The six-month residential training programme for the engineering graduates, started on a pilot basis, has been designed by Infosys, and includes both technical and soft skills.

The first batch of 98 candidates from various districts of the state recently completed training. Of this, 93 have been placed with IT companies with a monthly salary ranging between Rs 15,000 and Rs 40,000.

Speaking to Business Standard, P Madhav, director (promotions) and Satish Chandra Paruchuri, programme manager, Institute for Electronic Governance - Jawahar Knowledge Centre (which implements the project), Andhra Pradesh, said students from the ‘socially challenged' sections of society are poorly represented in the IT sector.

It is estimated that only three per cent of the workforce employed in the IT industry is from these minority groups.

This is due to a combination of factors like family background, poor communication skills, lack of motivation and lack of access to high quality education. To make these students ‘employable' in the IT industry, the Andhra government has initiated the special training programme (STP) along with the IT industry and educational institutions.

Each student would be given a laptop, which is sponsored by the IT companies. Faculty from educational institutions and trainers from the industry would impart training.

In addition, students will undergo skills training; listen to guest lectures by industry leaders and visits facilities of leading IT companies, he said.

Another three batches will commence from August. By the end of this year, around 2,500 students will be trained and placed by IT companies, said Madhav. The programme will be funded by the government, and would cost about Rs 40,000 a student.

Students belonging to 'socially challenged' sections of the society having BE/B.Tech degree, IT-related branches or MCA with a minimum of 55 per cent in their qualifying examination are eligible for STP.

Candidates will be selected based on their performance in a written test followed by a counselling/ interview session.

Programmes for arts and science graduates will commence shortly and students would be placed with ITeS companies. The government expects to train around 25,000 students in the first year, said Madhav.