Skill Development Minister Discloses Action Against Irregularities in Parliament
Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that First Information Reports (FIRs) have been lodged against 41 Skill India Centres, while 178 training partners have been found non-compliant with the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) schemes. Additionally, 11 entities have been issued show-cause notices following inspections and a recent Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report that highlighted significant irregularities in the flagship skill training program.
Comprehensive Inspections and Virtual Monitoring
The minister detailed that these actions stem from physical inspections of 2,393 Skill India Centres conducted through state and district-level coordinators, complemented by virtual verification processes over the past year. In response to questions from Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain during Question Hour, Chaudhary emphasized that the Centre has taken corrective and penal measures as an ongoing concurrent exercise to address the audit findings.
CAG Report Findings and Government Response
The CAG report, tabled in Parliament in December 2025, audited the implementation of PMKVY—launched in July 2015 to skill youth and provide employment pathways—covering the period from 2016 to 2022. It flagged glaring irregularities including anomalous bank accounts, repetition of photographs for multiple beneficiaries, pending payouts, and shuttered training centres. Chaudhary acknowledged the report as substantive but noted that the current scheme framework has already incorporated the auditor's observations and recommendations.
Forensic Investigation and Enhanced Monitoring
To further investigate the CAG findings, the Centre issued a tender last month to hire a forensic accounting institution affiliated with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Chaudhary also highlighted the establishment of a Kaushal Samiksha Kendra facility a year ago, where all data is collected and monitored in real-time. As part of new verification efforts, approximately 3,695 training centres were monitored virtually between September 2024 and October 2025.
Scheme Evaluation and Future Improvements
Addressing supplementary questions on scheme design and third-party audits, Chaudhary referenced an evaluation by NITI Aayog in October 2020, which found that 52% of placed candidates under the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) component reported higher salaries or expectations thereof. Moreover, 94% of employers surveyed expressed willingness to hire more candidates trained under PMKVY, underscoring the program's impact on employability. The minister assured that all CAG recommendations have been implemented, with continuous efforts to enhance transparency and accountability in skill development initiatives.
