Railways’ Institute IRICEN Begins Free High-End Tech Training for ITI Instructors in Pune

Pune, 23rd February 2026: The Pune-based Indian Railways Institute of Civil Engineering (IRICEN) has begun advanced technical training for instructors from government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the city under the PM Sector Review Project.

The programme is aimed at transferring industry-oriented technologies to ITI faculty to strengthen classroom and workshop instruction. Director General Vijay Kumar Panjiar said the initiative is designed to ensure that students receive skill training aligned with current practices in the railway sector. The training is being provided free of cost by Indian Railways.

Specialised modules for faculty members from Government ITI Aundh and Government ITI Pimpri Chinchwad commenced on Monday at the IRICEN campus. The first module focuses on “Alumino Thermit (AT) Welding in Indian Railways.”

The course content was prepared in consultation with the Central Staff Training and Research Institute under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, along with the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training (DVET), Maharashtra, and the Regional Directorate of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (RDSDE), Maharashtra. The module has been structured keeping in view the educational qualifications and age group of students enrolled in relevant ITI trades.

According to IRICEN officials, the training includes both classroom instruction and hands-on practice at nearby railway yards to provide practical exposure. The initial phase covers advanced Alumino Thermit rail welding, fundamentals of Long Welded Rail, and maintenance practices of Permanent Way followed on Indian Railways.

IRICEN stated that the curriculum has been customised to suit ITI-level skill development requirements and incorporates technical standards followed in railway engineering. The institute, a centralised training facility of Indian Railways for civil engineering officers, is extending its expertise to support technical capacity building at the state level.

Officials indicated that additional ITIs across Maharashtra and other states may be included in subsequent phases of the programme.