Lok Sabha Question No. 2643 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-09
Subject: Data Entry Lapses in PMKVY
Ministry: SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Asked by: Adv Gowaal Kagada Padavi, Shri Vishaldada Prakashbapu Patil, Ms. Praniti Sushilkumar Shinde

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2643

ANSWERED ON - 09.03.2026

## DATA ENTRY LAPSES IN PMKVY

2643. ADV GOWAAL KAGADA PADAVI: SHRI VISHALDADA PRAKASHBAPU PATIL:

MS. PRANITI SUSHILKUMAR SHINDE:

Will  the  Minister  of  SKILL  DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that over 34 lakh certified candidates nationwide remain unpaid their Rs. 500 DBT reward due to administrative failures under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY);
- (b) the reasons for the data-entry lapses where 90.66 lakh records (approx. 94 per cent)  lacked  valid  bank  details  or  contained  placeholders  like  "11111111111,  thus bypassing system validation;
- (c) the specific number of beneficiaries in Maharashtra who are currently part of this unpaid backlog; and
- (d) the exact timeline and technology-upgrade plan including Kaushal Samiksha Kendras to ensure the Rs.14,450 crore outlay translates into actual transfers to verified youth rather than 'ghost' accounts?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a) to (d) The Government consistently undertakes audits and evaluations of its schemes  and  programmes  to  strengthen  implementation,  improve  outcomes,  and ensure accountability. In this context, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) recently published a Performance Audit Report on the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), covering the first three phases of the scheme up to 2022. The report which is available at https://cag.gov.in/webroot/uploads/download\_audit\_report/2025/Report-No.-20-of-2025\_PA-PMKVY\_English-PDF-A-06943abec463479.68516873.pdf , pointed out certain deviations, including non-payment of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) rewards to some trained candidates and the absence of valid bank account details for certain beneficiaries.  These  deviations  are  primarily  linked  to  the  use  of  Aadhaar-based payment  systems  for  disbursal  of  DBT  rewards,  which  enable  direct  credit  to candidates' Aadhaar-linked bank accounts and therefore remove the requirement to separately  collect  bank  account  number. As  the  payments  were  linked  to Aadhaar seeded  bank  accounts  through  the  Public  Finance  Management  System  (PFMS) under DBT, the bank account field on the portal was made non-mandatory.

Building  on  its  ongoing  efforts  to  enhance  training  quality,  accountability,  and transparency, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has introduced a series of systemic, operational, and IT-enabled reforms. These measures aim to strengthen monitoring, ensure authenticity of beneficiaries, and improve overall governance of the skilling ecosystem. As part of these reforms, Aadhaar-based e-KYC has been implemented for all stakeholders, along with biometric attendance through AEBAS for both candidates and trainers, and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to verified beneficiary  accounts  to  ensure  that  financial  assistance  reaches  the  intended recipients. To improve real-time monitoring, a live attendance dashboard has been made available on the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH). Additionally, face authentication and  geo-tagged  attendance  have  been  mandated  for  candidates,  trainers,  and assessors to further strengthen verification mechanisms. The system is also being enhanced with automated alerts to detect deviations or irregularities during the training process. To maintain the authenticity and traceability of certifications, QR-coded digital certificates  have  been  introduced.  Post-certification  tracking  of  candidates  is  now carried  out  through  SIDH  to  monitor  employment  outcomes  and  long-term  impact. Furthermore, candidate feedback is being captured throughout the training lifecycle through the Central Communication Layer (CCL), ensuring continuous improvement in training delivery.

To enhance scalability, quality assurance, and monitoring, the MSDE has established the 'Kaushal Samiksha Kendra' (KSK) for independent oversight. The KSK facilitates both virtual and physical inspections of Skill India Centres (SICs) .  As on 31/12/2025 MSDE through KSK have carried out virtual monitoring of 3,695 training Centres across the country.

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