NAVYA Initiative

• 07 Oct 2025

Source: PIB 

Why in News? 

The Nurturing Aspirations through Vocational Training for Young Adolescent Girls (NAVYA) initiative, launched under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 4.0, aims to empower adolescent girls aged 16-18 by providing them with vocational training in emerging job sectors. 

What is the NAVYA Initiative? 

• About:  Launched on 24th June 2025, the NAVYA initiative is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD).  
  • Currently, the initiative is being piloted in 9 districts across 9 states — Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Himachal Pradesh.  
    • These districts have been identified as ’aspirational’ by NITI Aayog. 
• Target: The initiative will cover 3850 girls in 27 Aspirational and North-Eastern districts in 19 states, and currently it is being piloted across 9 states in 9 districts. 
• Key Objectives: 
  • Demand-Driven Training: Courses in technology, healthcare, and modern roles (e.g., AI, digital marketing) aligned with industry needs. 
  • Holistic Development: Modules on health, hygiene, financial literacy, life skills, and legal awareness (e.g: POSH & POCSO). 
  • Promote Employability and Entrepreneurship: Internships, apprenticeships, job placements, and self-employment resources. 
  • Gender-Inclusive Skilling: Female-friendly training spaces with stipends and flexible schedules; encourages girls in non-traditional sectors like cybersecurity. 
  • Bridge Education and Livelihood: Links education to sustainable livelihoods, especially in remote and Aspirational Districts. 
• Significance: 
  • Bridges the Gender Gap: Promotes women’s participation in non-traditional skills and industries, fostering gender equality in emerging sectors. 
  • Targets Underserved Regions: Focuses on empowering girls from remote and vulnerable areas, ensuring equal opportunities.
    
  • Boosts Girls’ Economic Participation: Enhances the involvement of girls in economic growth, contributing to nation-building and socio-economic development. 

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 

• Launched on 15th July 2015, the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) promotes skill development by offering free, short-term training and monetary rewards for youth skill certification. 
• PMKVY 2016-2020 expanded its sectoral and geographic reach, aligning with national initiatives like Make in India and Digital India to enhance industry relevance and youth employability. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

1. What is the NAVYA initiative? 
It is a joint effort by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) to provide skill training and holistic development to adolescent girls aged 16–18 . 

2. Which sectors and skills does NAVYA focus on? 
NAVYA offers training in emerging and non-traditional sectors like AI-enabled services, cybersecurity, digital marketing, drone assembly, and CCTV installation.  

3. How does NAVYA empower adolescent girls beyond vocational skills? 
It integrates life skills, health and nutrition, financial literacy, workplace safety (POSH & POCSO awareness), to ensure holistic development and socio-economic independence. 

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)  

Prelims: 

Q. With reference to Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, consider the following statements: (2018)

1. It is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Labour and Employment. 
2. It, among other things, will also impart training in soft skills, entrepreneurship, and financial and digital literacy. 
3. It aims to align the competencies of the unregulated workforce of the country to the National Skill Qualification Framework.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?  

(a) 1 and 3 only  

(b) 2 only  

(c) 2 and 3 only  

(d) 1, 2 and 3  

Ans: (c)