Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana 2.0

Key Highlights:

• Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) was launched on September 25, 2014, under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission.
• The upgraded DDU-GKY 2.0 Guidelines were notified in May 2025, with a Union Budget 2026–27 allocation of ₹750 crore.
• Since inception, the scheme has trained over 18.47 lakh candidates and placed over 12.43 lakh, covering 800+ job roles.
• It mandates social inclusion with 50% coverage for SC/ST, 33% for women, and 5% for persons with disabilities.
• DDU-GKY 2.0 extends the minimum placement duration to six months and provides 12 months of post-placement tracking.
• Special initiatives include Roshni for Left-Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected/Aspirational Districts and Himayat for Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
• Rural Self-Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs) complement DDU-GKY by training 63.47 lakh candidates for self-employment.

Detailed Insights:

• DDU-GKY is implemented across 31 States and Union Territories through over 749 approved projects and 455 Project Implementing Agencies.
• The scheme targets rural youth aged 15-35 years from poor households for placement-linked skill training.
• DDU-GKY 2.0 strengthens training standards, employment sustainability, and post-placement support.
• The revised training framework includes 396 hours of domain-specific training and 180 hours of mandatory non-domain training.
• Non-domain training covers English Communication, Employability and Life Skills, Computer and Digital Literacy, and Entrepreneurship.
• Placed candidates receive financial assistance of ₹7,620 over six months and ₹5,000 retention support for 365 days of employment.
• Migration Support Centres (MSCs) assist migrating candidates with accommodation, counselling, and placement support, with increased funding.
• DDU-GKY 2.0 integrates an end-to-end digital solution for programme monitoring, candidate management, and financial tracking.
• The scheme aims to contribute to Viksit Bharat @2047 by fostering a skilled and self-reliant rural workforce.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY): A skill development and placement program for rural youth from poor households.
• National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM): A poverty alleviation program focusing on promoting self-employment and organization of the rural poor.
• Rural Self-Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs): Institutions providing free residential training and handholding support for rural youth to establish self-employment ventures.