## Policy Summary: Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in Rural India (July 23, 2025)
This policy update from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) addresses unemployability and skill training in rural regions of India. It highlights the government's ongoing efforts under the Skill India Mission (SIM) to improve the employability of youth through skill, reskill, and upskill training programs.
**Context:**
* India Skill Report 2024 (Wheebox): Overall young employability in India reached 51.25% in 2024, up from 40.44% in 2017.
* Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24: The unemployment rate in rural areas (ages 15-59) decreased from 5.7% in 2017-18 to 2.8% in 2023-24.
**Key Initiatives:**
The MSDE delivers training through a network of skill development centers under schemes including:
* Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)
* Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS)
* National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS)
* Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs)
To align training with market needs and address new-age skills, the MSDE has implemented the following measures:
1. **Sector Skill Councils (SSCs):** 36 SSCs, led by industry leaders, identify skill development needs and determine competency standards. NSDC supports training providers aligning with industry demands.
2. **Flexi MoU Scheme and Dual System of Training (DST):** Implemented by the Directorate General of Training (DGT) to provide ITI students with industrial environment training.
3. **PMKVY Alignment with Industry 4.0:** New-age/future skills job roles aligned with Industry 4.0 requirements (AI/ML, Robotics, Mechatronics, Drone Technology).
4. **New Age Courses in ITIs/NSTIs:** DGT introduced 31 new courses in areas like AI, Mechatronics, IoT, Cybersecurity, and Semiconductor.
5. **Industry Partnerships:** DGT signed MoUs with IT companies (IBM, CISCO, Future Skill Rights Network, AWS, Microsoft) for industry linkages through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
6. **Indian Institutes of Skills (IIS):** IIS established in Ahmedabad and Mumbai (Public-Private Partnership) to train for Industry 4.0.
7. **International Collaborations:** National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) partnered with international organizations (AWS, Microsoft, Intel, Redhat, Pearson VUE, BCG, Cisco Networking Academy) for digital courses.
8. **Rozgar Melas and PMNAMs:** Facilitating placements and apprenticeship opportunities.
9. **Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH):** A unified platform integrating skilling, education, employment, and entrepreneurship ecosystems. SIDH provides access to jobs and apprenticeship opportunities.
**Funding and Administration:**
* Funds are not directly released to districts.
* Under PMKVY, funds are released to implementing agencies.
* Under JSS, funds are released to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
* Under NAPS, stipend support (up to Rs 1500/month) is released to apprentices through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
* Day-to-day administration and financial control of ITIs lie with State Governments/UT Administrations.
**Funds Released (in Crore INR):**
*PMKVY:*
* 2022-23: 208.69
* 2023-24: 693.29
* 2024-25: 1,538.29
*JSS:*
* 2022-23: 154.66
* 2023-24: 154.38
* 2024-25: 139.55
**Source:**
This information was provided by the Minister of State (Independent Charge), MSDE, Shri Jayant Chaudhary in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship: The government ministry responsible for skill development and entrepreneurship initiatives in India. Often referred to as MSDE.
Skill India Mission: A government initiative aimed at providing skill, re-skill, and up-skill training to the youth of India.
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana: A flagship scheme under Skill India Mission to enable a large number of Indian youth to take up industry-relevant skill training that will help them in securing a better livelihood.
Jan Shikshan Sansthan: An organization involved in providing vocational training to non-literate, neo-literates as well as school drop-outs by identifying skills that have a market in the region.
National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme: A scheme to promote apprenticeship training in India.
Industrial Training Institutes: Institutes providing vocational training under the Craftsman Training Scheme.
National Skill Development Corporation: An organization working to promote skill development by catalyzing creation of large, quality and for-profit vocational training institutions.
Uttar Pradesh: A state in India where funds have been allocated for skill development programs.
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
Unemployability and Skill Training In Rural Regions
Posted On: 23 JUL 2025 4:52PM by PIB Delhi
As per the India Skill Report 2024 of Wheebox (a private organization), the overall young employability in
India was 51.25 percent in 2024, as compared to 40.44 percent in 2017. As per the latest estimates of Periodic
Labour Force Survey (PLFS), conducted by the National Sample Survey Office, the unemployment rate on
usual status for person of age 15-59 years in rural areas has decreased from 5.7 percent in 2017-18 to 2.8
percent in 2023-24.
In order to improve employability of youth of the country, the Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship (MSDE) under Skill India Mission (SIM), 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 Shikshan 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. The SIM aims at enabling youth of India to get future ready &
industry ready skills.
To align the training programs as per the market needs, catering the need for skill training in new age skills
like AI, IoT and Robotics, etc, and thereby improving the employability of trainees, MSDE has taken the
following specific steps:
i. 36 Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), led by industry leaders in the respective sectors, have been set up which
are mandated to identify the skill development needs of respective sectors as well as to determine skill
competency standards. NSDC, under the Market led program, provides support to training providers that
collaborate and align skill courses with industry demand.
ii. DGT is implementing Flexi MoU Scheme and Dual System of Training (DST) which are meant to
provide training to ITI students in industrial environment as per their requirements.
iii. Under PMKVY, the new age/future skills job-roles have been specially aligned with Industry 4.0
requirements in areas like AI/ML, Robotics, Mechatronics, Drone Technology, etc. for upcoming
market demand and industry requirements.
iv. Director General of Training (DGT) under the aegis of MSDE has introduced 31 new age/future skills
courses in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) under CTS
to provide training in emerging areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Mechatronics, Internet of Things,
Cybersecurity, Semiconductor, etc.
