Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) | 08 Nov 2025

Source: IE 

Why in News?  

India’s flagship skilling programme, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), is under scrutiny after the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) blacklisted 178 training partners (TPs) and training centres (TCs) over serious irregularities such as fake trainees, forged documents, and non-existent centres. 

What are the Issues Highlighted Regarding PMKVY? 

• Widespread Corruption & Fund Misuse: Several Training Partners inflated bills, diverted funds, and manipulated records.  
  • Many Training Centres existed only on paper, with no real training activity. 
  • Attendance records were manipulated to show students who never attended the programme. 
• Poor Monitoring And Transparency: Oversight has been inconsistent, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) refused to disclose details of defaulting centres under Right to Information Act 2005 citing confidentiality. 
  • In many cases, Training Partner and Training Centre identities did not match, weakening accountability. 
  • State agencies reported lack of clarity on inspections, documentation, and next steps, slowing corrective action. 
• Training Disruptions: With 178 TPs/TCs blacklisted (highest in UP, then Delhi, MP, Rajasthan), training in several areas came to a standstill. 
• Skill–Industry Mismatch: Training programs often fail to align with current industry requirements due to weak collaboration between training institutions and employers, insufficient labour market forecasting, and inadequate practical exposure for trainees. 
• Infrastructure and Accessibility: Many training centres, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas, suffer from inadequate facilities, limited access to digital tools, and poor internet connectivity.  
  • Financial constraints and logistical challenges further restrict participation and outreach.

What is Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)? 

• About: PMKVY is the flagship skill-development scheme of the MSDE, launched in July 2015. It aims to provide free short-duration training, certify skills through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), and enhance youth employability across India. 
  • Training is delivered through approved Training Centres under a standard quality framework aligned with the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF). 
  • Under the Scheme, every certified candidate is given a reward of Rs. 500 for clearing the exam as encouragement. 
  • It has trained candidates across sectors like manufacturing, construction, healthcare, IT and retail, and has expanded to future-focused areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Drone Technology, Robotics, Mechatronics and Internet of Things (IoT). 
• Inclusivity:  Inclusivity was a key pillar of the scheme  with 45% of the candidates being women and a significant share coming from Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). 

• Progress:  Over the years, more than 1.63 crore candidates have been trained under PMKVY in diverse sectors, such as manufacturing, construction, healthcare, IT, electronics, retail and more. 
  • PMKVY 1.0: During its pilot phase in 2015-16, 19.85 lakh candidates were trained. 
  • PMKVY 2.0 (2016–20): 1.10 Crore candidates were trained/oriented. 
  • PMKVY 3.0 (2021–22): 7.37 lakh trained. 
  • PMKVY 4.0 (2022–26): As of July 2025, over 25 lakh candidates have been trained under this phase. 

• Innovative initiatives by PMKVY:  
  • Special Projects: Trained Bru-tribe youth, jail inmates, and women under PANKH to expand skilling access for marginalised groups. 
  • Traditional Crafts & Upskilling: Supported Namda artisans and weavers in J&K and Nagaland through targeted RPL training. 
  • Mainstreaming Skilling: Integrated skill development into major national missions like PM Surya Ghar and Vibrant Villages. 
  • Covid-19 Response: Provided crash-course training to over 1.2 lakh health workers during the pandemic. 
  • Skill Hub Initiative: Used schools and colleges as vocational training hubs under NEP 2020 (National Education Policy). 
  • Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): Certified informal workers’ existing skills to improve employability. 
  • Skill India Digital Hub: Introduced the Skill India Digital Hub for digital tracking and Aadhaar-based verification. 
  • Academic Mobility: Linked PMKVY qualifications with the Academic Bank of Credits for transferable learning credits.

What Measures Can Enhance the Effective Implementation of PMKVY? 

• Strengthen Monitoring & Accountability: Use real-time digital attendance, geo-tagged centres, and biometric verification to curb fake enrolments. 
  • Link performance ratings of TPs with continuation of funding and empanelment. 
  • Incentivise TPs based on placement outcomes, not enrolment numbers. 
  • Support candidates with post-placement tracking, transport allowances, and workplace counselling. 
• Promote Regional & Sectoral Customisation: Tailor courses to match local economic needs, such as agro-processing, tourism, or green energy. 
  • Encourage state-specific Skill Plans to reflect labour supply and demand. 
• Strengthen Digital Infrastructure: Scale up the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) for training delivery, assessments, credentialing, and job matching. 
  • Integrate with ABC (Academic Bank of Credits) for portability of qualifications. 
• Better Convergence: Link PMKVY with MUDRA, PM-Vishwakarma, and Start-Up India  for credit and mentoring. Provide enterprise-management modules to help youth start micro-businesses.

Conclusion 

PMKVY can unlock India’s demographic dividend only when skilling becomes demand-driven, industry-linked, and outcome-oriented. Strong oversight, industry-linked placements, digital systems, and inclusive access can help PMKVY translate training into real jobs and stronger livelihoods.