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Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) | National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET)
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha on February 2, 2026, the Minister of State (IC) for MSDE, Shri Jayant Chaudhary, outlined the continuation and restructuring of the Skill India Programme (SIP) for the period FY 2022-23 to 2025-26. The SIP operates through three primary pillars: Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0 (PMKVY 4.0), the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), and the Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS). During the 2024-25 period alone, PMKVY trained over 20.3 lakh candidates, while NAPS engaged over 9.8 lakh apprentices nationwide.
Enhanced Outreach to Marginalized Groups The restructured SIP emphasizes high inclusivity, specifically targeting backward, tribal, and remote areas through dedicated initiatives:
Tribal Skilling: Under the Dharti Aaba - Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, 30 Tribal Skilling Centres (TSCs) have been established across 15 States and UTs.
Doorstep Training: The JSS scheme remains a community-driven model targeting women and vulnerable groups (SC, ST, OBC, minorities) with affordable and accessible training.
Scheme Convergence: MSDE is integrating skilling components into existing welfare programs like PM-JANMAN (Tribal Affairs) and the Vibrant Village Programme (Home Affairs).
Technological and Integrity Reforms To improve transparency and accountability, the government has implemented several “corrective measures” under PMKVY 4.0. These include Aadhaar-based e-KYC, face authentication, geo-tagged attendance, and QR-coded digital certificates. All training and employment data is now centralized on the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH), which provides a real-time dashboard for independent monitoring and connects candidates directly with job and apprenticeship opportunities.
What is the “SIDH” portal’s role in the restructured Skill India Programme? The Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) serves as the primary digital backbone for the entire skilling ecosystem. It acts as a real-time monitoring dashboard for the government through the Kaushal Samiksha Kendra and provides a unified platform for candidates to access training, apprenticeship opportunities, and jobs. By integrating digital certificates and Aadhaar-linked authentication, it ensures the integrity of the data while facilitating a direct link between skilled youth and potential employers.
Policy Relevance
The restructuring of the SIP represents a shift toward demand-led, outcomes-focused vocational training.
Industry-Embedded Learning: The pivot toward On-Job Training (OJT) under PMKVY 4.0 ensures that skilling is no longer theoretical but directly relevant to current industrial requirements, improving immediate employability.
Targeted Last-Mile Skilling: By setting up Tribal Skilling Centres and leveraging the JSS model, the policy addresses regional imbalances in human capital, directly supporting the “Purvodaya” vision for the North-East and tribal belts.
Entrepreneurship Focus: Establishing Livelihood Cells within JSS centers acknowledges that wage employment is not the only path, explicitly training candidates for self-employment and micro-enterprise development.
Zero-Tolerance for Fraud: The implementation of face authentication and geo-tagging addresses historical issues of “ghost” beneficiaries, ensuring that public funds are utilized only for genuine skill development.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How can the MSDE utilize the data from the “Real-Time Dashboard” on the Skill India Digital Hub to dynamically adjust the PMKVY 4.0 curriculum based on the specific industrial growth drivers identified in the newly proposed City Economic Regions (CERs)?
Follow the full news here: RESTRUCTURING OF THE SKILL INDIA PROGRAMME