When students at Government ITI Hassangarh in Rohtak walk into class now, they might feel less like they’ve entered a classroom and more like they’ve accidentally stepped onto an automotive production line. Thankfully, no one will be asked to build an entire Baleno before lunch — but they will get a serious taste of real-world manufacturing.
Maruti Suzuki India Limited has inaugurated a state-of-the-art Advanced Manufacturing Lab (AML) at Government ITI Hassangarh, Rohtak, as part of its CSR-led skill development initiative aligned with the Government of India’s Skill India mission. The company says around 200 students will receive training in the Smart Factory Lab during the first year itself.
The new lab has been designed to simulate actual shop-floor environments seen in modern automobile factories. Students will gain practical exposure in areas such as assembly, welding, painting, machining, mechatronics, and workplace safety — essentially everything needed to ensure India’s future manufacturing workforce knows the difference between precision engineering and “jugaad engineering.”
Maruti Suzuki says the initiative aims to bridge the gap between classroom education and the rapidly evolving requirements of the automotive industry, where automation, smart manufacturing, and advanced production systems are becoming increasingly critical.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by Sachin Gupta, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Rohtak, along with senior officials from Maruti Suzuki and the institute.
Speaking about the initiative, Rahul Bharti, Senior Executive Officer, Corporate Affairs, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, said the Advanced Manufacturing Lab will bring “real shop-floor learning and modern machinery into classrooms” while helping students develop confidence in handling industry-specific processes.
He added that the initiative supports the Skill India mission and reflects Maruti Suzuki’s commitment to building a future-ready manufacturing workforce for the country.
Sachin Gupta, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Rohtak, described the lab as a “defining milestone” in Rohtak’s journey towards becoming a centre of excellence in skill development. He noted that the facility would align academic learning with industry needs while nurturing innovation, productivity, and technical excellence among students.
Interestingly, the event wasn’t just about machinery and manufacturing jargon. Selected students also received apprenticeship offer letters from Maruti Suzuki after campus selection, turning the inauguration into a career-launching ceremony as well.
Maruti Suzuki currently supports 31 ITIs across India in manufacturing-related trades and has already established 18 Advanced Manufacturing Labs nationwide. The company also provides merit-based scholarships to top-performing students at supported ITIs.
Beyond ITIs, Maruti Suzuki operates four Japan-India Institutes for Manufacturing (JIMs) located in Gujarat and Haryana. These institutes focus on Japanese manufacturing principles, efficient shop-floor management, advanced manufacturing techniques, and soft skills training — because in today’s automotive world, knowing torque specs is important, but teamwork and discipline matter too.
With India pushing aggressively towards becoming a global manufacturing hub, initiatives like these could play a key role in ensuring future factory floors are staffed not just with workers, but with highly skilled technicians ready for the age of smart manufacturing.
