Patna: Bihar’s Youth, Employment and Skill Development Department has initiated inspections of 532 training centres under the Kushal Yuva Programme (KYP) following complaints about irregularities and poor training standards. Accreditation for some centres may be revoked, and affected students will be relocated to alternative centres. Minister Sanjay Singh Tiger said the government will not compromise on the future of youth and promised reforms to align training programmes with industry needs.
The programme, which began in October 2016, currently operates 1,709 active centres out of 1,832 approved across the state. Officials report widespread irregularities affecting training quality, prompting the department to act swiftly to ensure transparency and proper oversight.
Inspection teams deployed across districts
District Skill Managers and Nodal Officers have been tasked with the inspection of the flagged centres. The majority of these are in Jamui, Munger, Banka, Nawada, Sheikhpura, Saran, Siwan, Gopalganj, East and West Champaran, Katihar, Kishanganj, Madhepura, Saharsa, Khagaria, Araria, Purnia, Darbhanga, Rohtas, and surrounding districts. Minister Tiger highlighted that operators managing multiple centres will face stricter monitoring, and any detected irregularities could lead to cancellation of centre registrations and action against non-compliant operators.
Curriculum overhaul to match industry demand
While the minimum eligibility for trainees is class 10, many participants are graduates, postgraduates, ITI, or polytechnic diploma holders. The department plans to revise the training curriculum to better meet industry requirements. The Bihar Skill Development Mission is coordinating with all 16 related departments to implement a comprehensive action plan, led by Secretary Dr Kaushal Kishore.
Addressing profit-driven compromises
Over 200 operators run multiple centres, often prioritising profit over training quality. Each centre is required to maintain batches of 20–30 trainees, with a maximum of 120 per three-month cycle. Trainees receive a stipend of Rs 8,650 upon successful completion, with operators potentially earning Rs 41.52 lakh annually per centre. The programme offers free training in life skills, communication, and basic computer skills for youth aged 15–28, with a 33-year limit for differently-abled participants. To date, 31,32,048 youths have registered, and 19,82,898 have received certificates.
