Lok Sabha Question No. 4313 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Candidates Trained under PMGDISHA
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Dr. Sharmila Sarkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4313

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 18.03.2026

## CANDIDATES TRAINED UNDER PMGDISHA

## 4313. DR. SHARMILA SARKAR:

Will the Minister of ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  total  number  of  candidates  trained  under  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Gramin  Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) since scheme inception, year-wise;
- (b) the details of total number of candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC)/Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and women registered under PMGDISHA since scheme inception, year-wise data; and
- (c)  the  total  number  of  candidates  belonging  to  SC/ST,  OBCs  and  women  trained  under PMGDISHA since scheme inception, year-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

(a) to (c): In line with Hon'ble Prime Minister's vision to democratize technology and empower citizens, the Government of India had launched the Digital India programme in July, 2015.

The Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) was initiated to provide digital literacy to 6 crore rural households (one person per household) nationwide. Key highlights of the Scheme were:

- 4.39 Lakh Common Service Centres helped in spreading the digital literacy across  2.52 Lakh Gram Panchayats in the country
- Beneficiaries were trained to operate computers/digital access devices (like tablets, smartphones,  etc.),  send  and  receive  emails,  browse  internet,  access  Government  Services, search for information, undertake cashless transactions, etc.
- 6.39 crore individuals were trained across the country.

The Scheme concluded on 31.03.2024.

The year-wise details of candidates trained under the scheme is given at Annexure-I .

The year-wise details of candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and women registered and trained under the Scheme is given at Annexure-II .

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Year-wise training details under PMGDISHA

| Year    | Registered Candidates   | Trained Candidates   |
|---------|-------------------------|----------------------|
| 2016-17 | 1,99,224                | 1,42,087             |
| 2017-18 | 1,13,02,007             | 84,14,860            |
| 2018-19 | 97,92,341               | 85,42,173            |
| 2019-20 | 1,42,85,919             | 1,28,25,128          |
| 2020-21 | 1,08,78,397             | 96,95,717            |
| 2021-22 | 1,11,13,212             | 97,87,886            |
| 2022-23 | 1,01,45,209             | 92,12,931            |
| 2023-24 | 58,55,656               | 53,20,936            |
| TOTAL   | 7,35,71,965             | 6,39,41,718          |

Annexure-I

Annexure-II

Year-wise training details of SC,ST, OBC & Women under PMGDISHA

| Financial Year   | Other Backward Classes (OBCs)   | Other Backward Classes (OBCs)   | Women      | Women     | Scheduled Tribes (ST)   | Scheduled Tribes (ST)   | Scheduled Castes (SC)   | Scheduled Castes (SC)   |
|------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|------------|-----------|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|                  | Registered                      | Trained                         | Registered | Trained   | Registered              | Trained                 | Registered              | Trained                 |
| 2016 -17         | 88,619                          | 63,738                          | 83,345     | 61,052    | 21,533                  | 14,428                  | 35,793                  | 25,804                  |
| 2017-18          | 49,14,793                       | 36,88,740                       | 54,21,751  | 41,60,624 | 9,69,506                | 6,99,876                | 22,30,944               | 16,69,102               |
| 2018-19          | 40,16,836                       | 35,34,207                       | 52,97,544  | 46,65,271 | 9,95,815                | 8,59,641                | 18,50,042               | 16,26,152               |
| 2019-20          | 53,88,999                       | 48,24,421                       | 77,82,273  | 70,82,166 | 13,46,620               | 11,98,666               | 30,84,354               | 28,35,202               |

| 2020-21   | 46,29,081   | 41,74,170   | 57,21,882   | 51,92,596   | 9,54,218   | 8,38,985   | 20,09,349   | 18,00,267   |
|-----------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|------------|------------|-------------|-------------|
| 2021-22   | 44,27,544   | 39,50,785   | 63,25,027   | 56,61,155   | 9,66,727   | 8,36,997   | 19,23,694   | 17,00,983   |
| 2022-23   | 40,22,542   | 36,91,369   | 63,15,057   | 57,93,680   | 8,16,466   | 7,36,549   | 16,48,457   | 14,98,821   |
| 2023-24   | 20,85,680   | 19,14,234   | 40,33,891   | 36,73,582   | 5,26,977   | 4,85,450   | 7,79,351    | 7,05,589    |

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