Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY)

What is DDU-GKY?

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) is the placement-linked skill development programme of the Ministry of Rural Development, launched on 25 September 2014 as the skilling arm of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission. DDU-GKY trains poor rural youth in market-relevant trades and places them in wage employment paying at least the statutory minimum wage.

According to the Ministry of Rural Development, DDU-GKY differs from ordinary skilling schemes in one important way: the scheme pays training partners on placement and retention outcomes, not just on the number of people trained. Training partners are required to track a placed candidate after the job starts and support retention, which is why DDU-GKY is described as a demand-driven, placement-linked programme.

Key objectives

• Convert the rural demographic surplus into a skilled, employable workforce.
• Add diversified income to poor rural families through regular wage employment.
• Reach socially disadvantaged groups deliberately, through inclusion mandates.

Main features

• Training is free for the candidate: course fee, books, study material and uniform are all covered.
• Residential training centres provide free food and accommodation.
• Courses run 3 to 12 months, including soft skills, IT and English modules plus on-the-job training.
• Certification is through a government-recognised assessment body.
• Placement is mandatory on the training partner for a minimum share of trained candidates, in jobs paying at least the minimum wage.
• Post-placement support and tracking continue after the candidate joins work.

Who is eligible for DDU-GKY?

You can apply if:

• You are 15 to 35 years old. The upper age limit is relaxed to 45 years for special groups, persons with disabilities, particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs), transgender persons, rehabilitated bonded labourers, victims of trafficking, manual scavengers and people living with HIV.
• You live in a rural area and belong to a household identified as poor under the criteria followed by your State Rural Livelihoods Mission.
• You are willing to attend the full course and take up the placement offered, which may be in another district or state.

You cannot apply if:

• You are an urban resident — DDU-GKY is a rural programme.
• You are below 15 or above 35 years and do not belong to a notified special group.
• Your household does not meet the poverty identification criteria used by the state; households outside that list are not eligible.
• You have already completed a DDU-GKY course in the same trade and are seeking to repeat it.

Social inclusion is mandated at programme level rather than as individual quotas: 50% SC/ST, 15% minorities and 33% women coverage across candidates trained.

What documents are required for DDU-GKY?

How to apply for DDU-GKY online

1. Open the Kaushal Panjee skill register portal at 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 it with the OTP received.
4. Fill in your personal details; name, date of birth, gender, Aadhaar number, education level and category.
5. Enter your address details: state, district, block and Gram Panchayat. This maps you to the training partners operating in your area.
6. Select the trade or sector you want to train in, and indicate whether you are willing to take residential training or relocate for a job.
7. Submit the form and save the registration number shown on screen.
8. Wait for a call from the empanelled training partner mapped to your block. Registration is free and no fee is payable at any stage.

How to apply for DDU-GKY offline

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

What benefits does DDU-GKY provide?

DDU-GKY provides the training itself free of cost, which is the main benefit. According to the Ministry of Rural Development framework, a DDU-GKY candidate receives:

• Skill training of 3 to 12 months in a market-linked trade, with soft skills, functional English and computer literacy built into the curriculum.
• Free course books, study material and uniform.
• Free food and accommodation in residential training centres.
• Assessment and certification by a recognised body at the end of the course.
• Placement support in a job paying at least the statutory minimum wage.
• Post-placement support and tracking after joining, so that a candidate who migrates for work is not left unsupported in the first months.

Post-placement support amounts and the duration for which they are paid are set by the Ministry's operational guidelines and revised from time to time; confirm the current rate with your training partner or State Rural Livelihoods Mission before enrolling, and never accept a figure quoted only by an agent.

Which sectors does DDU-GKY train for?

DDU-GKY courses are demand-driven, so the trades offered in a district depend on what local and national employers are hiring for. Sectors commonly covered include retail, hospitality, healthcare, construction, apparel and textiles, automotive, logistics, banking and financial services support roles, IT-enabled services, security services, beauty and wellness, agriculture and allied activities, and electrical and electronics work.

How to check your DDU-GKY registration status

1. Log in to kaushalpanjee.nic.in with your registered mobile number.
2. Use the candidate login to view your registration record and the training partner your profile has been shared with.
3. If no training partner has contacted you, follow up at the Block Development Office with your registration number.
4. Ask the block coordinator which Project Implementing Agencies are running batches in your block in the current financial year.

Common reasons DDU-GKY candidates drop out or get rejected

• Age outside the 15–35 band and no eligibility under a special group.
• Urban address on the residence proof.
• Household not on the state's poverty identification list.
• Unwillingness to relocate: many placements are outside the home district.
• Poor attendance, since biometric attendance is mandatory and shortfalls disqualify a candidate from assessment.
• Failing the certification assessment at the end of the course.

DDU-GKY registration and training are free. No training partner, agent or middleman may charge a candidate for admission, placement or certification. If anyone demands money, report it to your Block Development Officer or the State Rural Livelihoods Mission.