Vani Jha
Highlights of PMKVY 4.0 SC beneficiaries make up 11% of the trainees, ST 4%, and PwD only 0.32% of the trained lot; Uttar Pradesh leads the skills development tally with 3.88 lakh candidates.
The flagship skill development initiative, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), since 2015, has trained more than 1.5 crore candidates; out of which, as many as 40% have been women, according to data provided by the Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Jayant Chaudhary, in the Lok Sabha during Winter Session.
Though women stand out in terms of participation, the figures for other marginalised groups appear to be limited. In the 2015-October 31, 2024 data, SC beneficiaries are 11%, ST mere 4%, and persons with disabilities PwD just 0.32% of the number trained.
Data reflects that the apparel and electronics sectors are emerging as top placement providers. Nearly 4,20,848 students were placed in the apparel sector, while 4,07,892 found opportunities in electronics and hardware.
PMKVY Scheme: Category-wise statistics
This skill development training has been delivered in collaboration with the Short-Term Training (STT) while carrying out up-skilling and re-skilling through recognition of prior learning across India under the PMKVY scheme launched in 2015. The new incarnation, known as PMKVY 4.0, started in 2022 and is expected to operate till 2026.
According to the statistics, pan India 1,57,55,371 candidates have been trained under the scheme. The category-wise trained candidates include:
- Scheduled Castes (SCs): 18,02,380
- Scheduled Tribes (STs): 6,93,547
- Other Backward Castes (OBC): 45,22,893
- Women: 62,33,468
- Minority: 16,60,073
- Persons with Disability (PwD): 51,364
OBC candidates comprised 29% of the ones totally trained and minority candidates comprised 10.53%.
The government according to Minister Jayant Chaudhary, believes the thrust of PMKVY 4.0 is about widening inclusivity by ensuring SC, ST, women, and other marginalized communities receive skill training that eventually goes on to achieve gainful wages and self-employment.
PMKVY Scheme: Placements
Placements were monitored in the STT component of the scheme for the first three editions that were rolled out from FY 2015-16 to FY 2021-22. The present edition has placements delinked.
Under PMKVY4.0, the focus was to empower our trained candidates to choose their varied career paths and they are suitably oriented for the same. Further, various IT tools like Skill India digital hub (SIDH) also give this opportunity,” the minister said while replying to questions in the House on the delinking of placements.
Data released a month ago by the Ministry of Skill Development reveals that out of the 56.88 lakh candidates registered in STT, an estimated 24.3 lakh have been placed for work, taking the percentage of placements to 42.8%. Apparel and electronics have been followed as top sectors, which further includes retail and logistics sectors.
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Specialized sectors like the information technology, hydrocarbon, and aerospace sectors remain relatively low on placements.
The IT sector as well IASC (instrumentation automation surveillance and communication) sectors received no placements.
In the Hydrocarbon sector, a negligible 328 candidates were placed. Similarly in sports, aerospace and aviation, 1,523 and 1,514 candidates were placed respectively.
PMKVY 4.0: Skill courses with maximum enrollment
The electronics and hardware sector has emerged as the frontrunner in India’s skill development mission, training over 15 lakh students under PMKVY. Apparel courses follow closely, having trained more than 13 lakh candidates nationwide.
Conclusion
PMKVY 4.0 continues to achieve new heights in India’s mission of skill development, training over 1.5 crores of individuals since its start. While the initiative stands as an example of prominent participation from women and outstanding success in sectors such as apparel and electronics, statistics do show areas that call for more inclusion of marginalised groups. The focus in the further progression of PMKVY on making equitable opportunities available to SCs, STs, minorities, and PwDs will be quite essential. With its focus on enabling candidates to pursue different career options and utilizing digital resources such as Skill India Digital Hub, the program intends to overcome placement problems and promote self-employment opportunities in all sectors.