Syllabus: GS2/Governance; GS4/ Ethics
In News
- The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) recently blacklisted 178 Training Partners (TPs) and Training Centres (TCs) for large-scale irregularities under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).
- The issues included fake documentation, absentee students, inflated bills, and non-existent centres.
About PMKVY
- Launched: 2015 under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
- Implementing Agency: National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).
- Objective: To provide skill training and certification to youth to enhance employability.
- Beneficiaries (till June 2025): Over 1.64 crore youth trained.
- Budget (FY 2024–25): ₹1,538 crore.
- Latest Phase: PMKVY 4.0 (2022–2026) – focuses on industry-linked courses, digital monitoring, and local-level skill hubs.
Example
- Similar corruption patterns were seen earlier in Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan ghost schools and MGNREGA fake job cards — showing a broader structural problem in scheme governance.
Governance and Ethical/Administrative Concern
- Integrity & Accountability: Public funds meant for youth empowerment were diverted for private gain, breaching fiduciary trust.
- Transparency: Denial of information under RTI citing “confidentiality” reflects opacity in public administration.
- Public Interest vs Private Profit: The PPP model turned exploitative without adequate checks, violating the principle of public service orientation.
- Professional Ethics: Officials and partners ignored due diligence, honesty, and fairness—core civil service values.
- Justice and Equity: Genuine trainees were deprived of opportunities due to diversion of resources to fake beneficiaries.
- Moral Hazard: Weak punishment mechanisms encouraged repetition of misconduct.
Implications
- Economic: Wastage of taxpayer money; failure to bridge India’s skill gap.
- Social: Erosion of trust among youth and employers in government certifications.
- Administrative: Freeze on training activities in several districts; disruption of employment pipeline.
- Reputational: Weakens India’s Skill India Mission and undermines the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
Way Forward
- Strengthening Monitoring and Evaluation:
- Introduce Aadhaar-based biometric attendance and geo-tagging of trainees.
- Third-party audits of TCs by independent agencies like CAG-empanelled firms.
- Reforming the NSDC Governance Structure:
- Separate implementation and regulation wings to avoid conflict of interest.
- Ensure parliamentary oversight and annual performance audits.
- Promoting Transparency:
- Make public disclosure of blacklisted entities, inspection reports, and fund recovery status.
- Strengthen RTI compliance and digital dashboards.
- Linking Funds to Outcomes:
- Adopt an Outcome-Based Funding Model – release payments only after verified placement and skill certification.
Source: TH
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