What is the common examiner trap about Polity in UPSC exams?

They will ask about the implementing ministry. PM-DAKSH was under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, but after merger with PMKVY, it now falls under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship. A classic trap is confusing the parent ministry before and after the merger. Also, they may swap 'Central Sector Scheme' with 'Centrally Sponsored Scheme'.

Social JusticeGovernment Schemes

Take AI Challenge ▸

News 17 of 29

PM-DAKSH Scheme Trains 1.5 Lakh Candidates (2021-24) with 44% Placement Against 70% Target

Q: The PM-DAKSH scheme, prior to its merger, was implemented under which Ministry?

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, PM-DAKSH was a scheme for marginalized groups (SCs, OBCs, DNTs) implemented by corporations like NSFDC and NBCFDC, which operate under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Its merger with PMKVY in 2024-25 shifted it to the Ministry of Skill Development.

Q: Consider the following statements regarding the PM-DAKSH scheme: 1. It was a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 2020-21. 2. Training institutes under the scheme were required to place at least 70% of trained candidates. 3. The scheme has been subsumed under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) from 2024-25. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Both 2 and 3, Statement 1 is incorrect. PM-DAKSH was a Central Sector Scheme, not a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. Statement 2 is correct as the article mentions the 70% placement mandate. Statement 3 is correct as the merger with PMKVY from 2024-25 is explicitly stated.

Q: According to the Lok Sabha data cited in the article, what was the overall percentage of candidates trained under PM-DAKSH (2021-24) who were placed in jobs?

44%, The article clearly states that about 1.5 lakh candidates were trained between 2021 and 2024, of which 44% were provided job opportunities. 49.8% is the placement rate specifically for SCs under NSFDC, and 70% is the target, not the achievement.

Q: What is the primary implication of the low placement rates reported under the PM-DAKSH scheme?

It highlights a critical gap between skill training and actual employment outcomes for marginalized groups., The core issue is the disconnect between training provided and employability/job absorption. The data underscores the challenge of translating skill development into tangible livelihood improvements for vulnerable sections, questioning the effectiveness of the scheme's implementation model. The other options misinterpret the data or draw unsupported conclusions.

Q: What should UPSC aspirants remember about Polity for Prelims?

1. Target this Data: 44% overall placement rate (2021-24) against 70% target. 2. Target this Nodal Body: National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC) for DNTs. 3. Target this Legal Point: Scheme merged with PMKVY from 2024-25.

Polity Social IssuesHIGH

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains MediumStatic GK Link

12 Feb 2026

~2 min

Source: The Hindu

Key Data:44% placement rate1.5 lakh candidates trained (2021-24)70% placement target49.8% placement under NSFDC48.9% placement under NBCFDC23% placement under NSKFDC

Bodies:Lok SabhaNational Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC)National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC)National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC)Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

Practice MCQs from today's news ▸

~2 min · Quick mode

What This Article Covers

1.Only 44% of 1.5 lakh candidates trained under PM-DAKSH (2021-24) secured jobs, falling short of the 70% placement mandate linked to funding.

2.Performance varied significantly across implementing corporations: NSFDC (SCs) placed 49.8%, NBCFDC (OBCs) placed 48.9%, and NSKFDC (DNTs/Safai Karamcharis) placed a mere 23%.

3.The scheme has now been merged with PMKVY from 2024-25, indicating a policy shift towards integrated skill development architecture.

The Big Picture

Prelims · HighMains · Medium

The PM-DAKSH skill development scheme for SCs, OBCs, and De-notified Tribes has shown poor outcomes, with less than 50% placement rates against a mandated 70% target. This highlights a critical gap between policy intent and on-ground implementation for vulnerable sections. For exam aspirants, this is a case study in scheme evaluation, social justice metrics, and the challenges of translating training into employment.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Scheme Full NamePradhan Mantri Dakshata Aur Kushalata Sampanna Hitgrahi (PM-DAKSH) Yojana

Launch Year2020-21

Trained Candidates (2021-24)About 1.5 lakh

Overall Placement Rate44%

Mandatory Placement Target70%

Placement Rate for DNTs (NSKFDC)23%

States with <40% PlacementRajasthan, Tripura, Jharkhand

Merged With (From 2024-25)Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)

1-Minute Revision

›Scheme Full Name: Pradhan Mantri Dakshata Aur Kushalata Sampanna Hitgrahi (PM-DAKSH) Yojana
›Launch Year: 2020-21
›Target this Data: 44% overall placement rate (2021-24) against 70% target.
›Target this Nodal Body: National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC) for DNTs.
›Target this Legal Point: Scheme merged with PMKVY from 2024-25.

