HYDERABAD: The Telangana government is set to launch an ambitious skilling program on September 25, marking the first initiative of its kind in the country aimed at enhancing youth skills.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy will unveil this program designed to train thousands of engineering and non-engineering students for careers in the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector. The initiative aims to facilitate immediate job placements upon graduation, significantly addressing unemployment in the state.
The state has already established the Telangana Young India Skill University, which will begin courses next month. Recently, the Chief Minister announced an investment of ₹100 crore to support this Skill University.
Private entities have been invited to collaborate with the government in refining youth skills through the university. 
As part of its skill development strategy, the Telangana Council of Higher Education (TGCHE) has partnered with the BFSI Consortium to address the demand for IT and ITES professionals. This collaboration will integrate industry-specific knowledge into undergraduate courses, equipping students with relevant skills. Importantly, this initiative will be funded through CSR partners, incurring no additional costs for the government or students.
EQUIPPP's Role in the Skilling Program
Key players in this initiative include TGCHE, BFSI, and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The TGCHE committee has identified 20 non-engineering and 18 engineering colleges, primarily autonomous, for the pilot rollout.
The program will initially support 10,000 students (5,000 from engineering and 5,000 from non-engineering) with backing from EQUIPPP, a CSR partner. The batch for the 2024-25 academic year will receive training at no cost to students or the government. 
For non-engineering colleges, the BFSI curriculum will be offered as a Skill Enhancement Course (SEC) and Generic Electives (GE), while engineering colleges will provide it as a minor degree program and accelerated courses. 
The curriculum, developed by BFSI, has been approved by relevant stakeholders and will be delivered in a hybrid format. Students will receive digital certification upon completing the course.