CAG Flags Major Irregularities in Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) , Finds Gaps in Payments, Training and Placements

Key Points:

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has flagged serious irregularities in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), a flagship skill development scheme of the Centre. The findings, covering the period from 2015 to 2022, were tabled in the Lok Sabha on December 18, 2025. The report uncovers major fraudulent activities and scams done under the guise of the program, highlighting severe administrative mismanagement and corruption. 

PMKVY is an important scheme that was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led BJP government in 2015. Its objective was to provide skill development training to India’s youth, empowering them to tackle joblessness. The CAG report findings covers the scheme launched in 3 phases, with phase 1, 2 and 3 being from 2015-2016, 2016-2020, and 2021-2022 respectively. 

Irregularities In Bank Account Details And Email Addresses Reported

According to the scheme, direct benefit transfer of Rs. 500 was to be provided to the applicants. However, the CAG report revealed that irregularities were found in multiple fields of the applicants, such as bank account details and email ids. During the period, a total of about 95 lakh participants registered, out of which proper bank account details of 90 lakh were missing. 

The report also highlighted instances of unique account numbers being used for multiple applicants, and fake email ids such as abcd@gmail.com were used. Irregular account numbers, such as ‘1111111111’, or other such single digit account numbers, or just names, addresses, or special characters etc… were used. Irregular email ids and mobile numbers in multiple applicants’ files were also found.

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Same Photos Used For Different Batches

CAG findings also reveal that the same photos were used for different batches. For example, a business agency Neelima Moving Pictures (NMP) used the same photos of applicants for multiple different batches. As mentioned in page number 50 of the report, the same photo for Batch 57241, Gaya, Bihar was used for Batch 67518, Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh. Moreover, an image of two women from Batch 68501, Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh was used for Batch 68922, Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh.

Another anomaly highlighted in the report is that many training centres were found to be closed during physical inspection. For example, during the survey process, 3 out of 10 training centres in Bihar were closed, while 1 out of 17 training centres in Odisha was closed.

Same Testimonials Of Different Candidates

The report also highlights multiple other irregularities found during the audit process. In a company named Present Media Pvt. Ltd., same testimonials including gender reference and signatures were used for different candidates, but with different photographs. Also, duplicate photos were used for different batches.

Same Inspector Conducted Physical Inspections At Multiple Locations On The Same Day

The CAG also flagged irregularities involving inspectors and training agencies, including cases where inspections were either poorly conducted or compromised. The report reveals that the same inspector(s) conducted inspections at multiple states on the same day. For example, Inspector 1 Ashish Senwal conducted 19 physical inspections on February 21, 2020 in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. 

The report also noted various other anomalies, such as absence of geo-tagging and irregular time pattern to complete the inspection, and absence of employee-employer relations between certifying agency and candidates. The audit also found that only 41 percent of trained candidates secured employment. Of the 56.14 lakh candidates certified under short-term training (STT) and special projects (SP), only 23.18 lakh were placed. 

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Irregularities Flagged In Gym And Fitness Employment

Another major irregularity was observed in skill certifications linked to gym and fitness employment. The audit found that a training agency, Edujoin Training Foundation, certified over 25,000 fitness trainers across 10 states by claiming tie-ups with 33 gym centres. However, most gyms typically employ only one or two trainers, making such large-scale certifications unrealistic. The ministry’s response was contradictory—while it claimed gyms were the employers, Edujoin was officially listed only as a training partner, not an employer. This raised doubts about whether genuine employer-employee relationships even existed.

The CAG also flagged that certifications were heavily concentrated in specific districts within states, without proper verification. In some cases, thousands of fitness trainers were certified from a single district, suggesting inflated or fabricated data. Similar issues were found in lifeguard and beach safety jobs, where agencies certified thousands of candidates despite limited actual employment opportunities.

The audit raises serious questions about the monitoring, implementation and effectiveness of PMKVY, a scheme aimed at improving employability among India’s youth. The findings also showcase misuse of public funds, inflated certifications, and weak oversight, raising serious concerns about the credibility and effectiveness of PMKVY’s employment outcomes. 

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