Q. With reference to Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, consider the following statements:

1. It is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
2. It, among other things, will also impart training in soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial and digital literacy.
3. It aims to align the competencies of the unregulated workforce of the country to the National Skill Qualification Framework.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (UPSC Prelims 2018)
Answer: 2 and 3 only
Notes: The correct answer is [C] 2 and 3 only. The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) is a key initiative aimed at mobilizing Indian youth to take up industry-relevant skill training.

• Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Statement 1 – Incorrect): PMKVY is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), not the Ministry of Labour and Employment. It is implemented by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).
• Comprehensive Training (Statement 2 – Correct): The scheme does not just focus on technical vocations. It includes mandatory components for soft skills, entrepreneurship, and financial and digital literacy to ensure that candidates are "work-ready" in a modern professional environment.
• NSQF Alignment (Statement 3 – Correct): One of the core objectives of PMKVY is to provide a standardized certification. It aims to align the competencies of the unregulated workforce (including those who have acquired skills informally) to the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) component.

The scheme operates through three main pillars: Short Term Training (STT) for school/college dropouts, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for experienced workers, and Special Projects for marginalized or geographically difficult areas.