the institutions did not maintain complete records of the extrainees they did not have their present residential addresses. Consequently, state level Project Directors devised different methods of contacting them. The response rate, therefore, varies from about 75 per cent in Gujarat, 65 per cent in Maharashtra and 40 per cent in Bihar to 18 per cent in Andhra Pradesh and 13 per cent in Madhya Pradesh (Table IV. 1). In Bihar and Gujarat only locally available extrainees, i.e., at the place of selected ITIs, were contacted. In Madhya Pradesh 16 extrainees were contacted locally. Of the 50 questionnaires mailed in Madhya Pradesh 20 came back filled; 11 were returned unfilled and there was no response from the remaining 19. In Andhra Pradesh, addresses of only 56 extrainees could be obtained and postcards were sent to them requesting them to meet the concerned Project Director. For the remaining extrainees, their addresses were not available.
Majority of the extrainees selected belonged to the recent three years 1979, 1980 and 1981. They accounted for 88 per cent of the actual respondents in Maharashtra, 78 per cent in Andhra Pradesh, 65 per cent in Madhya Pradesh and 55 per cent in Gujarat. Extrainees of 1981 alone formed 61 per cent of the respondents in Andhra Pradesh, and 48 per cent in Maharashtra, but only about 20 to 25 per cent in Bihar, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. This is probably explained by easy access to recent records.
According to our plan categorywise breakup of extrainees should have been 20 per cent for the scheduled castes, 20 per cent for the scheduled tribes and 60 per cent for the others. But the actual proportions of extrainees contacted hardly conformed to the above pattern. Scheduled tribes were under-represented in three out of five states the proportion ranging from 4.0 per cent in Andhra Pradesh, 7.4 per cent in Gujarat to 11.0 per cent in Maharashtra. The sample conformed to the designed proportion in Bihar but it was three times (62.5 per cent) in Madhya Pradesh. The proportion of the scheduled castes was comparatively better in all the states 16 per cent in Maharashtra, 19 per cent in Gujarat and 25 per cent in Madhya Pradesh, but 34 per cent in Bihar. Their share among extrainees in Andhra Pradesh was, however, thrice the prescribed level. Around three- fourth of the extrainees in Gujarat and Maharashtra belong to non- scheduled group which conforms to the pattern of enrolment noted previously among the present trainees. In Bihar their share was 44 per cent, in Andhra Pradesh the share of nonscheduled groups extrainees was 35 per cent whereas in Madhya Pradesh
74 Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Industrial Training Institutes
it was just 12.5 per cent. Their share in total enrolment in 1981-82 was around four - fifths in Andhra Pradesh.
Analysis of tradewise enrolment in ITIs had shown that the two- year trades were more popular in comparison to one-year trades. The representativeness of our sample could also be judged by classifying extrainees by the duration of their courses.
In Gujarat nearly three-fourths of the scheduled caste and non- scheduled groups and nine-tenths of the scheduled tribes extrainees contacted had completed training in two-year trades. Another 11 per cent (STs) and 21 per cent (SCs & other) had opted for one-year engineering trades. Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh largely present a similar picture, the proportion of extrainees with training in two- year trades was 74 per cent and 50 per cent respectively. In Maharashtra the corresponding share of extrainees of two-year trade was 42 per cent while that of one-year trade was 53.5 per cent. Even categorywise in both the states - Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh - the share of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other extrainees' in two-year trades exceeded that in one-year trades. Only Maharashtra was an exception.
Although the shares of the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and others in the total number of extrainees did not conform to the prescribed pattern, their shares in relation to the total enrolment and total population and two and one-year trades indicated that extrainees in the sample were fairly representative of the extrainees as a whole.
It may be mentioned here that the initial sample by itself was quite small which got further reduced during the data collection phase. In view of this it would be hazardous to make any generalization regarding the extrainees. Analysis at best can be taken as indicative of direction. Moreover, it also provides certain comparisons between scheduled and non-scheduled categories.
In what follows an attempt has been made to study the employment status, waiting time for job, sector and tenure of job and the emoluments for the schelduled and non-scheduled categories. Other indicators have not been presented because the necessary data for them could not be obtained for various reasons.
Employment Status of the Ex-trainees After completion of the ITI training, the alumnee either go for apprenticeship or take up one job or the other. Getting apprenticeship or a job, therefore, is one way of finding out the effectiveness of training.
Employment Pattern of Ex-trainees 75
Another important aim of this training as emphasised by various Commissions and Committees is to prepare the trainees for self- employment. Effectiveness of the training can therefore also be judged from the extent of self-employment among the extrainees.
