Why in the News?

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship launched a week-long celebration to commemorate 10 years of the Skill India Mission.

About Skill India Mission:

Launch: It was launched in 2015 by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) to empower India’s youth with employable skills.
Training Target: The mission aims to train 40 crore individuals by 2022 across various economic sectors and make them job-ready.
Progress Achieved: Over 2.27 crore people have been trained under the programme, including rural youth, women, and marginalized communities.
Standardization and Quality Assurance: All training and certifications are aligned with the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), ensuring uniform standards and industry relevance.
Digital Integration: The courses are digitally integrated with DigiLocker and the National Credit Framework (NCrF) for secure storage and seamless academic and career progression.
Employment and Education Linkages: It promotes formal recognition of skills, enhances industry alignment, and ensures better linkages with employment and higher education.

Focus: It provides short-term training, reskilling, and upskilling opportunities for the youth.
Target Age Group: The scheme targets individuals aged 15 to 59 years.
Courses Offered: More than 400 new courses have been introduced in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, cybersecurity, green hydrogen, and drones.
Recognition and Mobility: It emphasizes international mobility and recognition of prior learning (RPL) to certify existing skills.
Alignment with Flagship Missions: It is aligned with flagship government missions like PM Vishwakarma, Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, and the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

Objective: PM-NAPS aims to promote apprenticeship training across industries by providing financial support.
Incentive Structure: It offers 25% of the stipend (up to ₹1,500 per month) through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to apprentices.
Sectoral Expansion: The scheme has expanded apprenticeship opportunities in sectors like AI, robotics, blockchain, green energy, and Industry 4.0.
Special Focus Areas: It gives special attention to small establishments, MSMEs, Aspirational Districts, and the North-East region.
Target Age Group: The scheme targets individuals in the age group of 14 to 35 years.

About: It is a community-based vocational training initiative.
Target Beneficiaries: It focuses on empowering women, rural youth, and economically weaker sections through low-cost, flexible skilling programmes.
Target Age Group: The scheme is designed for individuals aged 15 to 45 years.
Integration with National Initiatives: The scheme is integrated with inclusive national initiatives like PM JANMAN and ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society).

[UPSC 2018] With reference to Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, consider the following statements:

1. It is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

2. It, among other things, will also impart training in soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial and digital literacy.

3. It aims to align the competencies of the unregulated workforce of the country to the National Skill Qualification Framework.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Options: (a) 1 and 3 only (b) 2 only (c) 2 and 3 only* (d) 1, 2 and 3