Jharkhand Urban Infrastructure Development Company Limited (Juidco) will help two polytechnic institutions in the capital to upgrade their skills and infrastructure, Juidco chairman-cum-managing director Ajoy Kumar Singh has said.

Juidco will help improve the infrastructure of labs of the Government Polytechnic Ranchi near Bahu Bazar, and the Government Women’s Polytechnic in Tharpakhna, start campus placements and work on upgrading the soft skills of students at both these institutes.

Confirming the development, Ashutosh Kumar Singh, Juidco spokesperson, said: “We will be adopting two polytechnic institutions, which are amongst the oldest in the city. Work will start by February-March.”

The Government Polytechnic, which started in 1935 as the Ranchi School of Engineering, is Jharkhand’s oldest technical institute and provides engineering diploma courses in civil, electrical, electronics and communication, mechanical and computer science streams. It admits over 300 students.

The Government Women’s Polytechnic in Tharpakhna along East Jail Road was set up in 1994 and offers engineering diplomas in computer science, electronics and electronics and communication. It admits 200 students.

Juidco spokesperson Singh said labs at both these places needed to be modernised.

“Also, our officials will help students develop their soft skills such as communication, vital in this day and age. Reputable companies associated with Juidco projects will be asked to conduct campus placements at these two institutions. The main aim of our interventions is to make students job-ready and help them access good jobs,” he said.

He added that several big names like Larsen and Toubro, Shapoorji Pallonji and Company, Honeywell Limited, Ram Kripal Singh Construction would be asked to take part in campus placements at these two polytechnics.

On why soft skills were important, he said social and communication skills, and emotional intelligence were needed for a good career. “But many polytechnic students hail from simple lower and middle class homes and so their soft skills are lacking. We will help them,” Singh said.