SMILE - Skill Development and Training for Transgender Persons

What is the SMILE skill development component?

SMILE, Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise, is an umbrella scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. Its Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons sub-scheme includes a dedicated Skill Development and Training component that gives transgender persons free, market-linked vocational training so they can earn a living with dignity. The component is delivered online through the National Portal for Transgender Persons.

According to the scheme details published on National Government portals, the training is free for all participants, comes with a monthly stipend of Rs 1,000 for non-residential courses, and is backed by post-placement support and self-employment assistance through the training institutions. Importantly, there is no income criterion for selection, the scheme is open to any certified transgender person in the eligible age band, regardless of family income.

Key features

• Free training in market-oriented trades chosen by the candidate.
• Stipend of Rs 1,000 per month for non-residential training, paid by DBT.
• Two course formats: short-term (about 200 to 600 hours, up to 6 months) and long-term (5 or more months, up to around 1,000 hours).
• Placement and self-employment support after successful completion.

Who is eligible for SMILE skill training?

You can apply if:

• You are a transgender person holding a valid Transgender Certificate from the National Portal for Transgender Persons.
• You are between 18 and 45 years of age.
• You can maintain at least 80% live attendance in the course.
• You are not receiving a similar training benefit from another scheme.

You cannot apply if:

• You do not hold a Transgender Certificate from the national portal — this is the one mandatory qualification.
• You are outside the 18 to 45 age range.
• You want to enrol in more than one training programme at once; only one programme is allowed at a time.

There is deliberately no income test, so applicants do not need an income certificate. Selection into a specific course also involves a psychometric assessment to match the candidate to a suitable trade before enrolment.

What documents are required for SMILE skill training?

The Transgender Certificate is the only strictly mandatory document, and it can be applied for free on the same portal, so an applicant who does not yet have it should obtain it first.

How to apply for SMILE skill training

1. Visit the National Portal for Transgender Persons at transgender.dosje.gov.in and, if you do not already have one, apply for your Transgender Certificate / Identity Card (free).
2. Register on the portal and open the skill development / training section.
3. Select your training preferences by state and district, and choose a trade offered by an empanelled training institution.
4. Complete the psychometric assessment used to match you to a suitable course.
5. On selection, enrol in the course, maintain at least 80% live attendance, and receive the Rs 1,000 monthly stipend for non-residential training by Direct Benefit Transfer.
6. After completion, use the post-placement and self-employment support made available through the training institution.

The whole process is online and free. No agent or fee is involved, and the Transgender Certificate obtained on the portal doubles as the identity document for the training.

How does the training lead to work?

The SMILE skill component is built to end in a livelihood, not just a certificate. Courses are market-oriented, chosen from trades with real hiring demand, and successful trainees receive post-placement support to move into jobs and self-employment assistance if they prefer to start their own work. The 80% attendance rule and psychometric matching are meant to keep the training serious and suited to each candidate, improving the chance of actual employment afterwards.

Help and grievance redressal

• National helpline for transgender persons: 8882133133
• National Portal for Transgender Persons: transgender.dosje.gov.in for registration, certificate, training and grievances
• Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Department of Social Justice & Empowerment, administers the SMILE scheme

Because the SMILE skill component runs entirely through the national portal, most queries, certificate issues, training selection, stipend credits, are handled through the portal's grievance system and the helpline rather than any physical office.