Hunar programme. Bihar

The Government of Bihar and National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) launched the Hunar programme in 2008 to take up skill development of the girls from minority and socially vulnerable groups in Bihar.

Background

• In Bihar SC & ST constitute 16% and 1% respectively of the population but together they constitute the least literate group in both urban and rural areas.
• Economically Backward Class (EBC) is a subgroup of Other Backward Class (OBC) and comprises 130 odd castes and form 32% of the State's population.
• Due to low literacy and meagre employment avenues, it was imperative to include these communities in a project designed to promote employment / self-employment.

Intervention

The objective was to mainstream girls and ensure their socio-economic & educational empowerment through promotion of employment and Self-employment.

The Scheme was launched with fresh targets in different phases such as Hunar I, Hunar II and so on. The last Completed phase Was Hunar IV, which was started in 2013-14 and completed in 2015.

Hunar (Phase-1) was launched in 2009-10 and its scope was to cover 50,000 girls out of which 50% were to be taken from minority community (Muslim) and the remaining 50% from schedule caste/schedule tribe and extremely backward Castes. This project was completed in 2011 when 12,257 girls were declared to have successfully completed training. The successful trainees were given cash award of Rs. 2500/- under Auzar Yojana, for purchase of equipment/tools to start their own trade.

Since the number of qualified girls was only one fourth of the original target, the second phase of Hunar-Il was launched to train the balance number of girls. Hunar-III was announced in 2012-13 to train another 50,000 girls from the aforesaid communities. Hunar -II Project was entrusted to Bihar Education Project Council (BEPC). This Project was completed in 2013 in which 12,275 girls were trained.

The Hunar-IV was launched in collaboration with Bihar Board of Open Schooling & Examination (BBOSE) with a target of skill training of 50,000 girls. But the number of girls joining the programme was 57,867 which was higher than the target. Out of this 44,466 girls appeared in the final exam of the Hunar IV and 38,234 cleared the exam. 578 training centres were run under this phase to achieve this.

The Hunar IV included skill training in 16 different trades. The course duration for 8 of the 16 trades was one year and for the remaining 8 it was 6 months. The minimum educational qualification for these trades was either 5th or 8th pass depending on the nature of the course. The training was imparted through classroom courses and practical Sessions. The final assessment test included written tests, practical exams and internal assessment with weights 40%, 50% and 10%, respectively. Hunar-IV training was provided by training providers selected after Calling for applications and screening of the same. NGOs Were involved to run the training Centres under the Hunar IV. The payment to each center was made on the basis of number of girls trained. The rate of payment for each trade Was different. 578 training Centres Were run under this phase to achieve this.

Key takeaways

• The unique aspect of this project was that it used the existing network of traditional educational institutions of Muslim Community like Madarasa & Maktabs within the formal framework of Study Centers of Open and Distance Learning Institutions.
• This broke the disconnect between modern education and the traditional religious educational institutions of the minorities.

For more information, visit Bihar Board of Open Schooling and Examination (BBOSE)

Source : Skilling for employability - Best Practices