On July 17, 2025, the Ministry of Minority Affairs, led by Union Minister of State George Kurian, inaugurated a skill development and women entrepreneurship project under the Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) scheme at IIIT Kottayam in Kerala. As part of the initiative, an MoU was signed to train a total of 450 minority candidates—including 300 women in leadership and entrepreneurship and 150 youth in Internet of Things (IoT) technology.

All training expenses are covered by the Ministry, and participants receive stipends during the program. Post-training support arrangements include industry linkages and assistance in securing employment or launching enterprises.

The PM VIKAS scheme—integrating legacy programs like Seekho Aur Kamao and USTTAD—allocates 100% of entrepreneurship slots to minority women and reserves 33% seats in skilling for them. It builds on Kerala’s broader drive under the Kerala Knowledge Economy Mission, which integrates skilling, mentoring, and entrepreneurship support to address high educated unemployment.

This collaboration places IIIT Kottayam at the forefront of inclusive innovation. By offering technology training and leadership development, the program aims to expand economic opportunities, nurture women-led enterprises, and bridge digital and social divides in minority communities signalling a major step toward inclusive growth through targeted skilling and empowerment.