The Udaan scheme is a Special Industry Initiative (SSI) for the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) State. The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) implements the Udaan scheme, and the Ministry of Home Affairs funds and monitors this scheme.
The Udaan scheme is a significant initiative of the Central Government towards employing the educated youths of the state of J&K. This scheme was launched in the financial year 2011-12 based on the report of the Rangarajan Committee. It aims to cover around 40,000 youths of J&K over five years. However, the government extended this scheme and now it is in its closure stage.
The Udaan scheme aims to provide skills training and increase the employability of the unemployed youth of J&K. It covers the graduates, professional degree holders, post-graduates, and three-year engineering diploma holders of the J&K state. It has the following two objectives:
The eligibility criteria for a person to obtain training under the Udaan scheme are as follows:
The selected eligible candidates/trainees will receive a minimum of Rs.2500 per month as a stipend during the training period. They will also be covered with medical or travel accident insurance against travel accidents, exigencies, and illnesses at Rs.1500 per trainee.
The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is the Implementing Agency (IA) of the Udaan scheme. The Ministry of Home Affairs and the IA will engage with the identified corporates and help them identify different places in J&K as recruitment centres for the selection of unemployed youth off and on campus. The corporate and the IA will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for implementing this scheme.
The corporate will depute its teams to different campuses for identifying and selecting eligible candidates for training. After selecting the candidates, the corporate will notify them about the commencement of the training, duration of the training, training centres, accommodation, transport, etc.
The corporates decide the curriculum, venue and duration of training based on the requirement and profile of their organisation to improve the skill and employability of the selected candidate. However, the training period will be for a minimum period of three months and a maximum of six months, depending on the requirement and profile of the corporate.
The corporate can interview the candidate/trainee for placement either during or after completing the training. The corporate will interview through a placement agency or by organising a job fair. When the candidate/trainee gets successfully placed, the IA will reimburse Rs.50,000 to the corporate.
The corporate will receive reimbursement from the IA provided:
The government of J&K is facilitating employment opportunities to the youths of the state through the Udaan Scheme. Around 44,369 candidates joined the training under this scheme. Out of the 44,369 candidates, 38,798 candidates completed training and 24,184 have been offered jobs across different sectors. Around 115 corporates are part of this scheme helping the youths of the state of J&K to obtain jobs and provide training for leading a successful life.