Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing a range of skill development, education and rehabilitation schemes aimed at promoting socio-economic mobility, sustainable livelihoods and long-term empowerment of marginalized and disadvantaged communities across the country.

Pradhan Mantri Dakshata Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi Yojana (PM-DAKSH) is a Central Sector Scheme providing skill development training to Scheduled Castes (SCs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Economically Weaker Sections (EWSs), De-notified Tribes (DNTs) and Safai Karamcharis, including waste pickers, through empanelled training institutes. Under the scheme, training for SC beneficiaries is implemented by the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC), for OBC/EWS/DNT beneficiaries by the National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC), and for Safai Karamcharis by the National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC). State-wise details of candidates trained and placed under PM-DAKSH during 2021–22 to 2023–24 are given at Annexure-1. From 2024–25 onwards, PM-DAKSH has been merged with the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

The Ministry has evaluated the impact of Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas (SHRESHTA) and Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) on educational outcomes of marginalized communities. Evaluation findings of SHRESHTA indicate improved retention, reduced dropout rates, higher pass percentages, enhanced educational aspirations and reduction in caste and gender gaps among Scheduled Caste students. In Odisha, districts such as Dhenkanal and Khordha have shown high enrolment, improved retention and consistently high pass percentages, particularly under Mode-II of SHRESHTA.

As per the Evaluation Report of PM-AJAY, access to the Hostel component [erstwhile Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana (BJRCY)] has led to increased continuation rates in higher secondary and college education, especially among girls, by addressing issues related to long commutes and unsafe travel.

The Third-Party Evaluation of SHRESHTA covered 41 districts across six geographical regions of the country. As on December 2025, a total of 15,816 beneficiaries were covered nationwide during 2023–24, of which 4,135 students (26%) were covered under Mode-I and 11,681 students (74%) under Mode-II. District-wise distribution of sample beneficiaries is given at Annexure-2 .

Since 2007–08, under the Hostel component of PM-AJAY, a total of 911 hostels have been sanctioned for 74,749 beneficiaries across the country. Of these, 177 hostels have been sanctioned for 14,634 beneficiaries in Odisha. Details of State-wise hostels sanctioned, completed and beneficiaries covered are given at Annexure-III.

Under PM-DAKSH, training institutes are mandated to provide wage or self-employment to at least 70 per cent of trained candidates, failing which the release of the third instalment of training cost is forfeited. The implementing Corporations also extend loan facilities and assistance for entrepreneurship, project preparation and employability to eligible beneficiaries. Evaluation studies of PM-DAKSH indicate strong relevance of training, high learning effectiveness and positive long-term livelihood outcomes.

Further, evaluation findings show that over 90 per cent of beneficiaries reported alignment of training with career goals and local labour market needs, along with significant non-material gains such as improved confidence, self-esteem and social recognition, particularly among women and marginalized groups. Sustainability outcomes are largely positive, with most beneficiaries continuing to use acquired skills and expecting long-term income growth.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri B. L. Verma, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

Annexure 1*

State-wise details- National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation
Name of the State/UTs	2021-22		2022-23		2023-24
	Trained	Placed	Trained	Placed	Trained	Placed
Andhra Pradesh	653	422	690	85	120	22
Assam	1332	1013	724	490	1896	232
Bihar	1399	848	1400	543	882	536
Chhattisgarh	390	279	324	237	440	23
Delhi	179	132	136	100	55	30
Goa	0		25	16	0	0
Gujarat	854	618	450	297	295	58
Haryana	419	267	427	257	740	434
Himachal Pradesh	120	93	380	241	360	268
J&K	495	366	446	260	770	445
Jharkhand	515	362	531	340	415	285
Ladakh	50	21	0	0	30	27
Karnataka	508	361	260	219	959	123
Kerala	546	269	263	165	85	77
Madhya Pradesh	1115	854	1289	953	7815	2547
Maharashtra	1117	736	364	247	5029	3009
Manipur	407	309	200	122	0	0
Meghalaya	30	23	140	100	0	0
Odisha	413	262	610	507	549	150
Pondicherry	34	19	0	0	0	0
Punjab	471	326	480	251	839	369
Rajasthan	1129	814	799	483	3456	772
Sikkim	155	132	25	18	25	25
Tamil Nadu	632	474	347	276	615	515
Telangana	441	264	130	46	410	244
Tripura	419	310	210	157	285	22
Uttar Pradesh	3109	2325	2177	1383	10730	2589
Uttarakhand	180	132	325	198	497	172
West Bengal	1044	482	223	166	110	107
Total	18,156	12,513	13,375	8,157	37,407	13,081

