About five lakh students from various universities and colleges across India will be entering different industries and service organisations, under a unique apprenticeship programme for non-technical graduates launched by the Government of India.
More than 9.25 lakh students from 1,533 non-technical universities/colleges have applied for the internship which lasts for at least six months. The registrations for the programme, aptly called SHREYAS, which is short for Scheme for Higher Education Youth for Apprenticeship and Skills, ended on 25 March.
Other than the assured stipend of Rs 6,000 per month, the students will also receive Rs 1,500 as reimbursement by the Government. The SHREYAS programme is targeted mainly at students who are pursuing non-technical degree courses. The aim is to make them more employable.
SHREYAS is the result of the combined efforts of the HRD Ministry, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
An important role is played by the Sector Skill Councils (SSC) who match the demand with the available opportunities and offer opportunities for registered candidates in the month of May, and arrange for apprenticeship of the students across sectors. The SSCs will continue to actively establish contact with the industry to be able to take advantage of more opportunities in 2020.
As per estimates, the programme will ensure apprenticeship for at least three lakh students, starting July 2019. The figure may well go up to five lakh.
Shreyas will help establish a connection between education and industry/service sectors on a sustainable basis. It will ensure that the in-demand skills are provided and also offer a chance to students to earn while they learn. The ultimate goal is to provide skills, which are in demand, and get good quality manpower ready for business and industry.
