The Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) on July 13, 2026, notified the standards for staffing, equipment, and infrastructure of Vocational Training Centres under the OSHWC Rules, 2026.
The following has been stated:
• The Ministry has notified the standards for staff, equipment, infrastructure and other facilities to be provided in Vocational Training Centres (VTCs) established under Rules 163 and 164 of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026. Applicable to training centres catering to coal, metalliferous and oil mines, the standards prescribe the appointment of qualified Training Officers, instructors, trainers, specialised faculty and supporting staff, with additional personnel based on the number of trainable employees.
• The notification also mandates the provision of modern training equipment, including computers, audio-visual aids, digital learning infrastructure, simulators, virtual reality systems (for oil mines), and model demonstration facilities, along with up-to-date Safety Management Plans (SMPs) and Safe Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Further, it prescribes minimum infrastructure requirements such as classrooms, libraries, model rooms, firefighting and first-aid training facilities, work sheds, digital record management systems, sanitation facilities, transportation arrangements for trainees, and occupational health and safety galleries to ensure effective skill development and enhance mine safety across the mining sector.
[Notification no. - G.S.R. 620(E)]
