A government study recommends increased funding and infrastructure upgrades for the Skill India Mission’s Jan Shiksha Sansthan (JSS) scheme. The findings were presented to Parliament on Monday. A third-party evaluation by the Arun Jaitley National Institute of Financial Management (AJNIFM) highlighted these needs.
JSS Scheme Recommendations
The JSS scheme trains individuals with basic education and school dropouts aged 15-45. It prioritizes women, Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and minorities. The evaluation suggests expanding the scheme to all districts. It also calls for improved infrastructure at training centers. Enhanced budgetary provisions are needed for quality training and branding.
The study noted that over half of JSS beneficiaries have completed education up to Class 10. It also recommended an increase in grant-in-aid. This aims to meet minimum standards for National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) compliance. Augmenting infrastructure, materials, and equipment is crucial for program quality.
Scheme Performance Data
As of December 31, 2025, 34.14 lakh individuals have benefited from the JSS scheme since July 2018. The government set a target of 2.81 million beneficiaries for 2022-2026. Around 2 million were trained during this period. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) cited phased implementation of the Skill India Program (SIP) for the shortfall.
| Beneficiary Group | Percentage |
|---|---|
| SC/ST | 73% |
| OBC | 37% |
| Women | 82% |
| Ages 19-35 | 66.8% |
| Education up to 10th standard | 55% |
| Non-earning before scheme | 60% |
The average monthly income for beneficiaries increased from Rs. 1,776 to Rs. 8,440. From fiscal year 2021-2025, 94.3% received training, and 98.5% were certified.
Current JSS Reach
Currently, 294 Jan Shikshan Sansthans operate across 26 states and seven Union Territories. These JSSs are registered as non-governmental organizations. Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of centers (47), training 6,18,416 beneficiaries. Madhya Pradesh followed with 3,66,982 beneficiaries. Odisha trained 3,11,556 beneficiaries.
PMKVY 4.0 Evaluation
An independent evaluation of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 4.0 was also conducted by AJNIFM. PMKVY 4.0 is a demand-driven scheme. Training centers are established based on requirements from states and industry. The scheme focuses on career path empowerment through industry-relevant courses and On-Job Training (OJT).
The PMKVY 4.0 evaluation covered 12 states. Previous evaluations by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India highlighted anomalies in earlier PMKVY versions. The current evaluation assesses effectiveness, efficiency, outcomes, and impact using beneficiary surveys and data analysis.