DDU-GKY 2026: Free Skill Training, Job Placement & Registration

At a glance

About the scheme

Run by the Ministry of Rural Development, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana is a dedicated skilling and placement initiative focused on empowering rural poor youth. The programme bridges the gap between rural manpower and industry demands by providing high-quality vocational education in fields such as retail, construction, hospitality, and agriculture. Beyond classroom and practical training, the scheme ensures long-term career stability through placement tracking, interview preparation, counseling, mentorship, and career advancement support.

Benefits

• Industry-relevant skill training in multiple sectors including agriculture, construction, retail, and hospitality.
• Placement assistance connecting candidates to prospective employers, alongside interview preparation and resume building support.
• Jobs offering regular monthly wages at or above the mandated minimum wage.
• Post-placement support such as mentorship, counseling, and guidance to help candidates settle into new work environments.
• Career progression support offering additional training, networking opportunities, and mentorship.
• Special incentives provided to Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) for placing candidates in higher-paying positions.

Who can apply (eligibility)

• Applicant must be a poor rural youth aged between 15 and 35 years.
• The upper age limit is relaxed up to 45 years for women candidates, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), transgender persons, rehabilitated bonded labourers, manual scavengers, victims of trafficking, and HIV-positive persons.
• Candidate must belong to a poor rural household identified through Participatory Identification of Poor (PIP) or the existing Below Poverty Line (BPL) list.
• Alternatively, youth from households where any family member completed at least 15 days of MGNREGA work in the previous financial year are eligible.
• Youth from households holding a Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) card mentioning their name are eligible.
• Youth belonging to families possessing Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) or BPL PDS ration cards are eligible.
• Youth from a household where any family member is associated with a Self-Help Group (SHG) under NRLM are eligible.
• Youth from households covered under automatic inclusion parameters of SECC 2011 (when notified) are eligible.

Who cannot apply

• Candidates residing in urban locations are not eligible.
• Applicants outside the specified age bracket of 15 to 35 years (or up to 45 years for eligible special categories) cannot apply.
• Individuals who do not belong to a BPL, PIP-identified, MGNREGA, RSBY, AAY, or NRLM-SHG rural household are ineligible.

Documents required

• Proof of Identity
• Proof of Age
• BPL Card (if applicable)
• MGNREGA Job Card verifying minimum 15 days of work (if applicable)
• RSBY Card with candidate details (if applicable)
• Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) Card (if applicable)
• SHG Identification under NRLM (if applicable)
• Disability Certificate issued by a competent authority (if applicable)
• SC or ST Caste Certificate issued by a competent authority (if applicable)
• Self-certification for minority community status (if applicable)

How to apply

1. 1Visit the official Kaushal Panjee web portal at kaushalpanjee.nic.in.
2. 2Click on Candidate Registration located in the left menu pane.
3. 3Select Fresh or New Registration in the registration type section and click Next.
4. 4Fill in all mandatory candidate details, address, and household socio-economic category.
5. 5Upload the relevant supporting documents and submit the form.
6. 6Save the generated Registration ID for all future tracking and training allotment.

Frequently asked questions