IIM Jammu inaugurates Second Batch of Training of Trainers (ToT) Programme on SBDUs
Jammu : The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu, under the leadership of Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu in association with the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) and under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India, has commenced the second batch of Training of Trainers (ToT) programme on Small Business Development Units (SBDUs). The programme is being held at IIM Jammu’s state-of-the-art campus at Jagti. The program was inaugurated by Shri. Sudershan Kumar, JKAS, Director, Skill Development, Govt. of Jammu and Kashmir in presence of Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean Academics and Program Director, IIM Jammu and Dr. Niti Shekhar, Program Director, IIM Jammu.
The primary objective of the ToT programme is to equip trainers from various proposed SBDUs at Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and Government Polytechnics with the necessary skills and knowledge to train local entrepreneurs. These SBDUs will serve as district hubs, fostering entrepreneurship and skill development at the grassroots level. The program consists of 20 participants from different ITIs and polytechnics.
Shri Sudershan Kumar, JKAS, Director of Skill Development, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, acknowledged Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, and the IIM Jammu team for their consistent efforts in making this program a reality. He noted that the establishment of SBDUs is a significant step towards empowering local entrepreneurs and fostering a culture of innovation and self-reliance at the grassroots level. He provided an overview of the employment scenario in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and reiterated the new start-up policy that empowers the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the region and pushes the employment scenario in the U.T. of Jammu and Kashmir. He urged all participants to make maximum use of the program, highlighting it as a golden opportunity to learn from IIM Jammu and its faculty. He emphasized the importance of implementing the knowledge and skills gained from the program in their respective districts to bring about a significant change in the skilling landscape.
The inaugural ceremony commenced with the lighting of the lamp, followed by an address about the SBDU and the program by Shri Shahid Jibran, Project Manager, SBDU, IIM Jammu.
This was followed by an address by Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean Academics, and Program Director, ToT, SBDU, IIM Jammu, who provided an overview of various programs at IIM Jammu, including the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF) and the Small Business Development Unit Program. He emphasized the importance of working closely with the Government of Jammu and Kashmir and highlighted the institute’s commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and skill development in the U.T of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Niti Shekhar, Program Director, ToT, SBDU, IIM Jammu. The inaugural ceremony culminated with the national anthem, marking the beginning of a promising initiative aimed at skill development and entrepreneurship promotion. Present on the occasion were, Dr. Vivek Sharma, Chief Innovation Officer, IIM Jammu and Shri Naren Karunakaran, Consultant, SBDU, IIM Jammu along with other team members of SBDU, IIM Jammu.
The Training of Trainers programme aims to prepare participants to establish and run SBDU centres effectively in their respective ITIs and Government Polytechnics. By the end of the five-day training, participants will be well-equipped to impart training to local entrepreneurs, thereby contributing to the overall goal of skill development and entrepreneurship promotion in their districts.