Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY): Eligibility and Features

Last updated: 2026-11-13 · MockMentor

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), launched on 25 September 2014 (Antyodaya Diwas), trains poor rural youth for wage jobs and pays training partners on placements. It is part of DAY-NRLM and is now the skilling engine of the VB-G RAM G Act.

In one line: free job training for poor rural youth, run with private training partners whose success is counted in jobs, not certificates.

At a glance

Item Details
Launched 25 September 2014
Ministry Rural Development
Age 15 to 35 (up to 45 for women, persons with disabilities, transgender persons and PVTGs)
Model Public-private partnership through Project Implementing Agencies
Funding 60:40; 90:10 for North-Eastern and Himalayan States
Placement At least 70% of trainees
Minimum salary ₹10,000 a month

Mandatory coverage

50% SC/ST, 15% minorities, 33% women and 5% persons with disabilities.

Special components

  • Himayat: fully Centre-funded skilling for youth of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
  • Roshni: for 27 Left Wing Extremism districts in 9 States, with 40% women.
  • Project UNNATI: skilling for rural employment guarantee workers.
  • Kaushal Panjee: app to register beneficiaries from SECC data.
  • DDU-GKY International: training for jobs abroad.

Possible exam questions

  1. Why do placement-linked skilling programmes struggle with job retention?
  2. How can rural skilling be better matched to industry demand?

Complete notes in our courses: this page gives the essentials. The Super-Elite and Elite courses carry the full chapter with every update merged in, plus practice MCQs. Compare the courses.

More in Rural Development schemes

Prepare with MockMentor

RBI Grade A/B 2027 Super-Elite Course (₹7,500) – Complete Phase 1 and Phase 2 preparation with the Descriptive Writing Programme. 365 days validity.