Launched in the year 2015, the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana was brought with an objective to provide or develop skill training amongst the unemployed 10th<\/sup>, 12th<\/sup> and Diploma passed youths to make them self- sufficient and self-reliant. It aims that developing industry required skill which will help them in securing better livelihood. It is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE)<\/strong> implemented by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).<\/strong> Despite its large-scale reach, PMKVY faces challenges related to quality, placement, and regional disparities. This brief outlines its background, achievements, key concerns, and recommends measures to strengthen the scheme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Background –<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
India faces a paradox of skill shortage amidst a large young population. To bridge the skill gap and enhance employability, PMKVY was launched under the National Skill Development Mission. It is further classified as –<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Major Dimensions<\/strong><\/td>
Qualifications –<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Short -Term Training (STT)<\/td>
College Dropouts\/Unemployed Youth<\/td><\/tr>
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)<\/td>
Individuals with some prior skills and experience<\/td><\/tr>
Special Projects<\/td>
Any statuary body\/government institution or autonomous body who desire to provide training to their candidates<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
The scheme has undergone multiple phases – PMKVY 1.0 (2015-16), PMKVY 2.0 (2016-20), PMKVY 3.0 (2020-21) and PMKVY 4.0 (2021 \u2013 to present).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Key Features \u2013<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Key Features<\/u><\/strong><\/td>
Primary Stakeholders<\/u><\/strong><\/td>
Mechanism<\/u><\/strong><\/td>
Duration<\/u><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Short Term Training (STT)<\/strong><\/td>
Individuals who are either school\/college dropouts or unemployed<\/td>
Training imparted at the training centres in accordance with the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) with components such as soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial and digital literacy<\/td>
Ranges between 2-6 months. On completion, and certification, candidates are provided placement assistance by Training Partners (TPs). <\/td><\/tr>
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)<\/strong><\/td>
Individuals who have prior experiences or skills<\/td>
Aims to align the competencies of the unregulated\/informal workforce of the country to the NSQF.<\/td>
12\u201480 hours<\/td><\/tr>
Special Projects<\/strong><\/td>
Encourage training in special areas and premises of Government bodies, corporates\/industry bodies and trainings in special job roles not defined under the available Qualifications Packs (QPs)\/National Occupational Standards (NOSs).<\/u><\/strong><\/td>
Differs from stakeholders to stakeholders<\/td>
Given its special nature, the projects might require a bit deviation from the STTs. <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Key Issues –<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Weak Industry Linkages – <\/u><\/strong>Though PMKVY aims to provide a full coverage to unemployed youth by working on its core, weak industry linkages stumble the penetration of the policy. The trainings under the PMKVY fails to encapsulate the changing nature of the work and skills required to build further on it. Based on the report prepared by the standing committee, training courses, curriculum and practical skills imparted under PMKVY are not in alignment with the industry requirements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Regional Imbalance \u2013 <\/u><\/strong>the PMKVY is heavily dependent on the training centres, thus an imbalance in the positioning of the training centres will lead to potential exclusion of the youth. The uneven distribution of the training centres particularly in the rural and underserved regions of the country, makes the unemployed youth of these regions marginalized and vulnerable with respect to policy intervention. During the implementation of the PMKVY 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 about 20% of the total enrolled candidates dropped out of the programme and one of the reasons for the dropouts includes distance from residence to training centres amongst others.<\/li>\n\n\n\n