CHENNAI: In a bid to achieve the vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat, Department of Youth Affairs is seeking the help of businesses in implementing a pilot project across the state where they will give industry exposure to undergraduate students through a structured programme for 45 days. The project is for youth studying in UGC-accredited institutions. Tamil Nadu is among the list of seven states where the project will be implemented. Sources said the state has been selected as it has a large number of industries. The project, which will be implemented by the National Service Scheme of the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, is in conceptual stage. The idea is to help youth develop a basic understanding of working in industry and develop practical skills including people skills and cognitive skills. The idea is also to improve the perception of entrepreneurship as a career option. Sources said both educational institutions and industry willing to participate should register with the Yuva portal of the Department of Youth Affairs.
The businesses to be eligible under the scheme should have an annual turnover of Rs 40 lakh and Udyam registration (MSME registration). Similarly, for colleges or universities that agree to participate in the scheme under the pilot phase, they have to accept the experiential scheme. “Thereafter youth can apply for the slots. The duration of the training programme is 360 hours. Trainees can be involved in different functional roles like sales and business development, field research and survey, marketing, social media marketing, human resources and personnel management among others,” sources said.
The regional director of NSS will coordinate the programme in each state. The experiential learning programme will be available irrespective of any academic credit given by the college. However, colleges can give youth academic credits on the basis of available UGC norms. The programme involves working in the business concerned for 360 hours. The training programme is not a paid one. The other states where the project is to be implemented include Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab. The youth after completion would write a report and would be awarded a certificate.