Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) have collaborated to offer a specialised one-year-long Skill to Enterprise Module (STEM) programme for students in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, an official said today, November 13, as stated in a report by PTI.

The programme will commence in two batches starting on December 4 and December 19 at the Srinagar and Jammu campuses of the institute, the official added. It has been designed to equip the students with the necessary knowledge and guidance to start and grow their businesses in the future, the official further said.

As per the official statement, the programme would provide comprehensive four weeks of residential training along with eight weeks of virtual training to help the participants develop an understanding of business management, compliance, finance, planning, and strategic aspects of a business.

"The programme will be particularly beneficial for those who have completed a technical course and possess a valuable skill set but lack the required resources and knowledge to start their own business. It will also provide an opportunity for those who wish to gain financial independence and create a positive impact in their own communities through entrepreneurship," the official said.

According to the official, the candidates would be selected by the experts based on the readiness of their ideas and provided with guidance through industry mentorship and incubation. The trained candidates will be connected to financial institutions through Credit Connect Schemes, the official informed.

"The STEM programme is a joint initiative of IIM Jammu and SIDBI with a total of 60 selected participants to be trained over a period of one year free of cost," the official said.