Annexure 2*

Name of State/UT	2021-22		2022-23		2023-24
	Trained	Placed	Trained	Placed	Trained	Placed
Andhra Pradesh	839		850		15	0
Assam	488	101		0	539	114
Bihar	446	97	216		390	0
Chhattisgarh	377	115	242			0
Delhi	47			0		0
Gujarat	415		290		62	24
Haryana		0	728		479	317
Himachal Pradesh	568			0	225	168
Jammu & Kashmir	0	0	319		90	77
Jharkhand	426	297	29		320	22
Karnataka		0	180	134	210	0
Kerala		0		0	88	72
Madhya Pradesh	898	167	1328	155	3146	889
Maharashtra	93	26	480	71	1244	125
Odisha	49	42	604	275	298	55
Punjab	782	295	1215	123	245	133
Rajasthan		0	89	56	1489	392
Tamil Nadu		0	429		110	27
Telangana		0	676	145	135	0
Tripura		0	180	111		0
Uttar Pradesh	929	647	1043	762	2430	236
Uttarakhand	190	93		0	180	0
West Bengal	904	94	374	163	423	51
Total	7,451	1,974	9,272	1,995	12,118	2,702

 

State-wise details-National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation

Annexure 3*

District-wise Distribution of Sample Beneficiaries under SHRESHTA:

Sl. No.	State/UT	Total No. of Hostels Sanctioned	No. of hostels completed	No. of beneficiaries
1	Andhra Pradesh *	33	5	3265
2	Assam	44	36	2924
3	Bihar *	19	16	1890
4	Chhattisgarh	48	46	2420
5	Gujarat	17	17	3270
6	Haryana	17	14	1860
7	Himachal Pradesh *	9	7	1125
8	Jammu And Kashmir	5	4	400
9	Jharkhand	21	16	1450
10	Karnataka	45	35	3136
11	Kerala	9	9	730
12	Madhya Pradesh	87	77	6650
13	Maharashtra*	59	55	5273
14	Manipur	24	16	2155
15	Mizoram	3	0	450
16	Nagaland	9	0	1350
17	Odisha *	177	169	14834
18	Puducherry	4	2	500
19	Punjab	15	15	1226
20	Rajasthan	105	101	4475
21	Sikkim	6	4	600
22	Tamil Nadu	50	47	4641
23	Telangana	11	4	1500
24	Tripura	8	5	520
25	Uttar Pradesh	32	24	2734
26	Uttarakhand*	6	2	350
27	West Bengal	48	48	5021
	Total	911	774	74749

Annexure 4*

The details of State-wise Hostel sanctioned under PM-AJAY Scheme and completion status (from 2007-08 till 2024-25)

Sl. No.	State/UT	Total No. of Hostels Sanctioned	No. of hostels completed	No. of beneficiaries
1	Andhra Pradesh *	33	5	3265
2	Assam	44	36	2924
3	Bihar *	19	16	1890
4	Chhattisgarh	48	46	2420
5	Gujarat	17	17	3270
6	Haryana	17	14	1860
7	Himachal Pradesh *	9	7	1125
8	Jammu And Kashmir	5	4	400
9	Jharkhand	21	16	1450
10	Karnataka	45	35	3136
11	Kerala	9	9	730
12	Madhya Pradesh	87	77	6650
13	Maharashtra*	59	55	5273
14	Manipur	24	16	2155
15	Mizoram	3	0	450
16	Nagaland	9	0	1350
17	Odisha *	177	169	14834
18	Puducherry	4	2	500
19	Punjab	15	15	1226
20	Rajasthan	105	101	4475
21	Sikkim	6	4	600
22	Tamil Nadu	50	47	4641
23	Telangana	11	4	1500
24	Tripura	8	5	520
25	Uttar Pradesh	32	24	2734
26	Uttarakhand*	6	2	350
27	West Bengal	48	48	5021
	Total	911	774	74749

*3 hostels in Andhra Pradesh, 3 hostels in Bihar, 2 hostels in Himachal Pradesh, 2 hostels in Odisha, 1 hostel in Uttarakhand & 4 hostels in Maharashtra have been cancelled and their amount refunded by the respective State Governments through DD.

Annexure 5*

***

S.M.

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