The scheme will replace contract labourers and Act Apprentices and will be a boom for Employers

Newly launched NEEM apprenticeship do not provide for PF, ESI and Bonus. Employers could engage NEEM Apprentices through few Facilitators from 3 months to three years. In the absence of defined provisions relating to on the job training and Social Security benefits, there is lot of scope for misuse of the Scheme and it will be worser than " Thirumagal Thirumana Thittam " of Tamil Nadu. The scheme will replace contract labourers and Act Apprentices and will be a boom for Employers to exploit the labourers once again.

Dear Nataraj
In each and every scheme there will be plus and minus.
To be seen and evaluated from both angles.
For new comers many ask what is your experience? or no experience. For such crowd this is an excellent scheme.
For preparing future trained manpower this is boon
Ram K Navaratna
HR Resonance

Dear All
PF has become applicable for NEEM Trainees (Pl see attachment). Now is the time for the Govt to think of mandatory absorption of NEEM Trainees by the Employers as in the case of Apprentices under the Apprentices Act 1961 (50 % as per attachment), otherwise after few months / years - again there will be huge unemployment - because the Employers will continue to manage with flexible NEEM Trainees and the NEEM Trainees on completion will again become unemployed. For views / comments please.
N Nataraajhan, Sakthi Management Services (Hp : + 91 94835 17402 ; E-mail : [Login to view])

Dear All
PFA copies of Circulars dated 04th Sept '18 and 12th Feb '19 of the EPFO regarding applicability of PF for NEEM Trainees.
N Nataraajhan, Sakthi Management Services (Hp : + 91 94835 17402 ; E-mail : [Login to view])

Dear All
While going through the definition under Sec 2 of the EPF Act 1952, I found that as per Sec 2 (f) " excluded employee " means ............... (iv) an apprentice (copy attached). Explanation clearly says that an apprentice means a person ...................... who is declared to be an apprentice by the authority specified in this behalf by the appropriate Government. NEEM Notification has been issued by the All India Council For Technical Education in the Gazette of India which clearly says that NEEM Trainees are ' Trainees ' and eligible only for consolidated Stipend to undergo on the job training and shall not be entitled for guarantee of employment. The scheme specifically exempts statutory deductions of PF / ESI etc., (cl 15.2 of the NEEM scheme).
NEEM scheme has been notified by AICTE, a statutory body of the Govt of India - which is the appropriate Government under the EPF Act.
I am sure the above points will be more clear to argue the point that NEEM Trainees are excluded employees under the EPF.
Regards
N Nataraajhan Hp : + 91 94835 17402
Sakthi Management Services