The Ministry of Rural Development says 1,164 training batches under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana 2.0 are expected to begin in October 2026, covering 34,920 rural young people. The ministry gave the figures after reviewing preparations in 14 states and union territories. These are planned starts, and the September 19 release does not say every batch has already opened.
Where preparations stand
The first review covered Odisha, Mizoram, Sikkim, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Puducherry, Karnataka, Telangana and Bihar. The ministry says the sanctioned training target for these 14 jurisdictions is 357,112 people by December 31, 2027. Across 24 states and union territories, it reports allocation of 5.6 lakh targets to more than 1,200 projects through its portal.
DDU-GKY is a centrally sponsored placement-linked skill-training scheme for poor rural youth. The ministry says training can last from three to twelve months. An allocation or sanctioned target is distinct from enrolment, training completion or employment. Public assessment will require later data on actual participants, course completion and placements.
Implementation steps
The ministry asked states and union territories to allocate targets to project implementing agencies by October 31 to enable batches to start. It also advised integration with state treasury portals by September 30 for online payments through the Grameen Kaushal platform. These dates are administrative milestones rather than a blanket application deadline for individual candidates.
Regional workshops for implementing agencies are scheduled for Shillong on October 5, Vijayawada on October 7, Mumbai on October 9 and Dharamshala on October 16. Their purpose is to explain the integrated portal and address implementation questions. The ministry says most states are positioned to begin mobilisation and training in October, while others are at different stages.
What applicants should check
Interested rural youth should verify the official scheme and state implementing-agency information for local course availability, eligibility and enrolment instructions. This announcement does not list individual training centres or guarantee a place or job. The next test of the programme is whether planned batches actually start and participants receive the training promised.
Sources
Official source document. Illustrative photo: Septian setiawan/Unsplash; the image does not depict the reported event.
