Skilled manpower is one of the major factors for the success of the hospitality industry. Skill programmes of hospitality education is a regular and ongoing initiative of the Ministry of Tourism in various parts of the country. Hospitality education is imparted by the Institutes affiliated with National Council for Hotel Management & Catering Technology (NCHMCT), an apex body under the aegis of Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. It has 93 educational Chapters through which run 11 regular courses such as UnderGraduate (UG), PostGraduate (PG), Diploma and Certificate Courses. Two UG and PG programmes courses are also offered by Indian Culinary Institute at Tirupati and Noida.
Further, another Institute, named Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM) (5 centres) is a pioneer Institute in the field of travel and tourism education and training. It provides specialized training and education for the tourism and travel industry. It currently offers a two-year full time MBA (Tourism and Travel Management) and three- year full time BBA (Tourism and Travel) programme including other short- term Skill Development Programmes/courses. In addition, National Institute of WaterSports (NIWS), Goa, incorporated in IITTM, also imparts education/ training, research and consultancy. It also conducts some skill based courses like windsurfing, sailing, water skiing, kayaking, etc.
Besides above, the Ministry of Tourism provides various short term skill courses in the field of Hospitality and Tourism for the unorganized/organised sector under “Capacity Building for Service Providers” (CBSP) Scheme to provide education, training and certification to tourism service providers at every level. These programmes are implemented through Central Institutes of Hotel Management (CIHMs), State of Institutes of Hotel Management (SIHMs), Food Craft Institutes (FCIs), State Tourism Departments/Development Corporations, Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM), Indian Culinary Institute (ICI), other Government Institutes and empanelled private sector institutes.
The following skilling, re-skilling and up-skilling programmes are conducted under CBSP Scheme: –
- Hunar Se Rozgar Tak (HSRT) (Skilling Programme):- ‘Hunar Se Rozgar Tak’ Programmes under CBSP Scheme are compliant with the Common Norms notified by Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India for various Ministries for implementing skilling programmes. The programme presently offers a total of eleven short duration courses in the hospitality and tourism sector.
- Entrepreneurship Programme (Up-skilling):- This programme is to facilitate micro and small business start-ups .
- Skill Testing & Certification (Re-skilling):- This programme is for the existing service providers to test and certify them in four hospitality trades.
- Tourism Adventure Courses (Re-skilling):- This programme is to develop capacity in youth to promote regional based specially structured adventure skill.
- Linguistic Tourist Facilitators (Up-skilling):- To create trained manpower in different foreign languages.
- Tourism Awareness /Sensitization programme: – This programme is conducted for existing service providers.
- Destination Based Skill Development: – This programme is implemented with the objective to sensitize, upgrade and build capacities of all tourist service providers, especially to the people who are residing near tourism sites and destinations and to enhance employability.
