THE Punjab government would set up 40 centres of excellence next year to meet the skill requirements of manufacturing industries and information technology companies. Disclosing this at an official meeting, S Bikramjit Singh Khalsa, chief parliamentary secretary, technical education department, said the state has already set up 10 such centres of excellence under a special scheme of the director general - education and training (DGE &T), government of India, and 10 more centres would be established this fiscal year. These centres would offer multi-skill training on modular pattern with a multientry/exit provision. Every year, about 12,000 students would be trained in these centres and they could get employment easily in industries or start their own enterprises. The government also plans to fill up the vacancies at various levels in the department and ITIs. A recruitment process has already been initiated, and it would be completed next month, he added.