According to data presented on the dashboard of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) scheme, only 7 percent of candidates who completed training under the flagship government skill development program were able to secure employment. This indicates a significant gap between qualification attainment and actual employment outcomes.
As of August 28, the dashboard recorded 200,224 instances of employment among 2.85 million trained candidates. The PMKVY program was launched in 2015 and is a government initiative aimed at providing youth with practical, industry-demanded skills and enhancing their competitiveness in the labor market.
The scheme has undergone several iterations and is now integrated into the Skill India Programme, which has an approved budget of approximately 880 billion for the period from 2022 to 2023 through 2025 to 2026. Of this amount, approximately 600 billion has been allocated to PMKVY 4.0.
Overall lifecycle data at the sector level also showed that 683,000 people dropped out of the training process, more than three times the number of employed individuals. Of the 3.54 million registered candidates, over 19 percent were marked as dropouts.
Sectoral Results Analysis
Analysis of sectoral data revealed significant differences in employment rates. Among the sectors with the highest enrollment, the telecommunications industry demonstrated the highest employment rate at 17.5 percent. This was followed by the crafts sector with a rate of 14.4 percent and the apparel sector with 13.3 percent.
Meanwhile, the management sector recorded only 1.1 percent of employed candidates, while the automotive industry showed a rate of 3.4 percent, and media and entertainment stood at 3.8 percent.
Among these sectors, the highest percentage of dropouts relative to enrollment was observed in media and entertainment (26.5 percent). This was followed by Information Technology (IT) and IT-enabled Services (ITES) at 25.9 percent, and tourism and hospitality at 24.9 percent.
Employment data covers various iterations of the program, including tracking employment under the PMKVY 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 short-term training components. Employment tracking has been separated from PMKVY 4.0, within which the government instead tracks candidates for one year after certification to monitor their career progression, including employment or further education or training. The government stated that this change is intended to shift the focus from employment as the sole criterion for evaluating the program's results, especially considering that candidates may transition to self-employment, further education, or other forms of upskilling after receiving a certificate.
Under PMKVY 4.0, the National Skill Development Corporation is responsible for post-certification tracking, with candidate results monitored through calls and digital tools.
PMKVY includes three main components: Short-Term Training (STT), where candidates acquire new skills; Special Projects (SP), which provide customized training for specific groups or sectors; and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), which assesses and certifies workers who already possess skills acquired informally or on the job.