It was hypothesized earlier that, because of reservation in jobs and in apprenticeship training in the factories, a large percentage of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes as compared to others will be able to get employment. It was also hypothesized that self- employment would be comparatively lesser among the scheduled groups because of their poor economic situation and lack of connections to start their own work units.
In this section the above two hypothesies would be tested first with the help of combined data for the four selected states (data for Madhya Pradesh is not available by social groups) and then separately for Bihar, Gujarat, and Maharashtra (since Andhra Pradesh sample is too small for separate analysis).
Activity Status of Ex-trainees Extrainees have been classified into employees, self-employed, apprentices and unemployed. Out a total sample of 249 in the four states 41 per cent are reported to be working as apprentices, 37 per cent as employees, and about 10 per cent as unemployed. It is noteworthy that a little over 8 percent of extrainees are self- employed. (Appendix Table VI.2).
Comparing the employment status of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes with the non-scheduled groups, it was found that both among the scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes the apprenticeship rates were the same as for non-scheduled groups (about 41 per cent). However, there were substantial differences in the percentage of employed, self-employed and the unemployed among the three groups. The proportion of employees was highest among the scheduled castes (41 per cent) but very low among the scheduled tribes (28 per cent). Self-employment was higher among the non-scheduled groups as compared to the scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes. Unemployment rates were highest for the scheduled tribes (21 per cent) while these are lowest for non-sheduled people (7 per cent).
On taking each state separately it was observed that in Bihar a little more than half the extrainees were employed, the employment rates were same for the three groups. A higher percentage of scheduled castes were working as apprentices compared to the non- scheduled or the scheduled
76 Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Industrial Training Institutes
tribes. One-fifth of the total extrainees were unemployed. The unemployment was more among the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes as compared to non-scheduled groups. All the five extainees who were reported as self-employed were from the non-scheduled categories (Appendix Table VI.3.).
In Gujarat, as in Bihar, about half the extrainees were employed, and one-fourth were working as apprentices. Unemployment rate in Gujarat was 10 per cent. Here also it was highest for the scheduled tribes and lowest for the non-scheduled categories. Self-employment was about 15 per cent in Gujarat. Two trainees each from the scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes were reported as self- employed, their number being ten for the non-scheduled extrainees.
In Maharashtra of the extrainees contacted about 70 per cent were apprentices, Nine per cent did not report their activity status. Only 5 of the 81 extrainees were reported as unemployed. As regards self- employed there were only two cases-one from the scheduled and the other from the Don-scheduled category.
Reviewing the results from the employment status of the extrainees in the selected states one can say that the first hypothesis regarding the comparative employment status of the scheduled and non-scheduled group was not confirmed by the data at hand. Apprenticeship rates were more or less same for all the three groups. Unemployment rates, however, were higher for scheduled groups as compared to the non-scheduled group. This was inspite of the reservation quota.
As regards the hypothesis of higher self-employment among the nonscheduled groups as compared to the scheduled groups, the same stands confirmed by our data though the sample of self-employed was too small to arrive at any definite conclusion. As pointed out earlier, keeping in view the sample size as well as the procedure of sample selection followed by different project Directors, the results of the present enquiry enable us only to know the direction. These conclusions, therefore, need to be taken cautiously.
Waiting Time for Jobs There is some waiting time for all categories of jobs because the number of students who complete a particular training is generally greater than the jobs available for them. However, considering the lower enrolment of scheduled groups than their quotas and reservation of jobs for them according to their population proportion, it was hypothesised in
Employment Pattern of Ex-trainees 77
Chapter I, that the waiting time for the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes will be shorter than others.
Data for the waiting time was available for three states - Bihar ; Gujarat and Maharashtra. Out of the 226 extrainees in these states only 132 trainees replied to the questions relating to waiting time. From the remaining a majority were apprentices while some were unemployed (Appendix Table VIA).
The data for 132 extrainees indicated that only 54 per cent were able to get a job within less than 9 months while 46 percent had to wait for more than nine months to get a job. Waiting time was longest for the scheduled tribes trainees. For the non-scheduled groups also it was almost the same as for the scheduled tribes. For scheduled castes it was, however, the least. Less than 3 5 per cent of the scheduled castes extrainees had to wait for more than 9 months as compared to about 50 per cent for the scheduled tribes and the non- scheduled categories.
The waiting time for all categories of trainees in Bihar was very high as for none of the 26 trainees for whom data were available, it was less than nine months. In fact, for more than half of the extrainees, it was more than a year.
