Skill Development and Economic Empowerment (NIEPVD Dehradun)
Uttarakhand state government scheme
Skill Development and Economic Empowerment is a scheme run by NIEPVD Dehradun that gives visually challenged persons free full-time vocational training in more than 6 trades, along with free hostel, food, uniforms, medical care and assistive devices. Apply offline at NIEPVD Dehradun with a disability certificate and UDID card.
What is the Skill Development and Economic Empowerment scheme?
Skill Development and Economic Empowerment is a vocational-training scheme run by the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD), Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The scheme trains visually challenged persons. Those with blindness or low vision: in employable trades so they can become economically self-reliant and socially integrated.
According to the scheme information published on the myScheme portal and the Uttarakhand government scheme compendium, NIEPVD Dehradun delivers the training free of cost and combines it with full residential support. The aim is not just to teach a skill but to remove the barriers, cost, mobility, accessible study material, that usually stop a visually impaired person from completing a course.
NIEPVD is a national institute that traces its work with the visually impaired back to 1943 and functions under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The Skill Development and Economic Empowerment programme runs from the institute's campus at 116 Rajpur Road, Dehradun, and admits trainees who meet the disability and qualification criteria regardless of their home state.
Who is eligible for the scheme?
You can apply if:
- You are a person with a disability in the visually challenged category; either blindness or low vision.
- You are broadly in the 18 to 40 year age band that the institute's vocational courses target; confirm the exact age window for your chosen trade with NIEPVD before applying.
- You hold a valid disability certificate and a UDID card.
- You meet the educational qualification required for the trade you choose, this varies by course, so a computer or stenography trade needs a higher class pass than a gardener or coping-skills course.
- You are willing to undergo full-time vocational or skill training, including residential training at the institute.
You cannot apply if:
- You are not visually challenged — the scheme is reserved for persons with blindness or low vision, so applicants with other or no disability are not eligible.
- You cannot produce a disability certificate or UDID card, since both are mandatory proof of eligibility.
- You fall outside the age range set for the trade you want, or you do not meet its minimum educational qualification.
- You are unable to attend full-time training, because the courses are structured as full-time residential programmes.
What training and benefits does the scheme provide?
Skill Development and Economic Empowerment provides both the course and the living support around it, all free of charge.
Free vocational training is offered in trades that run from three months to one year, including:
- Computer Operator and Programming Assistant (COPA), a one-year NCVT-affiliated trade at NSQF Level 3
- Braille Stenographer and Secretarial Assistant (Hindi), a one-year trade at NSQF Level 3
- Data Entry Operator for Divyangjan, a shorter course at NSQF Level 4
- Operator Computer Application and Assistive Technology for the visually impaired
- Music, both vocal and instrumental
- Radio Jockey and Data Entry Operator courses
- Gardener
- Coping-skills training for the newly blinded
Essential skill training covers Braille, orientation and mobility, smartphone operation, computer typing, daily-living skills such as cooking and grooming, and a 70-hour employability-skills module. The foundation skills a visually impaired trainee needs alongside a trade.
Support during the course includes:
- Free hostel accommodation and nutritious meals
- A monthly stipend of Rs 450 to meet day-to-day expenses
- Free uniforms and accessible teaching materials
- Free medical care through the institute dispensary, and library access
- Free assistive devices for study
Modern learning tools: senior students are provided smartphones and laptops so they can study with up-to-date, accessible technology.
Because tuition, boarding, food and equipment are all free, a trainee's family does not pay for the course, and the Rs 450 monthly stipend covers small personal costs on top.
What documents are required?
| Document | Mandatory | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Disability Certificate | Yes | From a Registered Medical Officer or government institution |
| UDID Card | Yes | Unique Disability ID issued by the competent authority |
| Educational certificates and marksheet | Yes | For the last examination passed, matching the chosen trade |
| Medical Fitness Certificate | Yes | Confirms fitness for full-time residential training |
| Aadhaar card | Yes | Of the applicant and the parent or guardian |
| Income Certificate | No | Of the parent or guardian, where applicable |
| Caste Certificate | No | Only if a reserved-category benefit is claimed |
| Birth Certificate | No | To confirm age at admission |
How to apply for the Skill Development and Economic Empowerment scheme
The scheme uses an offline application process at NIEPVD Dehradun.
- Visit the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD), Dehradun, and ask for a hard copy of the prescribed application form.
