Bhubaneswar: The higher education department is set to launch the NSE BFSI Skilling Programme for undergraduate and postgraduate students to equip them with industry-relevant skills in mutual funds, insurance, stock markets and personal finance. The initiative will be implemented under an MoU that was signed between the department and the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd (NSE) earlier.In the first phase, the programme will cover students pursuing BCom, BBA, BMS, BA (Economics/Commerce), MBA and MCom courses in 97 colleges and universities across the state. As part of the programme, students will receive a 30-hour Mutual Fund Certificate Course free of cost. They will also undergo specialised coaching for the National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) Certification Examination, a nationally recognised qualification that is widely accepted for careers in banking, financial services, wealth management, stock broking and investment advisory.To ensure smooth implementation, the department has directed all participating institutions to nominate a coordinator, preferably a faculty member from the commerce, management, economics or allied disciplines. The initiative builds on the department’s collaboration with NSE launched last year to promote financial literacy among college and university students.Higher education minister Suryabanshi Suraj had then said that the partnership aims to strengthen students’ financial awareness while enhancing their employability. Under the MoU, two courses were designed. The level-I course, spanning 20 hours, focused on basic financial literacy, while the level-II course of 30 hours offers advanced training in financial markets and investment concepts.Officials said the programme will prepare students with practical financial knowledge and industry-recognised certification, improving their job prospects in the rapidly expanding banking and financial services sector.
