Kolkata, Apr 25: The West Bengal education department is planning on spending at least Rs 100 crore this fiscal on setting up more vocational training centres in schools. There are 1,500 such centres in the state.

Parijat De, director of the technical and higher education department of the state government, said the budget this fiscal is Rs 76 crore, while Rs 71 crore was spent last fiscal.

"Money will be allotted according to the department's performance," De said.

He said, "We have vocational courses in 1,500 schools and want to add 500 each year."

Vocational education was started with just 1,400 students in mostly government-aided schools in 2005-06, De said at the inauguration of a Bharat Chamber of Commerce-organised education fair in the city on Friday.

At present, there are 1,40,000 students doing these courses. This indicates a high demand for such courses.

"The courses, which are of six months and two years duration for class VIII and classes XI and XII students, respectively, cover areas like plumbing, electrical fitting and repairing, agriculture, paramedical, business and commerce," he said.

"These courses are meant mainly for school drop-outs that get absorbed in different industries," De said.

"At present, East Midnapore has the highest number of vocational training centres in West Bengal, with 170," he said.