World Youth Skills Day 2022: Five initiatives to enable Indian youth

On July 15, the United Nations marks World Youth Skills Day. As the youth of India forms the backbone of the nation, here are some of the Government initiatives that have been put in place to empower them.

1.     Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY): A flagship programme of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship that aims to provide industry-relevant skill training to a large number of youths in India. The Yojana is implemented through the National Skill Development Corporation and the training as well as assessment fees are borne by the government.

2.     Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP): The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship launched SANKALP on 19 January, 2018. The project’s goal is to transform the overall skilling ecosystem of India. It is needed to improve short-term skill development planning by employing decentralisation methods to monitor skilling activities and promote convergence.

3.     Udaan: The programme provides skill training to enhance the employability of youth in Jammu and Kashmir. It encompasses graduates, post graduates as well as three-year engineering diploma holders.

4.     Jan Shikshan Sansthan: To provide vocational training to illiterates as well as school drop-outs in rural areas, Jan Shikshan Sansthan is to identify skills that are in demand. Around two-thirds of India’s population consists of rural citizens, therefore, this initiative is to uplift the rural population economically by imparting essential skills that can generate employment opportunities.

5.     Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP): This scheme is for the beneficiaries of PMEGP and focuses directly on developing skills required for entrepreneurship.