Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) Scheme

Summary of the Scheme
Name of Scheme	Pradhanmantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) Scheme
Benefits	Skill training, stipend, entrepreneurship, employment
Beneficiary	Six notified minority communities
Nodal Agency	Ministry of Minority Affairs
Subscription	Subscribe here to get Update Regarding Scheme
Mode of Apply	Online through the Skill India Digital Hub portal

Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS): Free Skill Training with Monthly Stipend for Minority Communities

A Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs that offers free skill training, monthly DBT stipends of ₹1,000 to ₹3,000, and placement and entrepreneurship support to the six notified minority communities.

What is PM VIKAS?

PM VIKAS is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA), Government of India. It is meant for the six centrally notified minority communities: Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis.

The Ministry merged five earlier schemes into one unified framework: Seekho Aur Kamao, USTTAD, Hamari Dharohar, Nai Roshni and Nai Manzil. Instead of separate programmes for skills, crafts, women and education, support now comes under a single umbrella.

Why it exists: Many people in minority communities work as artisans and craftspersons in the unorganised sector, with low incomes, poor access to credit, design, technology and markets, and a risk of losing traditional skills. Many minority women lack awareness of schemes and rights, and many young people leave school early.

Objectives

• Build skills through need-based training and ensure employment or livelihood
• Preserve and promote traditional arts, crafts and Intangible Cultural Heritage
• Give school dropouts Class 8, 10 and 12 certification through open schooling
• Empower minority women through leadership and entrepreneurship support
• Improve livelihoods through market and credit linkages

Four Components of PM VIKAS

1. Skilling and Training

• Traditional training (earlier USTTAD and Hamari Dharohar): NSQF-aligned training in arts and craft job roles, workshops on market linkage, e-commerce, packaging, design and export, and preservation of languishing art forms
• Non-traditional skilling (earlier Seekho Aur Kamao): placement-linked, NSQF-aligned training in sectors such as manufacturing, services, tourism, hospitality, agriculture, handlooms and food processing, with soft skills like digital and financial literacy and English
• Duration: minimum 3 months, maximum 12 months

2. Women Leadership and Entrepreneurship (earlier Nai Roshni)

• Leadership and Basic Entrepreneurship Programme: 60 hours on personality development, legal rights, financial inclusion, digital literacy, health and hygiene
• Entrepreneurship Development: 120 hours for 50% of enrolled women who show potential
• Biz Sakhi/Udyami Mitra: 240 hours for at least 10% of trained women, so they can mentor other women entrepreneurs

3. Education (earlier Nai Manzil)

• Bridge programme for dropouts for Class 8, 10 and 12 through NIOS or other MoMA-approved institutions

4. Infrastructure Development

• Uses existing infrastructure under PMJVK and other Ministries first; new infrastructure is proposed by State Governments under PMJVK

Key Benefits

Monthly stipend (via DBT)

Other benefits

• Free training: Training, assessment and certification costs of Components 1, 2 and 3 are fully funded by the Centre
• Placement support: Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) must place at least 75% of non-traditional trainees in wage employment, self-employment or apprenticeship, with at least 50% in the organised sector. A candidate counts as placed after 3 continuous months in the job
• Post-placement support: ₹2,000 per candidate for 2 months is an eligible cost under non-traditional skilling
• Certification: By Sector Skill Councils, NCVET-approved bodies or NIOS
• Credit linkage: Help to access working capital and term loans from NMDFC, banks and NBFCs, and familiarisation with schemes like PM Mudra Yojana
• Enterprise support for women: PIAs help at least 30% of women trained in entrepreneurship set up individual or group enterprises
• Career counselling: At least 15% of women in the leadership component get help with further skills, education or jobs
• Market linkage: Lok Samvardhan Parvs, trade fairs, buyer-seller meets, catalogues, e-commerce support and help with GI tags where possible

Note: PM VIKAS does not give a fixed cash grant or a guaranteed loan to every beneficiary. Loans depend on the norms of NMDFC, banks and other lenders.

Who Is Eligible?

• Must be an Indian national
• Must belong to a community notified under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 (Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain or Parsi)
• Other State/UT-notified minorities may be considered with a State Government assertion, capped at 5% of total seats
• Must have an Aadhaar card and Aadhaar-linked bank account. If not, the PIA arranges these before training starts
• Age: preferably 14 to 45 years for Traditional Training, Non-traditional Skilling and Education; 18 to 45 years for Women Leadership and Entrepreneurship
• Preference goes to candidates from the Economically Weaker Section (EWS)
• Skilling and women leadership candidates must meet the minimum education and experience for the job role under NSQF norms
• The Women Leadership and Entrepreneurship component is for women only

Reservation of Seats

• At least 33% of seats for women in Traditional Training and Non-traditional Skilling
• At least 50% of seats for women in the Education component
• 3% of seats for Persons with Disabilities across skilling, women leadership and education
• Up to 25% non-minority (EWS) candidates in Traditional Training and up to 15% in other components may be considered
• Reserved seats that remain vacant may be treated as unreserved

Documents That May Be Required

The official guidelines do not give a complete checklist, so confirm with your PIA or training centre.

• Aadhaar card
• Educational and experience certificates needed for the chosen NSQF job role
• State Government assertion (for state-notified minority communities)
• Aadhaar-linked active bank account details

How to Apply

You do not apply to the Ministry directly. You join a training batch through an approved Project Implementing Agency (PIA).

Method 1: Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH)

1. Visit the Skill India Digital Hub portal.
2. If new, click Register.
3. Choose your category, enter your mobile number and verify with OTP.
4. Fill in your details, search for a PM VIKAS course or training centre near you, and choose a job role that matches your qualifications.
5. Complete enrolment with the PIA or training centre, which adds you to a batch on the scheme portal.

Method 2: Through a PIA

1. Contact a PM VIKAS PIA or SIDH-accredited training centre, or attend its mobilisation camp.
2. Take counselling on courses, stipend and placement options.
3. Submit your Aadhaar, bank account and qualification details. The PIA helps if you lack Aadhaar or an Aadhaar-linked account.
4. The PIA enrols you online and allots you to a batch of up to 30 candidates.

Training institutions and partners register separately on the PM VIKAS portal to submit project proposals in the DPR format. That registration is not for individual candidates.

Training, Assessment and Certification

• Training takes place only at SIDH-accredited and affiliated centres, for a maximum of 8 hours per day
• Attendance is recorded through the geo-fenced Aadhaar-Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS)
• You need at least 70% average attendance to appear in the assessment
• The certificate awarding body assesses and certifies successful trainees, and results are recorded on the scheme portal/SIDH
• The PIA then provides placement, self-employment or apprenticeship support and tracks placed candidates for at least 3 months

Stipend Payment Details

• Paid by: the PIA, not the Ministry
• Mode: DBT through PFMS into your Aadhaar-linked bank account
• Period: training period only, up to 12 months
• Funding to PIA: released in two instalments in the ratio of 80:20
• Attendance link: monthly stipend needs at least 70% attendance in that month, full stipend needs at least 70% cumulative attendance over the course, and candidates who drop out after one month do not get further stipend

Contact and Helpdesk

• Helpline: 011-24364312 / 011-24360857
• Email: PMVIKAS-mma@gov.in