Skilling plays a crucial role in enhancing individual productivity leading to an increase in employment and income of the
workforce. The increase in productivity and employment in turn has a ripple effect on the Economy resulting in enhanced
competitiveness. With the everchanging nature of job market, the shelf life of skills has shortened building a case for continuous lifelong learning. For that reason, skilling, reskilling, and upskilling are crucial pillars for a growthoriented economy. Further,
studies have also identified that upskilling would lead to a substantial boost in the Indian GDP.

Based on the challenges faced in implementing earlier phases of PMKVY and the learnings gathered, the next phase of PMKVY, i.e., PMKVY 4.0 under the umbrella scheme of the ‘Skill India Programme’ is being implemented between FY 2022-2026.

PMKVY 4.0 is being realigned with a core focus on making the existing skill ecosystem more flexible, swift, and geared to meet
the current challenges and emerging needs through process simplification. 

Objectives of PMKVY 4.0 

1. Promote an enabling ecosystem for the youths to get skilled and choose a career path aligned with their abilities and aspirations.

2.  Enable delivery of skill training in a market-oriented and demand driven manner by making the existing skilling ecosystem more flexible, swift, and geared to meet the emerging demand along with emphasis on improving the employability of candidates.

3. Process simplification of the skill ecosystem by leveraging technology and digitalization.

4. Enhance access to skilling by setting up a network of skill development infrastructure in remote parts of the country to
cater to the needs of difficult geographies such as hilly terrain, LWE-effected areas, border areas, etc. by designing special projects.

5. Improve inclusivity by ensuring that SC, ST, women, and other marginalized communities can undertake skill training and
eventually access gainful wage and self-employment.

6. Provide opportunity for lifelong skilling through the crucial pillars of upskilling and reskilling to address the dynamic needs of the ever-changing market.

7. Quality training delivery through trained pedagogy, standardized assessments, and industry relevant curriculum.

8. Facilitate to enhance employability of candidates through training in transferable skills and incentives for employment generation.

9. Provide candidate-centric training with emphasis on industry relevant skills.

Implementing Agency:

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) will support MSDE in effectively implementing the scheme as per approved guidelines by providing technical and knowledge support in various aspects of the scheme as mandated by MSDE. 5.4

Training Providers:

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras (PMKKs), PMKVY Training Centres, Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), Skill Hubs (Schools, colleges, Higher Education Institutes), training centres of other Ministries/Department, training centres of industry partners and private training providers, etc. for training of candidates. 

Sector Skill Councils:

Sector Skill Councils will promote industry connect through skill gap studies curriculum development, facilitating On-the-Job Training (OJT), Training of Trainers and Assessors and support in overall implementation of the scheme. 

Skill India Digital

Skill India Digital (SID) is a platform which will bring whole of government approach to skilling. As a unified registry framework, it
shall enable smooth transition from education to skilling and future opportunities. SID will form the backbone for implementation
of PMKVY 4.0 by providing end-toend digitalization of training lifecycle (Registration to Post Certification Tracking).

Types of Training

Three types of training will be offered under PMKVY 4.0 to  Indian nationals possessing valid Aadhaar and fulfilling eligibility criteria of respective job role. In case of RPL, prior experience will be required in the job role for which RPL certification is being sought and as specified in the job role

a. Short-Term Training (STT):       ( For Age Group 15 – 45 years ) 

NSQFaligned courses ranging between 300 – 600 hours will be provided under STT. Courses of higher duration based on industry/sectoral demand can also be offered. Training to be delivered through accredited and
affiliated training centres. On-JobTraining (OJT) will be an inherent component under STT as mandated by NCVET, and the
duration of OJT will depend on the job role.

b. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):     ( For Age Group 18 – 59 years )

 Candidates with prior learning experience or skills will be certified with due assessment. This shall enable youths to obtain industry relevant skill certification. Emphasis will be on upskilling and

interested candidates will have to undergo coursework for
certification at a higher level based on assessment.

c. Special Projects:    ( For Age Group 15 – 45 years )

Special Projects are project-based short-term skilling initiatives that primarily meet the skilling needs of marginalized and vulnerable groups, difficult geographies and specialized training courses which are likely to be offered outside of regular short-term skilling programmes. Also, these projects can have focus on new-age job roles with future skills. These projects can avail certain exemptions granted with the approval of the Executive Committee, and they can also be residential or non-residential.

Training Centres for Short-Term Training:

1.1 Any organization, legally established as a society, trust, proprietorship, Company/ Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) /
Government Institute/ Organization, etc., can be a training provider under the scheme.
1.2 MSDE related Institutions:
a. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras (PMKKs)/ Skill India Centres
b. Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs)
c. Jan Shikshan Sansthans (JSS)
d. National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs)
e. National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD)
f. Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), etc.

1.3 Skill Hubs:
Skill Hubs will be setup in Government and Private educational institutions like:

a. Schools
b. Colleges
c. Universities (including Skill Universities)
d. other Higher Education Institutions, etc. Implementation mechanism in Skill Hubs is at Chapter VI.

1.4 Other Government Institutions:
Any State/Central Government Institution including PSUs already engaged in skilling/training activities and with requisite
infrastructure, as indicated below:
a. National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT)
b. Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology (CIPET)
c. Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETI)
d. National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC)
e. Skill Development Institutes (SDI)
f. Central Tool Room and Training Centre (CTTC), etc.

1.5 Industry/Private Institutions:
a. Industry premise-based Training Centres
b. Non-Government Training Institutes, etc. 

2. Recognition of Prior Learning –

 Project Implementing Agency (RPL-PIA)
2.1 RPL-PIA refers to the proposing entity for RPL project, which shall be responsible for overall execution and implementation of
RPL. The following can be an RPLPIA: a. Government Organisations, Institutions, PSUs, Autonomous Bodies, etc.
b. Any legal entity, such as a private company, industry association, non-profit organization, cooperative, etc., working in the
sector and has been recognized for such work. Recognition would include National level Awards, NSDC/SSC recommendations,
etc.
c. Assessment Agencies notified by NCVET; Third Party Recruitment Agencies will not be permitted to
implement RPL programmes.

Eligibility Criteria for RPL-PIA

a. Shall be at least three years of incorporation at the time of proposal submission and at least one year of experience in the
proposed sector.
b. Should have an average annual turnover of the last three financial years that is at least 25% of the total project cost proposed.
c. The RPL-PIA may propose a maximum of two projects across all available sectors in a given financial year, including rejected
proposals.
d. The RPL-PIA should have had a positive net worth during the last two consecutive financial years.
e. The above conditions may be exempted in the case of Government, semi-Government organizations, SSCs and Awarding
Bodies, with prior approval of the Executive Committee.
f. Should not be blacklisted by any Government Agency / PSU/ Autonomous Body in the last three years.