Xavier Institute of Social Services (XISS) was set up in the year 1974 with a view to train tribal and rural people to make them entrepreneurs. It has been functioning in close cooperation with Vikash Maitri Kalyan Sangh, a social organisation operating in the villages of Ranchi district of Bihar. XISS offers four month training programmes to tribal with minimum literacy and numeracy skills. Little importance was given to academic qualifications. Clarity of presentation of goals and determination to reach that goal were the important considerations.
During the training period, the trainees are trained as apprentices in the shop of the type they intend to set up themselves. By that the trainee got a grounding on the basis of achievements, motivation, leadership and communication, managements, finances, costing, laws and taxation, marketing and project preparation. After completion of training courses, the trainees went back to their respective villages and made mini-market surveys to choose the project best suited for them. XISS with assistance from State Government has started conducting entrepreneurial development programmes for unemployed engineers, diploma holders, graduates and ITI trained boys. The institute has done exceedingly well with a success rate of around 60%.