DGMS(Tech.)Circular No.3                                       Dhanbad,  dated the 10th May, 2002.

To

The Owners, Agents and Managers of all Coal and Metalliferous Mines.

Sub:   Facilities required at Group Training Centers and standard of training.

Ref:   Rule 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11 of the Mines Vocational Training Rules, 1966.

As you are aware that safety as well as productivity of any establishment is directly dependant on quality of training imparted to the workmen engaged on various jobs, it would be in the interest of both industry and the workmen if the best possible training is imparted to our workmen for all-round growth of the industry and the nation.

However, during recent inspections of Group Training Centers across the country owned by various public/private operators following deficiencies/shortcomings were observed in spite of various Circulars issued time to time :

  1. Provision : Almost all major operators have switched over from Mine Vocational Training Center to Group Vestibule Training Centers.
  2. Accommodation : Adequate required accommodation had not been provided to about 20% of the Group/Vestibule Training Centers (GTCs). Even in cases where suitable accommodation have been provided these were not maintained properly.
  3. Staffing : Adequate & duly qualified training staff were not provided at most of the GTCs. In one or two cases even physically handicapped persons were employed who could not deliver lectures. Assistant Training Officer and Instructor(s) for Electrical & Mechanical subjects were not appointed at most of the GTCs.
  4. Training Galleries : Training Gallery, which is probably the most important aspect of the training, was not provided at most the GTCs. In some cases, where these were provided, the same were neither properly equipped nor were being used for training.
  5. Training Shop :  Training Shop, for an effective and fruitful training to mechanical and electrical work-persons, was not provided at most of GTCs.
  6. Training Aids :  Even though, OHPs, Film &/or Slide Projectors were provided at most of the G.T.Cs, except for one or two cases, other required input material like transparencies, slides and/or films were not provided. One of the most important tool for communication in to-days world i.e. computer with proper software were not provided except for one or two GTCs in private sector.
  7. Course Material : Except for one or two GTCs others were not preparing the required course material either for the trainees or for the instructors. Most of the GTCs even did not have a library with required books and the facility to generate course material of their own.
  8. Attitude of Training Staff : In most of the cases training staff including training officers did not have positive attitude and in some cases they felt frustrated as if “they were punished by having been posted at the training center”. At most of the GTCs due importance was not given to “hands on” or “on the job” training.
  9. Attitude of Trainees : Due to unimaginative & un-impressive training methods adopted by the training staff and in some case inconvenient training schedule (before or after duty hours) most of the trainees, specially those coming for refresher courses, indicated dull response to the training programmes and even had tendency to evade training session(s).
  10. Management’s Response : Except for few cases, both local as well as higher, management indicated poor response to the training needs/requirements. In most of the cases an impression was conveyed as if expenditure on training was wastage of money & other resources.

To improve performance of GTCs and to ensure effective and gainful training to the workmen and supervisory officials, following improvement measures need to be taken immediately :

  1. Accommodation : All GTCs to have at least the following accommodation :

·        A V.T. Manager’s/G.T.O’s room,

·        Training Officer’s/Assistant Training Officer’s room,

·        An Instructor’s room,

·        A library cum reading room,

·        A Gas-Testing room,

·        An office-staff cum record room,

·        Adequate number of lecture rooms,

·        Model-room cum Training Shop,

·        Training Gallery,

·        Store room,

·        Adequate number of toilets &

·        Ample open parking space.

Preferably a GTC should be housed in a separate campus/block. All rooms should be equipped with the required furniture.

2.      Staffing : All GTCs to have at least the following personnel:

·        G.T.O. or V.T. Manager having Ist Class Manager’s Certificate of competency as overall in-charge of the training center;

·        Adequate number of Training Officers &/or Assistant Training Officers (fresh Engineering Graduates or IInd Class Manage’s Certificate holder with Diploma in Mining/Mechanical/Electrical Engineering) to assist the In-charge in programme formulation as well as generation of course material for different training programmes;

·        Adequate number of trained instructors, at least Diploma in Mining/ Mechanical/Electrical Engineering or Overman/Foremen (Mechanical/Electrical) for Mining as well as Mechanical & Electrical subjects.

·        Adequate number of experienced and safety minded trainers for each specialized or skilled job and

·        Subordinate staff such as librarian, clerks, typists and/or data entry operators, draughtsman or tracer, peon, general mazdoors and sweepers etc.

  1. Training Shop : All GTCs must have a well made and well maintained Training Shop equipped with electrical lay-outs of important electrical equipments and working cut-models of different machines for an effective and fruitful training to mechanical and electrical work-persons.
  2. Training Galleries : All GTCs must have a well-made and well-maintained Training Gallery depicting general mine condition and important mining operations.
  3. Training Aids : All G.T.Cs to be provided with Computers with required software, Over Head Projectors, Slide Projectors & TV + VCP/CD Player combination with required other inputs like transparencies, slides, cassettes or CDs on safety or safe way of doing a job in mines or workshop. Wall charts/posters, photographs, pictorial diagrams, manufacturer’s handout on different equipment used in mines and reference books on various subjects.
  4. Course Material : All GTCs must prepare their own course material for all training courses which is to be regularly up-dated and copy of which to be provided to all instructors as well as to all the trainees whether literate or not.
  5. Attitude of Training Staff : To ensure that the training staff must have positive attitude, each one of them should be required to attend class on management as well as on improvement of teaching skill. They should also be treated at par with other officials, if not superior, in the line management. A lot of stress is required to be applied on “hands on” or “on the job” training under the guidance of experienced, well trained & safety minded Trainers for every skilled operation.
  6. Attitude of Trainees : To draw full attention/response of the trainees the training programme should be lively, illustrative, interactive and informative in the concerned field and for that use of modern teaching or training tools like Computers, Over Head Projectors, Slide Projectors & TV + VCP/CD Player combination should be generously used in all training schedules.
  7. Management’s Response : Higher management must indicate their interest in effective training through routine visit to GTCs and by getting sample feed-back report(s). For all training programmes full day release system is to be adopted without any exception.

It is expected from all mine operators to go beyond this circular in up-grading their training centers in the interest of the industry & the Nation. The Directoate would be pleased to note compliance of above circular at all the GTCs of both coal and metal mines.

( A. K. Rudra )

Director General of Mines Safety,

Dhanbad.