In Gujarat, out of 96 extrainees 68 gave information on the Waiting time. Of these 54 per cent got job in less than 9 months while the rest had to wait for more than 9 months. here waiting time for the scheduled castes was less than that for the scheduled tribes or others. More than 80 per cent of the scheduled castes got the job within first 9 months while only 50 per cent of scheduled tribes and only 48 per cent of the nonscheduled were able to get a job in this period.
In Maharashtra 38 out of 81 trainees replied to the questions relating to waiting time. Two-thirds of the extrainees were able to get a job in less than 9 months. In Maharashtra, as in Gujarat, the waiting time for the scheduled castes was lesser than that for the scheduled tribes or the non-scheduled groups.
In all the three states, the waiting time for a job was somewhat longer for the non-scheduled group, which lends support to our hypothesis that waiting time should be less for the scheduled categories. However, the scheduled tribes did not differ from the non-scheduled groups. This could be either due to low holding power of the scheduled castes because of which, they took the very first job that came to them, or because the reservation quota enabled them to get the job faster than others. The importance of the first factor can be determined from the comparative status of jobs or the comparative emoluments got by the scheduled groups and
78 Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Industrial Training Institutes
the non-scheduled groups., Unfortunately no data were available in this regard.
Sector of Employment and Job Tenure ITI training generally equips a person to work in the manufacturing units either as fulfledged employees or as apprentices in the first instance. These units can either be in the public sectors or in the private sector. There is reservation for the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in factories and plants both in the public and private sector. However, there is a feeling in the public that private sector employers generally do not adhere to the reservation, Accordingly it was hypothesised that a higher percentage of scheduled groups trainees will be found in public sector as compared to private sector. Further, as more jobs in public sector are likely to be permanent, more of the scheduled group trainees should be in permanent jobs as compared to non-scheduled trainees.
The data for testing the above hypothesis were available for Bihar and Gujarat alone. In Bihar more than half of the employees were in public sector. in contrast, in Gujarat the private sector employed almost 60 per cent of the trainees, In addition, about 19 per cent were self-employed. Public sector employment in Gujarat accounted for only 14 per cent of the total employed. Not a single scheduled castes extrainee was reported working in the public sector under taking while among the non-scheduled 11 persons were employed in the public sector. Fourteen out of 16 scheduled castes employees and 6 out of 7 scheduled tribes employees in Gujarat were in the private sector.
As regards the job tenure, more than half the extrainees in Bihar were in permanent employment among all the three groups. There, was no difference in temporary and casual employees in the three categories. In Gujarat, 37 per cent of the employees did not report their job tenure. Forty-five per cent of the employees were either in temporary or casual employment. This was in keeping with the sector of employment reported in the two states.
The data regarding sector and tenure of employment were too scanty to arrive at any meaningful conclusion. All that one can say is that there were no marked groupwise differences in these respects.
Employment Pattern of Ex-trainees 79
Emoluments One of the aims of ITI training is to improve productivity of the workers and their emoluments. It was however hypothesised that the earnings of the scheduled groups will be lower than others. Data were collected on the income levels of the employed extrainees in five categories and were tabulated separately for the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and others. (Appendix Table VI. 5)
In Bihar a little over 50 per cent of the extrainees got monthly emoluments of more than Rs. 500/-. In fact, none of the extrainee was getting less than Rs. 300/- p.m. There were no noticeable differences in the salaries of the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and others. While among the non-scheduled category, the salary of exactly half the extrainee was above Rs. 500/- p.m., among the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes also a little over 50 per cent were getting emoluments of more than Rs. 500/-p.m. In Gujarat 25 per cent of the extrainees did not give information regarding emoluments. From the remaining 64 employees, 24 reported that they were getting a salary of less than Rs. 200/-p.m. This was probably due to the tact that the sample included 23 apprentices whose stipend was a maximum of Rs.200 p.m. Only 10 per cent of the extrainees were getting emoluments exceeding Rs. 500/-p.m. while another 9 percent were getting between Rs. 400-500p.m. The rest had a salary between Rs. 200 to Rs. 400 p.m. It is noteworthy that while among the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes half their number was drawing a salary of more than Rs. 400 p.m. among others this percentage was just 22.
In Maharashtra, 93 per cent of the respondents got a salary of less than Rs. 200 p.m. while the remaining 7 per cent got a salary of more than Rs. 500 p.m. It may be recalled here that 56 employees in Maharashtra were working as apprentices. Only 13 were reported as employee or self-employed, These figures implied that about half of the employees also got a salary of less than Rs. 200/- which was very low by any standards.