The Craftsmen Training Scheme was introduced by the Government of India in year 1950 to ensure a steady flow of skilled work force in different trades for the domestic industry, to raise quantitatively and qualitatively the industrial production by systematic training, to reduce unemployment among the educated youth by providing them employable skills, to cultivate and nurture a technical and industrial attitude in the minds of younger generation.
Presently, this scheme is being implemented through a network of 15,042 ITIs (Govt. 2,738 + Private 12,304) and 33 NSTIs located all over the country by ensuring the general standards laid down by Director General of Training. Under the Craftsman Training scheme (CTS), the duration of various trades training courses varies between 1 to 2 years.