- Fill in all the mandatory details on the form and attach self-attested copies of every required document, disability certificate, UDID card, educational certificates, medical fitness certificate and Aadhaar.
- Submit the duly filled and signed form with the attachments to the concerned authority at NIEPVD Dehradun.
- Ask for a receipt or acknowledgement from the officer who accepts the application, and keep it safely for follow-up.
You can confirm the current intake, trades on offer and campus timings by telephoning NIEPVD Dehradun before you travel, especially if you are coming from outside Dehradun. The institute also publishes trade-wise admission notices on niepvd.nic.in, and some courses accept applications through the PM-DAKSH portal.
How are trainees selected?
Admission to Skill Development and Economic Empowerment is not automatic on submitting a form. According to NIEPVD's admission process, a Scrutiny Committee first checks that each application is complete and that the applicant meets the disability, age and education norms for the chosen trade. Shortlisted candidates are then called for an entrance test and a trade aptitude test, and final selection is made on merit against the seats available in that trade. Applying early with a complete file improves your chances, because incomplete applications are filtered out at the scrutiny stage before the tests.
How do I check the status of my application?
Skill Development and Economic Empowerment does not use an online status tracker. Because admission is handled at the campus, the reliable way to check progress is to contact NIEPVD Dehradun directly on 0135-2744491, quoting the acknowledgement you received when you submitted the form. Keep your contact number updated with the institute so the admission cell can reach you.
Why applications get rejected, and how to avoid it
- No valid disability certificate or UDID card; both are mandatory. Get the UDID made before applying if you do not already have it.
- Disability category mismatch, the scheme is only for visually challenged persons; other categories are not eligible.
- Missing educational proof for the chosen trade: attach the marksheet of the last examination passed.
- Incomplete form or unsigned attachments: fill every field and self-attest each copy.
Correcting these and re-submitting a complete form at the institute is usually enough to move an application forward.
Where to get help and raise a grievance
- NIEPVD Dehradun telephone: 0135-2744491
- Email: tcab-niepvd@nivh.gov.in
- Website: niepvd.nic.in
For a grievance about admission or facilities, contact the institute at the number and email above. The scheme charges no fee at any stage, so no agent or middleman should ask you to pay to secure a training seat.
Documents required
Frequently asked questions
Who can join the Skill Development and Economic Empowerment scheme?
Any visually challenged person — with blindness or low vision — who holds a valid disability certificate and UDID card and is willing to undergo full-time vocational training can join. NIEPVD Dehradun runs the scheme and admits trainees across several trades irrespective of the state they come from.
Is there any fee for the training or hostel?
No. Training, hostel accommodation, food, uniforms, teaching materials, medical care, library access and assistive devices are all provided free of cost to eligible trainees under the scheme.
What courses does NIEPVD Dehradun offer under this scheme?
Courses include Computer Operator and Programming Assistant, Stenographer and Secretarial Assistance, Data Entry Operator, Music and Radio Jockey, Mushroom Producer, Reflexology and Gardener, among others, plus essential skills such as Braille, orientation and mobility and computer typing.
How do I apply for the scheme?
Apply offline. Visit NIEPVD Dehradun, collect the printed application form, fill it in, attach self-attested copies of the required documents and submit it to the institute. Ask for an acknowledgement receipt.
Do I need prior computer knowledge to join a computer course?
No. Prior computer knowledge helps but is not mandatory, because basic computer training is built into the course curriculum from the start.
Is there a stipend, and what is the age limit?
Yes. Trainees receive a monthly stipend of Rs 450 for daily expenses on top of free training, hostel and food. The institute's vocational courses broadly target applicants aged 18 to 40, though the exact age and education requirement varies by trade, so confirm both with NIEPVD before you apply.
How are candidates selected for admission?
A Scrutiny Committee first verifies each application against the disability, age and education norms, then shortlisted candidates sit an entrance test and a trade aptitude test. Final selection is on merit against the seats available in the chosen trade.
Who cannot apply for this scheme?
Persons who are not visually challenged cannot apply, because the scheme is designed only for individuals with blindness or low vision. Applicants who cannot produce a disability certificate and UDID card are also not eligible.
What support do trainees get during the course?
Trainees receive full-time hostel accommodation, nutritious meals, uniforms, study materials, medical care, library access and assistive learning devices; senior students are also given smartphones and laptops to support their studies.
Related Uttarakhand schemes
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