PMKVY fails to match local job needs in J&K, Ladakh: CAG

*Low placements, weak monitoring flagged
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Dec 25: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has flagged serious planning, implementation and monitoring deficiencies in the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), raising concerns over the effectiveness of skill development initiatives in Union Territories such as Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, where employment generation remains a key challenge.

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In its Performance Audit Report (No. 20 of 2025), the CAG noted that PMKVY trainings across the country, including Union Territories, were largely ‘not aligned with actual sector-wise and region-specific skill gaps’, undermining the scheme’s objective of improving employability. The audit covered PMKVY’s first three phases between 2015 and 2022.
The Report highlighted the ‘absence of micro-level skill-gap assessments’, district-level planning and a consolidated National Skill Development Plan, which resulted in training being concentrated in a few generic job roles with limited placement potential. This has direct implications for J&K and Ladakh, where distinct geographic, economic and demographic conditions demand tailored skill interventions rather than uniform national templates.
The CAG further observed that ‘verification of beneficiaries was weak’, with candidates enrolled without proper checks on age, education or work experience. This raises concerns about the targeting of unemployed youth and school dropouts in UTs like J&K, where accurate beneficiary identification is critical for effective outcomes.
Placement outcomes were another area of concern. Nationally, only 41 per cent of candidates trained under Short-Term Training and Special Projects secured placements, pointing to weak industry linkage and market relevance. The audit stressed that without local demand mapping, skilling efforts in UTs such as Ladakh—where employment opportunities are limited and sector-specific—risk becoming certificate-oriented rather than job-oriented.
Financial management lapses were also flagged, including delays in fund release, underutilization of funds under the State/UT component, and weak oversight of implementing agencies. The Report noted that funds meant for District Skill Committees were not transferred in several cases, diluting grassroots-level implementation—an issue particularly significant for remote districts in J&K and Ladakh.
The CAG recommended that the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship urgently align PMKVY trainings with district and UT-specific skill gaps, strengthen monitoring through Aadhaar-based systems, ensure strict data controls, and expedite preparation of district and state skill development plans.
While the Ministry has stated that corrective measures have been introduced under ‘PMKVY 4.0’, including Aadhaar-based e-KYC and post-certification tracking through the Skill India Digital Hub, the audit underlines the need for robust implementation in UTs like J&K and Ladakh to ensure skilling translates into sustainable livelihoods.