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

News Snapshot

📉

Scheme Underperformance

The PM-DAKSH scheme failed its core objective, with less than half of trained candidates from SCs, OBCs, and DNTs securing employment.

⚖️

Financial Penalty Mechanism

Institutes failing the 70% placement target forfeit 30% of training costs, creating a performance-linked funding model.

🔄

Policy Rejig

The scheme's merger with PMKVY signals a move towards a unified skill ecosystem under the Ministry of Skill Development.

Detailed Analysis & Strategic Depth

Context / Background

PM-DAKSH was launched as a Central Sector Scheme in 2020-21 to provide skill training for employability to marginalized sections - Scheduled Castes (SCs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), and De-notified Tribes (DNTs), including Safai Karamcharis. It operates through three dedicated corporations: NSFDC (for SCs), NBCFDC (for OBCs), and NSKFDC (for DNTs). The scheme's design included a strict outcome-based condition where training institutes must ensure placement for 70% of trainees to receive full payment.

Core Analysis & Implications

The data reveals systemic inefficiencies. The aggregate 44% placement rate points to issues in market-aligned curriculum, post-training support, or tracking mechanisms. The stark variation—from ~50% for SCs/OBCs to 23% for DNTs—highlights the compounded vulnerabilities faced by the most marginalized, such as Safai Karamcharis. The financial penalty clause (forfeiture of 30% cost) seems insufficient to ensure outcomes, questioning the accountability framework. This failure impacts social mobility and perpetuates economic disparities, contrary to the constitutional mandate of Articles 15, 16, and 46.

Future Outlook / Way Forward

The merger with PMKVY from 2024-25 aims to streamline skill development under a single ministry (Skill Development & Entrepreneurship) for better synergy and monitoring. The future focus must be on robust placement cells, stronger industry linkages, and addressing region-specific barriers (as seen in low-performing states like Rajasthan, Tripura). Reforms could include linking institute accreditation to placement records, providing apprenticeship guarantees, and integrating with other welfare schemes like Stand-Up India for entrepreneurship support.

Key Facts at a Glance

Scheme Full NamePradhan Mantri Dakshata Aur Kushalata Sampanna Hitgrahi (PM-DAKSH) Yojana

Launch Year2020-21

Trained Candidates (2021-24)About 1.5 lakh

Overall Placement Rate44%

Mandatory Placement Target70%

Placement Rate for DNTs (NSKFDC)23%

States with <40% PlacementRajasthan, Tripura, Jharkhand

Merged With (From 2024-25)Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)

You've read the full analysis. Now test your understanding.

Practice exam-style questions based on this article.

Q1Static LinkageEasyUPSC, SSC, State PSC

The PM-DAKSH scheme, prior to its merger, was implemented under which Ministry?

Q2Statement-basedHardUPSC, SSC

Consider the following statements regarding the PM-DAKSH scheme:

1. It was a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 2020-21.

2. Training institutes under the scheme were required to place at least 70% of trained candidates.

3. The scheme has been subsumed under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) from 2024-25.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMediumUPSC, Banking, SSC

According to the Lok Sabha data cited in the article, what was the overall percentage of candidates trained under PM-DAKSH (2021-24) who were placed in jobs?

Q4Application/ImpactMediumUPSC, SSC, Banking

What is the primary implication of the low placement rates reported under the PM-DAKSH scheme?

