Why it is in the news
On 19 September 2026, the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) announced that training under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana 2.0 (DDU-GKY 2.0) will begin in October 2026 across most States and Union Territories. The first phase covers 1,164 batches and 34,920 rural youth, following a readiness review with 14 States/UTs whose combined sanctioned target is 3,57,112 trainees by 31 December 2027.
The exam angle
Issue: Placement-linked skilling has trained over 18 lakh rural youth in a decade, but placement rates, job retention and data integrity remain weak. Can the 2.0 redesign turn skilling into durable employment for the rural poor?