v. DGT has signed MoU with IT Tech companies like IBM, CISCO, Future Skill Rights Network,
Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft to ensure industry linkages for the institutes at the state
and regional levels under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. These partnerships facilitate
the provision of technical and professional skills training in modern technologies.
vi. Indian Institutes of Skills (IIS) established at Ahmedabad and Mumbai, in Public Private Partnership
(PPP) Mode, provide training to crate industry-ready workforce for Industry 4.0, equipped with cutting-
edge technology and hands-on training.
vii. National Skill Development Corporation under the aegis of MSDE has partnered with a number of
international organizations such as AWS, Microsoft, Intel, Redhat, Pearson VUE, Boston Consulting
Group (BCG), Cisco Networking Academy for providing digital courses.
viii. Further, Rozgar Melas and Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Melas (PMNAMs) have been
organized to facilitate the placements and apprenticeship opportunities to the certified candidates.
ix. MSDE has launched Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) a unified platform that integrates skilling,education, employment, and entrepreneurship ecosystems to provide a life-long array of services
targeting a wide range of stakeholders. The details of the trained candidates are available on SIDH
portal for connecting with potential employers. Through Skill India Digital Hub, candidates can have
access to jobs and apprenticeship opportunities.
Funds are not released directly to the districts under any schemes of MSDE. Funds under PMKVY are
released to implementing agencies for meeting the training cost as per prescribed norms. Under JSS scheme,
funds are released to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) directly.
Under NAPS, stipend support up to Rs 1500/- per month is released to apprentices through DBT and not to
establishments covered. Day to day administration as well as financial control in respect of ITIs lies with the
respective State Government/ UT Administration. State-wise details of the funds released for implementation
of PMKVY and JSS during the last three years are at Annexure.
Annexure
State-wise details of the funds released for implementation of PMKVY and JSS during the last three
years:
(a) PMKVY
Rs. in Crore
State/UT 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
A & N Islands 0.09 0.32 0.84
Andhra Pradesh 4.88 33.74 15.95
Arunachal Pradesh 1.92 6.86 5.41
Assam 15.97 46.36 42.21
Bihar 16.57 25.26 62.33
Chandigarh 0.26 0.64 0.57
Chhattisgarh 3.18 12.65 8.37
DNH & DD 0.01 0.31 0.90
Delhi 6.06 12.42 19.50
Goa 0.07 0.57 0.07
Gujarat 4.61 17.63 18.79
Haryana 5.00 27.34 58.23
Himachal Pradesh 3.03 10.92 14.46
Jammu and Kashmir 17.78 28.27 69.30
Jharkhand 5.87 15.01 19.71
Karnataka 4.08 16.57 33.19
Kerala 4.65 8.83 4.36
Ladakh 0.42 2.38 0.59
Madhya Pradesh 21.76 43.93 205.84
Maharashtra 10.02 55.35 44.44
Manipur 2.38 5.69 10.08
Meghalaya 0.52 4.32 4.36
Mizoram 1.25 3.06 2.75Nagaland 2.95 3.47 4.27
Odisha 6.84 24.40 14.31
Puducherry 0.50 2.20 1.24
Punjab 5.76 28.52 104.17
Rajasthan 11.98 57.65 292.42
Sikkim 0.84 3.11 1.26
Tamil nadu 6.44 39.73 63.08
Telangana 4.29 21.83 11.07
Tripura 1.88 6.30 8.94
Uttar Pradesh 24.31 94.26 352.64
Uttarakhand 5.03 10.36 26.37
West Bengal 7.51 23.02 16.28
Overall 208.69 693.29 1,538.29
(b) Jan Shikshan Sansthan:
Rs. in Crore
State/UT 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
A & N Islands 0.50 0.50 0.50
Andhra Pradesh 3.31 3.36 2.99
Arunachal 0.00 0.00 0.00
Assam 2.74 2.74 2.90
Bihar 11.90 11.69 10.11
Chandigarh 0.52 0.56 0.48
Chhattisgarh 7.61 7.34 6.74
DNH And D&D 0.95 0.96 0.75
Delhi 1.68 1.68 1.50
Goa 0.56 0.55 0.48
Gujarat 4.79 4.48 3.84
Haryana 2.15 2.20 0.97
Himachal Pradesh 5.71 5.72 4.70
Jammu & Kashmir 0.13 0.25 0.38
Jharkhand 5.72 6.31 6.04
Karnataka 6.51 6.63 5.86
Kerala 5.01 5.04 4.45
Ladakh 0.46 0.25 0.00
Lakshadweep 0.50 0.46 0.38
Madhya Pradesh 14.94 15.03 14.11
Maharashtra 11.31 11.46 10.27
Manipur 2.23 2.18 2.00
Meghalaya 0.50 0.50 0.50Mizoram 0.56 0.52 0.48
Nagaland 0.64 0.63 0.25
Odisha 15.38 15.19 14.38
Punjab 1.05 0.99 0.98
Rajasthan 4.29 4.52 4.30
Tamil Nadu 4.06 4.32 4.27
Telangana 3.20 3.24 2.89
Tripura 1.07 1.02 0.97
Uttar Pradesh 25.79 26.03 23.29
Uttarakhand 4.64 4.34 3.97
West Bengal 4.25 3.69 3.81
Total 154.66 154.38 139.55
This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Shri Jayant Chaudhary in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
****
Manish Gautam/ Shahbaz Hasibi
(Release ID: 2147366)