How to Apply for DDU-GKY: Step-by-Step Guide

How to apply for DDU-GKY, step by step

To apply for DDU-GKY, register free on the Kaushal Panjee portal (kaushalpanjee.nic.in) or its mobile app with your mobile number and OTP, fill in your personal and address details, choose a trade, submit, and wait for the empanelled training partner mapped to your block to call you. You can also register offline at your Gram Panchayat, Block Development Office or nearest DDU-GKY training centre. This is the granular walkthrough behind the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) guide, the Ministry of Rural Development's free, placement-linked skilling scheme for poor rural youth aged 15–35 (up to 45 for special groups).

Registration is free at every stage. No fee is payable to any agent, training partner or middleman for admission, placement or certification.

Before you start: get these ready

• Aadhaar card, for registration and biometric attendance.
• Age proof, birth certificate, school leaving certificate or Aadhaar.
• Proof of rural residence; ration card, domicile or Gram Panchayat certificate.
• Bank account passbook, for direct transfer of post-placement support.
• Educational certificate (only if your chosen trade sets a minimum qualification) and a caste/disability certificate if you claim special-group cover.
• A working mobile number for OTP; keep it with you throughout.

Online: register on Kaushal Panjee, field by field

1. Open kaushalpanjee.nic.in or install the Kaushal Panjee mobile app.
2. Select Candidate Registration and choose your registration category.
3. Enter your mobile number and verify the OTP sent to it.
4. Fill your personal details; full name (as on Aadhaar), date of birth, gender, Aadhaar number, education level and category (General/SC/ST/OBC/minority).
5. Enter your address — state, district, block and Gram Panchayat. This step is what maps you to the training partners operating in your area, so pick the correct block carefully.
6. Select the trade or sector you want to train in (retail, hospitality, healthcare, construction, apparel, automotive, logistics, BFSI support, IT-enabled services, beauty and wellness, and others offered locally).
7. Indicate whether you are willing to take residential training and to relocate for a job, DDU-GKY placements are often outside your home district.
8. Submit the form and save the registration number shown on screen. You will need it at every later step.
9. Wait for a call from the empanelled Project Implementing Agency (PIA) mapped to your block. If no one calls, follow up at the Block Development Office with your registration number.

Offline: register through your block

If you cannot register online, or want in-person help:

1. Visit your Gram Panchayat office or Block Development Office and ask for the DDU-GKY mobilisation team or the block-level skilling coordinator.
2. Or walk into the nearest DDU-GKY training centre run by an empanelled PIA.
3. Carry your Aadhaar, age proof, residence proof and bank passbook, and fill in the candidate registration form.
4. Attend the counselling and basic aptitude session run by the training partner.
5. Collect the acknowledgement with your candidate registration details and the batch start date.

After you register: what happens next

1. The mapped training partner contacts you for counselling and confirms your eligibility (age, rural residence, poverty-list identification).
2. You are placed in a batch for a course of 3 to 12 months, including soft skills, functional English, IT modules and on-the-job training.
3. Biometric attendance is recorded daily, attendance shortfalls can disqualify you from the assessment, so attend every session.
4. At the end, you sit an assessment by a recognised certification body and receive a government-recognised skill certificate.
5. The training partner provides placement support in a job paying at least the statutory minimum wage, and tracks you afterwards under post-placement support.

Common application mistakes to avoid

• Wrong block selected during address entry, this maps you to the wrong (or no) training partner. Double-check state/district/block/Gram Panchayat.
• Name mismatch with Aadhaar, which later blocks biometric attendance. Enter your name exactly as on Aadhaar.
• Applying with an urban address, DDU-GKY is rural only; urban candidates should apply to DAY-NULM EST&P instead.
• Assuming a job guarantee; placement is a mandate on the training partner for a minimum share of candidates, not an individual guarantee; your attendance, assessment result and willingness to relocate all matter.

Quick FAQ

Is there any fee to apply? No. Registration and training are free; report any fee demand to the BDO or State Rural Livelihoods Mission.

Can I apply if I already did a DDU-GKY course? Not for the same trade you already completed. A different trade may be possible; ask the training partner.

How do I know my registration went through? Log in to Kaushal Panjee with your registered mobile number to view your record and mapped training partner.