Telangana: Digital Excellence Centres to come up in public libraries

To offer digital, technical and skill development training including coding and entrepreneurship skills

Hyderabad: The public libraries in the State will no longer be limited to accessing different books, newspapers and competitive exams coaching material. They will now be offering digital, technical and skill development training including coding and entrepreneurship skills. This will be done through the Digital Excellence Centres, which are coming up in the public libraries across the State.

The centres will impart training in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses to students under the age group of 8 and 18 years. Those interested can also enroll for the basic coding programme and also app development training, which will be offered in the centres.

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Apart from STEM training, the centres via Telangana Academy for Skills and Knowledge (TASK) will impart skill development courses to people under the age group of 18 years and 30 years. Digital education including basic computer training, MS Office, and digital marketing are also offered.

The skill development programmes in start-up and entrepreneurship specially designed for women will be offered. To execute the plan, an agreement has been signed between the Department of Public Libraries, Telangana Academy of Skills and Knowledge (TASK) and WeHub.

One digital excellence centre each has already been set up in public libraries in Kamareddy, Vikarabad and Mahabubnagar districts on a pilot basis, and another 20 such centres will come up this year with one each in libraries of Ranga Reddy, Siddipet, Mahbubad, Devarakonda and Bellampally this June. In the next year, the department intends to set up one such centre in all 33 districts.

The decision, according to officials, has been aimed at providing skill development programmes to youth besides empowering women through training in entrepreneurship, thereby further enhancing visitors to the public libraries. Presently, the public libraries see mad rush only when the recruitment notifications are announced by the State government.

“Using modern technology and to promote skill development, Digital Excellence Centers are being established in the State. Three centers have already been set up, and we are currently in the process of establishing five more. These initiatives are proving to be successful and are serving purpose effectively,” said Dr. Ayachitam Sreedhar, Chairman Telangana Grandhalaya Parishad.

The centres will also facilitate people in online services like applying for the Aadhaar, Pan, Voter ID card and driving license and among others services.