The initiative will be implemented under the Smile Foundation Skilling & Employability programme, for youth from economically and socially marginalised communities
FinTech BizNews Service
Mumbai, 17 March 2026: HDFC Bank, India's leading private sector bank, in collaboration with Smile Foundation, announced the launch of its Parivartan Skilling Centre in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, under its CSR programme Parivartan.
This skilling centre will train 850 youth from underserved communities over a period of 30 months, with a focused intervention in the BFSI (Banking, Financial Services and Insurance) and Retail sectors. The initiative will be implemented under the Smile Foundation Skilling & Employability programme, designed to create structured pathways from training to sustainable employment for youth from economically and socially marginalised communities.
Uttar Pradesh is home to one of the largest youth populations in India, with a significant proportion of graduates and school-leavers between 18 and 30-years seeking skill-based employment. The centre addresses the gap between aspiration and opportunity by aligning training delivery with industry requirements, equipping youth for formal sector roles while reducing the need to migrate to metro cities.
Conceived as a structured, multi-year facility, the centre will be managed end-to-end by Smile Foundation, covering training delivery, operations, and post-placement tracking. The model is designed to ensure consistency in training quality and enable closer alignment between skill development and employment outcomes.
Over the project period, a minimum of 70% of all trained candidates are targeted for placement in entry-level roles within the BFSI and Retail sectors. The training curriculum integrates sector-specific technical competencies with essential soft skills, including communication, customer interaction, workplace conduct, and confidence-building. Structured post-placement tracking and mentoring will support retention and early career progression, ensuring the intervention extends beyond short-term skilling to more sustainable livelihood outcomes.
Commenting on the initiative, Nusrat Pathan, Head CSR, HDFC Bank, said, “Through Parivartan, our focus is on enabling meaningful and sustained livelihood opportunities by strengthening the link between skills training and employment. Bareilly represents a community with a large pool of aspirational youth who possess the aptitude and motivation to succeed in the service sector. We address this gap by aligning training delivery with industry requirements and placement support.”
Mr. Santanu Mishra, Co-Founder & Executive Trustee, Smile Foundation, said, “India’s demographic dividend is one of its greatest strengths. However, unlocking its full potential requires focused efforts to equip young people with relevant skills and opportunities. The Parivartan Skill Academy is a step towards enabling youth from underserved communities to become confident, skilled, and employable, contributing not only to their own progress but also to the nation’s development. Smile Foundation is proud to partner with HDFC Bank in this effort to expand opportunities for youth empowerment and sustainable livelihoods.”
Bareilly’s role as a regional hub for Uttar Pradesh’s western districts makes it a strategic location for the centre, with access to a wide catchment of eligible youth across the city and surrounding areas.
HDFC Bank will cover infrastructure setup, asset procurement, staffing, and programme operations, directly supporting HDFC Bank’s CSR goals of livelihood enablement and inclusive development.
