There are 1.2 billion young people aged between 15 years and 24 years, which accounts for 16 percent of the global population, according to United Nations data. And India is a youthful nation, with a large section of its youth in the working age group. However, unemployment is rampant in India, especially among this section. Government initiatives such as Skill India and National Skill Development Mission under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) are going some way in empowering India’s youth with skill sets that make them more employable and productive in their work environment.

On account of World Youth Skills Day, SMBStory draws up a list of the government’s major skill development schemes: Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) The flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) enables a large number of Indian youth to take up industry-relevant skill training that can help them secure a better livelihood. It is implemented through the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). Individuals with prior learning experience or skills will also be assessed and certified under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Under this scheme, training and assessment fees are completely paid by the government. Skill development centres across the country provide youth with short term training, special projects, Kaushal and Rozgar Mela, placement guidelines, and monitoring guidelines. It was recently approved for another four years (2016-2020) and aims to benefit 10 million youth. For more information, click here. Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood (SANKALP) The Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood (SANKALP) is designed to operationalise the sub-missions under the National Mission. It is a centrally-sponsored scheme with a project of total size $675 million, including World Bank assistance of $500 million, in two tranches of $250 million each. The scheme has a six-year implementation schedule. At present, the first tranche has been approved for implementation. The scheme aims to create convergence among all skill training activities, improve quality of skill development programmes through building a pool of quality trainers and assessors, model curriculum and content, establish robust monitoring and evaluation system for skill training programs, and more. For more information, click here.

Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) under PMEGP Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) is a scheme provided to Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) beneficiaries and focusses directly on developing skills needed for entrepreneurship. It does this through Rural Development and Self Employment Training Institutes (RUDSETI)/(RSETIs) and Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), KVIB training centres as well as other national level Entrepreneurship Development Institutes (EDIs). This scheme aims to provide orientation and awareness pertaining to various managerial and operational functions like finance, production, marketing, enterprise management, banking formalities, book-keeping, etc. It also includes interaction with successful rural entrepreneurs and banks as well as orientation through field visits. Ten days EDP training is mandatory for all types of projects. For more information, click here. Skills Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE) This scheme is a World Bank assisted-Government of India project which seeks to improve the relevance and efficiency of skills training provided through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and apprenticeships. It is a Central Sector Scheme (CSS) with a budget outlay of Rs 2200 crore and targets improved performance of ITIs, increased capacities of state governments to support ITIs and apprenticeship training, improved teaching and learning, and improved and broadened apprenticeship training. Operational guidelines in the form of an Operations Manual (OM) have been completed to ensure smooth implementation of scheme.

A financial agreement was signed between the Centre and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) in December 2017, and the project closes in November 2022. For more information, click here. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) Started by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), this scheme is a part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) tasked with the dual objectives of adding diversity to the incomes of rural poor families and cater to the career aspirations of rural youth. DDU-GKY focusses on rural youth who are between the ages of 15 and 35 and are from poor families. Part of the Skill India campaign, the scheme involves partner organisations who form a part of the skilling ecosystem integrated by DDU-GKY. Partners are supported through investment, capacity building, strategies for retention, linkages to international placement, and technology support for training purposes.