The scheme of Jan Shikshan Santhan (JSS) was initially launched in 1967 as Shramik Vidyapeeth, a polyvalent or multi-faceted adult education institution, aimed at improving the vocational skills and quality of life of the industrial workers and their family members as well as those persons who had been migrating from rural to urban settings. The scheme was renamed as Jan Shikshan Sansthan in April 2000. Along with the change in its name came the change in its focus. A scheme that was meant for the industrial workers and their families was expanded in terms of its both clientele, focus, and was extended to the rural areas.

JSSs are institutes of People’s Education focusing on the poor, the illiterates, the neo-literates, the under-privileged and the un-reached. The Jan Shikshan Sansthans are unique in that they do not provide just skill development, but link literacy with vocational skills and provide large doses of Life Enrichment Education (LEE) to the people. They do not work in isolation but aim for convergence with other stakeholders in society. It is their endeavour to shape their beneficiaries into self reliant and self-assured employees and entrepreneurs.

Today, there 221 Jan Shikshan Sansthans in the country and they are expected to act as district level resource support agencies especially in regard to organization of vocational training and skill development programmes for the neo-literates and other target groups of the continuing education programme. The current aim is that the JSSs should progressively move towards having 50% of their beneficiaries from amongst the neo-literates.

The Government of India provides annual lump sum grant to these institutes in a set pattern. There is no interference of the Government in the affairs of the Sansthans except monitoring their performance and ascertaining before releasing further grants whether the funds are being utilized as per the guidelines issued by it. The Government of India representative in the Board of Management of the Institute facilitates in taking appropriate decisions and guides the institution in organizing various programmes and activities.

The Jan Shikshan Sansthans offer a large number (371) of vocational training programmes from candle making to computer courses. In the year 2006-07, 17.53 lakh beneficiaries have been covered under various vocational training programmes and other activities. The performance of Jan Shikshan Sansthans is evaluated every three years by reputed evaluating agencies empanelled with National Literacy Mission. So far, 116 Jan Shikshan Sansthans have been evaluated.

Please contact the relevant department.

Contact

Ministry of Human Resource Development

Department of Higher Education

A1/W3, Curzon Road Barracks,

Kasturba Gandhi Marg,

New Delhi