Bhubaneswar: To strengthen financial literacy and enhance job opportunities among college students, the Odisha government has launched a special initiative to provide professional training free of cost.
Official sources said free training will be available for undergraduate and postgraduate students in areas such as stock markets, mutual funds, insurance, banking and financial transactions.
The programme aims to develop skilled manpower in the financial services sector and prepare students for better career prospects by providing them with practical knowledge and industry-oriented training.
As part of the initiative, students pursuing courses such as Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com), Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS), Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Commerce, Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Commerce (M.Com) will be provided a 30-hour professional certificate course on mutual funds.
Besides classroom training, students will also be prepared for the National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) certification examination, which is considered an important qualification for professionals working in the securities and financial markets sector.
Officials said the initiative is likely to help students understand various aspects of financial markets, investment products, risk management, mutual fund operations and other financial services. It will also improve their employability by providing them with skills required for jobs in banking, investment advisory, insurance and related fields.
In the first phase, the initiative will be implemented in 97 selected colleges and universities located within a 100-kilometre radius of major cities including Bhubaneswar, Brahmapur, Bhadrak, Dhenkanal, Jayapur, Kendrapada, Kendujhar, Raurkela and Sambalpur.