Parliament Question: Skill training in Himachal Pradesh

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2193 ANSWERED ON 11/03/2026 SKILL TRAINING IN HIMACHAL PRADESH 2193. SHRI HARSH MAHAJAN: Will the Minister of SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP be pleased to state: (a) the year-wise details of the number of youth who have been provided skill training under the Skill India Mission in the country, including Himachal Pradesh, during the last three years and the current year and out of these, how many have obtained employment/self-employment after training; (b) the special training programmes centre and industry-partnership-based initiatives being implemented for skill development keeping in view the specific requirements of the hilly, rural and tribal areas of Himachal Pradesh; and (c) the mechanism adopted by Government for monitoring and evaluation of the quality of skill training, employment linkage and outcomes under Skill India in Himachal Pradesh? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY) (a): Under the Government of India’s Skill India Mission (SIM), the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) delivers skill, re-skill and up-skill training through an extensive network of skill development centres under various schemes, viz. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Sikhshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), to all the sections of the society across the country including Himachal Pradesh. The SIM aims at enabling youth of India to get future ready, equipped with industry relevant skills. The number of candidates trained/oriented under major schemes of MSDE under Skill India Mission in the country including Himachal Pradesh during 2022-23 to 2025-26 (till 31st December, 2025) are given as under: Year Name of the Scheme PMKVY JSS NAPS-Apprentices engaged CTS(ITIs) - Candidates enrolled 2022-23 2,11,170 7,26,284 7,38,490 12,51,181 2023-24 5,39,962 5,07,337 9,32,322 14,45,362 2024-25 20,38,319 5,00,490 9,85,031 13,15,133 2025-26* 1,31,703 2,75,663 9,23,835 14,70,277 * till 31st December, 2025 Under present version of PMKVY from FY 2022-23 i.e. PMKVY 4.0, the focus was to empower our trained candidates to choose their varied career path and they are suitably oriented for the same. Further, various IT tools like Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) also gives this opportunity.(b): PMKVY is being implemented in Himachal Pradesh with training aligned to local demand and the economic activities of its hilly regions. Key sectors include Tourism & Hospitality, Agriculture, Construction, Apparel, Electronics & Hardware, and Logistics, supporting local livelihoods and employment. Under PMKVY 4.0, a delinking approach provides States and districts greater flexibility to implement demand-driven skilling based on local industry needs through State Skill Development Missions and District Skill Committees. The programme promotes sector-specific skills linked to industries such as handicrafts, tourism, textiles, and agro-based activities to support sustainable livelihoods and entrepreneurship. It also offers training in emerging sectors like Aerospace & Aviation, Telecom, Power, Green Jobs, and Electronics to enhance employability in both local and national labour markets. Under PMKVY 4.0, over and above the Base Cost, an additional amount equal to 10% of the Base Cost is permitted for Skill Development programmes conducted in special areas including Himachal Pradesh. Further, for candidates from special areas undergoing training outside district of such Special Areas, to and fro transport cost as per actuals, subject to maximum of Rs.5000/- per trainee is payable. (c): Impact of schemes for skill development are assessed across the country including Himachal Pradesh through their third party independent evaluation. The evaluation of schemes of MSDE have acknowledged their positive outcome and mentioned about their success in terms of placement or livelihood improvement of candidates trained, as indicated below: PMKVY: An independent third-party impact evaluation of the PMKVY 4.0 has been conducted by Arun Jaitley National Institute of Financial Management (AJNIFM), an autonomous Institution of Ministry of Finance, Government of India. As per the report, PMKVY training has contributed to a measurable shift in employment outcomes for STT candidates. The combined share of employed and self-employed STT respondents increased from 26.6% prior to training to 45.4% after PMKVY training, reflecting an 18.8 percentage point increase. Income-related outcomes also show positive movement, with 41.4% of STT candidates and 48.9% of RPL candidates reporting an increase in income following training and certification. Overall, PMKVY 4.0 has significantly expanded access to formal skill training and certification and has generated measurable improvements in skill confidence, employment participation, and income outcomes for a substantial proportion of beneficiaries. JSS: A third-party evaluation of the Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) Scheme was conducted by AJNIFM, in 2025 to assess the scheme’s outreach, effectiveness and livelihood outcomes. The evaluation highlighted significant achievements of the scheme, with 33.94 lakh individuals enrolled, of whom 32 lakh were trained and 31.52 lakh certified, reflecting an overall success rate of 99 percent. Women constituted a dominant 82 percent share of total participants, while 73 percent beneficiaries belonged to marginalized sections, including SC/ST (36 percent) and OBC (37 percent). The livelihood impact has been noteworthy, with 90 percent alumni utilising acquired skills for income generation, 82 percent becoming economically engaged within six months of training, and 60 percent of previously non-earning individuals starting to earn post- training. The average monthly income of beneficiaries recorded a four-fold increase from ₹1,776 to ₹8,440. NAPS: A third-party evaluation study of Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (PMNAPS-2) from FY 2022-23 to FY 2025-26 (Data upto 30th November 2025) was conducted by AJNIFM. As per the report, PMNAPS 2 achieved significant scale during the evaluation period, engaging 34.69 lakh apprentices against a cumulative target of 46 lakh, translating into an overall achievement of approximately 75 percent. The institutionalisation of DBT has improved financial transparency and predictability. Cumulative DBT disbursement exceeded ₹1,094 crore, with annual disbursement rising from ₹327.2 crore in FY 2023–24 to ₹500.16 crore in FY 2024–25. ITIs: The Tracer Study report of ITI Graduates published in 2018 by MSDE mentions that 63.5% of total ITI pass-outs got employed (out of which 6.7% are self-employed). *****