The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) announced the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) Antyodaya Diwas, on 25th September 2014. DDU-GKY is a part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), tasked with the dual objectives of adding diversity to the incomes of rural poor families and cater to the career aspirations of rural youth.

DDU-GKY is uniquely focused on rural youth between the ages of 15 and 35 years from poor families. As a part of the Skill India campaign, it plays an instrumental role in supporting the social and economic programs of the government like the Make In India, Digital India, Smart Cities and Start-Up India, Stand-Up India campaigns. Over 180 million or 69% of the country’s youth population between the ages of 18 and 34 years, live in its rural areas. Of these, the bottom of the pyramid youth from poor families with no or marginal employment number about 55 million.

DDU-GKY is mindful that it must engage the support of multiple partners to ensure success and maximize on the investment made in time and resources. In order to energize and build mass support as well as create awareness amongst the rural youth, The DDU-GKY projects are market linked and implemented in PPP mode. The involvement and partnership between civil society organizations, Educational institutions, apex skill partners and regulating organizations, the Government and Private organizations, ensures that DDU-GKY can leverage on the strengths of all and achieve transformative change. Curriculum framing and assessment support is through NCVT (National Council on Vocational Training) or SSCs (Sector Skills Councils). Industry partnerships allow access to new technology and on the job training. There are dedicated training hours for soft skills, spoken English and basic computers, in residential as well as non-residential well equipped campuses, with adequate technology as per industry standards.