National Action Plan for Skill Development of Persons with Disabilities

What is the National Action Plan for Skill Development of Persons with Disabilities?

The National Action Plan for Skill Development of Persons with Disabilities (NAP-SDP) is a scheme of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), which functions under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. NAP-SDP funds free vocational skill training for persons with disabilities: often referred to as divyangjan, so they can gain employment or start their own livelihood.

According to DEPwD, persons with disabilities face additional barriers in the open skilling system, from inaccessible training centres to job roles that are not adapted to their needs. NAP-SDP addresses this by empanelling training providers, identifying job roles suitable for different disability types, and delivering the training free of cost to the candidate.

Key features

• Free skill training for persons with disabilities.
• Delivered by Empanelled Training Partners (ETPs) and government institutes.
• Job roles aligned with Sector Skill Councils and adapted for divyangjan.
• Enrolment through the PM-DAKSH-DEPwD portal.
• Financial support to training partners governed by the Common Norms for skill development schemes.

As of the DEPwD skill-development portal, training is delivered through a network of Empanelled Training Partners along with National Institutes, Composite Regional Centres (CRCs), the National Trust and recognised special schools.

Who is eligible for NAP-SDP training?

You can enrol if:

• You are a person with a benchmark disability as defined under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.
• You hold a valid disability certificate or Unique Disability ID (UDID).
• You fall within the eligible age range set for the course you choose.
• You meet any minimum educational qualification that a specific job role requires.

You cannot enrol if:

• You do not have a disability certificate or UDID — NAP-SDP is exclusively for persons with disabilities.
• You are outside the age range notified for the course.
• You do not meet a job-role-specific qualification where one applies.

There is no income ceiling for candidates. The scheme is targeted by disability status rather than family income, and courses are matched to the type of disability so that the training and eventual job role are realistic for the candidate.

What documents are required?

How to apply for NAP-SDP skill training

1. Obtain a valid disability certificate or UDID from the designated medical authority if you do not already have one.
2. Visit the PM-DAKSH-DEPwD portal and register using your Aadhaar and disability details.
3. Browse the available courses and training centres, and pick a job role suited to your disability type and interest.
4. Enrol online in the chosen course and submit your documents for verification.
5. The Empanelled Training Partner confirms your batch, training schedule and centre.
6. Complete the training and assessment; certification and placement support follow as per the course design and the Common Norms.

Because the list of courses, centres and training partners changes over time, check the current openings on the PM-DAKSH-DEPwD portal before you enrol.

What support does NAP-SDP provide?

NAP-SDP delivers the training free of cost to candidates. The scheme reimburses training and assessment costs to Empanelled Training Partners as per the Common Norms for skill development schemes, and candidates may receive support such as a stipend, conveyance or boarding allowance where the norms provide for it. Exact support depends on the course, the training partner and the candidate's disability type, so confirm what applies to your batch at the time of enrolment.

The real value to the candidate is the certified, job-linked training and the placement or self-employment support that follows, rather than a direct cash transfer.

Help and where to verify details

• DEPwD contact: 011-24365019 (Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities)
• Official website: depwd.gov.in, Skill Development
• Enrolment portal: PM-DAKSH-DEPwD
• Scheme listing: myScheme portal reference nap-sdp

Training under NAP-SDP is free. No agent can charge you to secure a seat, and enrolment is handled only through the official DEPwD portal and its empanelled partners.