Banka: Software major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) will help the administration give jobs to youths in Banka, a poverty-ravaged district and a Maoist stronghold, in a first-of-its-kind initiative in Bihar.

TCS has started organising an "employability bridge and placement" programme for youths of the district, especially those registered with the district registration and counselling centre (DRCC). Students can register themselves under the Mukhya Mantri Saat Nishchay Yojana for schemes like Kushal Yuva Programme and student credit card among others at DRCC, Banka.

"The Banka district administration has launched "Unnayan Banka", an initiative that envisages to provide better opportunities to the youths of the district, and this placement programme by TCS is a part of that," said Banka district magistrate (DM) Kundan Kumar. He inaugurated TCS's programme on Wednesday. The first batch has around 70 candidates. Final-year undergraduates and recent BA, BSc and BCom graduates are the prime target group.

The programme, the DM said, would provide opportunities and skills even to socially and economically excluded youth from the most vulnerable sections of the society.

"The programme will give a 20-day exhaustive personality grooming and corporate etiquette training to the aspirants," he said. "Those completing the training successfully will get a TCS certificate and appreciation, which will help increase their employability in the corporate world. Within a week of completion of the training, an HR (human resources) team from TCS will visit Banka and conduct placement interview for the successful candidates."

Selected candidates will be placed in TCS offices across the country. For women, Varanasi and Calcutta would be the probable locations. "Promoting learning at all levels has been the driving philosophy behind TCS initiatives on the education front. This programme aims at strengthening the employability of unemployed youths so that they can see a brighter future with aspiration and hope," Puthumai A of the TCS said at the inaugural session. "This programme also gives opportunity to women candidates a chance to learn from role models, sharpen their basic skills and challenge their perceptions of technology and occupational gender stereotypes. TCS also offers one-to-one mentoring to students to further bolster their confidence."

TCS has assured to organise such placement camps in the district in future too.