Sources in the department said it would be a one-year diploma course and is aimed at equipping tribal students with the nitty-gritty of the BPO industry. Once the students complete the training, they will be on a par with their urban colleagues, said an official of the department. This is the first such initiative undertaken by the department.

The course is specially designed for students from SC/ST or OBC background. All the BPO trainees selected for the programme will be from BPL families. The tribal welfare department will fund the course while city-based institute, Digital Computer, will train students who have at least cleared their Class XII examinations. The department will forge ties with private companies for placement once the students complete their course successfully.

R.K. Ranjan, deputy director of the state tribal welfare department, said the training would be held for six hours every day. "We will provide swipe cards to students to ensure cent per cent attendance in class," he said. The students would also have to secure 50 per cent marks in their written test to qualify.

The department had brought out an advertisement to invite applications for the programme on August 22. "We have already received 100 applications from remote tribal areas of the state. The applicants will sit for a written test on September 5 and 6. This will be followed by an interview," the deputy director said.

There are 40 seats and the department has decided to spend Rs 35,000 to train each student. "We will train 40 students every year. There are many tribal students who are aware what BPO or business process outsourcing is all about. But they have no clue how to go about to bag a BPO job. Our course will help tribal boys and girls to give shape to their dreams. It can be a turning point in their lives," Ranjan said.

He added that the training programme had been designed to ensure that the students pick up communication skills, are able groom themselves and handle different types of customers.