The Government of India is taking proactive steps to enhance the employability of the country’s youth, including women, through comprehensive skill development initiatives. Under the umbrella of the Skill India Mission (SIM), the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is delivering skill training, re-skilling, and up-skilling programs via an extensive network of training centers. These centers operate through key schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), and the Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) implemented via Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
The Skill India Mission is focused on equipping India’s youth with industry-relevant skills to prepare them for the future workforce. It ensures inclusive access to skill development opportunities across different segments of society, with particular emphasis on empowering women.
To encourage greater participation of women in these programs, the government has introduced special provisions including financial support for conveyance and boarding & lodging, along with enhanced post-placement assistance. PMKVY 4.0 places a strong focus on projects that identify women as primary beneficiaries. Training programs in sectors such as Electronics, Retail, Healthcare, Beauty & Wellness, Handicrafts, and Apparel have been specially curated to increase women’s enrolment. Additionally, Skill Hubs and Special Projects actively promote women’s inclusion by aligning training with local skill demands, thereby facilitating rural women’s participation.
This inclusive strategy has led to a significant rise in women’s involvement in skill development programs. Under the NAPS scheme, the introduction of service-sector trades (termed Optional Trades) has further improved women’s participation in apprenticeships—from 22.79% in FY 2024–25 to 25.80% in FY 2025–26.
In the JSS Scheme, special focus is given to women and vulnerable groups, with women constituting over 80% of the total beneficiaries. Furthermore, there are currently 19 National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) and more than 300 ITIs exclusively for women. The Government has also approved a 30% reservation for women candidates in all government and private ITIs across courses, to be implemented based on the reservation policies of respective States and Union Territories.
A unique initiative—NAVYA (Nurturing Aspirations through Vocational Training for Young Adolescent Girls)—has been launched by MSDE in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD). This pilot project targets girls aged 16–18 with at least a Class 10 education and trains them in non-traditional job roles.
In another move to promote entrepreneurship among women, MSDE and NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform launched the Swavalambini program in February 2025. Implemented in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana, this program aims to instill entrepreneurial thinking through Entrepreneurship Awareness and Development Programs. The initiative is led by NIESBUD, Noida, and IIE, Guwahati.