All 25 MCQs ▸

Read original article from The Hindu

You finished this topic

Practice 3 MCQs from this news Next Article

Explore Related Topics

PolityView Topic MCQs →Social IssuesView Topic MCQs →

PreviousMadras High Court Upholds Joint Trial for POCSO Accused Citing Child's Paramount Interest Next UPI Processes ₹75 Crore Daily, Expected to Reach ₹100 Crore, Constitutes 85% of Digital Transactions

Related Current Affairs

Polity Current Affairs

Indian Statistical Institute Bill 2026: Governance Reforms, Board Changes, Autonomy Concerns

The Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026, introduced in Lok Sabha, proposes sweeping governance changes to ISI, including a new Board of Governance and enhanced central control. Students and faculty protest the Bill citing loss of autonomy and insufficient consultations. For exam aspirants, this is a key case study of institutional governance reform vs. autonomy debates.

Health & Education Current Affairs

342 AICTE-Approved Technical Institutions Closed in 3 Years; Maharashtra Tops with 57 Closures

342 AICTE-approved technical institutions closed across 17 states in the last three academic years, as per data tabled in Lok Sabha. Maharashtra recorded the highest closures (57), followed by Uttar Pradesh (54) and Madhya Pradesh (53). The government highlighted rising enrolments and policy measures to improve institutional viability.

Polity Current Affairs

Rajya Sabha Passes Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill 2026, Raising Judge Strength to 38

The Rajya Sabha has cleared the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, raising the apex court's sanctioned strength from 34 to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India. The Bill replaces a May ordinance, but Opposition MPs questioned the ordinance route and highlighted the persistent diversity deficit in judicial appointments. This is a high-yield Polity topic for Prelims and Mains, with concrete data on SC/ST/OBC/minority/women representation and judiciary infrastructure.

Social Issues Current Affairs

Nurses Registration and Tracking System: Only 14.24 Lakh of 46.02 Lakh Nurses Enrolled

The Nurses Registration and Tracking System, launched over seven years ago, has registered only 14.24 lakh of India's 46.02 lakh nursing personnel, leaving 31.78 lakh nurses outside the national portal. Stark regional disparities exist, with southern states lagging while Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha show 80-99% enrolment, highlighting federal tensions and the urgent need for a live, unified registry to improve healthcare deployment and patient safety.

Polity Current Affairs

MCA Data Reveals Only 9 Women CEOs, 25 MDs in India's Top 500 Listed Companies

Ministry of Corporate Affairs data tabled in Lok Sabha reveals severe underrepresentation of women in top corporate leadership: only 9 CEOs and 25 MDs among India's 500 largest listed companies. This directly impacts the UPSC/state PSC themes of women empowerment, corporate governance, and the effectiveness of legal mandates under the Companies Act, 2013.

Polity Current Affairs

Parliamentary Panel Flags NCERT Textbook Delays, Application-Based Exams Widening Curriculum Gap for Classes 9-12

A parliamentary panel has identified a critical gap between the NEP 2020-aligned curriculum and its implementation for Classes 9-12, citing delays in NCERT textbook releases and the shift to application-based board exams as sources of student stress. The report also flags declining teacher training, uneven enrolment, and the persistent shortfall in education spending (4.1% of GDP vs the 6% target), making it a high-relevance issue for education policy and governance questions.

Polity Current Affairs

Agniveer Scheme: Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Job Reservation Policy for First Batch Returning in December 2026

The first batch of Agniveers recruited under the June 2022 scheme will return home in December 2026. While Haryana has a detailed reservation policy ready, Punjab and Himachal are yet to finalise their implementation plans, raising concerns about employment for these short-service soldiers.

Polity Current Affairs

Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 Passed in Lok Sabha Without Debate; SC Issues Notice on Polygamy Ban

Lok Sabha passed the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 without debate amid opposition protests over police crackdown. Simultaneously, the Supreme Court issued notice on a plea to ban polygamy, sentenced Tahir Hussain to life imprisonment for murder of an IB officer, and stayed arrest of former TN minister Senthilbalaji. Multiple other judicial and state-level developments occurred.

Start Today's Quiz(25 Qs)

Take Today's Quiz

25 Qs • 5-7 Mins

PM-DAKSH Scheme Trains 1.5 Lakh Candidates (2021-24) with 44% Placement Against 70% Target

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

1-Minute Revision

News Snapshot

Scheme Underperformance

Financial Penalty Mechanism

Policy Rejig

Detailed Analysis & Strategic Depth

Context / Background

Core Analysis & Implications

Future Outlook / Way Forward

Prelims Flashpoints

Key Facts at a Glance