The North Bengal University (NBU) has revived the training and placement cell (TPC) and is taking initiatives to hone the skills of students to make them job-ready.

Sources said the TPC plays a crucial role in shaping the careers of students by bridging the gap between academia and the industry.

Sanmoy Mallick, the convener of TPC and head of the management department in NBU, said: “The cell will conduct workshops, seminars, and training sessions to enhance students’ skills and make them ready for jobs. From now on, students who are pursuing postgraduate courses in regular subjects will also be trained.”

He said the plan was to conduct career counselling sessions for around 1,200 students from next month.

The TPC will also organise placement drives. “Recruitment drives would be conducted on the campus and interactive sessions with potential employers will be arranged to help the students. Further, options for an internship would be explored with prominent players of different industries for the students so that they can have a practical experience and can hone their skills,” Mallick said.

NBU sources said the cell, which was set up in 2000, had turned almost non-functional.

Saptarshi Ghosh, chairman of TPC, said they had passed the information to heads of different departments at the varsity about the new initiatives that have been planned for the students.

“Each department will depute a nodal officer who will liaison between the students and the TPC. We will also train undergraduate students, who study in colleges affiliated with NBU if they need such training,” said Ghosh.