This year, IIT-Madras has decided to discontinue with the postgraduate diploma course introduced to train students for Metro Rail projects. The PG course was sponsored by Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL).
CMRL in a statement has mentioned that it has recruited adequate number of students for its present needs. Therefore, they want IIT-Madras to discontinue with the course. IIT-Madras in collaboration with by Chennai Metro Rail Limited has introduced the user-oriented course two years ago. The main idea behind introducing such a course was to train students in the workings of a Metro Rail system. Also, to ensure there were trained professionals at hand for the city’s dream transport project. However, CMRL officials said that as they satisfied its staff requirements for the project at present, they had merely put the course on a break.
Sources have also informed that nearly nine students in the first batch were employed by CMRL, and 13 from the present batch will be soon roped in. The first batch of students who pursued the course has been placed across different departments of CMRL, including construction, electrical, underground, signaling, telecommunications and the systems divisions. CMRL paid students a stipend of Rs 20,000 per month and later, increased salaries once they were recruited. The Coordinator of the course at IIT-M, R.G. Robinson has said that they are sure CMRL will start it again when they will require more professionals. Moreover, when contacted, a CMRL official has said that they have only one stretch now and the requirements were fewer.
Furthermore, sources informed that, last year, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s managing director E. Sreedharan wrote to the Union HRD ministry, seeking assistance for the creation of a cadre of engineers with specialized skills needed for Metro projects, and asked for all IITs to begin such courses. Although, Chennai’s Metro project may have satisfied its staff requirements, the requirement for skilled staff across the nation is acute as metro rails are coming up in several cities now.
