The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) recently audited PMKVY, highlighting significant failures in addressing core industrial demands and systemic administrative lapses. The findings point to a misalignment between skill training and market requirements, leading to high youth unemployment despite extensive public expenditure.
Core Deficiencies and Findings
- Structural Mismatch: Resources were concentrated in saturated sectors (retail, apparel) while high-growth areas (food processing, tourism) were neglected.
- Lack of Analysis: Modules were deployed without regional market assessments or localized skill-gap analysis.
- Accountability & Data Issues: Significant fraudulent certifications and poor infrastructure were reported. Biometric attendance was active in less than 15% of training batches.
- Performance Metrics: Out of 1.32 crore targeted enrolments, only 1.10 crore were certified. The placement rate remained at a low 41%, with only ~22% realizing wage employment.
- Financial Inefficiency: 20% of funds allocated to states (2016-24) remained unutilized.
Remedial Directives
- Database Integration: Link skill portals with the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) to prevent fraud and track school dropouts.
- Demand-Driven Training: Tie fund allocation to verified corporate demand letters and empower State Skill Development Missions (SSDMs) to design region-specific curricula.
- Placement Accountability: Re-establish direct placement mandates for industrial training partners to ensure outcome-based public spending.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- Administrative Body: Launched in 2015 under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and executed by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).
- Implementation Pillars: Includes Short-Term Training (STT), Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), and Special Projects.
- Institutional Mechanisms:
- NCVET: Non-statutory regulatory body for vocational education quality.
- PMKK: Model training centers in parliamentary constituencies.
- PAC: A parliamentary committee of 22 members (15 Lok Sabha, 7 Rajya Sabha) tasked with auditing government accounts and CAG reports.
- Policy Shift: PMKVY 4.0 has pivoted toward digital skills, Industry 4.0 (AI, robotics, drones), and entrepreneurship pathways.