Shillong, August 04: The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), Shillong, under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, in collaboration with National Law University (NLU) Meghalaya and support of the three professional institutes—ICAI (lead co-host), ICSI (support co-host), and ICMAI (support co-host)—hosted a strategic webinar for promotion of the Corporate Mitra Scheme in Meghalaya.
The webinar aimed to create awareness about the Corporate Mitra Scheme and its role in developing a skilled workforce and enhancing employability among the youth of Meghalaya, as part of the ongoing Northeast awareness campaign.
The Corporate Mitra Scheme, announced in the Union Budget 2026-27, aims to empower MSMEs, primarily within Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities – thereby strengthening the business ecosystem, by establishing a network of trained and accredited Corporate Mitras.
The initiative further consolidates the efforts of the Government towards a resilient, inclusive, and formalized MSME sector that drives sustainable economic growth and job creation. The initiative directly aligns with the Government of India’s vision of a Viksit Bharat @ 2047 by fostering entrepreneurship and promoting the ease of doing business.
The initiative is designed to addresses critical capacity gaps by building a dedicated cadre of local paraprofessionals known as “Corporate Mitras”, who will assist Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with essential regulatory and compliance frameworks – allowing businesses to optimize growth while creating sustainable career pathways for regional youth.
The “Corporate Mitra” shall function as trusted para-professionals who bridge the gap between complex regulatory compliance and commercial development, by providing accessible and affordable support services, thereby ensuring that smaller enterprises are able to navigate administrative and compliance aspects with ease.
To build this network, the government focuses on equipping young graduates with industry-relevant knowledge and practical skills, thereby transforming them into a career-ready cadre of business support professionals capable of delivering high-quality professional assistance. Consequently, the program creates new professional employment pathways while simultaneously upgrading the quality of support available to local businesses.
Accredited Corporate Mitras shall be equipped with requisite skillset and competency to handle non-core operations, including financial, taxation, accounting, governance, and regulatory needs of enterprises and small businesses. Outsourcing these tedious tasks allows local enterprises to meet all necessary legal requirements with complete ease. As a result, MSME owners can confidently redirect their focus toward core business drivers like innovation, expansion, and long-term scaling.
For Scheme’s rollout and implementation for the Northeast region, Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA)-Shillong, under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has been designated as the nodal agency for outreach, awareness, and implementation of the Scheme.
The webinar commenced with the welcome address and context-setting by Sh. Debarun Kalita, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for IICA Shillong, also the designated Nodal Officer for the Corporate Mitra Scheme for the Northeast. Sh. Kalita, at the outset expressed his deep gratitude to the Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs for her visionary leadership and strategic guidance in developing the concept.
Shri. Kalita also expressed his sincere appreciation to the Director General, Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, Sh. Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh, under whose stewardship, the Corporate Mitra was originally conceived, structured and given shape. Sh. Kalita also conveyed his gratitude to the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Sh. Rahul Jain, for his oversight in steering of the Scheme’s implementation strategy and rollout plan.
Shri. Kalita, described the initiative as a direct driver of the nation’s onward march towards a Viksit Bharat by 2047, and a concrete step towards the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of the Northeast as the “new engine of India’s growth.” Sh. Kalita further emphasized the scheme’s regional focus, which includes earmarking of 200 seats for Northeast candidates with a 50% fee concession to maximize local participation.
The programme was enriched by a special address delivered by Dr. Basil Nuvarkima Darlong Diengdoh, Assistant Professor of Literacy Studies and Legal Development, National Law University Meghalaya, who emphasized the importance of legal literacy, professional capacity building, and industry-academia collaboration in empowering the youth.
The keynote address was delivered by Shri Cyril V Darlong Diengdoh, IAS, Commissioner and Secretary, Commerce and Industries, Planning Investment Promotion & Sustainable Development, Law, Home (Political), Cabinet Affairs , Parliamentary Affairs etc.
Departments, Government of Meghalaya, who appreciated the initiative and underscored the importance of creating a pool of jobready professionals equipped with practical knowledge in accounting, taxation, banking and finance, legal and secretarial practices, and cost and management accounting.
Shri. Diengdoh emphasized upon the role of the Northeast, and Meghalaya specifically, as a rising economic hub where MSMEs serve as the backbone of local livelihoods. Shri. Diengdoh commented on the Institutional Synergy aspects, noting how the scheme complements existing state entrepreneurship programs, such as PRIME and the Meghalaya Investment Promotion Authority. Shri. Diengdoh urged the students and graduates to actively leverage this affordable certification pathway to transform into trusted, high-value economic professionals within their own communities.
The webinar also featured an Expert Address by Sh. Prof. (Dr.) Naveen J. Sirohi, Associate Professor, School of Finance & Management & Head-Centre, Excellence-ADR, Director-FOIR Centre etc. at Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), Ministry of Corporate Affairs, who highlighted the ‘Distance’ Dilemma – Identifying physical and structural “distance” as the primary barrier preventing small-town entrepreneurs from accessing premium corporate advisory services.
Dr. Sirohi, in his address further remarked on the Global Benchmarking on MSMEs commenting that proven international para-professional frameworks successfully deployed in other parts of the world structurally inspire the Corporate Mitra architecture. He further emphasized that long-term efficacy relies heavily on maintaining rigorous, demand-driven training standards and continuous outcome measurement.
The webinar also featured a technical session, which included a comprehensive presentation on the scheme’s objectives, implementation framework, and core competencies by the resource expert representing the program’s Lead Co-host – Institute of Cost Accountants of India, CA Sh. Gyan Chandra Misra, Chairman, MSME & Start-up Committee.
Shri. Misra provided an in-depth overview on the functional blueprint of the Corporate Mitra Scheme outlining its objectives, course structure, eligibility, and benefits and touching upon aspects of Target Demographics, Blended Learning Model, Core Disciplines, Evaluation Standards, Financial Incentives, Operational Clarifications etc.
A dedicated and engaging interactive session followed, which addressed operational queries from prospective candidates, centering on aspects of the Scheme’s Digital Onboarding, Reservation Policy, Localization, Language Medium, Practice Modalities etc.
The webinar witnessed enthusiastic and wholehearted participation from more than 250 students – from premier state andcentral universities, institutes, colleges, entrepreneurs, aspiring professionals, and other stakeholders, from across Meghalaya. The interactive session elicited significant interest in the Corporate Mitra Scheme and its role in strengthening professional capacity and corporate governance in the North Eastern Region.
The programme concluded with a formal Vote of Thanks expressing deep gratitude to the leadership at Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Director General, IICA, the Sr. Officials from the Government of Meghalaya, and appreciation to all dignitaries, partner institutions, participants and students.
